Ponying At Speed (Not Safe!)

[wambo@fast.net]

Okay, first of all, forget the word safe, because this isn't safe. But I
will tell you how the local polo riders (well, their exercise riders,
mostly!) pony up to 4 horses at a time at a trot and canter, and
occasionally a full speed gallop. They do this on a track, not a neat fenced
track, but a wide mowed path around the hay fields, mostly flat with slow
turns and wide enough for 5 horses abreast. Also, they are ponying horses
that are already well broke, and accustomed to moving at speed in company.
The rider is on one horse (and mostly in a flat little english saddle!) with
two horses on either side of him. The outside horse on each side is wearing
a stiff rope halter with a long cotton lead attached. This lead is then run
through the rope halter of the inside horse on each side. The rider has two
leads to hold, one in each hand, as well as the reins. They yell at the
horses a lot. And the horses bump into each other a lot. But polo ponies are
used to bumping into each other and I think overall these guys are all
working enough that silliness is confined to a minimum. If something goes
wrong (count on it!) the rider drops the leads, and four horses are loose. I
deliver mail in a rural area and used to be treated to this spectacle on a
weekly basis, now I am on a more suburban route and am just realizing how
much I missed it! Now if all that seems too exciting, just down the road
from me is a fella that raises and races a few Standardbreds, and he legs up
his young horses from the back of his jeep. He has a metal grid (I imagine
it looks a lot like the gate they will have to break from) and a horizontal
pipe welded to the back of his jeep, and he ties a couple to the back and
tows them around the field, at a jog. Safer for the human, anyway.
Nancy Wombacher
wambo@fast.net
----- Original Message -----
From: <Eclectk1@aol.com>
To: <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Sent: Monday, October 02, 2000 1:25 PM
Subject: RC: Re: Ponying more than one at a time...


> Hi All!
>
> In retrospect, I should have been more specific.  A couple of you have hit
on
> this already... For my situation I would be looking to go at speeds, or at
> least at a trot.. and I would only be in relatively "safe"
> environment/grounds, like an open pasture... the purpose would be to
> condition or get exercise to several horses at the same time, because I am
> quite limited in the amount of time I can spend with them and turnout here
is
> virtually non-existant.  So IF I could reasonably safely pony more than
one
> at a time I could get them all out a little more often... and I'm not in a
> situation where I'd have to  worry about the problems added in difficult
> terrain -- no trees to dodge, no  big uphill or downhill slopes
> (unfortunately!).... no need to go single file.  Biggest problem would be
to
> get the "train" thru a 6 or 8 foot gate to start with  -Ok, maybe there'll
be
> a cow or two to dodge but thats about it for terrain problems!!
> But I DO want to be able to at least trot...  Thanks so much for all the
> replies so far, you've given me some good ideas already.  And its
fascinating
> to know how much pack trains are still being done!
>
> Eclectk
> Desert Springs Sport Horses
> http://www.Sportshorses.homestead.com
> (best viewed in explorer 4.x or newer)
>
> In a message dated 10/2/00 8:58:49 AM, ridecamp-d-request@endurance.net
> writes:
>
> << I'll just bet there are some crazy folks out there who have figured
> out how to do it, at high speeds, with more that one endurance horse! >>>>
>
>
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