Broken horse .... Can I ride the Shetland

lurcherlu

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My rising 4 mare ripped herself n the field along her flank, 9 inches long and2 to 3 inches deep, she's all stitched up and the only thing we can see IS a broken branch.....

shes on box rest ATM for two weeks and realistically be able to ride her again mid February .

My daughters Shetland is rising 5 and I backed him and rode him away summer 2013 when he was 4 he had no objections and I was approx 9.5 to 10 stone, 5 foot and still a size ten,I'm w down to 8.5 and a size 8, my daughter has been out hacking n him but s a tiny 4 year old (think more like a two year or size) and she has asked to come to some shows this summer. Would it harm him to do a couple of half hour hacks a week at walk with me ?? Lead him ut nice a week off my mare and lily will hack out for up to two hours he's fast and fit ! He's a stocky old school type pony , he's 9.3 HH and takes a 5 foot rug, vet s chuffed with his weight since I've been taking him out he's lost a fair bit and looks the best I've now n him to look ( we've had him since weaning)

it will literally be 30 mins twice a week or a twenty minute in handwalk t a school and 15 mins of schooling at walk so get him in a nice shape so lily can take him out to the shows and so. Can eventually lead her from him knowing he won't take the pee. Also on day 3 of box rest and I'm bored lol
 
I don't think I'd hesitate if I was 8.5 stone and that height, riding a shettie. Mine was super strong, even in his 30s (I didn't ride him as he was arthritic, but he did come out on rides sometimes).
 
At 8.5 st, yes, a up to height shetland would carry that no problem.
But please don't use a cub saddle. They're designed for small kid's and don't spread the weight well at all. The panels are small and concentrate the weight. Either get an large shetland pad or even try a small decent treeless. Depending on the treeless, they are fine if they're too long.
 
I wouldnt ride him in a cub saddle at all they arent designed for anyone other than tiny tots.

If you can pick up a shetland pad then do failing that head out bareback.
 
Yes to riding both my daughters have ridden bareback together on their old shetland x in walk & trot & some hills, pony was loving it ( kids were giggling) combined their weight was prob 71/2-8st. Pony was about 10h.
 
Bare back it s then :) harness sounds like a brilliant idea, also when he's outgrown he will have a job and not be sold, daughter will be on him till she's ten she's a midget too, then she can have the ride n my girly and I can drive the Shetland, and he's actually mums Shetland so maybe she could drive him with my girl when he's all done, never broken to harness from scratch tho, Laura wheeler has just done her first hasn't she? Any good book suggestions
 
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