# Prince Harry - Polo Pony Abuse



## Scoutrider

My mother sent me an emailed link - thought I'd share. I didn't see this already as a thread, but if I missed it in my search, feel free to delete. 

Prince Harry rides his way into middle of polo controversy | The Upshot Yahoo! News - Yahoo! News


More info, and photos. Some may find the pics a bit graphic, so fair warning.

Prince Harry faces animal cruelty claim over polo pony's stab wound from his spur | Mail Online


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## ponyboy

Looks like a clear cut case to me. I'm not crazy about polo - In most pictures of it I see the ponies are weighed down by a ton of tack and having their heads yanked around. I wonder if FHOTD will comment on this - She likes polo.


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## VelvetsAB

_To each their own....but some horse get spur rubs all the time just from being thin skinned._

_PETA is just looking for something else to ruin. The next thing you know they will be making a big(ger if they arent already) fuss at Spruce Meadows..... I am surprised I haven't heard much about how bad drag hunting is to hounds yet!_


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## mls

ponyboy said:


> Looks like a clear cut case to me. I'm not crazy about polo - In most pictures of it I see the ponies are weighed down by a ton of tack and having their heads yanked around. I wonder if FHOTD will comment on this - She likes polo.


A ton of tack??

It's NOT a clear case of abuse. Look at the spurs - BLUNT. The smear from his boot and the fact the horse is gray makes it look worse than it is.


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## Alwaysbehind

I have to laugh at the caption about him being heartless.

I would guess that he would have switched ponies had he realized there was a sore. I would guess he did not even know it was there until he got off. He is playing polo, not examining every inch of his horse while they gallop around.

Is the person whose horse gets a sore while out on a trail ride being heartless when they do not notice the cut until they get back to the barn?


If this horse bled every time they went out, then there would be something to talk about. 

Geez people.


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## speedy da fish

meh... looks like ignorance to me, not abuse. I dont think hes much of a rider or a horseman, hes a soldier though, I have respect for him for that reason.

A video of him falling, a bit pathetic, you'll see what sort of rider he is:




and




and... (this is the one i was looking for)


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## farmpony84

I thought Drizzle was Prince Williams pony. Geuss I was confused there. 

Those videos don't show me anything about his riding ability. What they show is that he's a prince and should he fall off, someone is going to catch it on tape. The first video he looked pretty sturdy in the saddle, his pony's feet came out from under it and they tumbled. The second video showed him hit the ground, nothing before... the third video didn't show me he's a terrible rider.

I don't know what the deal is with the spur marks. I doubt it's abuse though, could be but... don't know enough about it to accuse someone of something...


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## Scoutrider

Yeah, definitely not the way the average Joe wants to end up in the news. 

The bluntness of the spurs makes me wonder exactly how hard the horse would have had to have been jabbed (or constantly rubbed) to draw blood. I do agree that the smearing and the grey coat make it look worse than it probably is. 

PETA is the _*last*_ organization that needs to be involved. If there's any official action or sanction against him, it should come from whatever polo association was involved with the event, not some radical organization. Yeah, a mistake was made. If it was a daily occurrence I'd be more inclined to side with the "heartless" camp - knowing the little I actually know about the story I'm more inclined to land on the "careless, don't let it happen again" side of the fence. 

I suppose at the end of the day, Prince Harry is a very public figure. He'd draw controversy if he left home in the morning in mismatched socks.


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## mls

Scoutrider said:


> The bluntness of the spurs makes me wonder exactly how hard the horse would have had to have been jabbed (or constantly rubbed) to draw blood. I do agree that the smearing and the grey coat make it look worse than it probably is.


Polo can be more of a contact sport than people realize. Could very well have been jabbed in when another horse smashed into this pair. There really is no time for constant rubbing. The ponies are switched out fairle frequently. (vs a long trail ride)

Speedy - how many times have you fallen off? Or heck even tripped while walking? We all do it once in a while.


