Advice needed please. Sorry, long

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dangermouse64

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I havn't posted on here much but hoping you lovely people will be able to help.

I've been helping my friend with her young welsh d for over a year now, on the yard were he's kept there's a young girl who keeps buying young ponies (she has no idea how to handle them) her first, a 3yr old new forest, got annoyed with her and turned into a really nasty pony so she got rid, in the meantime she bought a 5yr old cob who's lovely (although he naps) but her mum decided to keep him for herself so they got a 5yr old tb, again lovely horse but an accident out hacking meant he had to be shot...

Now she has an 18month old cob and tonight I found out that more than one person has seen her tack it up and ride it down a track at the yard, my friends welsh struggled with this track as a 3yr old! It's full of potholes and sharp stones (ok if your horse has balance and you can relax and let them find their own way)

I offered to buy him tonight but because he's so laid back she wont get rid. I just can't stand the thought of her causing him harm from lack of knowledge. We've all told her to go out and spend money on a school master, she's only had lessons for a couple of years and has very little confidence.

Is there anything I can do for this poor pony? Or should I just accept whats happening and look the other way to save stressing myself out and getting upset?

Cookies and milk if you've got this far.xx
 
Good for you offering to buy the pony...
At the end of the day if you feel the pony is being cruelly treated (intentionally or otherwise) you should really contact WHW...
Oh and have you tried advising her that she shouldn't be riding it at that age?
 
Eek what a horrible situation. I would try and buy but if she really won't sell you will have to walk away - a similar situation has happened to me. I didn't get the pony - but the owner did start to look after it better as he knew there were people (me and others) watching!!

You could try calling her bluff and say you are so impressed with her horse that you have decided to buy something similar, then after a while make a formal offer for the pony. Pretend to be horse hunting - get the local paper and ring possible adverts for similar horses, and make it clear it is a time limited opportunity.

What I am saying is rather than critising her, make out she has a really good eye and just hope one day she gets a bit fed up with horse and goes for your offer.

Or alternatively try and inspire her with a dream. Find really nice pictures of cobs going for a lot of money (which they do) and try and impress on her if she is patient she may one day have a superstar on her hands. But also make it clear if she ruins the horse its potential value will drop like a stone (and you will be there to make sure she is 100% honest with any buyers!)

Who knows, but good luck whatever you decide.
 
I played it dumb as it's the first time I've personally seen them, I asked how old he was and when they were going to start breaking him, she came out with 'I can already ride him' proud as punch, which is when I looked at her disgusted and then at her mother and pointed out just how young he is so she back tracked and said she sits on him once a week...I asked her to be careful and left but in reality I wanted to bundle the pony into my friends boot and never go back lol.

I'll pootle about on WHW website, will I need photo evidence or video for them to investigate? He doesn't look like a cruelty case and if its our word against hers then I reckon I'm doomed as her mother is a right battle axe.

Thanks for replying.xx
 
I'm not sure if you need evidence or anything but it can't hurt to give the WHW a ring... what they're there for after all!
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Thanks canteron, however if her mum thought there was any value in the pony she'd no doubt rush it more to sell it on for a profit, I don't even know how much they paid for him
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I can't see her selling him to me or anyone so think I'll see what WHW suggest.x
 
I really feel for you - but you cant buy every horse she will have - and trust me - she will have plenty more unless one of them does her a serious injury. Old saying "you cant put brains where there arent any"
Good luck
 
Gingerwitch - I realised after I'd calmed down that I can't do that, I'm ringing WHW in the morning in the hope they'll atleats advise her on how to look after the baby or the best scenario of removing him and finding him a good home. Would be nice to have him but I'd rather him just be away from her, and her have a wake up call as to what sort of horse (if any) she should own.

SallySmith - She bought him un-broken, apparently she long reined him twice and then started riding him.
 
Well, go steady with any accusations you throw around. If she's riding him, and he's happy to be ridden - he may well be older than you think - and have been broken in some time ago, and properly.



