Successfully re-trained polo ponies?

[slumdog]

Has anyone got one? Did you have to go completely back to basics? Was it a long process?

I have experience with re-schooling ex-racehorses, but from the research I've been doing Polo ponies are broken to 'polo' not English so it can be a more complicated process.

Not looking right now, just pondering future projects

 

[monsterwillow]

hi. ive had a couple of ex polo ponies! got one at the moment although i didnt do the retraining myself both have been a joy to ride!

the one i have at the moment came out of polo in 2010 i believe and she is lovely to ride! well schooled and hacks everywhere!

the last one was also very easy to ride. great jumper and also hacked everywhere.

not much help im afraid x

 

[Palindrome]

Not an expert but have taken a few polo lessons and I am not sure what you would want to retrain them to do? Polo ponies are generally an awesome ride, light and responsive.

 

[wren123]

Another one wondering why you would want to reschool, years ago kept my pony at Windsor and rode a couple of polo ponies, brilliant to ride, obedient and responsive!

 

[kit279]

I have a lovely old polo pony who I bought out of polo and he has done a little bit of everything with me. He's a full TB, raced 18 times but was always slow so retrained to play polo, played for 7 years then came to me and learnt to hunt, event, dressage, jump. Super versatile horse and a much loved old goat. Here are some photos of him:-

 

[lannerch]

Yet another one wondering why they would need retraining, maybe a bit of work long and low if you wanted to excel in dressage, but they are usually versatile responsive, obedient and a joy to ride already .

 

[slumdog]

I was led to believe they were very different to ride than 'normal' horses and didn't understand rein contact or leg aids (other than for polo obviously) and could also be difficult to mount. If that isn't the case then that's great

They certainly sound intelligent and that they can turn their hoof to pretty much anything.

 

[Hunter93]

My ex racer and ex polo boy has been re trained! Actually I'm now selling him but that's a different story. They arnt as keen for a contact as they just stick their neck out but he's bomb proof so isn't dangerous he also is very willing and lessons great to leg!

 

[Hunter93]

*listens great to leg.

At his polo yard

 

[Milanesa]

Most are easily retrained to take a contact/ leg aids- just go back to basics. They need lots of ridden trot work and bakancing as they tend to canter in one rein only on exercise. They are great little horses and with some care I think they are hard to beat. But I have had x polo ponies for many years so an biased! Pm me if u are looking for one I know of a few looking for homes. Good luck.

 

[*sprinkles*]

I used to work part time excercising polo ponies and they are wonderful. The only thing I would say is they are trained to neck rein, but it wouldn't take much to get them going off the regular bit aids.

 

[KatieLluvia]

I work on a polo yard, and some of the horses got bored and went sour with polo. All we did was put them in english tack when at home, and rode in the arena most days. We never really use neck rein at home, and gave them no option to do so! We did two, and both have turned out successfully. We also worked a LOT of trotting on the road, which also helped them, and now they have dressage lessons weekly, and doing really well!!!

 

[hollyandivy123]

I have a lovely old polo pony who I bought out of polo and he has done a little bit of everything with me. He's a full TB, raced 18 times but was always slow so retrained to play polo, played for 7 years then came to me and learnt to hunt, event, dressage, jump. Super versatile horse and a much loved old goat. Here are some photos of him:-

all i can say this is what an all rounder should be.....................just wondered if he can muck out and poo pick?

lovely horse by the way

 

[shmoo]

Bicycles !

Saffs came off the polo field (after a 12 year career) and it was the only thing she needed 'training' to deal with. She came virtually straight from the pitch via farrier, teeth man, back lady... in 6 days to us.

She's perfect. She's fun nippy, incredibly responsive.

She missed her herd, and had to be encouraged to let her personality shine but mostly it was just bicycles...

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

A yard local to me took in young failed racers to try to turn them into polo ponies - I got handed those who didn't make the grade (or who would not take to stick & ball) - to try to turn them into RC horses, hackers & the like. Most were lovely & once they understood what it was all about they were fine

The polo ponies were dead easy to ride, as others have said, just work on the acceptance of leg & forgetting the use of neck reining (mind you neck reining comes in very handy when out & about!)

 

[Mariposa]

I've never retrained any of our polo ponies, but my mum used to hunt one of her father's polo ponies in the winter and then she'd go back to polo in the summer!

Polo ponies are pretty versatile, they're just not used to having contact on the reins, but I'm sure they'd adapt quickly, they tend to be clever little things!