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## Alwaysbehind

I am with farmpony on the falling off videos. Geez, in the first one I am missing how anyone would have stayed on. (Not sure what on is while your horse is sliding on its side on the ground.)

All I have to say to the people who are 'oh my god he must have rubbed forever and hard to make a hole' is, heck, I have had the elastic on my underwear make a sore worse than that on a hot and sweaty day. It does not take much to make a sore when things are right.

And as MLS pointed out, so many things go on at a polo match it could have been anything.


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## Speed Racer

Speedy, you're a better rider than about 99% of the planet if you can sit a fallen, sliding horse. I don't see where he's a 'pathetic' rider at all.

These are snapshots in time. I'd like to see the whole match, in order to decide whether or not he deserves the 'abusive' title they're throwing at him.

Don't the riders have a string of 7 or 9 horses for each match? I'm not sure of the exact number, but I know they don't ride just one horse for the whole game.

Polo's a rough sport, and horses and riders collide and jostle each other. There's no telling, unless you were there, how that horse got its injury.


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## farmpony84

I've seen more blood from a squished fly.....


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## corinowalk

Ahhh while I feel for the horse with the spur wound...im sure its a lot more common that we think. It just happened to show up because of him being the Prince and all. 

I also don't see anything really interesting in the videos other than the fact that he appears to be a sour sport after falling. Tossed his club (or whatever!) in the first and looks fit to spit in the second. In both cases...the horse ran off...could be high powered polo ponies or could be hes not super nice to them. Either way...I've seen worse on a pay to trail ride.


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## farmpony84

corinowalk said:


> Ahhh while I feel for the horse with the spur wound...im sure its a lot more common that we think. It just happened to show up because of him being the Prince and all.
> 
> I also don't see anything really interesting in the videos *other than the fact that he appears to be a sour sport after falling. Tossed his club (or whatever!) in the first and looks fit to spit in the second.* In both cases...the horse ran off...could be high powered polo ponies or could be hes not super nice to them. Either way...I've seen worse on a pay to trail ride.


Now that's something worth mentioning! I didn't pay close enough attention in the first video, I thought he was joking with his buddies so I went back and rewatched... He was MAD! He did throw his club and he was yelling at someone... As a public figure he should really work on that!

The second video I think he got the sense knocked clean out of himself!


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## corinowalk

The second one he landed flat on his back. Thats a crappy way to fall...knocks the wind right out of your lungs! The first one he looks like he is angry like maybe someone interefered with him? He looks about ready to throw punches in the first video!


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## kitten_Val

Speed Racer said:


> Speedy, you're a better rider than about 99% of the planet if you can sit a fallen, sliding horse. I don't see where he's a 'pathetic' rider at all.


Not to the discussion of him being a good rider or not, but I remember seeing on TV may be a month back him fallen off the horse not at the polo game (where like in racing things happen and fall doesn't mean you are a bad rider, or pathetic), but in front of the crowd just riding. Not sure what went wrong, but horse slightly bucked almost at the walk and he fell off. May be he was drunk, who knows..... :lol:


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## Eolith

If there was video of all the times I've fallen off, I'd look like a pretty incompetent rider myself. Everyone has fallen off and looked like an idiot... he just has the misfortune of lots of people filming it and making a hubbub about it.

Polo is a rough sport that many people do not agree with on many levels, but this instance is trivial compared to most. I doubt he made a conscious choice to keep riding the horse despite a spur wound. As others have said, it would be very difficult to see or notice this in the chaos of a polo match.


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## Bethy

I dont know if three public falls makes you a bad horseman....and I doubt he is cruel to the horses. His horse died a few months ago at a game and he was crying hystarically...that is not how the horse "realestate" buyers usually act when they loose a horse. 

I cant really give an opinion on the spurs issue since I have never played polo, but looking it could be easy to puncture the horse by just a sideswipe of another player.


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## mls

corinowalk said:


> I also don't see anything really interesting in the videos other than the fact that he appears to be a sour sport after falling. Tossed his club (or whatever!) in the first and looks fit to spit in the second. In both cases...the horse ran off...could be high powered polo ponies or could be hes not super nice to them. Either way...I've seen worse on a pay to trail ride.


