Colraine - Unaffilitate & BSJA

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Having gone to this venue to meet up with a friend who had a horse competing I was appalled when an apparently well know local rider got on one of his sons ponies and positively bullied the pony. On entering the arena the pony was allowed to run right into the back of the previous competitor, it was then thrashed around the jumps breathing fire (both rider and pony) and then instead of leaving the arena when the next horse came in proceded to chase round after it - rider seemed to think he was teaching pony to go away from exit.

However one of his young sons could possibly ride this lite up pony afterwards in anyones guess.

What was most infuriating is that none of the officials considered this dreadful display of riding needed a caution. Why on earth is this allowed. I know it is a small back and beyond competition centre but dangerous riding has no place whatsoever in the public domain.
 
Having only lived down this way for about 5yrs, I have noticed some "old fashioned" ideas when it comes to horse "training".
Some people are maybe living in the past, but they should wake up. Conduct like the above is not really on is it?
 
As you felt so strongly you obviously made a complaint. We have competed at Colraine for years, we are very lucky to have such a great facility down here in backward cornwall where we have not all had the benefits of the 'up country' methods of training. I know who you are referring too and I have made complaint about him in the past, if you feel so strongly write to the management. I am not condoning bad behaviour by any means, but complain to the proper authorities before critising people on an open forum.
 
I have not made a post before but felt I must respond to what is being said here. I am totally against any mistreatment of horses and am very soft when it comes to animals. However, this was one extremely naughty pony. Yes I agree they should not have let the next one in until he came out given that there was obviously a problem going on. But no child could have handled this pony - it really meant it and it took strong riding to get it to behave. If this pony's issue is not addressed it would have no future and would end up either being put down or worse and is likely to seriously hurt and frighten a child. So whilst I agree that it was not ideal - I do think that you do in situations like this have to be quite tough for the good of the pony. I saw this happen and I did not think that the way the rider responded was over the top for the way the pony behaved.
 
Yes I did make a complaint. I agree that you are lucky to have this facility and it would be welcome anywhere in the country, although I must say, the access is a little interesting. Wouldnt look forward to taking a lorry down that lane too often especially if you met something coming the other way.
 
Hi Bluespace and welcome to the forum

You obviously know this pony and yes it was a naughty pony, but yesterday was not the place for an adult to get on in to sort "the ponies issues out".

If the pony is as naughty as you say - why on earth are they putting such a young child on it in the first place.

I have since the OP been PM by 2 people and I understand the person in question is a "producer of young horses" as well as takes horses for breaking an producing. If this is how his outfit cope with naughty ponies I shudder to think what goes on at home behind closed doors.

However much you personally feel that the rider did not respond in an over the top way - I certainly do and would not like to see that type of thing happen too often.
 
Talking from many years of experience in producing horses and jumping ponies, both in the Uk and abroad, I would firstly say that not all children are lucky enough to be given ready made jumping ponies, some have to settle for a youngster or as has previously been quoted "naughty pony" and it is these ponies that can and do end up passing from pillar to post en route to the scrap heap unless the child (and pony) is fortunate enough to have a supportive parent who is horsey and/or can ride well enough to be able to help their children out. Wouldn't it be great to see more parents like this in all walks of life.
As the OP stated they only went to watch the jumping I would assume that he/she has very little ridden/jumping experience and does not compete/school competition horses or ponies themselves and has therefore never had the pleasure of riding a "naughty pony" or for that matter seeing their child humiliated and upset by a pony's unruly behaviour, maybe they have no children so cannot really comment from that aspect either.
Anyway bravo and thank you to all who work hard to provide the facility at Colraine, for the "small back and beyond" people of Cornwall lol.
 
You have misjudge me totally - have my own competition horses and ponies for my children.

This pony was very naughty with the child and from PM i have received - it is not the first time the pony has reared so badly.

It was not the child that was humiliated but the father and that is why he rode and punished the pony for all to see to cover his own annoyance.

I agree that not everyone can afford ready made jumping ponies - but caring parents do not put young children up on dangerous ponies. Luckily child was not injured and it was probably fathers guilt as well as humiliation that his child was not good enough to ride this naughtly pony, which led to him getting on and riding it himself in a dangerous manner with no thought to others who were competing at this venue.
 
Perhaps misjudged but apparently misunderstood. From your statement that you would not look forward to taking a lorry down the access lane, I would assume that you were not, prior to this visit, familiar with the venue at Colraine, but you have your own and your children's competition horses and ponies from which I would draw the conclusion that you are not from or are new to this area, yet what confuses me is that you are familiar with the pony in question to the point of stating "it is not the first time the pony has reared so badly".

My own child and myself persevered with one such "naughty pony" which reared amongst other things, and were well rewarded for our hard work when it won the departmental and regional ODE championships.
 
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