Nervous LR Pony - persevere or give up?

[catkin]

No, I didn't see it as criticism at all! As for the hop-on riders, I rather suspect they always existed. And again, if that is the only way they can or will ride then sobeit, their loss! What I will say is that with more parents working and children seemingly having more and more schoolwork to do, even with the best will in the world its hard for them to spend the time with ponies we did. Such a shame, but personally I constantly struggle with this one.

[Philippa]

Oooh dear you are on a roll. Not everyone is how you percieve them to be. I was going to justify what Maisie comes and does with her ponies then decided I didn't need to.
Re wanting her to be a girl, yes I did. ive never been the least bit maternal, so if I couldn't indulge myself with wanting a girl so we could play ponies and do girly things (and yes im sure theres lots of boys who do just this, I know some myself!!!!) then its a bad job.

We are all different, we all think differently about things and we all prioritise differently.

[sarahp]

I appreciate that everyone has time constraints, but what worries me is that children riding in this sort of very restricted way will not gain the background of knowledge and experience that those more heavily involved in all the care of their ponies and with wider riding experience would do.

[busymare]

But does it actually matter? So they either quit (which a lot of children do anyway as they grow up), apply themselves to learning later or continue to pay someone else to do the hard work (good for the economy!).

If it suits them and their family (and their equines are happy) why should anyone be worried?

[nici]

Not directing this at anyone who has commented, as I don't know how you do things. However I do know several mums who do everything for their children's ponies, while the children sit in the car (if it's cold) or play. Must admit I'm not that selfless! And I believe strongly that a true horseperson needs to know a lot more about ponies than just the riding. When she was old enough to toddle Cerys had her own toy wheelbarrow and mini tools and was expected to "help" me with the ponies. Mucking out/poo picking took longer with her help, but it set her up the right way. She can now do the ponies completely independently of me, not that I ask her to as I love being involved. However if I was not able to help for any reason, she is perfectly capable of doing everything that needs to be done, While she grumbles sometimes able to mucking out and poo picking (as do I!) she knows that it's all part of the pony owning package.

And as far as working mums are concerned, well we muddle along as best we can. I work full time, with up to an hour's commute each way. We have had as many as 5 ponies to look after, down to just 2 at the moment, plus another couple that live with ours. Winter is hardest as I don't get to see ponies in daylight, but they all live out and keep themselves reasonably fit - we've had 2 hunting through the winter with no problems even though they're only ridden at weekends. They get haylage every night and otherwise forage around their 4 acre winter field. Every Saturday is dedicated to jobs at the yard, doing as much as we can to prepare for the week ahead, plus lessons, preparation for Sunday hunting. Every Sunday we hunt. I can't wait for the clocks to change, so we can start mid week riding again.

[sjw87]

Feb 26, 2015 13:20:50 GMT busymare said:

But does it actually matter? So they either quit (which a lot of children do anyway as they grow up), apply themselves to learning later or continue to pay someone else to do the hard work (good for the economy!).

If it suits them and their family (and their equines are happy) why should anyone be worried?

Unfortunately, in this modern world, a lot of these people neither learn nor pay someone else. Instead, they buy a horse (or more), fail to look after it adequately and as the rescues are so overrun, nothing gets done unless it builds up to a serious neglect case. There are horses all round the country who develop ulcers or get colic due to it being 'too cold/wet to go to the yard' or the owner having a lie in so the horse has to wait until midday to be seen. Injuries/illnesses get missed or not treated early enough and develop into a much bigger problem. There are horses who get labelled as 'problem horses' as the owners management and lack of knowledge causes issues to develop. Some of these are either pts due to illness/behaviour or end up at auction.

But hey, horses are so cheap nowadays that they can be easily replaced...

Sent from my GT-I9195 using proboards

[sarahp]

Totally agreed. And I also think surely the children should be taking some form of responsibility for their pleasure?

