Driving People - Thoughts please!

[3Beasties]

I have a pretty little Section A that was very lightly driven (for 6 months or so) a few years ago. She was professionally broken to drive but I didn't (and still don't) have the experience to carry it on. I'm now wondering if I could loan her out to a driving person to have some fun with?!

She is currently out of work due to me not being able to find a rider for her. She is a fantastic ride, hunts, jumps, dressage etc. she'll do anything and will give her all for the right person. Lovely paces and never gets lit up BUT she can be a top class mare on the ground.

She has been out on loan twice (as a riding pony) and has been sent back both times as she is basically a little cowbag on the ground.

I don't have any problems with her and neither do the children that she knows and has built a relationship with. The problem is she needs a good few months to get to know someone and learn to accept them on the ground (ridden wise she was always really good), obviously when small children are involved though the parents, understandably, don't want to risk their children getting hurt (she went with full details so I didn't hide the fact that she can be a cow bag before anyone starts on that one!).

So basically my question is, would she be loanable to a driving person? She LOVES to work but is very sensible with it, I think (from my limited experience!) that she'd be a fab little scurry pony!

It's so sad to see her wasted in the field, I'd love for her to be out having fun again

 

[kirinsam]

Sounds like the most sensible way to find her a job with an adult owner. I would contact your local driving club and see if they have any ideas , I have found that driving people tend to buy/loan by word of mouth more than general adverts so talking to the right person could help find her a home.

 

[Montyforever]

I would love a chance to loan a pony like this to drive but unfortunately can't afford to keep another pony! But I'm sure there's people like me out there

 

[Goldenstar]

you could try putting her on the BHTA forum also your local driving club will probally have a for sale .
It's an excellent job for a pony who for what ever reason is not right for children.

 

[Goldenstar]

Sorry got distracted I was trying to say your local driving club will have a for sale section on their web site.

 

[maree t]

Just a thought................. we have a section A who is a moo at times. Hates being groomed and fiddled with etc. She is my daughters games pony so it doesnt matter. She is fantastic to ride and jumps brilliantly and she is older so knows how to handle her better and she loves it. She flies up and down ad tears around a 2ft 6 course .
Perhaps an add on the pony club site , or the mounted games association site and see if you can find a bigger child to have some fun

 

[3Beasties]

Thanks for your ideas, I'll loook into driving groups locally and see if anyone would be interested in her. I really want her to be out doing stuff, she's not happy when she's not in work!

This is the madam in question!

 

[LisW]

Wow she's lovely! Where are you?

 

[3Beasties]

Thank you We're in the Hereford area.

 

[katastrophykat]

Pop her on the HDT forum, If you google BDHTA it'll come up as someone may have a pair for her- she would really be too small to do 'proper' outdoor driving trials as a single, but some clubs do put on small pony courses as well now. More and more juniors are coming into the sport (maybe try Amanda at Chariots of fire in Lockerbie to see if she knows a junior looking for a pony near you as she does a lot with juniors) but i would also pop her on the indoor trials forum as well, as plenty of people only do indoors, not outdoors and have smaller turnouts, as they don't have to do marathons.

To give her the best chance though, if I was you I'd send her back to the pro to be restarted- most drivers don't start their own so would be more interested in loaning one ready to go, so to speak- I know id prefer one jut restarted to one I have to work on for weeks without any guarantee it would come back into driving happily.

Best of luck!!

 

[3Beasties]

Thanks Kat, I wouldn't mind paying to get her re-broken to harness but I'm just worried that if I do that I won't be able to find someone to take her and therefore it will be wasted. Ideally it would be perfect if she went to a competition home where she will be with an experienced driver.

Will have a look at the forum

 

[tazzle]

there is also a driving club in hereford ( sorry I dont have the link any more) she might be showy enough for that ....... some of them also do driving trec ( like I did) and they have seperate pony / horse courses.

 

[3Beasties]

Thanks Tazzle, will have a search for the Hereford driving group