Bemoaning declining standards is a very popular subject of conversation these days, particularly in the older section of society. Subject matter varies, but when parents get together the likely topic is children.

As with morality, declining standards must be a perennial complaint because my grandfather used to complain in much the same way more years ago than I care to recall.

Conversations in this vein could well be happening at the present time in show pony circles. Talking to any breeder or show pony producer and they all seem to be of one opinion - standards have dropped. Both the quality of confirmation and movement of ponies overall has deteriorated.

They expressed concern at the proliferation of spindly ponies with moderate limbs and rounded joints in showing classes. Judges who previously had a full class of structurally and visually beautiful ponies now say there may be one that they covet from the whole class. No one seems to have a clear idea of how to improve matters but there is plenty of speculation of how it's happened.

Breeders are instantly held responsible but a professional breeders' knowledge and experience, not to mention pride, would not allow him/her to produce such an underrated animal. In fact it must be depressing for such breeders to see these structurally incorrect ponies put up in the line.

The root cause must surely be more fundamental. Years ago the judges were more stockmen, having been born and brought up with animals. They bought and sold their horses from a sale; they probably hunted. Their children looked after their own ponies.

They only called the vet in for stitching or shooting. Their knowledge, learned from years of graft and experience was evident in their management and judging. They could recognise good confirmation of limb in relation to soundness and whether any unsoundness was evident.

Today this broad-based education is missing, leaving a basic lack of horse mastership. Instructors often lack experience in different spheres of equestrianism. Consequently younger judges are not relating confirmation to soundness then rewarding or penalising animals appropriately.

Jerome Harforth, a show producer of twenty years experience, whose pony Coldbeach Starlight Salamanda was recently show pony of the year at the Horse of the Year show says, "The type of animal seen in the show ring has changed since I started. They have gone away from the Valentino type of pony with good limbs and movement."

The amateur breeder has always been first in line when accusations of indiscriminate breeding are levelled; indeed it's often the lead argument for the lack of success of the British breeding industry.

But as Davina Cockroft, a breeder of TB horses for many years says "It's not indiscriminate if the mare has done her job well. However, many people with mares that have just missed the grade will decide to breed sending the mare to an unsuitable stallion. That is when the trouble starts."

Breeding is a responsibility that not everyone takes seriously. Whilst the thought of seeing a replica of a favourite old mare gambling in the field is delightful, the reality is not so rosy. The economics are shattering, patience and resources are needed until the foal matures.

All this is providing an appropriate stallion has been used so that the resultant foal will have a use. All too often ponies are bred from because the children go away or because the mare is un-rideable so the parents think breeding is a good alternative to selling for her.

Some years ago Welsh and Dartmoor farmers bred at random, selecting the best three foals to keep and selling the rest for meat. This practice has now ceased but the National Equine Welfare Committee highlights its concern in publicity aimed more at the random breeder. It asks whether you "are going to join the thoughtless breeders who every year put 10,000 ponies on the European dinner table."

The criteria used by professional breeders is confirmation, movement and temperament, all equally important but as Davina puts it: "If it's an honest sort she can always be improved upon, but a barmy one is not going to get any better ."

According to tradition, an ideal show pony should have "the head of a lady and the behind of a cook" (with apologies to cooks!).

Michael Hendry, who has bred show ponies for twenty four years in partnership with Richard Tomkinson, said: "A lot of ponies are bred but are not coming out under saddle. Many of them are brilliant in hand but lose their movement when they are broken in. A lot of gadgets are used these days - it's all a quick fix."

Producing show ponies highlights problems with management skills, which is another reason given for the loss of movement. This great hurry that we are all in, which epitomises modern day life, does not work with equines.

There is no substitute for time, patience and a bit of good old fashioned basic training to produce a pleasing rideable young horse or pony, particularly for children who need to feel confident and in charge of their pony. The importance of an active hock is not always recognised. After all the engine and the strength is at the back end so it's no good the pony flicking its front legs if there is no power behind.

The British people, as a race, are not good at being told what to do. They much prefer to work out their own solution and put it into practice. This is both our salvation and our downfall. Showing probably highlights the overall flaws in British breeding today.

A national breeding policy might be the answer, pulling together all the experience and expertise in the country to find a workable solution. However, this could only be achieved by more liaison between breed societies. There are nearly eighty breed societies in the UK, many of them native breeds. All have their own breeding criteria; many will not register a part-bred. Judging by the dismal progress of previous attempts, any idea of uniting them to agree a cohesive breeding plan at the present time is a pipedream.

The British riding pony, evolved from a polo pony followed by careful selective breeding between the small thoroughbred, the Arab and the British mountain and moorland pony is a success story, proved in the show ring, eventing, dressage, driving - in fact virtually all equestrian disciplines, plus of course trotting over field outside with a happy child on board. Far from losing this standard we should be looking at ways of improving it for our children's sake.

Published: 26/11/2004