FEI to allow 148cms ponies to measure at 151cms during in-competition testing

THE Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) yesterday rejected it had watered down its proposals on measuring ponies, after it emerged animals standing 151cms will be tolerated in 148cms international competitions.

The world governing body had proposed measuring ponies at individual competitions to ensure they complied with height restrictions that state a pony must measure 148cms without shoes and 149cms with shoes.

The radical proposal to introduce in-competition measuring came after no less than 10 of 14 ponies measured at last year’s European Championships were found to be above the specified height.