Info on Show Ponies in England wanted

[topsey]

Hi
i'm at uni and have to do an assignmnet on the production system of an equine system. i have chosen show ponies. we have to compare the production system in New Zealand with that of another country. I have chosen England as the country to compare with.
so what i'm wanting to know is:
what breeds are most commonly used?
what the production cycle is? - this from decided to breed to competiting as a show pony
and what regulation is there in the production? - this is the likes of the european central performance testing.

also just about about the showing system over there would be good, this is like how you divide up different sized ponies, age restrictions etc.

thanx in advance
Merryn

 

[mad mare1]

not too sure on age, but sizes are upto and not exceeding 128cm (12.2), 138cm (13.2), 148cm(14.2), and then it goes to 158cm (15.2) and then into Intermediates...you can be upp to 25 years old in Intermediates. Hunters are classified as being Lightweight, Middleweight, or Heavyweight, and Ladies. Hacks are Large or small, as are Riding Horses. Cobs cannot be over 158cm, and are clssed as either lightweight or heavyweight. We have a number of "producers" in the UK that specialise in schooling horses or ponies for shows, and riding them...for this you usually get charged a lot of money.

Shows generally have a few lead rein classes, a couple of first ridden classes, for children who have just come off lead reins, and then Mountain and moorland ponies and Horses, which includes Shetland, Welsh Section A, B, C, and D, Exmoor, Dartmoor, New Forest, Fell, Dales, Highland, and Connemara. As well as these classes there is also Working Hunter, a course of natural fences has to be jumped, then those horses which jump a clear round are asked back to give an individual show for the judge. Also held are in hand classes, and breed classes, like Pure bred Arabian, both in hand and ridden, all the Mountain and Moorland ponies, but welsh have their own sections in In hand classes, as they are the most popular.

Also gaining in popularity is the Veteran section, with classes for In hand and ridden veteran horses and ponies...this is those over the age of 15. The Retraining of Racehorses, and Racehorse to Riding Horse series has proved popular.

The breeds more commonly used are Welsh Section A and B, as they are great first and second ponies, also Dartmoor, and exmoors, and Shetlands...also the "show pony" which is basically on the lines of a TB in miniature. Very fine, and very flashy. Anglo Arabians are prominent in most of the Riding horse and Hack classes, and Working Hunter horses especially tend to have a bit of Irish blood in them, usually Irish Draught.

Hope this helps hun