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Just looking at him it's obvious how young he is, he's just so laid back, my friends welsh was the same and broke with barely any problems until he tried testing the water which is what Im afraid this one will do with her, if that happens and she lets him walk all over her (like her new forest) then not only will he become another project horse but she'll then put it down to just being a naughty pony and start the cycle again.

Surely WHW (if they decide to involve themselves) would get a vet to roughly age the horse anyway, if he is older then I'll apologise and keep my nose out, but he definately wasnt broken before she bought him.
 
Could you leave some helpful books around for her? Suggest you all go to a good demo? Recommend a good instructor who helped with a different (made up if necessary) horse?
 
The yard owner's really good and leaves books in the tack room which she's borrowed, she just doesn't seem to take advice from anyone.

It seems that she's the typical teenage girl who wants a horse so she can show off to her friends (have seen her in the past with her others showing off untill something goes wrong and she goes home) If she'd go out and get something steady with a few miles on the clock and the patience to put up with her while she learns then she'd be fine and we'd probably all go out hacking but at the minute she seems to just want to look good and seem cool infront of people which gets to the point of being dangerous.

Thanks for the ideas though
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x
 
The yard owner is NOT very good if she is allowing an 18 month youngster to be ridden on her yard.
If the YO is aware of problems with the girl or horse, she ought to be sorting it out.
And riding an 18 month old youngster is certainly a problem!

Edited because I have to ask....are you SURE he is only 18 months old???
 
In fairness to the YO I'm not sure if she's seen whats going on, I haven't seen her for a while, if she hasn't it's not in her business interest to accuse her of something she has no proof of but I agree if she has seen her she should do something, girl would probably just move the pony though and carry on
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If he's not 18months than he's certainly no older than two, if he was mine I'd let him grow until atleast summer as he seems very babyish still. Wish I had a picture, if you saw him you'd see what I mean.
 
Crikey, when I was on livery I saw my YO at least every other day, in fact she made a point of showing her face so any problems could be resolved or taken straight to her.
Make your YO aware of what is happening. Its her yard, and ultimately her yards reputation at stake.
If the girl chooses to move her pony there isnt a lot that anyone can do, but at least for your YO its not happening under "her roof" so to speak.
 
The routine on the yard is pretty much sort yourself, YO comes down morning and night to turn out/bring in and to sort out hay for the night, but I think eveyone on the yard is either part diy or full diy, so YO spends majority of her time sorting out her youngsters at home. Will try and catch her though and ask if she knows, if she does I'll lose alot of respect for her, beginning to wish Id not offered to help my friend now lol! ho hum, its all fun and games.

Thanks for the advice though everyone, atleast you've helped clear my head now
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[ QUOTE ]
Just looking at him it's obvious how young he is, he's just so laid back, my friends welsh was the same and broke with barely any problems until he tried testing the water which is what Im afraid this one will do with her, if that happens and she lets him walk all over her (like her new forest) then not only will he become another project horse but she'll then put it down to just being a naughty pony and start the cycle again.

Surely WHW (if they decide to involve themselves) would get a vet to roughly age the horse anyway, if he is older then I'll apologise and keep my nose out, but he definately wasnt broken before she bought him.

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I know how you feel and agree that it is wrong to ride a horse so young but sadly it goes on all the time. Racehorses are backed at 18 months and raced at 2. I think you will find that whw may give advice but would not deem it as "cruelty" One last thing, you say you can tell how young he is just by looking at him? Be careful there - I had an 8 year old pony that looked like a yearling!!!!!!!!!
 
Wow Araminta! thats quite scary, even if he is older they're adamant he's 18months and they're still riding him, if he just looked young but they could prove he was older then it wouldn't be a problem, it was the fact she seemed so proud of his age and the fact she can ride him.

We had the race horse discussion on the way home, I disagree with the age they are broken and raced but it's done professionally and if they aren't going to make it they're generally sold on, plus alot of racehorses retire at 4/5 so are still fairly young, being a pleasure horse he'll be going forever if she keeps him and no doubt ferrying her friends around too. I like a horse to be a horse for a while before its expected to do anything, even just being a happy hacker. They were just horses before we learned to ride them in the past and its only fair to let them have their 'childhood' (that may just be my fluffy side though) lol
 
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