GinaGem
Well-Known Member
For anyone who doesn't know; Badger is my mum's pony. Mum has alzheimer's and struggles a lot with her memory. This is Badger:
With the combination of the bad weather and mum going downhill a bit Badger is seriously craving attention (in a nice way!). Mum used to walk down to the stabels at least twice a day and cuddle him and talk to him plus ride when we got him ready for her. At the moment she hasn't seen him at all for a good week as she can't ride (snow) and she can't do anything around the yard anymore as she forgets what she's doing.
Jo and I would love to do more with him but if we are completly honest we like spending all our time with our own horses. We do all the normal jobs for him but we never seem to find the time just to spend daily time giving him attention which he's come to love. Jo rides him when she can to keep him ticking over but we've kept him as a plod for mum so she finds him a bit boring really!
We were thinking of maybe trying to find someone that would like to come up a few times a week and ride him or just make a fuss of him. We don't want a proper sharer as we don't need money or help with the stable/yard duties/turning out (unless they really want to!) so don't know if it would be a viable thing. We'd want to keep it quite relaxed - not set down specific days or anything as he's pretty much always avaiable and can be ridden twice if mum wants to ride as he only plods round on lead rein with her at the moment. She has a lesson once a week as well. She also spends at least 4 months of the year out of the country.
Do you think this would work or any other ideas?
If we had a sharer as such there's a school plus ok hacking. he's a bit wussy hacking on his own but is excellent on lead rein and good in company if he can follow another sensible horse (which mine and Jo's are!).
He's a wuss at shows on his own too - a bit nappy but again is fab on lead rein as thats what he's used to. Jo competes or hunts at least once a week so there's usually a spare space in the horsebox if the person wanted to compete, i only go out about once a month with her.
he jumps small jumps (up to 2'3 ish so far) and he's schooled to prelim level. He finds canter hard because of his build but has mastered 20m circles and can just about balance across the diagonal. He's only 7 so still has plenty to give.
He knows pull to stop and kick to go - and also doesn't mind if mum does both at the same time!! He stops if she leans forwards and generally puts up with most things. he loevs kids and being groomed and is pretty easy in all ways.
He's done sponsored rides, prelim dressage, inhand showing and has been xc schooling. He's also been to dressage camp.
He's plody with novices and sparky with experienced riders!
Oh and he wears pink a lot!!
More pics just cos i can!
With the combination of the bad weather and mum going downhill a bit Badger is seriously craving attention (in a nice way!). Mum used to walk down to the stabels at least twice a day and cuddle him and talk to him plus ride when we got him ready for her. At the moment she hasn't seen him at all for a good week as she can't ride (snow) and she can't do anything around the yard anymore as she forgets what she's doing.
Jo and I would love to do more with him but if we are completly honest we like spending all our time with our own horses. We do all the normal jobs for him but we never seem to find the time just to spend daily time giving him attention which he's come to love. Jo rides him when she can to keep him ticking over but we've kept him as a plod for mum so she finds him a bit boring really!
We were thinking of maybe trying to find someone that would like to come up a few times a week and ride him or just make a fuss of him. We don't want a proper sharer as we don't need money or help with the stable/yard duties/turning out (unless they really want to!) so don't know if it would be a viable thing. We'd want to keep it quite relaxed - not set down specific days or anything as he's pretty much always avaiable and can be ridden twice if mum wants to ride as he only plods round on lead rein with her at the moment. She has a lesson once a week as well. She also spends at least 4 months of the year out of the country.
Do you think this would work or any other ideas?
If we had a sharer as such there's a school plus ok hacking. he's a bit wussy hacking on his own but is excellent on lead rein and good in company if he can follow another sensible horse (which mine and Jo's are!).
He's a wuss at shows on his own too - a bit nappy but again is fab on lead rein as thats what he's used to. Jo competes or hunts at least once a week so there's usually a spare space in the horsebox if the person wanted to compete, i only go out about once a month with her.
he jumps small jumps (up to 2'3 ish so far) and he's schooled to prelim level. He finds canter hard because of his build but has mastered 20m circles and can just about balance across the diagonal. He's only 7 so still has plenty to give.
He knows pull to stop and kick to go - and also doesn't mind if mum does both at the same time!! He stops if she leans forwards and generally puts up with most things. he loevs kids and being groomed and is pretty easy in all ways.
He's done sponsored rides, prelim dressage, inhand showing and has been xc schooling. He's also been to dressage camp.
He's plody with novices and sparky with experienced riders!
Oh and he wears pink a lot!!
More pics just cos i can!
