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Napping
Apr 2, 2019 14:23:35 GMT
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Post by Need advice on Apr 2, 2019 14:23:35 GMT
I bought a Connemara mare in December for grand daughter who is 12, but young for her age and a bit nervous. The mare has just turned 7. She is lovely and has been very good but has recently started being a bit nappy, we were at Pony club on Saturday and she started napping. When told to get on with it, she did, and wasn't any more trouble. The thing that worries me is that she now lives out with 2 geldings, whereas before she was mostly stabled at a livery yard, and she doesn't like to leave them. I have been walking her out in hand as I don't ride, today we made very slow progress away from home as she kept planting her feet and wouldn't move. I just waited, and eventually we got so far down the road, once she was walking nicely I went back, passing the end of the lane then going home. Our pony club season begins next week with a rally, and I am very worried that she will start creating once my grandson's pony goes off into another ride across the field. I don't know if she's ever been in company with a lot of ponies on a field before, so an unknown quantity. My grand daughter will be scared if she misbehaves. I can't sleep for worrying about it, I'm sure I'm losing my marbles, every time we've been out before, she's been fine, but always in an arena. I don't want the napping to get worse, what shall I do? Thanks
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Post by gillwales on Apr 7, 2019 18:44:42 GMT
This is going to be very difficult to sort out if your Grand-daughter is nervous, naughty ponies and nervous riders do not make a good mix. How long have you had her? What were you told when you bought her?
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Post by bigmama on Apr 8, 2019 10:36:37 GMT
Connemaras and some other large breed native ponies can be spirited and will pick up on a nervous rider .. they are not always ideal for younger children (your grand daughter is probably only just coming out of first ridden), team that with the time of year, ie spring fever, grass coming through and the fact that your mare may be in season and this can all lead to problems.
Also, your mare having previously been stabled on a livery yard will have been used to seeing lots of different ponies coming and going whereas now she is living out with two ponies she has probably become a little feral (herd instinct etc) .. could you not limit the turnout and bring your ponies in to stables for a good proportion of the time to see if this helps?
You could also try to find an older, confident and more experienced rider for your Connemara at least once a week to keep her on the straight and narrow.
If you find your rider has lost her nerve and lost confidence in her pony, you may have to find her a more suitable mount.
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Post by gillwales on Apr 9, 2019 16:33:50 GMT
I agree Bigmama, I just didn't fancy saying so without more information!
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on Apr 9, 2019 20:54:06 GMT
I would second that. Been there, done that!
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Napping
Apr 11, 2019 14:09:15 GMT
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Post by Need advice on Apr 11, 2019 14:09:15 GMT
Thank you for your replies. We have had the mare since December. She was bought as a confidence giver, the child who had her before had lost her confidence on a rearer, but she was a different sort to my grand daughter, she loved to gallop about and jump, so my pony proved too quiet after a year, she has now got a whizzy show jumper. I can't fault her temperament, she does everything asked of her, just this odd spin round every so often. So I don't want to give up on her yet, we are at a pc rally tonight so will see how it goes. Am feeling pretty sick, but nothing has happened yet! Will update soon.
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Post by horseacces on Apr 13, 2019 1:35:28 GMT
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Post by Need advice on Apr 15, 2019 15:40:42 GMT
Hi just a quick update, the rally went really well, just an initial spookiness at the very start. When she was actually in the ride, she was as good as gold, and didn't bother at all about my other pony in another ring. Yesterday we went to a xc clear round, and again I couldn't fault her at all, she just jumped round as quiet as you like, so I feel I can breathe a bit! Not too much as still early days! Thank you for your kind advice, I hope this is the beginning of a lovely partnership.
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Post by gillwales on Apr 15, 2019 21:07:43 GMT
Glad to hear all went well
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