Dressage Ponies

[Monty]

Be serious now please!!! What do you think of the prospect of a small adult riding a 14hh pony in a dressage arena?? Let's assume, she has all the skills she should have, she looks the part in terms of turn out, her rider and she fit each other fine, but not only is she only 14hh, but she has this dinky little (Who Me??) sort of very ponyish face. And a very young one at that. You know, the sort that makes you want to go...."AAAAAaaaah......BABY!!" Do you think it would take away from the dignified air of the dressage ring??? And make me look silly??? Put off the judges??? Answers on a post card please.....to.........

[maverick927]

Well, in my opinion all I can say is the only way to find out how the judges will react is to have a go at a dressage test on this pony. sometimes the judges can be sympathetic to the cute ponies, and of course sometimes there not, but thre's only one way to find out.

[belle]

I think that people should be able to do dressage on whatever size horse or pony they like. There is nothing more ridiculous than some petite 5 foot lady riding a 17hh warmblood in a dressage arena.

As a living, I hope to be able to train ponies and arabian horses to do dressage to a high level, and take away some of the misconceptions people have. Some of the nicest and willing and most talented equines that I have trained have been ponies.

As long as a cute pony can still do the job of a dressage pony, I dont think that there should be any problems!:)

[Mossy]

I compete Moss when I get the chance and he is a pony. If the judges have a problem it is their own predujices that they need to address not the competitors who need to pander tp preconceived notions! Go for it girl and enjoy.

[Mehitabel]

well, petal and her brother toby both got placed last time they went and did dressage, and petal's dad did very well in dressage. my next big ambition with her is to get myself good enough to affiliate her. at lower levels, i think there's a fair bit of prejudice about, from what i've heard (i haven't done enough of it myself to know personally) but once you get to higher levels and have better judges, they can see past the flashy warmblood paces and see the quality of the pony and rider. go for it!

[Jane.A]

I really don't think it matters. I have been a guinea pig for Inga Bryant when she did an RDA dressage trainers/judges day and more recently attended a judges training day with Chris Porterfield. Both emphasised the need to encourage the rider, not to dishearten them and they were concerned with way of going and overall correctness.
I have seen some ponies doing very well at dressage. My friends section D competed successfully up to and including elementary before an injury curtailed his career. The conemara Bardsley Zodiac whom i loved I think got to medium/adv. medium, and Catherine Wheelock's pony George was competed up to medium before Catherine took over the ride. If the overall picure is proportinate and you feel happy with the ride then go for it!

[Monty]

I'll perhaps have to post a picture to show you what I mean,Jane. We're not talking smart,dignified Section D's. I'm talking a really dinky little girl with a really baby face.I'm not sure. It might look just a little too comical.See if I can get a pic of me on board.

[Wally]

My friend competes at Med level on her 14hh Haflinger Stallion. She's an adult.

If you look in any Dorling Kindersly horsey books he's the Haflinger who poses for those shots "Nomad"

[janet hakeney]

I don't know if any of you noticed but a 13.3hh pony won the last British Dressage national restricted preliminary championship.(open to all sizes of course)

What about the BYRDS ponies?....they compete in high level classes and sell for absolute pay off your mortgage type figures.

You will find that the heigher the level of judge you come in front of the more prepared they are to reward correct training and movement no matter what size package it comes in.

[Monty]

Sorry to show my ignorance Janet, but what is BYRDS??
Well......maybe this little treasure would be OK then.

[Tina J]

A friend of mine affiliated her 14hh pony (sort of welshy type but quite fine and a definite cutey). She competed very sucessfully at elementary level and was starting medium classes when she had to retire him from injury (I think he got a kick in the field). I also know of a haflinger locally that competes at elementary, and is a darn sight better balanced and more supple than some of the more posey horses that enter against him. Go for it!

[Jane.A]

BYRDS = British Young Riders Dressage Group.
Any piccys yet? Perhaps if you got someone to video you it might help you to see the overall impression. I had a homebred 15hh and it didn't matter what anyone said I looked like I felt under-horsed. All I can say is if you don't feel like a winner nothing anyone says will make you feel it, hence you won't ride like a winner and attitude counts for a lot.

