Dolcé
Well-Known Member
OMG, I have been working in the area this week and it is like a different world! There are horses and ponies absolutely everywhere. Children from about 4 upwards riding around the roads with no saddles (or hats) and a stick in hand, shetland ponies everywhere with 2 kids on board, coloured cobs with up to 3 kids on board, being dragged, trotted, cantered up the road. I spoke to one of the kids and asked him why they are so quiet, if they treated one of mine like that they would likely get injured if not killed, his reply, "you just beat the ******* out of them". We saw ponies in gardens, roaming in herds on open land, they really were just everywhere. I was talking to one lad who very obviously loved his horse, he told me he doesn't hit her because there are better ways of training them, 'just spend a bit of time working with them' I saw another lad driving a gorgeous welshie around a playing field that was open to the road, with another 4 loose on the field and just not interested in what his pony was doing! I have to say, they all looked to be in good condition and are on plenty of grass, be it a grass verge, garden or playing field!
Tonight I saw a lad about 13 riding a little spotted shetland size pony, going hell for leather down the pavement, crossed the road in front of a car and then down the pavement on that side, he was being closely followed by a jack russell and 2 tiny pigs - I did a double take!!
My question is - how do those riding 'conventionally' manage to ride out in this area with all these other horses and ponies belting around everywhere, do their horses just get used to it (like the others seem to have done and don't bat an eyelid)? I know ours would go mental if another horse was flying around in the very near vicinity!
Tonight I saw a lad about 13 riding a little spotted shetland size pony, going hell for leather down the pavement, crossed the road in front of a car and then down the pavement on that side, he was being closely followed by a jack russell and 2 tiny pigs - I did a double take!!
My question is - how do those riding 'conventionally' manage to ride out in this area with all these other horses and ponies belting around everywhere, do their horses just get used to it (like the others seem to have done and don't bat an eyelid)? I know ours would go mental if another horse was flying around in the very near vicinity!