[brindlerainbow]

There are as many cruelty/neglect cases from people who do know what they are doing as opposed to those that are ignorant to a horses needs. The case of the Dartmoor breeder is a fine example, although that doesnt need discussing on this thread im just using it as an example as it's fairly high profile and on going at the moment.
My own daughter was very keen as a small child to help with the ponies and ride although she lost interest by her late teens. I also worked for a family with show ponies. Out of the 4 children only 1 was keen to ride and help, 2 wouldnt even have known how to tack up and although the other one was capable he wasn't interested.I was employed as their full time groom so rode and looked after their ponies. If a child is riding because the mother wants it to and it's being forced then it won't have an interest in learning how to look after a pony. They don't need to gain any equine knowledge or experience because their interest is minimal and they will give up without doubt as soon as they are old enough to stand up to the pushy mother. Those that want to gain a knowledge, like the majority of us on here will have done because we had an interest in ponies and were doing them because we wanted to and not because mother had paid thousands for a HOYS show pony and stuck it with a producer. I agree that children should take responsibility for their pleasure but if the pleasure isn't there in the first place then neither will the commitment be there. At the end of the day each to their own, what suits one child or family may not suit another

[sarahp]

In which case surely the mother is culpable for making their child do something in which it had no interest or pleasure? Why should they? Mother should get on with it on her own account if it's her that's keen and not try to fulfill her own needs through her unwilling children.

I'm not sure that using numbers of actual cases is a good measure though - I would guess there are many many more instances of mismanagement through ignorance causing suffering that don't get quite that far.

[brindlerainbow]

Totally agree that mothers shouldn't fulfil their dreams through their children but unfortunately there are plenty that do. I don't know the numbers of actual cruelty cases that were committed by knowledgeable people rather than unknowledgeable but I wouldn't think theres much between them. A very "knowledgeable" producer from my neck of the woods regularly leaves ponies turned out at grass completely neglected, feet like Aladdins slippers the RSPCA is regularly called. This is a person that wins all over the country and regularly qualifies/competes at HOYS.......

[sarahp]

Slightly diverting - how do ponies out at grass get Aladdin's slippers? I can understand if shut in on a thick layer of bedding and poo but I've found that any that I've brought in here who refuse to have their feet trimmed without killing my farrier, in which case they don't get done, do keep their feet decent because the overgrown bits break off by themselves. I believe this happens to feral equines too. To avoid any comment, my homebreds all get all their feet done without any trouble, and any that come in as permanent residents I do try to sort out so that we can do all of them, but in a few cases of other people's that are here only for a short time I won't have my farrier damaged by outside animals whose owners obviously never trim them anyway. In a few cases we can do fronts but not backs, and it goes without saying that I keep an eye on them and wouldn't let any come to harm, they just look untidy.

More tin hat wearing!

[brindlerainbow]

Don't know Sarahp as not my ponies One story about this particular person is that once the RSPCA are called then the ponies are trimmed at their expense and not hers so maybe they have been kept in and are just chucked out when they are ready for a trim!! Maybe they weren't as bad as Aladdin slippers but obviously bad enough for the RSPCA to get off their ar*e and do something

[sjw87]

There tend to be a couple of reasons for it. Firstly, if the conformation is such that the heels are low, excess growth makes a long toe and the heels collapse, pushing the growth forward into a slipper.

The other is hoof wall separation. This may be due to malnutrition or equally instances of lami causing the white line to weaken. As the hoof overgrows, the toe separates and curls forward into a slipper.

So, with that in mind, ponies with naturally good hoof conformation and a correct diet should do as sarahp describes, especially if the ground they are on is varied. In the wild, they wouldn't survive if this wasn't the case.

Sent from my GT-I9195 using proboards

[honeypot]

When was a about twelve I rode for a small dealer who once a year would get a shipment of ponies from Ireland, Slipper did have slippers, the rest had home made shoes, one was just a bars of iron that had been bent and had a sharpe point like you would have on an iron to iron clothes, none of these ponies were lame and after trimming and shoeing within weeks were hacking out and sold very quickly.
I saw Slipper about 16 years later at a show with his owners who had bought him from the dealer, at three Slipper was iron grey almost black but was now snowy white and still being ridden and looked a picture of health.
I have had a variety of youngstock and although everyone is obsessed with the perfect hoof with ponies it doesn't seem to affect their soundness. I had a NF would had the most odd shaped feet ever, contracted frogs that never touched the floor but was never lame in 20 years. I think management of work and fitness is far more is far more important, and the fact that far too many are too fat for the work they are asked to do. I do not know if working mainly on surfaces is actually doing them no good as the their actual job is cantering round on grass which is usually rock hard underneath. I know someone who every equine they own has ended up with long term lameness and they have had a fair few.
We my children rode we had New Year till March off, then started after school when the nights were lighter. Children now have so much pressure on them from school, I had very little home work even at senior school, the dreaded SATS did not exist.

