Argentine Polo Pony
 | |
| Other names | Polo Argentino |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Argentina |
| Standard | Asociación Argentina de Criadores de Caballos de Polo (in Spanish) |
| Use | polo |
| Traits | |
| Height |
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The Argentine Polo Pony, Spanish: Polo Argentino, is the Argentine breed of polo pony. It was recognized in 1984, it is popular in the country.
History[edit]
For a long time, these horses were not recognized as a breed.[1] Although they are often referred to as polo ponies, they have no pony ancestry.[1] They most often originate from crosses between the Thoroughbred and the Criollo,[2] practiced since the 1900s, after polo had been introduced to Argentina by the English around 1890.[3] In the 1930s, the reputation of these horses began to grow, thanks in particular to the quality of their bones.[3] The breed association, the Asociación Argentina de Criadores de Caballos de Polo, was created on 8 August 1984, and has been managing the studbook ever since.
The famous Argentine polo player Adolfo Cambiaso calls on Crestview Genetics to clone his horses. At the end of 2010, a clone of his polo mare Cuartetera was sold at auction for a record $800,000.[4] On 7 December 2013, a cloned twin won the Argentine polo championship for the first time.[5]
Description[edit]
CAB International indicates an average height range of 1.47 m to 1.52 m,[2] while the national breed association[6] and the Delachaux guide[7] indicate an average of 1.56 m. Weight ranges from 400 to 500 kg.[6]
The model is that of the light saddle horse.[2] The head, generally straight in profile,[6] is topped by large eyes and attached to a long neck.[7] The shoulders are long, sloping and muscular.[7] The back is short and muscular, as is the rump.[7]
The coat is mostly bay in all shades.[7]
Only horses that have achieved good sporting results in polo are allowed to breed.[3]
Usage[edit]
The breed is bred exclusively for polo,[2] but can also be ridden for other equestrian disciplines.[7]
Spread of breeding[edit]
The Argentine polo is a common horse.[1]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c Hendricks (2007, p. 46)
- ^ a b c d Porter et al. (2016, p. 439)
- ^ a b c Hendricks (2007, p. 47)
- ^ "Première vente aux enchères d'un clone de jument de polo" [First auction of a polo mare clone]. Latitud Argentina. 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
- ^ Pointecouteau, Laurent (2013). "Un cheval cloné remporte pour la première fois une compétition sportive" [A cloned horse wins a sporting event for the first time]. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
- ^ a b c "ACCPP / Asociación Argentina de Criadores de Caballos de Polo". criapoloargentino.com.ar. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f Rousseau (2014, p. 516)
Bibliography[edit]
- Hendricks, Bonnie Lou (2007). International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds (2nd ed.). University of Oklahoma Press. p. 486. ISBN 0-8061-3884-X.
- Porter, Valerie; Alderson, Lawrence; Hall, Stephen; Sponenberg, Dan (2016). Mason's World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding (6th ed.). CAB International. p. 1107. ISBN 1-84593-466-0.
- Rousseau, Élise (2014). Tous les chevaux du monde [All the horses in the world] (in French). Delachaux et Niestlé. p. 544. ISBN 2-603-01865-5.