Anyone else got a pony that HATES kids?

[tankgirl1]

My 14hh cob pony is sweetness and light with me, but as soon as you bring a child into the equation she starts pulling faces... she actually bit me today when I let a 4yo bairn sit on her! When I bought her she was described as being 'Dead quiet, the kids climb all over her'... I'm wondering if she's now sick to death of kids, and what exactly they did to her, because its the same reaction any time a small person approaches.... ears back, tight muzzle and nostrils, tail swishing, threatening to bite... when its just me and her she is really affectionate and follows me round like a lost puppy nickering...

 

[Equi]

I would be thinking along the same lines that shes been pestered. I would make a point of making any kid thats near come up and just give her something nice then walk away - maybe she will start rethinking.

 

[honetpot]

I wouldn't say our old pony hated children, he just didn't have the time of day for anyone, especially boys and would give you a nasty nip if he could, the first time I went to catch him he almost drew blood. If he couldn't bite if he could stand on you and when we first got him he would bully my daughter. He had been on a large yard and think he had just had enough of being messed around.
His saving grace was once on board he was very safe no matter how small the child was, but even then if you tried to make him work 'properly' he would become uncooperative, and suddenly spook at the non-existent ogre and stop as soon as you dropped the contact.
One of the best ponies we have ever had, worth every penny, but on his terms.

 

[indiat]

Yes, our 11.2 welsh! He came from the sales and I know nothing about his previous history but he doesn't like strangers and he loathes kids with a passion. He hated being liveried at the riding school we were at before because if we left him tied up for a second he could be surrounded by children. Now that we have moved to our own place he is much more relaxed and gets on great with my daughter. But we will never sell him. He would probably revert back to biting, bucking and kicking in a new home and he would just boomerang back to us in a foul mood.

 

[windand rain]

Yes my Dartmoor he is dangerous around kids. I know his history as he has been mine since he was about a week old. He has little man syndrome so tries to dominate everyone and everythig but he tends only to succeed with kids. He has to be handled very fairly but by boundaries as he will kick, bite, bully, push over anyone who lets him get away with it and get worse and worse if you get mad at him, he has an ingrained fight mechanism. He will never leave here, he would kill someone if they tried to bully him into submission or a child under most circumstances. I am very firm with him and he is as good as gold with me. I know very well that he could be managed by others I am not conceited enough to think I am the only one that can deal with him but who on earth would want a kicking biting nasty 11 year old gelding who is dangerous around kids when he is a kid sized pony. So he will stay here as a driving, companion pony until I can no longer keep him when he will be shot. You cant get near him with a needle, is a pain for the vet and farrier so he wouldnt even make a good pet for a childfree household

 

[Enfys]

No not hates, she barely tolerates them on the ground, but is far too well trained to be anything less than polite and mind her manners even though you can here her grinding her teeth, she has no qualms about running off with them when ridden though.

What she really HATES, and will attack, is other animals, she killed a hen a couple days ago

 

[huskydamage]

What she really HATES, and will attack, is other animals, she killed a hen a couple days ago

Poor hen! Weird mine is the same to dogs cats chickens etc Ears flat back and actively goes after them to bite. Even when im riding there were some chickens loose and she kept pulling faces and trying to go closer.Why? The animal can be minding its on business and not doing anything to her. I have seen her chase a phesant out her field with ears back. I don't understand it at all!

 

[Clare85]

There's a NF pony at the rs where I used to work who absolutely hates kids. I think it comes from years of being fiddled with on 'own a pony days' and yanked in the mouth by kids learning to ride. Bless him, he's a lovely boy normally but he knows he can intimidate children so he does.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Yes my Dartmoor he is dangerous around kids. I know his history as he has been mine since he was about a week old. He has little man syndrome so tries to dominate everyone and everythig but he tends only to succeed with kids. He has to be handled very fairly but by boundaries as he will kick, bite, bully, push over anyone who lets him get away with it and get worse and worse if you get mad at him, he has an ingrained fight mechanism. He will never leave here, he would kill someone if they tried to bully him into submission or a child under most circumstances. I am very firm with him and he is as good as gold with me. I know very well that he could be managed by others I am not conceited enough to think I am the only one that can deal with him but who on earth would want a kicking biting nasty 11 year old gelding who is dangerous around kids when he is a kid sized pony. So he will stay here as a driving, companion pony until I can no longer keep him when he will be shot. You cant get near him with a needle, is a pain for the vet and farrier so he wouldnt even make a good pet for a childfree household

Funny as my darty doesn't tolerate kids. He wouldn't do anything. He is too much of a woose but he shuts down and stands stock still as if brain dead. I tried putting a kid on him once. Never again. He hated every second of it. Maybe it's just because he has spent his whole life around adults that he just doesn't know what to do with kids.

He is a brilliant wee pony, wouldn't even begin to dream of kicking, biting, barging etc. Ad I say he is a complete and utter woosebag!

 

[Clare85]

No not hates, she barely tolerates them on the ground, but is far too well trained to be anything less than polite and mind her manners even though you can here her grinding her teeth, she has no qualms about running off with them when ridden though.

