History
thumb|left|GRP stallion under saddle The breeding of the Deutsche Reitpony began around 1965, by crossbreeding various English pony breeds, especially Welsh ponies, on Arabians, Anglo-Arabians and Thoroughbreds. The goal was to breed competition-quality ponies for children to ride in sport horse competitions, more easily controllable by children than the typical large Warmblood horses used by adults, while also keeping some Pony characteristics, including character, type and willingness to perform.
Initially, Thoroughbred and Arabian stallions were crossed on pony-sized Fjords and Haflingers. These cross-breeding attempts to produce a sport pony in one generation did not lead to the desired type. After British pony breeds, primarily Welsh ponies were imported and added to the bloodline, by 1975 a distinct German riding pony type developed. In the 1990s attempts were made to further improve the breed through the infusion of Trakehner, Hanoverian and Holsteiner blood, but this infusion of horse blood was unsuccessful: the pony type and qualities were often lost. Today's German Riding Pony breeders use specific bloodlines to reliably create German Riding Ponies that fulfill the goal of a pony type who competes with the athleticism of a small warmblood.
Today, the German Riding Pony breed has distinct bloodlines, and all ponies that will be used as breeding stock must pass rigorous inspections. Some infusion of Welsh pony and Arabian blood is still used.
Read more about this topic: German Riding Pony
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