Fools Motto
Well-Known Member
I work with riding school type ponies and children upto the age of 13. Last year a lovely cob type mare came, she is 13.2, and a good sort, minimal feather 10 year old. Perfect! She proved herself to be saintly out on rides, taking some new to canter type children a bit further afield. Most came back loving her. She has also proved the same saintly demeanor with novice children jumping. Saying that, she isn't schooled, so some novice riders don't get along with her doing the flatwork, and she is more suited to a more able child. As adults the team I work with paired her up with the right children, so all was not lost.
Sadly in the spring it became aparrent that she is a head shaker. We are by a river, in a bit of a valley, and the pollen/tree pollen/crops/midges just don't suit the poor mare - who was suffering. She was therefore unable to be used over the summer. I then started her again in more recent weeks, and to be honest think she is fab. No shaking now. I've taken her out on lovely rides, popped her over some fences (I used to be brave, but glad she looks after me!). She just hasn't been used for the children, partly due to the fact that other ponies have come in, semi replacing her, and partly because we don't want to disapoint the children in the spring when she can't be used again.
On another note, even though she is saintly under saddle out hacking and jumping, she has got so much grumpier in the stable. This is something we do not want! (Live out most of the time, stabled during the day in preparations for the riders).
Got three options.... 1 - pts. 2 - adults ride her for the sheer fun of it during the winter, summers off. 3 - loan her out as a field companion.
I'm leaning to option 1 sadly. Such a shame really, she has so much that could be positive, just I think the negative issues are too great?
Sadly in the spring it became aparrent that she is a head shaker. We are by a river, in a bit of a valley, and the pollen/tree pollen/crops/midges just don't suit the poor mare - who was suffering. She was therefore unable to be used over the summer. I then started her again in more recent weeks, and to be honest think she is fab. No shaking now. I've taken her out on lovely rides, popped her over some fences (I used to be brave, but glad she looks after me!). She just hasn't been used for the children, partly due to the fact that other ponies have come in, semi replacing her, and partly because we don't want to disapoint the children in the spring when she can't be used again.
On another note, even though she is saintly under saddle out hacking and jumping, she has got so much grumpier in the stable. This is something we do not want! (Live out most of the time, stabled during the day in preparations for the riders).
Got three options.... 1 - pts. 2 - adults ride her for the sheer fun of it during the winter, summers off. 3 - loan her out as a field companion.
I'm leaning to option 1 sadly. Such a shame really, she has so much that could be positive, just I think the negative issues are too great?