What she really HATES, and will attack, is other animals, she killed a hen a couple days ago

Esme is funny with other animals. Our yo's daughter brought her staffie to the field and she chased him out of the field. Same with our resident fox, if she sees it she will fly across the field at it. However, one of the other liveries had a choc lab who Esme just ignores. Weird!

 

[Sleipnir]

Mine was used as a lesson horse in a yard and kids were often ponied on him. He was just a youngster, but was made to do it up to several hours a day when the weather was good, and was bored to death. Even now he will not tolerate kids on his back, ears pinned and biting at their legs or at the person who's leading him, but he's polite on the ground.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

I had a horse that wasn't keen on children & I used to tell people to keep their children away from him in case something happened. He wasn't nasty he just didn't really want them around him. Someone with children came onto the yard to visit another livery & one of the children came running over to my horse & hugged him. To my surprise the horse just turned to him & put his head down to him & semi pulled him closer into a kind of hug. I'd not seen him do that before & it really surprised me. The mother came rushing over & apologised & told me her son was autistic & sometimes just went off & did things. My horse was perfectly happy with him holding him. I like to think that the horse knew that this child was 'different' & responded accordingly. I could be wrong?

 

[Charlie007]

I bought a little welsh mare years ago from the sales. I handled her and broke her in. I had absolutely no trouble with her at all, her ridden work was lovely. Put a child on her and she changed into the devil, so would randomly deposit them on the ground and didn't like to be handled by them either!

 

[Damnation]

I suppose it makes sense, a bit like dogs who become known as biters when infact they have been pestered and mythered by children so much that they just snap. People need to teach children from a young age to respect animals. Don't climb all over, yank about, fiddle with, disturb when they are eating/drinking/sleeping. Don't leave young children unattended with animals - they often don't understand or know any better, it has to be taught.

When I was at a riding school I was amazed at how parents would just let their children run up to and really roughly handle animals! I was always taught to be kind and considerate - how would I feel if I was innocently eating or having a sleep and someone started pestering me, not amused is the answer!

Luckily, my mare LOVES children on the groung, especially my friends Autistic Daughter who comes to visit her occasionally. But I would never ever leave a child unattended with her. I am there to protect them both from eachother if needs be, I have a responsibility and duty of care to my animal and to the child. Everything is done calmly, gently and under my supervision. Any child who comes to see my horse is given the rules. Never walk behing her (She has never kicked but you never know!), don't go into the stable unless I am there, don't run and don't yell. Temper tantrum children will be put in the car.

She is funny with ANYONE new on her back so I wouldn't ever put a child in that position as she is a big girl at 16.1hh. The yard has a resident little angle of a Shetland who is happy to oblige for pony rides, but the above rules apply!

 

[Antw23uk]

Leave her alone, we don't all have to like kids. I think she is a great judge of character. Kids need to just go away until they are adults, hateful things they are!!! I'm on her side, I love her

 

[Annagain]

My 16.3 is the total opposite. Really bolshy with adults. Like this with my niece (caveat: I just dropped back to take the photo and she was under strict instructions to let go if he pulled her - not that he would. We were on a secure track between two gates)

He also lets her brush his legs (it's all she can reach) which I have a real battle over!
Sorry photo's huge photobucket won't let me re-size it!

 

[ponydi]

Years ago we had a miniature Shetland. The seller warned me that she had in the past been kept in a field next to a school, and the children had tormented her. I was warned never to let a child go into the field to catch her - but once caught she was absolutely fine.

 

[rowan666]

The Shetland in my avatar HATES kids with a passion like you would not believe, I mean really he absolutely loathed them and pregnant women!! he settled down when he turned 30, we only waited for 15 years lol

 

[jumbyjack]

I've had my shet x cob since she was 4 weeks old, she's hates everyone including small animals. She will lunge and bite, double barrel at people passing her and is quite dangerous. She includes children in the small animals category and would do serious harm given half a chance! The hardest thing is convincing the 'all ponies are good with meeeee' brigade that they will get bitten and that their offspring may loose a finger or 5 if they don't give her the requested wide berth! I don't know why she is so aggressive, nothing bad has happened to her, she's just plain bad tempered! Her mum is a lovely kind little pony so it didn't come from her.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I was sent a top qual 11.2 dartie as she was a complete menace with children, would kick, bite, chase them if in her paddock, owners were at wits end. No problem for a firm adult to handle, but you didn't need to be messing about or faffing, just do what was required.
The final straw was owners taking pony to a PC rally, when she dumped their (quite wobbly 6 yr old child) and tore off and bit another child holding her pony.

