Road to the Tevis Cup # 39: The many advantages of ponying your horse

I pony one horse with the other at least once a week. Sometimes I pony Beroni with Fantazia–considering she’s much fitter, this is probably most fair! More frequently, I have ponied Fantazia from Beroni, because she’s the one I’m conditioning for Tevis. When her back was sore after the Cuyama Oaks ride (some details in my heart rate monitor post), ponying was the best way to exercise her. The best of the many advantages of ponying your horse, though, may be that you get two horses worked at the same time–and they love the company!

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Background
Tips on how to pony a horse
The many advantages of ponying your horse

Some background

My first experiences with ponying were on the racetrack. In most of the Americas, including the United States, all the horses are ponied from the paddock to the starting gate (old New York Times piece about ponying at the track). It’s relaxing for the horse (and the jockey). It’s not actually necessary, though. In Europe, horses and jockeys do just fine getting to the gate on their own. Some problem horses, though, can really benefit from ponying. When one such horse was causing issues, my boyfriend at the time, an Argentine with experience ponying, offered to work for the track as a single pony boy to help jockeys in need.

Hipodromo de la Zarzuela agreed, and for the next several years we had two different pony horses. My boyfriend worked at the races with them, and I used them to pony our own race horses in the morning. We also used them to help saddle-break the wilder yearlings (it minimizes bucking to have someone holding the head of the horse up and close). I learned to pony willing and unwilling horses at a walk, trot, canter, and gallop (as fast as the non-racebred ponies would go). I ponied apprentices on our horses to help them learn.

On the track, it can be challenging…

This is not the same as the leisurely trail rides some people do ponying a horse. On the track, you keep the horses head up against your thigh or close. You never let the horse get behind you. Most of the horses you pony will be colts or stallions (just because there tend to be more colts than fillies, and few are gelded, especially in Europe), and potentially naughty.

In Mexico

When I lived in Mexico with my ex-husband, I rode at the then-closed Hipodromo de las Americas. At that time, every Monday, most stables exclusively ponied their horses. The rest of the time we rode out as in Europe (no ponying), except for difficult horses. I was ponied the first several times I rode what became one of my favorite horses ever, Kamsia. He was a hard puller, and the trainer said that between his pony boy and me, we’d have our work cut out to control him. This was true the first day, but I quickly learned all Kamsia’s tricks.

Some tips on ponying a horse

Choose a good, steady horse to pony from.

I didn’t do this, because I have exactly two horses and neither is what you’d call steady. They are both hot and can be spooky. But if you have the option, use one that is calm and reliable; if you are learning yourself, you really need a good horse.

What makes a good pony horse?

1. A good pony horse doesn’t mind being bumped and potentially bitten (try to avoid this).
2. It doesn’t kick.
3. It doesn’t spook. Beroni used to wheel into Fantazia when I was ponying her from him. It’s not fun.
4. It doesn’t mind ropes being passed over its neck, head, croup, etc. Or ropes waving around and looking like snakes. Ideally, you will keep your lead rope tidy and controlled, but things happen.
5. It is responsive to your aids. Ideally, it should neck rein well. You will only have one hand on the reins (it is possible to use the right hand too, in moments of excitement, just keep the rope there too).
6. Ideally, your pony horse will get along with the horse you are ponying, but this isn’t necessary, as long as it’s polite and obedient.

Use appropriate tack and clothing

1. Your saddle should be stable (tighten the girth appropriately). A horn is very useful, in case you need to drag a recalcitrant horse. But I don’t use one.
2. Your bridle should give you sufficient control.
3. Put something on the horse you are ponying that give you control over it. I use a rope halter. I used to use a rawhide halter at the track, those are great. You can also use a snaffle bit, but that’s only good for slowing, not for pulling.
4. Use a rope that is around 12 feet long. This way you do have some leeway if you need to let the horse move away from you. (Try not to do that. See below.)
5. Use gloves. I don’t, but it’s a good idea. I would if I was expecting the ponied horse to be very problematic. Gloves are always good when you are handling horses with ropes.
6. Wear pants that give you some protection. I use jeans most of the time. Chaps would be ideal.

Keep the ponied horse’s head at a level with your horse’s shoulder

You have the most control when the horse is held close to your thigh. Most horses don’t like the horse they are ponying to get nose to nose/cheek to cheek. I like to give my ponied horses enough room to move straight (i.e., I don’t want to bend their neck towards me), but I try to keep their head between the tip of the shoulder and the hip of the horse I am riding, especially at the trot. At the walk, in safe areas, I will give the horse more freedom, as long as it doesn’t get further back than the stifle.

