The History and Standards
of the Australian Pony
History
The Australian pony is a blending of horses and
ponies imported into Australia from the early 1800's. The main bloodlines
used were Thoroughbreds, English Hackney and Hackney Pony, Arab,
Welsh Mountain and Cob type, Timor and Exmoor.
With the establishment of the Australian Pony
Stud Book in 1931, the pedigrees of the most influential of these
bloodlines and their descendants were recorded in Volume One of
the Society's Stud Book .Initially the Australian Pony Section of
the Stud Book recorded the imported Pony breeds and the pedigrees
of the "homebred" ponies produced as a result of the crossing
of the various horse and pony breeds for over a century. thus establishing
the genetic pool that is responsible for the Australian Pony as
a breed.
The Aussie Pony can truly be described as the
ultimate all-round pony, being any height up to 14HH and suited
for saddle or harness. They are well known for their combination
of good looks, good action, good confirmation and good sense. In
the showring in WA, the Australian Pony has a record second to none.
In recent years the Australian pony has been repaying
its debt to other breeds by providing foundation stock for many
other breeds.
Standard of Excellence
Overall the APSB Australian Pony should have the
head of a princess, the backside of a charlady and the carriage
of Elle MacPherson.
- An Australian Pony should be compact, sturdy
but free from coarseness - a free and sure footed mover who is
alert and has the energy of movement that is characteristic of
Pony type, capable of great endurance and with ability to cover
ground.
- Movement should be smooth, showing free flexion
of joints without exaggeration. The stride should be of good length,
straight and true.
- The head should show quality, with alert well
proportioned ears, broad between the eyes and tapering to a fine
muzzle. The eye should be full, kindly, courageous and well set.
- The body should have shoulders that are deep,
well laid back, clean and muscular tapering to a fine yet definite
wither. The chest is deep and capacious (plenty of heart room).
Ribs are well sprung but not rounded like barrel hoops. The back
is short and straight with the loins well coupled and a deep girth.
The hindquarters should be well rounded and showing good proportional
length of croup. The tail should be well set on and gaily carried.
- The height of an Australian Pony is not to
exceed 14hh
The legs should show bone that is quite flat, showing strength
without coarseness. The cannon should be short and straight and
pasterns of moderate slope with proportional length. Tendons are
pronounced denoting strength and stamina. The hooves are small,
neat and rounded with wide heels, frog well developed and in close
contact with the ground. (Adapted and reprinted from the APSB
Society Journal)
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