Tried everything with her, found I could eventually pop my daughter on by lifting her on if she approached from 3 o clock only and behind me (daughter was then a very capable but tiny almost 10 yr old) and the mare would go oh-so-well, fantastic however, it took a hard 5 months before we were able to get pony to allow her to lead her in the ring for the strip out. Could not do this at home or anywhere else either.
My daughter had to behave as an adult at all times, talking deeper, being 'tall' when on the ground etc, still had bruises but built up enough trust that the pony didn't openly savage her but kept it to teeth grinding and ears moving angrily only.
Was such a shame as pony was a top one.
We did all the 1st riddens, opens & workers etc, she never stopped at anything. However, daughter never got off till she 'had' to in the ring and got out of the way once back into line, till I could leg her back on again.

Her owners eventually realised she would never ever be a kids pony and let her go back to her breeder & she produced some lovely stock.

Problem? Pony had spent a full show season in a big production yard with a reputation of good results but not good behind the scenes. No idea what they had done, pony wasn't vetted but brought on that seasons results only, and breeder non-plussed too as never had a problem with that line at all.

 

[Christmas Crumpet]

My horse does not like my 4 year old!! I think it's because he's never met kids before. I have to be very careful with her around him.

 

[[100323]]

We have a pony who does not like other animals, he made the sheeps lufe unbearable and broke the wings of two chickens, his mni companion has a bolt hole he can run to when his mood is bad. The most frightening thing he did though involved my young granddaughter. She was walking in his paddock and suddenly came into his view, he went for her with teeth and hooves. My granddaughter fell over backwards and his hooves were landing either side of her. Very frightening. My daughter said he is going. But looking back at it when we had all calmned down, though he came at her with an I am going to kill you look, his eyes changed when he realised she was not the sheep, and he was deliberately putting his hooves on either side of my granddaughter and not trying to kill her. He just could not stop immediately. He had a reprieve from euthanasia and put on parole instead. Found the sheep a safer home, made sure the chickens were well fenced off. He was watched very carefully when little children were about, but has never done anything like that again. He is still with us.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

my luso 'plays' with ducks, poultry and dogs-not sure they feel like he's playing though! I wouldn't trust him with sheep and the dogs are not allowed in the paddock when he's in there.

I imagine being a small pony and being expected to like kids is a lot like being female and expected to like kids..

 

[tankgirl1]

I would be thinking along the same lines that shes been pestered. I would make a point of making any kid thats near come up and just give her something nice then walk away - maybe she will start rethinking.

She's OK with my son - he's the small walking carrot dispenser lol!

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I was sent a top qual 11.2 dartie as she was a complete menace with children, would kick, bite, chase them if in her paddock, owners were at wits end. No problem for a firm adult to handle, but you didn't need to be messing about or faffing, just do what was required.
The final straw was owners taking pony to a PC rally, when she dumped their (quite wobbly 6 yr old child) and tore off and bit another child holding her pony.

Tried everything with her, found I could eventually pop my daughter on by lifting her on if she approached from 3 o clock only and behind me (daughter was then a very capable but tiny almost 10 yr old) and the mare would go oh-so-well, fantastic however, it took a hard 5 months before we were able to get pony to allow her to lead her in the ring for the strip out. Could not do this at home or anywhere else either.
My daughter had to behave as an adult at all times, talking deeper, being 'tall' when on the ground etc, still had bruises but built up enough trust that the pony didn't openly savage her but kept it to teeth grinding and ears moving angrily only.
Was such a shame as pony was a top one.
We did all the 1st riddens, opens & workers etc, she never stopped at anything. However, daughter never got off till she 'had' to in the ring and got out of the way once back into line, till I could leg her back on again.

Her owners eventually realised she would never ever be a kids pony and let her go back to her breeder & she produced some lovely stock.

Problem? Pony had spent a full show season in a big production yard with a reputation of good results but not good behind the scenes. No idea what they had done, pony wasn't vetted but brought on that seasons results only, and breeder non-plussed too as never had a problem with that line at all.

There is a trend appearing with Dartmoor ponies lol!

 

[rascal]

When my kids were about 4 and 7, I bought a piebald cob gelding from a dodgy "riding school" and he didn't like kids at all. He would stand on toes, and try to nip if we sat them on him. Yet he was fine with us, In the end I had to sell him to someone who didn't have kids.

 

[JJS]

My pony is the absolute opposite. He knows his job inside out, and in his head it seems to include sheer adoration for any child who comes into his proximity. We keep him at quite a large yard, and the second he hears a high-pitched kiddy squeal, those little ears prick and he's the first one at the fence.

 

[Tnavas]

My nieces pony Nutmeg, will bite at every opportunity. Must now be well in her 20's, tried very hard to take a chunk out of me too! She's an ex riding school pony. I gues says it all.

 

[pennyturner]

My little Dartmoor stallion loved toddlers when he was younger... particularly the way they tend to wear coats with furry hoods, which he would take hold of in order to lift up the child off the ground and sway them gently. No malice, he just thought it was fun.
They weren't so sure :O

 

[Hanson]

My old gelding, who is an absolute sod to ride, loves kids and will behave impeccably for them under saddle. He likes attention -lots of it - and I think has learnt that kids give lots of fuss, carrots and he gets centre stage!

Mind you, he doesn't see many kids, so hasn't been over exposed.