Sometimes you may need to play out more lead and let the ponied horse go behind to get through a narrow gate or gap. Don’t do this until you feel comfortable playing out the rope and gathering it back up. Also make sure that your ponied horse knows to follow the lead where you want (usually the right side of your horse).

Note: The horse you pony should lead well (give to pressure willingly). It’s not entirely necessary, obviously. A good pony horse can help you teach an untrained horse from day one. But it’s easiest for new poniers, be they the human or horse part of the pair, if the horse you are learning on leads well.

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Practice!

With ponying, like most things, it’s really all about doing it. The more you pony different horses, riding different horses, the more proficient you will get. It’s a good idea to practice in a safe space while learning–for me, that was the upper exercise track, that looped over a mile through a forested area about the main track, at the Hipodromo de la Zarzuela in Madrid. At first, I’d go when it was empty, after everyone’s morning routine had ended. Only when I was sure I wouldn’t lose the horse and could steer around all obstacles did I pony when other riders were present.

An arena or any enclosed pasture will do!

In the video below, I am trying to show that it’s a bad idea to let the horse lag behind. It could cross to the other side, wrapping you up in the rope. If the pony horse you are riding isn’t used to a crupper, it might really not like the rope under its tail. that can easily happen if the ponied horse crosses in back of you.

Some more tips

1. If you get in a bind, drop the rope. Better to have a loose horse than be wrapped up in a rope and dragged onto the ground.
2. Make sure the horse you pony is also ok with ropes. You don’t want it to panic if you do have to drop the rope, and run away.
3. Ideally, both your horses will ground tie. That way if you drop the rope, he ponied horse will stop, and if you have to get off and deal with something, you can leave your pony horse anywhere. (Fantazia ground ties. Beroni grass ties–if there is grass, it’s as if he were ground tied 😉
4. Basically, have trained horses, at least until you are good at ponying. A good pony-horse is worth its weight in gold, and you can make them, but the start is good basic training.
5. Wear spurs if you know how to use them (and your pony horse is accustomed to them). I had to wear them with Beroni until he understood How It Was Going To Be (No balking or wheeling when you are the pony horse). I don’t usually wear spurs because I am lazy and don’t need them, but it can be a very good idea.
6. If you have trouble getting the ponied horse to follow, apply the principles of teaching to lead. Turn the horse to get its feet moving. Push it (turn into it, urge it along) rather than pulling. Yes, you can loop the lead around the horn and drag it if necessary (and very occasionally it may be), but better to teach.
7. Stay straight in the saddle as much as possible. Yes, sometimes it might be necessary to twist a bit to deal with issues, but it’s important to ride balanced. Even if you have to move your hand around, your shoulders should be facing in the direction of movement and even.
   You don’t want to get bad habits that can affect your overall riding. If you are having trouble staying straight, keep your right hand (or left, if you want to pony from the near side) up next to your rein hand, as if you were holding two reins.
8. ***If you have more tips, leave a comment and I will add them!***

Coincidentally, Equestrian Adventuresses just published a great podcast about ponying! (and what a cool site!)

There aren’t a lot of good “how to pony” videos out there (and I don’t have time to make one), but this one is pretty good:

The many advantages of ponying your horse

1. It makes training a young horse (or an untrained horse of any age) easier. Ponying gives them exposure to different environments, and it gets them used to seeing a person at rider-height.
2. Ponying allows you to exercise a horse that cannot be ridden for some reason (saddle galls, sore muscles, horse too young to ride or not yet saddle broken).
3. It provides a break in the routine. Fantazia’s conditioning routine includes arena work, road work, hill work (on the trail), and ponying. For that matter, so does Beroni’s… I’m working him up to an LD. (An example of Fantazia’s work routine from a few months ago.)
4. The horses enjoy the company of each other. If you are like me and ride alone most of the time, this is important.
5. You can pony kids and other newbie riders and make (ok help) them learn balance without worrying about reins. It is also good just to give a worried rider confidence.
6. It lets you exercise two horses in a shorter amount of time.
7. If you know how to pony, you are well-prepared for dealing with accidents on the trail that might leave you with an extra horse to get home (or back to the trailer, to its own home, etc.).
8. It’s fun! (usually…)

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