Breeding
At Runaway Farms, we breed quality American Sport Ponies for outstanding performance in the show ring, and a guaranteed place in your heart. The motto of our sport pony breeding program is "Breeding performance ponies for the next generation of Olympic hopefuls". We breed for conformation, movement, temperament, and rideability so that our ponies can live up to this standard and take their child riders up through the levels in any of the Olympic disciplines; dressage, show jumping, or eventing. Of course, our ponies have such wonderful personalities that they are guaranteed to bring a smile to your face whenever you spend time with one of them.

What is a Sport Pony?
The American Sport Pony Register is the organization that registers and inspects Sport Ponies throughout the United States and Canada. Being a Performance-based registry, all stock must be inspected and DNA-typed before being accepted into the registry, and stallions must undergo a more extensive testing process before being issued a provisional breeding license. The American Sport Pony is more accurately classified as a "type" rather than a "breed" due to the fact that many different breeds of horses and ponies can be combined to create a sport pony. Although horses and ponies to be registered with the American Sport Pony Register can be of almost any breeding (with the exception of draft blood), all must meet certain "breed standards" for height, conformation, movement, and temperament. Sport Ponies range in height from 13.2 - 14.2 hands, but breeding stock may fall outside this ideal height range. These ponies should look and move like a small horse, with a long and elastic stride and an overall athletic appearance. The movement of a sport pony is extremely important, and should have great suspension, articulation, impulsion and elasticity. The following are the breed standards set forth by the American Sport Pony Registry. Any stock to be inspected by the ASPR should meet the following requirements in order to achieve a good score at the inspection, and acceptance into the registry.

   ~  Height: 138 - 148 cm (13.2 - 14.2) American Sport Ponies         being inspected as breeding stock may fall outside this         ideal range.
   ~  Colors: All
   ~  Head: Small and regal with defined jaws (no puffiness), a         clean throatlatch, kind eyes, nostrils that are large and         wide and small ears.
   ~  Neck: Long, wide and well set on, narrowing towards the         poll.
   ~  Body: Refinement obvious more so than in any other pony         breed with emphasis toward an athletic riding type.         Exhibits a longer neck, higher and more pronounced         withers, a longer croup that is slightly sloping with a tail set         at medium height and slender through the girth.
   ~  Limbs: Dry limbs with flat knees, correct alignment,         dense and medium sized hooves.
   ~  Movement: Regular and correct cadence with a large         stride. Even, energetic and elastic rhythm. No exaggerated         knee action. Exhibits significant impulsion from the         hindquarters.
   ~  Special Hallmarks: An easy keeper, good natured         ready and willing to go, courageous and intelligent.

Now that you know all about Sport Ponies, the only question is...why don't you have one?