Guards Polo Club Official Yearbook 2017 Official Yearbook 2017 | Page 109

horse transport
Playing consistently for 10-goal superstar
Gonzalo Pieres Jnr, 2014 was her busiest
year yet. This elegant bay, famed for her
ease and strength, played consecutive high-
goal seasons in four countries within a year,
gracing the polo fields of Argentina, Florida,
England and Spain.
Aside from competitive tournaments,
ponies are also shipped for breeding.
Some talented playing mares will return
to Argentina where equine reproductive
specialists harvest embryos, to be carried by
surrogate mares, while these athletic equines
jet off to their next match. This process
ensures the best genetics are replicated
without losing mares from competition.
Both Nic and Gonzalo’s pony welfare
teams were heavily involved throughout
the transport process. Of primary concern
is that the ponies land in the destination
countries in good health and ready to
resume exercise promptly. Naturally, long
journeys can cause mild weight loss, so
diets are managed to ensure travelling
ponies are a little portly prior to departure.
Vets are also on hand to examine ponies
before and after flying. Both polo set-ups
always allow their ponies a few days of
relaxing in the field before commencing
any exercise, although well managed
routines prior to flying into the UK meant
that both Illusionada and Open Katrina
were in full work within two weeks of
touching down.
During the flight ponies are contained
in specially designed “Air Stables.”
These usually contain three ponies, but
can be adjusted to contain just one or
two passengers. They are loaded at the
animal-handling facility of the departure
airport, towed across the tarmac and
high-loaded into the plane. On board,
ponies wear brand-new headcollars with
their own names and that of the transport
company. Protective clothing is at the
owners’ discretion, although a “less is
more” approach is encouraged as shoes,
boots and bandages can lead to problems
if not fitted correctly or if horses are not
accustomed to travelling with them.
Horses, by design, do not thrive on
standing still for extended periods of
time. Evolution has created anatomical
systems that require regular grazing and
motion to maintain good health. Wild
horses wander the plains and spend
a considerable time with their heads
down foraging. This not only creates an
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