AIBU - lead rein size

[abbijay]

I just want to have a moan, and i'm sure many of you will tell me I am being unreasonable but it just feels so unfair...
So the local hunt have started running lead rein walks out alongside some of their meets. We couldn't make the first one but the next one is round the corner from home and we are free. So I messaged to ask cap and dress code. There in I made the mistake of letting them know our lead rein pony is bigger than most. He is in fact a 17hh clydesdale. Daughter is 10 and already hacks him out from home in company with me on foot. She has often ridden him round after shows for me too. She rides ponies at a riding school too.
The hunt have told me "it is not sensible to have a clydesdale join the lead rein meet".
I'm not being funny but she's my daughter. If I thought it was not a sensible idea I would not be taking her. Over her lifetime she has done lead-rein showing and lead-rein dressage on our elephants; we have done meet and greets with her whole class. I am insured and I undertake thorough training of my horses to ensure they are safe to do what I ask of them, doubly so if my kids are going to be involved. This one has done hours of spook training to ensure he will be ok to be out in whatever situation I take him to.
I can't be the only person who has taught their kids to ride on something that is not 10.2 shetty or welshie?!
I would have thought, given how much negative press most of these hunts get these days, they would be welcoming of all and any supporters!

 

[SOS]

Assuming the horse has hunted lots and is assured to be calm, I think it is a bit unreasonable. Do they not know of the horse? After all a hunting Clydesdale is a little unusual and would be remembered. Could you provide references if he hasn’t hunted with that pack before?

However if it hasn’t hunted much I guess the worry would be if the horse gets excitable there’s a lot of small people and ponies around which could get squashed! I wouldn’t take a horse that wasn’t experienced and proven hunting to a lead rein meet and even a small pony could be a handful if they got on their toes. So then I think you are being unreasonable if that’s the case.

Edited AGAIN as made no sense sorry.

 

[AmyMay]

Not unreasonable at all. They have to think of everyone’s safety. 17hh of Clydesdale potentially throwing some shapes alongside small ponies would be potentially catastrophic.

 

[Katieg123]

I have no issue with kids riding gentle giants but bear in mind often lead rein hunts go through very tight areas/under trees etc!

 

[conniegirl]

They have to think of everyone's safety not just your daughters.

Its just not safe to have 17hh of giant (gentle though he may be) in with what will predominantly be 12hhers (or smaller) often with tiny tots on board.
I'm very surprised you were allowed in LR showing classes, normally they have a height limit of 12hh or 12.2hh for exactly this reason.

LR dressage is different as there is only you in the ring.

 

[Art Nouveau]

I think the hunt is being reasonable. My pony was PTS after a 16.3hh kicked him in the field and broke his leg. The power behind a horse that size is huge and I wouldn't be comfortable putting a dinky pony and young child in a crowded or tight space with a horse of that size, especially one where there are lots of other ponies. Far too many variables that could go wrong. Sorry

 

[Red-1]

I agree that, if I were the mother of a small child on a small pony, I would be concerned at a 17hh plus joining them to ride alongside, especially at an event that was specifically aimed a smaller children.

It is not your child I would be concerned for, it is the other children and ponies.

 

[Rowreach]

Sorry, but I think the hunt is being perfectly reasonable and thinking about all the other children, ponies and leaders who will be there.

 

[limestonelil]

Agree with previous posters.

 

[SusieT]

I think hunt is being reasonable in this scenario - there was a young child out hunting who died because a large horse kicked out and she was at the right height to be caught.
Unless you asked if you could come but stay right at the back so there is no risk and maybe explain he is a dope on a rope?
I would loan/buy child a pony so she can join in with others her age Ask hunt if anyone has one you could borrow?

 

[KittenInTheTree]

You're being unreasonable. Either get your child an appropriately sized pony, or accept that she can't participate in group lead rein events involving ponies.

 

[Winters100]

I'm afraid you need to think a little more about how this might affect the enjoyment of the event for others. You are sure that the horse is safe, but others do not know that, and they also do not know you, so cannot rely on your opinion. For me it is just the same reason as to why I would not allow my dogs to run free around children that we do not know, I am as confident as I can be that our dogs are safe and accustomed to children, but this does not make it ok.

 

[abbijay]

Thanks HHO for making me realise what a monster I am as I was going to cause the death of many tots and their ponies by bringing my ton of fire breathing stallion to attack them all.

 

[Red-1]

Thanks HHO for making me realise what a monster I am as I was going to cause the death of many tots and their ponies by bringing my ton of fire breathing stallion to attack them all.

I think that is something of an over reaction. You did ask if people thought you were being unreasonable, and even realised before posting that you thought many would disagree with you.

I don't think anyone said you were being a monster, or that you were going to cause the death of many tots and their ponies.

I was not aware that your horse was a stallion when I answered, or that he breathed fire.