He reacted like a normal person. I'd be mad too.

As far as the horses running off - show of hands for those that have a horse that stands by the fallen rider AT A COMPETITION when there is nothing holding the horse . . . I am not talking at home or on a trail ride. I am talking show, rodeo, endurance ride, etc.


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## Gidget

I do agree..all horseriders will crash and burn.
I have had fallen so many times but never have got hurt..yet.*knocks on wood*
Falling is part of the sport of riding horses. It happens.


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## ponyboy

mls said:


> Look at the spurs - BLUNT.


Exactly! So how hard did he have to kick to cause a wound? Harder than thin skin can account for IMO. I can understand him not noticing during a match but it still shows he's a rough rider.


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## Scoutrider

ponyboy said:


> Exactly! So how hard did he have to kick to cause a wound? Harder than thin skin can account for IMO. I can understand him not noticing during a match but it still shows he's a rough rider.


Earlier the point was raised that in the scuffle and fuss of the match it is possible that another horse could have smashed into his leg, inflicting the injury.

I've never played polo in my life, but based on a few matches of horse soccer that does sound plausible. It's hard to make any kind of judgment based on pics without having seen the match. Did he ride quietly and was the spur pushed into the horse in a scuffle, or was he flailing around and pounding the spur of his own accord? Can't really say definitively based on a couple of photos and a biased article.


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## ponyboy

I do think that PETA is just trying to be sensationalist (like always) but that doesn't mean there isn't anything wrong here either. Obviously most horses don't end up with cuts from being ridden. Whether it is the fault of Prince Harry or polo in general it is still a problem.


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## Solon

They wouldn't have the overuse of spurs fine if it has not been a problem in the past.


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## Hali

Obviously because he's royalty, people hold him on a high pedestal. 

One time, while riding my mare, a scab that I thought was healed over became a little disturbed and she started bleeding under my saddle pad. (to be fair the scab was not anywhere near my saddle, it was on her flank) The blood got a little smeared and my coach brought it to my attention that she was bleeding. No big deal, got off, first rinsed it off and then washed the (very small) blood stain from my saddle pad. No harm done. Guaranteed, if I were a princess or a duchess or some sort of celebrity, PETA would be all over my abusive butt.

There's just not enough evidence to support him spurring the crap out of this pony. He COULD have and maybe he just needs to go with a rounder spur or just forgo them entirely. But it's very likely that the pony was just hurt while playing the game.


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## Solon

Per their rules, they have to investigate, but I doubt anything will happen.

The biggest question was why keep wearing the spurs after he noticed the injury. There was a possibility of making that wound worse.


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## Hali

I just don't understand why they NEED spurs...

Although I don't play polo, I just see them doing more harm than good...


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## Solon

Several comments also asked about why he needed spurs when the other guys in the picture weren't wearing them.


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## Hali

I noticed that too! And IF a spur is needed (again, can't see why), there are smaller spurs that may be sufficient.


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## VelvetsAB

_I would like to see any COMPETANT rider who hasnt fallen off...Like Beezie Madden, Ian Millar, Martha Josey, Charmayne James etc etc... so those 3 short videos dont really show anything._

_Some horses require more spur then others. Maybe the horse needs a bit more aid to move off HRH's leg. _

_Horses at my barn have rub marks or have gotten sores from spurs, but how do you know its from being used incorrectly, positioned improperly, or the horse being a lazy ****** that day...._

_PETA is always going to be there no matter what we (as horse people) do. Rodeo's, show jumping, horse racing (TB/Stbd), polo playing, drag hunts....We could have 100% no injuries and we would still be in the wrong._


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## ridergirl23

I dont think he ment to... from what ive always seen (which isnt much, i'll admit, lol) the royal family is pretty darn loving of horses. My first guess would be he was in a scramble for the bal and that happened in the scuffle, because the mark is pretty far behind where his leg should be. 

