Polo Pony


Details to follow

Manipuri

The Manipuri Pony is believed to have been an ancient cross between the Mongolian Wild Horse and the Arabian. They were probably brought to India by invading Tartar tribes, along with the fast moving equestrian game of polo, and became one of the original polo ponies in the 7th Century.

A breed with a fast, long and low action as well as great stamina and intelligence, it was used by the Manipur cavalry in the 17th Century and also by the British Army in Burma as transport ponies during WW2. Today they are still used for polo, racing and by the military.

As polo spread to Europe and America, larger ponies were gradually preferred and in recent years breed numbers have decreased. It is believed that only around 2,300 Manipuri Ponies exist today.