Originally posted 09/10/2013

Now there’s a good question. Why would we, or other adults for that matter, be interested in riding ponies?

For us, a bit of it has to do with our upbringing (the POA influence of our lovely Aunt Betsy) and a bit more of it to do with training and riding big horses….and the physical demands of it.

How many riders are out there being ‘out-horsed’ by the big moving Warmblood that they think they need to be competitive in the show ring? I’ve seen and heard of more than my share.

So perhaps a better question is, why not a pony?

Ponies are certainly not for everyone. Mention a pony to any sport horse enthusiast in the USA and their first vision that comes to mind is a chunky, ill-behaved Welsh or Shetland that moves like a sewing machine. That is what most riders here know as a pony and thus are not interested in a pony for themselves as a mount.

But there is a growing segment of riders who desires ponies for a dressage or sport mount…and they aren’t children. Think of the 50-something woman who has trained and shown big horses her whole life. She is getting to a point where the possibility of e a 17 hand fall isn’t all that appealing, because she ‘doesn’t bounce like she used to’.

Let alone the strength needed on these modern horses to ‘put the horse together’. Riding big moving horses takes a certain amount of strength so sometimes smaller is better. Especially if a person has to balance work, family, horse and fitness time.

In comes the horse-like moving, pony sized solution. Get these folks the option to ride a pony that moves like a horse with the solid mind and amiable personality of a pony and TA-DA, you have a much needed solution for today’s riders. Not only does dressage become more enjoyable, it is also more accessible for more riders.

Ponies aren’t just for kids anymore.