madiz123
Well-Known Member
I went to a yard yesterday with the intention of finding a young polo pony that was ready to begin chukkas, or had started some chukkas.
I got there and found that the horses that I had gone to see had only really just started stick and balling, and had not learnt basic polo maneuvers.
I had actually gone to see a 4yo and a 7yo mare, both of whom were ex racers. I rode them but didn't really feel happy or comfortable on them. I tried to ride with the stage of their education in mind, but it simply didn't click very well.
Then I was given the sweetest little mare I have ever seen to ride, she was three, and about 14.2hh. I was concerned that her being so small she may not be fast enough, but she had a fantastic long stride and was surprisingly well balanced. I was tapping the ball all over the place having so much fun, and the pony seemed to be really enjoying itself too!
The pony was only broken in october, but has been going really well recently. I don't know whether I caught her on a good day, but I felt so 'right' on her, I knew how to get her to move, and when not to push her.
Ahh, I feel like I'm in love! But i don't know whether it would be sensible to buy such a young pony? I have not had a young horse before, but I have always been enthusiastic about bringing one on myself - being able to train the pony to perfect for me.
Also time is an issue, I would have to give up half of the polo I play if I were to get this pony for approximately a year. This undermines the original point of me going to look for a pony!
I cannot afford the kind of pony I want, and I don't want to settle for something that I will keep thinking isn't good enough to do the things I want to do with.
I spoke to a guy I know well who trains polo ponies yesterday, and he said just take it slowly, 6 weeks on 6 weeks off, but depending on the pony. (And also lots of hugs and kisses, and an awesome nickname - he is quite sentimental!) He feels I could do it, so long as I don't rush.
My plan would be to leave the pony with the girl who is selling it for a few weeks until exams are over, have a 5 stage vetting, move it in with my two other ponies and take it schooling and stick and balling every day. I would take it to polo about 2/3 times a week with my other pony, I would just walk the pony around so it could see all the other horses and the game, then when its quietened down, do some stick and balling. Then as the pony gets used to the atmosphere, I would possibly start umpiring games so that it could learn to be calm on the field. I would also start serious polo schooling. Depending how long this takes, I would then go on to maybe playing a few very slow chukkas, but I might give riding off a miss until she would be stronger.
I would turn out for winter because I would not have time to work her other than at weekends, as I heard young horses need to be schooling very regularly. Then I would start again next summer and introduce games quicker.
I do think that this pony has tremendous potential regardless, and I could get a really good bargain here. But whether it is right for me to train it, I am not sure.
Sorry to babble on for so long, but this is a really important decision and I am looking for as many opinions as I can get, so every comment is helpful.
I got there and found that the horses that I had gone to see had only really just started stick and balling, and had not learnt basic polo maneuvers.
I had actually gone to see a 4yo and a 7yo mare, both of whom were ex racers. I rode them but didn't really feel happy or comfortable on them. I tried to ride with the stage of their education in mind, but it simply didn't click very well.
Then I was given the sweetest little mare I have ever seen to ride, she was three, and about 14.2hh. I was concerned that her being so small she may not be fast enough, but she had a fantastic long stride and was surprisingly well balanced. I was tapping the ball all over the place having so much fun, and the pony seemed to be really enjoying itself too!
The pony was only broken in october, but has been going really well recently. I don't know whether I caught her on a good day, but I felt so 'right' on her, I knew how to get her to move, and when not to push her.
Ahh, I feel like I'm in love! But i don't know whether it would be sensible to buy such a young pony? I have not had a young horse before, but I have always been enthusiastic about bringing one on myself - being able to train the pony to perfect for me.
Also time is an issue, I would have to give up half of the polo I play if I were to get this pony for approximately a year. This undermines the original point of me going to look for a pony!
I cannot afford the kind of pony I want, and I don't want to settle for something that I will keep thinking isn't good enough to do the things I want to do with.
I spoke to a guy I know well who trains polo ponies yesterday, and he said just take it slowly, 6 weeks on 6 weeks off, but depending on the pony. (And also lots of hugs and kisses, and an awesome nickname - he is quite sentimental!) He feels I could do it, so long as I don't rush.
My plan would be to leave the pony with the girl who is selling it for a few weeks until exams are over, have a 5 stage vetting, move it in with my two other ponies and take it schooling and stick and balling every day. I would take it to polo about 2/3 times a week with my other pony, I would just walk the pony around so it could see all the other horses and the game, then when its quietened down, do some stick and balling. Then as the pony gets used to the atmosphere, I would possibly start umpiring games so that it could learn to be calm on the field. I would also start serious polo schooling. Depending how long this takes, I would then go on to maybe playing a few very slow chukkas, but I might give riding off a miss until she would be stronger.
I would turn out for winter because I would not have time to work her other than at weekends, as I heard young horses need to be schooling very regularly. Then I would start again next summer and introduce games quicker.
I do think that this pony has tremendous potential regardless, and I could get a really good bargain here. But whether it is right for me to train it, I am not sure.
Sorry to babble on for so long, but this is a really important decision and I am looking for as many opinions as I can get, so every comment is helpful.