[Monty]

I think you hit the nail on the head there Jane.Maybe that's what bothers me. I imagine you WOULD look underhorsed on 15hh!! I know EXACTLY what you mean about feeling like a winner.You really put your finger on something there. That's how I used to feel on Rebel.....but it's all gone away now since the bucking. I feel like a total looser, and a very tired one at that.But , I digress!
I'm waiting for my pictures. Perhaps that'll help.
I mean, I am really taking a peek into the future here.She can't do dressage yet....but she's 14hh.....nothing can alter the 14hh, not even a cute face...it's just the impression it creates.
I'm glad you know what I mean though. I start to feel OVERHORSED at 15hh, Jane!! But then I am probably about a foot shorter than you aren't I???
Ill post back when pictures arrive.Probably the most sensible idea.

[Lgd]

One of our local trainers competes a 13.3hh pony, he is 'easing back' a bit now as he will be 23 this year but he has competed up to Intermediaire I level and reached the Nationals at PSG level. Her young pony is a pure bred Connemara and is doing very well at Medium level. My friend competes a 14hh Fell Pony and he has been to the Nationals at Elementary level with him. There was a lovely Highland Stallion competing Medium with a chap called Eric McKechnie a couple of years ago, think he retired because of injuries. There is a lady (who is a fantastic equine artist) who competed a 13.2hh show pony type to high level, although he has had back problems so not out much the last year or so. There are loads of adults on ponies up here, particuarly native types - perhaps you should just move house!

[floppy]

my friend is 5ft9 and her very posh cute dressage pony is a bit over 14hh my friend has looong legs that dangle passed the ponys belly it made her look like she was riding a shetland or something.
2002 was her last year competing with her pony as she now has a 16hh 4yr old ready to show. She has one of the highest classed ponies in the region for dressage. But no one ever discriminated against her even though she was ''too big'' for her little pony. She was always placed...and this was in normal dressage competitions with horses and ponies of all sizes competing against each other :)

[kelsey]

There is an article in this month's Practical Horseman (North American mag) about dressage ponies. They are becoming more common over here - they had some interesting advantages/disadvantages/pointers to make about showing ponies and small horses (for example, you have more time to prepare for movements given the greater number of strides a pony takes compared to a larger horse).

Some breeds mentioned were Connemaras, Haflingers, Welsh Cobs and warmblood ponies.

[Fraggle]

I don't see why any pony/rider combination who have the talent shouldn't do dressage.

At the end of the day, if you've done your best and you know you've done a good test it shouldn't matter what you are riding.
I'm sure that some judges have predjudices but we need pony owner to get out there and change their minds LOL

I'm 5 feet 9 inches tall and ride a 14.2 Dales pony. He is so full of life that I never feel under-horsed. If you feel great you look great .

:D

[Tootsie4U]

Just caught a look at this thread. You know, I have often wondered about the dressage judge's bias on small horses.

We host recognized upper level dressage shows at our barn. They are open breed so you get all types; hanoverians, TBs, Odenburgs, Morgans, QHs, Halflinger, all sorts. The smaller ones never seem to win anything. Compared to the huge strides and floating trots of the Oldenburgs and such I wonder if the smaller guys even have a chance.

I know there should be no comparison in an all breed show. But, I havent noticed any judge look at our Morgan's and say, "now that Morgan has exceptional ability despite his shorter stride.... he deserves first over that cute Holsteiner cross over there"

[Monty]

This is exactly the point I'm trying to make. Shame though isn't it???

[Tootsie4U]

Yeah Monty, it is. The horse should be judged on its training and responsiveness to the rider. Thats what I always thought dressage was... not how far can the horse stretch its leg out. It is impressive and athletic looking though.

Not ALL judges are biased. I do give credit where it is due. But, I have noticed the bias in alot of judges.

Sure, ponies can do dressage, but I bet they place better in young rider classes as Janet mentioned.