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Post by ShowPonies&Shetlands on Feb 22, 2009 11:08:17 GMT
i have a 33" miniature mare, who is stocky and a good weight carrier (she has had kids on her before, just walking a couple of metres) and i want to break her to ride. only thing is, i don't want to spend a fortune having it done professionally, and as she is so good i would want to train her myself. how would you train her to have a bit in her mouth, accept rein signals, and how would i find a good jockey for her - we don't know anyone near us with a good little child rider! it is my dream to lead her round the ring with a rider on her back, and i know she would love it, as she has the most lovely temperament ever! here are a few pics of her:        sorry pics are so big oh and in the jumping ones her mane is quite short - BUT IT IS NOT SWEETITCH - she had too much protien in her diet i was told, cos the skin under her mane was still soft, and not scabby - she is now in a better field where there is hardly any grass so she should be fine. |
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Post by fayeandash on Feb 22, 2009 21:06:45 GMT
You need to start off by bitting her - we usually do this by attaching a bit (usually a simple eggbut snaffle) to the head collar, we use some baling twine, but there are some leather things you can buy, put plenty of vasaline in the corners of her mouth, only leave the bit in for short periods of time and continue until she gets used to it being in her mouth, you then need to lunge her and eventually move on to long reining, there are some really good books you can get that instruct you along the way, maybe it would be worth investing in one, they are quite cheap if you look on somwhere like amazon.
Where abouts in the country are you? you could borrow my daughter but we are in lancashire.
Good luck and i hope you both have fun x
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Post by ShowPonies&Shetlands on Feb 23, 2009 7:35:27 GMT
thanks fayeandash, the loan of your daughter would be much appreciated   lolol but we live in Devon - maybe a lil bit too far! |
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Post by Steph Basnett on Feb 23, 2009 10:12:14 GMT
Glad you started this thread, we are going to do ours soon lol.x..  |
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Post by nici on Feb 23, 2009 22:28:02 GMT
Good luck with your venture! The stocky mini Shets can make perfect kids' ponies, for LR riders - and more competent little jockeys too! I have 2 ponies, a 34" mare and her 32-33" daughter. Both are regularly ridden by my 5 year old daughter (who's been riding the older mare for 4 years and who backed the younger one). She started on the lead, but now rides off lead at home and pony club, starting to do the odd class off lead at shows. We do side saddle too ;D
I'm lucky in that I have a few friends with older kids, so the Shets get ridden by more competent riders. They tend not to be schooled much though - the older kids get far more fun playing, jumping and racing them...
They are fabulous tots ponies, as they're just the right size for little people to do stuff themselves. My little girl can do everything with ours, grooming and bathing, leading, loading into the box, etc. She can also mount from the ground, which she wouldn't be able to manage for some time to come with a more typical 11.2 LR pony...
We're in Cheshire, so I'm afraid Devon is too far to lend you one of my jockeys!!!
Oh, and your pony is lovely by the way! I'm currently looking for a 41-42" version of her, for my daughter to move up to, in preparation for the day when she's too big for the current 2.
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lolol but we live in Devon - maybe a lil bit too far!