[sarahp]

I obviously lead a charmed life footwise, or only have well conformed ponies with a good diet here then! Never had any direct from Ireland.

I rode year round, and daughter mostly in school holidays, not much though in the Spring term even when she did have the chance. Dark and manky weather! I kept her ponies and later horses exercised for her ready for the Easter holidays, not fair on the animals not to.

[comanchediva]

Am wondering if the OP has "persevered or given up"on this thread by now??

[norwalk]

I feel that the support the original poster was asking for has been long buried or lost..
All views are valuable, but each have their place.
OP was asking for ideas to get pony working without spooking...

[Philippa]

I'm sure OP won't mind me saying she's persevering. But yes the thread has lost its way completely!!

[WKponies]

Yes I am persevering, I've been doing lots of groundwork with him and he's been an angel. My daughter, who's 5 was even running around with him the other night past cones and over poles and he was a complete dope on a rope. So his nerves definitely seem to be from ridden work.

I have his back, teeth and eyes all booked in for checking this month to rule those out as issues and I'm just going to keep sticking with the groundwork and making him more worldly, whilst building my daughters balance up using our other pony.

Due to my daughters size and ability she will undoubtedly be on the lead rein for the whole of this year so hopefully that should give me the time to build up the ponies confidence. My daughter really does love her little pony and he's fab to handle, she spends hours grooming and leading him about so it would be a shame to give up on him.

Thanks to everyone that has given me advice, it has been most appreciated and taken on board.

[catkin]

OP, that is really great to hear. I apologise for being one of the people to go off-post, but you know how it is, one thing leads to another - and all v interesting!
Please keep us posted.
I took my more complicated LR out a few times since posting, teach-ins and two shows. Lots learned! Still working at it too.

[sarahp]

I'm just glad I'm past the LR stage! I'm another to go off-piste, sorry, I have the sort of brain that moves on from one thing to another like a conversation and haven't properly absorbed the rules of internet forums.

[Em5]

Have you tried taking the pony to dressage competitions? I find it a good way to get ponies out to a different environment but they're a lot calmer than shows. I also found my pony more focused as was learning and doing something new rather Han going out and doing the same old showing routines

I think it could be quite easy to give up on a lead rein pony but all ponies have their faults and sometimes it's because we aren't putting in the right work, I'm guilty of that myself.

My pony is also a sensitive little boy but only if he has put his back out playing silly idiot in the field. But for the few occasions he has done something wrong he makes up for it by being able to be fully handled by my daughter and I can take him to a busy agricultural show and know they are safe

[comanchediva]

Glad to see this thread back on track and I'm so pleased the OP is persevering with her wee boy. Your new profile pic is lovely by the way, is that the pony prompting this discussion? X

[WKponies]

Yes it is the pony in my profile that I'm talking about and he is such a sweetie 90% of the time. I'm definitely guilty of not putting in enough of the right work with him which has now been changed. My son has taken him to a few dressage competitions, just to do an intro test on and he's been great. I just need to get him used to different situations and I'm hoping my taking him out for walks on the roads will also help that.

I was advised to give him a vigorous lunging session prior to my daughter riding him so that's a definite must now every time, again I have been guilty of letting her jump straight on. From writing this post it sounds like I need a serious sorting out, not the pony.

[Philippa]

Mar 2, 2015 23:01:14 GMT WKponies said:

From writing this post it sounds like I need a serious sorting out, not the pony.

Lol me too. ?

[Em5]

Another great thing for both ponies and children is pony club, our local one is fantastic and the ponies see and learn so much too and my girls love it

[sarahp]

Some RCs have thriving junior sections too.

[maddiesmum]

I would second pony club or a junior section of a riding club, whatever is local & suitable for you!
All of our ponies have attended PC rallies before shows etc they are a great environment for ponies & kiddies to learn