CHILDREN'S PONIES

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21967, 16 December 1936, Page 15

CHILDREN'S PONIES

BREEDING ADVICE

POINTS FOR RIDERS

[Contributed.] Parents who like their children to learn to ride know the difficulty of getting a pony to suit them. Children's ponies—good ones—are scarce. Some ponies are bred wrong, some are trained badly and of the few that are good and suitable, it is sad to have to admit that we lose a number owing to being spoilt by the children into whose possession they come. But these difficulties are not insurmountable. We must breed from the right types of pony mares and stallions. More trouble must be taken in training the ponies we breed, and while the ponies are being bred and trained, we must also teach the children to be good horsemasters; then when they get a good pony they will be able to improve him, rather than let him deteriorate. There is great enthusiasm at the present time for children's riding and their ponies. If this enthusiasm will take the right course in a very few years we shall see our young riders on the best of ponies, and hand-

ling them with credit to themselves and all concerned. First of all, let us be clear as to what is a child's good pony. It must be quiet and good tempered. It should respond readily to the bridle, and to the rider's voice and pressure of the legs. The pony's action should not be exaggerated, as that will be too rough for a child, nor slovenly, as that may be dangerous by stumbling. In con-, formation it should be narrow between the saddle flaps, so that even small children can bestride it comfortably. The mouth must be light, and the manners good in every way. If we give the children hard-mouthed ponies, they will become heavy handed. They will keep those heavy hands perhaps through their whole career, and will spoil every horse that they own. ' If we give them rough-actioned ponies to ride, only the most enthusiastic will keep their keenness through the ordeal. Breeding' Now, as to breeding the future supply of children's ponies. Our present stock of pony mares in Canterbury is full of harness blood. It is very good harness blood, and it has given us a' lot of excellent dual-purpose ponies. They are showy in harness and useful in saddle. But as children's ponies they are definitely wrong. Their harness sires have passed on to them the characteristics which make for a good harness pony and a bad saddle pony. That is exaggerated in action, wide J chests, round withers, and shoulders ] loaded with muscles which are needed J in harness, but for saddle are only in j the way. If these dual-purpose mares are I mated again with a harness sire, no child's tiding pony can result. The sires used for them must have a perfect saddle conformation and action. For that we must look for pony sires with a lot of either thoroughbred or Arab blood in them. How to Ride If things are arranged in the right way at home for the children and their ponies, the chances of a child being hurt, or a pony spoilt, can be reduced to a minimum. The main thing is that the children must be gentle and quiet in their handling of the ponies; no Wild West style, no chasing arid grabbing at ponies. Go up to them with a handful of feed, and pet them. Encourage quiet riding with occasional use of top speed when there is a reason for it. Careering wildly about may impress the ignorant, but really it only leads to bad horsemanship, and damaged ponies. If you watch a good horseman on rough country, he appears to be doing nothing and going slowly, but he gets there, x and does not tire his horse. It is the bad horse-, man who gives the impression of con-

tinual top speed. He gets nowhere and tires out his horse. The Gear The children's gear must be right. Snaffle bits are good so long as they suit the pony's mouth, and they often do. If a pony does not answer well to a snaffle, try a curb bit. But impress on the child that the curb bit is more severe and so must be handled gently. A piece of soft leather in place of the curb chain is just as efficient and less harsh. Saddles are often sold with thick padding under the flaps. This is bad. It makes unnecessary bulk under the child's knees. Get the saddler to remove it. All that is needed under the saddle flaps is a plain leather sweat flap to stop the girth buckles from j galling the pony. It is the feel of the horse's movements between the rider's knees which makes for perfect horsemanship. That is why some native races, who ride bareback, are such splendid horsemen. With thickly padded saddle flaps, the child never learns to appreciate that feel of the horse's movements which can tell so much to the rider. For instance, getting out of stride at a jump, tiring in a race, or an inclination to shy or buck. The girth should be a plain leather one. It is in three folds, and not sewn up. Oil or dubbin can be put inside the folds. The warmth of the pony draws the oil through .the leather and keeps it soft. Then there is the difficulty of getting a child's pony that can win in the show. The fact that there is a difficulty of reconciling the two proves that we are at fault somewhere. All the smaller sizes of saddle ponies ought to be good children's ponies. If they are not, they have no right to any tickets in the shows. Showy actioned ponies, with only moderate mouths and manners, have been getting prizes that should have gone to better mannered ponies. They have been ridden in the ring by extra good child riders. A change of riders would have shown up their faults. If our agricultural and pastoral associations would stress the importance of mouth and manners in saddle ponies they would do much good. We have plenty of good judges, and if they are asked to give special attention to the ponies' manners they will do it. The training of young ponies for children will be discussed in a subsequent issue.

THE WOOL SALE

In the report of the Christchurch ivool sale printed yesterday, wool from the Meadowbank clip of E. F. J. Grigg, Vlarlborough, the first elassing of which sold at 25id, was described as halfbred. rhe clip was actually Corriedale.