When people think of horses, they think of enormous and fast horses that have been taught to run at their top pace. While this type of horse racing is quite popular, with people becoming more interested in a variety of sports, many have begun to watch pony equestrian racing. And while this sport is classified as equestrian, its rules and style of play are quite distinct.
What precisely does pony racing provide, and how does it differ from regular equestrian racing? With the introduction of several types of equestrian racing, what is the scope of this sport in the race of all competitions?
Unveiling the Thrills: Inside the World of Competitive Pony Racing
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According to a recent Facebook post by ABC Riverina, Simon Rodgers, a veterinary science student, has been selected for the Australian open-age team, which will compete in the 2023 World Championship. Simon defines himself in the article as a veterinary science student who has competed in mounted games for the past 13 years. He presents his pony-equine partner, Floss. Simon describes the sport in the article and adds that he has to because it’s a somewhat esoteric activity that only horse aficionados are familiar with. Very few people know in detail about it, as they may have played in pony clubs.
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The game has been described as having “all the elements of horse racing, the fast and furious aspect of it, but there’s also a lot of skill from the rider in terms of hand-eye coordination.” He goes on to say that if someone wanted to excel at it, they would need to have a deep relationship with their pony since they’d have to halt and speed up extremely quickly and abruptly while doing the tasks to obtain points. To perform at these high levels of play, the trust that comes with the relationship is necessary.
Also read – Rescued Pony Finds Renewed Purpose at Equestrian Center, Empowering Youth to Cultivate Valuable Life Skills
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Pony racing is a weekend-long series of games in which players accrue points. And the standard rule that whoever scores the most points wins is applied. As Simon mentioned, the contenders are lined up in lanes adjacent to each other for the race. The pony’s height must also be less than 15 hands high. Simon said that his spouse is 14 hands tall. What is the scope of this supposedly engaging sport that demands participants execute a variety of duties in order to gain points?
Pony Racing: A Global Thrill, Yet a Hidden Gem
The sport is practiced globally. However, like equestrian, it is mostly known? only by its fans and horse or animal enthusiasts. The sport, which consists of several little tasks to perform, is comparable to completing an obstacle course. Further, it demands the rider complete these tasks as quickly as possible, which is thrilling to watch. Popular believability among fans towards the sport’s lack of popularity is due to people not understanding what the sport is all about. While Simon will compete in the 2023 World Championships, it signifies that it has enough followers to be hosted internationally. The sport is said to be popular in Europe, but not so much in other areas of the world.
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Simon, who elected not to upgrade to a horse to continue his equestrian career, is one of the few people who truly understands and enjoys the sport. It may be an obscure sport at the moment. But only time will tell if it will stay that way or soar to the popularity levels of big-name sports like basketball and gymnastics.
Watch this story – WATCH: CONOR MCGREGOR REACTS TO HIS FAMOUS ‘FORGED IRISH STOUT’ FED TO A PONY