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Copyright
2010 Rocky Mountain Rider. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Reproduction of any
editorial material, artwork and photos is strictly forbidden without
express written permission of the publisher. For information about
reprint rights, please contact the editor; editor@rockymountainrider.com.
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The
Sport Pony
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By
Wendy Ervin,
Corvallis
,
MT
|
February
2010 Issue
Wendy
Ervin, on her NorthAmerican Sportpony/POA stallion, Dominick.
What is a sport
pony? Many people have asked me that question.
The sport pony is a type, not
a breed. A variety of breeds and crossbreds are eligible for
registration.
The sport pony is a kind, athletic pony that stands between 12.2
and 14.2 hand high. Although they are easy keepers, sport ponies are not
the stereotypical “short, fat pony” that people tend to think of.
They are essentially a scaled-down model of a warmblood, and must have
similar movement and conformation to their larger counterparts.
They are small horses that are
capable of successfully introducing today’s young riders to the
Olympic sports of Dressage, Show Jumping and Eventing. They are also
becoming increasingly popular with adult riders who prefer a smaller
horse and for competitors in the sport of Combined Driving.
In the
United States
and
Canada
, the NorthAmerican (sic) Sportpony Registry registers ponies and keeps
tracks of pedigrees and performance records.
All ponies that are registered
must first go through an inspection similar to a warmblood inspection
before their registration is complete. They are then given a specific
grade. This grade gives breeders concrete guidelines so that they can
continually upgrade their stock and work towards developing a truly
superior mount for today’s competitive youth.
Stallions that are accepted
into the registry must meet specific inspection requirements before
being approved as breeding ponies. They must also prove themselves in
the performance arena and through their progeny in order to keep their
breeding privileges. This system ensures that only high-quality
stallions are used for breeding so that the temperament, movement and
type of these ponies remains consistent.
The NorthAmerican Sportpony
Registry was established in 1996, has approximately 1,000 members, and
has registered 5,500 animals. Each year, the registry conducts 25-30
inspections throughout the
US
and
Canada
.
For more information, contact
the registry at
PO Box
197
, Carter, MT, 59420. 406-734-5499. www.americansportpony.com.
The author competes on and breeds sport ponies in
Corvallis
,
MT.
Her POA stallion, Dominick, is a NASPR-approved breeding stallion. www.montanasportponies.com.
Copyright
2010 Rocky Mountain Rider. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Reproduction of any
editorial material, artwork and photos is strictly forbidden without
express written permission of the publisher. For information about
reprint rights, please contact the editor; editor@rockymountainrider.com.
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