Poor guy, he lost his favourite hrose to a heart attack  Someone ( i think it was on the first page?) commented and said how he was out playing another game of polo right after it happened... well, hes part of a polo team, and when your that famous, (even when your not that famous) your team depends on you to be there. When your a prince you usually cant sit around and mourn for weeks. 

I hope some real organization try to figure this out, rather then PETA.


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## Thyme

Not to fight but polo horses faces aren't yanked around as much as "rodeo or gaming" horses are and they dont used the curbs either. They aren't beat as much either so why don't they get attacked?


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## Spastic_Dove

I think the Prince should just get an animal with thicker skin: 








 

Kidding aside, I've ridden polo. Polo is no more abusive than gaming, rodeo, jumping, etc. Is it hard on horses? yes. Is there a high risk for injury? You betcha. But like every other sport, there are good horseman, and there are people I wouldnt let touch a horse. 

alot of Polo ponies are ridden in gags. They need to be very fine tuned to what the rider wants.


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## Thyme

Good point its up to the rider about how aggressive a horse is ridden.


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## dedebird

ya so is he a real prince thats cool XD

uhm i don't really think anything happened and the mark didn't seem that bad i mean i didn't even shudder which if its bad i have to get my shuddering on

so ya the falling videos mean nothing! if i showed everytime i fell down (haha 4 times xP) i wouldn't look so good huh i mean the first one i rolled off my horse woopsie the second one i lost a stirup and fell down the third one i got bucked and the fourth one i acedently told a horse to go and he went and i only had one stirup (sorry didn't mean to get in about me)


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## VelvetsAB

_Dove--That is hilarious!_

_No one is a real rider if they haven't fallen off..... And yes Dede, he is a real Prince. 3rd in line to the crown I think after his Father and older brother._


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## MaggiStar

Ok i was expecting like soo much more then that its a tiny nick that has been blown out of proportion!
He cant have done a huge amount of damage with his spurs because by the rules they must be inspected and only a certain length is allowed. Having played polo before they chances are he had contact and he was pushed into another horse and voila small cut formed.
Also polo ponies are changed every quarter hear which means he rode the horse for 15minutes approx and then got a new one thats not abusive at all if you had 5minutes left in your quarter then your not going to stop the game to call in your next mount. polo horses are treated very well as usually they are a string of quality horses owned by one wealthy person but there grooms only have a few eac and really care for them


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## corinowalk

As far as him continuing to ride after his first horse died...thats just untrue. 

I read through the articles linked to the video about his former polo pony dying of a heart attack. Not only did he drop out of competition, he skipped everything else on his schedule that day and was observed by photographers to be sobbing when he heard the news.


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## VelvetsAB

_Just as a side note....the Queen is a big fan of Monty Roberts, so I doubt the Princes would be allowed to "abuse" their horses._


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## ridergirl23

VelvetsAB said:


> _Just as a side note....the Queen is a big fan of Monty Roberts, so I doubt the Princes would be allowed to "abuse" their horses._


 exactly. I highly doubt people in the royal family would be allowed to abue horses with the queen around.


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## devildogtigress

kitten_Val said:


> Not to the discussion of him being a good rider or not, but I remember seeing on TV may be a month back him fallen off the horse not at the polo game (where like in racing things happen and fall doesn't mean you are a bad rider, or pathetic), but in front of the crowd just riding. Not sure what went wrong, but horse slightly bucked almost at the walk and he fell off. May be he was drunk, who knows..... :lol:


My husband saw those videos and said the same thing...he thought Prince Harry was drunk. :?


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## QOS

I saw the pictures - even a small amount of blood on a grey horse looks magnified. The prince's father, aunt and grandparents are keen horsemen/women so it is doubtful that he is abusing the horses - OMG the media would be all over him. His aunt was on the British Olympic team along with her husband so they are serious equestrians not someone who hopped on a pony for a quick ride.

I squished a fly on Red's white sock the other day - it made a huge squish of blood - GAAAA Pita would have wanted to take him away from me for sure!


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