HOME | DD
Rohwen — Royal Winter Fair: pony
Published: 2008-11-29 16:43:35 +0000 UTC; Views: 3574; Favourites: 140; Downloads: 0
Redirect to original
Description
Hackney pony from the Royal Winter Fair 2008.Really, that does not look comfortable to have one's head tied up like that.
Related content
Comments: 53
This is a marvellous shot but didn't they ban the draw rein (I think it might be called something else for driving) to stop them doing that?
.. Still.. people just jam their heads in with the reins and other stupid tools. They only end up giving the poor thing a ewe neck and/or a sore, tired, tied up horse. I actually read that when horses froth, it means they're choking on the bit, it had some real hard evidence too..
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
You would think it would be banned, but apparently not.
There are so many cruel practices that go on in the world of horse shows in many different disciplines...Tennessee Walking horses, these hackney and shetland driving events, even some of the things they do to train for dressage. It's sad when we use human standards for what we feel is attractive and correct, and try to bend the horse to our visions of perfection, instead of working with the natural beauty and grace of the horse.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
I sympathize with the ahorse but he is very beautiful though. Too bad animal cruelty is allowed in competitions!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
What part of that constitutes animal cruelty? The fact that the pony is wearing an overcheck?
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Too bad about the forced head set, nice shot though.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Beautiful picture, and I agree, it dosen't look pleasant to be tied up like that! They probably wouldn't keep their necks like that in the nature, so why are they forced to keep their heads like that!?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Hackney Ponies do hold their head that high naturally.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
If they do hold their heads like that naturally, why bother tying them up? (I'm actually genuinely interested here... not being arguementative.)
👍: 0 ⏩: 2
Sorry to babble again, but I found some great examples of the "exagerated" headset without the overcheck - [link] you have to do the slideshow, but the fourth and eighth pictures of are ponies ridden under-saddle (pleasure and roadster respectively) and no overcheck is used.
👍: 0 ⏩: 2
I would be interested to see some photos of hackneys at liberty who carry their heads at the extreme angle that is displayed in the photo above.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I'll have to see what I can dig up - almost all my pictures are grazing shots, but I can toss a pony on a lunge-line and get some pictures for you.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
A lunge line isn't really at liberty. I'm not "challenging" you to get the shot...I just think it would be interesting to see if this is really a natural stance for them. I know they have a naturally high neck/head set but I can hardly believe that the way it is cranked backwards in this picture can be comfortable or natural.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I know that being on a lunge isn't really at liberty, but the pony I'm thinking of has shoes on, and if he looses one running around than I'll get flayed alive.
[link] - this is the only decent shot I have in my gallery of a hackney holding his head up at liberty (the rest depict either galloping, where they do lower their heads, or their favorite activity: eating). This pony did use to show as a harness pony (similar to the pony in your picture, but with a full mane and undocked tail), but has been retired for the last 11 years, and didn't have the highest neck to begin with.
If you get a chance at another show, go watch the Hackney's warm-up - most pony's start their warm-up without the check on, and it would give you a chance to see them without it.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thanks! Next time I'm around this type of show I'll take your suggestion and go see the warm up.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Wow... it is such an extreme head carriage compared to most horses isn't it. I bet they can't half pull when they put their minds to it... with necks that strong!! Such a stunning breed though.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
To me it's completely normal 
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Ha ha ha! Much the same as the cobs then... mind you... I think there must be Hackney breeding in Welsh Cobs somewhere.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
There's speculation that there were Welsh Ponies bred in around 140 years ago, so who knows!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
There's probably a mixture in both. Both great breeds anyway... with stunning movement!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
The overcheck doesn't tie the head up, it just lets you influence how up you would like the head to be carried. Many Hackneys are actually checked up lower than they can carry their heads. The one is this picture is technically correct, but on further inspection if I had him I would lower the check one notch - where he is right now makes him look "turkey-necked" in my opinion. I have seen this pony show many times, and I know the trainer, so I can tell you first-hand that he isn't abused or forced in any way.
If you were in my area I would invite you (and a few of the people that have been talking-without-experience here) over to my barn to meet some Hackneys - we don't have any Cobtails like the pony in the picture, but we have some nice Pleasure and Roadster ponies that could show just what I'm talking about.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thank you for explaining. I have no experience at all with Hackneys (I'm a Welsh Cob girl!)
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Not a problem! I have to admit it is something I get pretty defensive over, since so many Europeans and Holier-Than-Thou-Dressage-Princesses harrass me fairly often, and I hope I wasn't that way with you!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
No you weren't at all... you explained very well. Thank you.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
This really must be uncomfortable for the horse... But nevertheless a really good photo of a gorgeous horse.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Did you get to see the glow in the dark Quadrille this year at the royal? It was amazing!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Oh yeah! That was awesome! 
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Great shot of a Hackney - you don't see too many on here! and overchecks aren't uncomfortable unless they're notched too high - this one perfect.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
??
Hackney's naturally hold their heads and necks up, the overcheck is often just a formality (I should know, I've had some my whole life).
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
The rein making it stride in extremely upright position seriously destroys its back . Once I have seen horse like that after eight years of suffering from it - I bet you have not seen anything similar , poor horsey .
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
This picture is perfection!
I agree about the head thig though. They do it to trotters too. My aunt used to work with them and said that she hated it.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
That is a gorgeous horse but I agree with you on the un-comfortable part.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Really fantastic shot. 
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
I wish I had your seat!!! Jealouse lol, amazing shot and I agree I don't really like how high their heads were but their movment was certinly intresting to watch. Very good show, clarity is amazing and love the colors.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
No, this is the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, Ontario Canada. Apparently it's the largest agricultural fair in North America. Pretty fun place.
[link]
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Okay, thanks. I was wondering because the American Royal just ended last week and they have a huge Saddlebred/Hackney division of it. (:
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
nice photo nonetheless, almost monochromatic. The lighting at this venue must've been interesting/fun to shoot.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
nice! and definitely uncomfortable. beautiful shot, though
I had such a hard time getting clear photos of the hackneys...
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Gorgeous! But no, that does not look comfortable in the least.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
He's probably frothing because he can't breathe. Beautiful photo, I love the blurry BG effect.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
actually, he's probably frothing because they worked that class hard.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
| Next =>