 

[conniegirl]

Thanks HHO for making me realise what a monster I am as I was going to cause the death of many tots and their ponies by bringing my ton of fire breathing stallion to attack them all.

Oh for goodness sake. It is not aimed at you in particular. It is a blanket rule aimed at preventing accidents. Not long ago a 2 yearold was killed at a hunt because he was kicked in the head by a big horse.
2 year old was minding his own business on his pony. Horse that kicked out had no history of kicking and was an experienced hunter.
These things happen and unfortunately if something did happen your horses height means a kick will be at the average head hight of a small child on their leadrein pony.

 

[AmyMay]

Thanks HHO for making me realise what a monster I am as I was going to cause the death of many tots and their ponies by bringing my ton of fire breathing stallion to attack them all.

No one has said anything of the sort

 

[Rowreach]

Thanks HHO for making me realise what a monster I am as I was going to cause the death of many tots and their ponies by bringing my ton of fire breathing stallion to attack them all.

If I turned up to a lead rein meet with a child on a pony, and saw a Clydesdale there, I'd turn straight back round and go home again. I imagine I'm not the only one who would be concerned, and I wouldn't hang around to find out how well behaved it was and how capable a handler you were.

 

[Tiddlypom]

What a disappointing reaction from the OP of this thread, who I had thought was one of the more sensible forum posters.

The hunt is not being unreasonable, but the OP is. I'm pretty confident handling horses on the ground, they virtually never get away from me or even try to, but I would not take such a large horse out at a lead rein meet.

Maybe the OP will have calmed down after a good night's sleep and a chance to mull things over.

 

[Katieg123]

Thanks HHO for making me realise what a monster I am as I was going to cause the death of many tots and their ponies by bringing my ton of fire breathing stallion to attack them all.

Is that's your reaction to gentle advice being given WHEN YOU ASKED FOR IT and people generally being extremely understanding in explaining the hunts point of view you might want to rethink seeking advice at all...

Also if you spoke to hunt like that they might not want you and subsequently your child around at all - even of you got an appropriately sized pony...

 

[stangs]

I can't be the only person who has taught their kids to ride on something that is not 10.2 shetty or welshie?!

Big difference between even a 14.2 LR and a 17 hander.

I would have thought, given how much negative press most of these hunts get these days, they would be welcoming of all and any supporters!

On the other hand, they have to be even more careful about not allowing anything to go wrong. The risk of a Clydesdale among kid ponies, owned and to be handled by someone they don't know, isn't worth your support.

 

[millikins]

You make no mention if the horse has hunted before. If he hasn't then however much you trust him in familiar situations, you don't know how he'll react.

 

[mini_b]

Thanks HHO for making me realise what a monster I am as I was going to cause the death of many tots and their ponies by bringing my ton of fire breathing stallion to attack them all.

that is categorically NOT what was said.

do not gaslight other forum users for giving you a balanced and very reasonable opinion.

you asked, you got an answer.

 

[wills_91]

Do you get out and about with him often on LR? Just wondering what the usual reaction to him is?

 

[Clodagh]

Thanks HHO for making me realise what a monster I am as I was going to cause the death of many tots and their ponies by bringing my ton of fire breathing stallion to attack them all.

Go and sober up and re read the thread in the morning.

 

[Winters100]

OP, why did you ask the question if the only answer acceptable to you was that you would be perfectly reasonable to take a 17hh horse to a lead rein event?

 

[Barton Bounty]

I think its great that you have taught your daughter on larger horses, there are definite benefits to that and as she grows into a teenager she will learn how to properly handle them but for now I think I would wait till she was on lead rein with a smaller horse or was able to participate off lead rein. The bigger picture and what thought will be is an ‘incase it happens’ scenario.

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

Erm. No you are not being unreasonable!

Judging the horse based on nothing else than height is unacceptable. I'd rather be next to a kid on a well trained Clydesdale than a kid on a Welsh section! I regularly use a Shire and a Clydesdale as a sensible buddy for a baby horse.

Let's face it, you can guarantee the parent will have put more work into the horse, and the heavies are bred for common sense.

 

[stangs]

I'd rather be next to a kid on a well trained Clydesdale than a kid on a Welsh section

How does the hunt know that the Clydesdale is well-trained? How do they know what the horse is like during a hunt? I'd much rather handle - and I'd have far more control of - an unruly Sec A than an unruly Clydesdale.

 

[Clodagh]

How can you guarantee the parent will have put more work into a big horse?

 

[Glitterandrainbows]

I’m sorry to say it but I wouldn’t want my young daughter on a tiny pony next to a much bigger and powerful animal as too much risk especially if the meet was aimed towards young children on the lead reign however I do understand your point if he’s safe and sane but accidents do happen and a slip from him onto a child could be fatal sorry to say this I do understand your frustration.