Find me a pony please HHOers...

I love this thread. It reminds me of Adorable Alice's My Next Equine Project.
Please would you keep it going so we can follow the progress?
 
Rowreach said:
Michen, I can't remember if you saw videos of them getting on him, but he may not be used to being mounted from the ground or a block, quite often they are only used to someone being legged on :)
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This. I bought a horse from a reputable dealer (Stubley Hollow Farm) who imported most of her stock from Ireland.

Getting them used to being mounted from a block and to hot shoeing were all part of the anglicising training the new horses would go thorough.
 
Rowreach said:
Michen, I can't remember if you saw videos of them getting on him, but he may not be used to being mounted from the ground or a block, quite often they are only used to someone being legged on :)
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Yes I did see a video of him being mounted from the ground. He didn’t look nervous at all.

I am feeling a *little* concerned. I totally get his world has been turned upside down and he will get lots of time and tlc to account for this, but I’ve never had a horse whose default is to be nervous nature wise, shaking like a leaf etc, and I hope this won’t be general attitude to life.. I’m being a little harsh because of course I’m used to the over confidence of Boggle. But it does feel like Bear is a little unnecessarily nervous, the yard gets plenty of horses over from abroad and she said it’s rare to have one who gets quite this trembly and upset. I do not believe this horse has had any form of bad start whatsoever.

I have no doubt he will be absolutely fine very soon and I’m not in a rush et etc I just hope it’s not the way he is when faced with something new or potentially upsetting in general life that’s all. If he’s a nervous/sensitive chap as his general disposition it will be a good learning curve for me as not something I’m used to!

I really really hope nothing happened to him in transit that I don’t know about.
 
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I’m sure he will be fine Michen.
My big chap is a real worrier/internaliser - he was bouncing off the walls at times when he first arrived. But this really didn’t translate under saddle, he took his duties of protecting his human very seriously, and still does
 
ycbm said:
Could he have been shaking as much from fatigue as nerves? A four year old you can clip for the first time on the day he arrives doesn't sound like a nervous type to me.

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It’ll speak to yard owner later but the text reads like he began shaking when she leaned on him and got worried etc when alongside? I’ll see how he his later.

Re clipping it was strange, I purposely didn’t tie him up or anything like that as wanted him to be able to move away if he wanted to. I think he was super itchy and sort of enjoyed it so kind of shut off and accepted it? I did have to be very careful to make no sudden movements whatsoever.

Edited to add he’s been clipped before- came half clipped and I checked with seller he was fine etc so wasn’t a first time thing.
 
Aww, I love him. Such a lovely face.
Really hope he settles soon, turnout has always worked wonders on mine so everything crossed for you both.
 
Rowreach said:
To be fair to him (and the yard that produced him), he's been with you less than 48 hours, has been from pillar to post, been handled by loads of different people, clipped by you, worked by your YO, and he really won't know which way is up at the moment. I think you are expecting quite a lot of him tbh.
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As I said above I don't believe for one moment he's had a bad start, certainly not insinuating that whatsoever- quite the opposite.

I'm sure he will be absolutely fine, he has had a lot to deal with I agree. Unfortunately I can't help that he's in another yard being handled by someone other than myself, he is in an absolutely fantastic yard with people I trust implicitly and have known for years and where money has been no object in finding for him as I wanted to make sure he was somewhere sympathetic, all I can do is make sure he gets lots of TLC from me in the evenings.

I was more just musing, I'm not foolish enough to expect perfection or too much of him at all (out loud, which is maybe a mistake on threads like this as it makes me look like I'm saying omg guys I bought a baby 4 year old and he's been through hell and he's not perfect and not behaving like Boggle would and so on and so forth which is really not the case!) as to whether he's going to be a nervous sort of type in new situations in general that's all. It's something to bear in mind with future moves or potentially upsetting situations and a good reminder to deal with the horse in front of you and not make assumptions.

FWIW I am much more comfortable with Bear's currently state of mind than Boggle's when he arrived because I knew I was in for a whole load of trouble when I first saw his cocky little expression over the stable door the next morning!!!
 
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Yeah, I think it’s just a case of getting to know him better and potentially working in a different way with him. All ends up in the same place hopefully, and can be very educational along the way, so I reckon you’ve nowt to worry about ?
 
Bernster said:
Yeah, I think it’s just a case of getting to know him better and potentially working in a different way with him. All ends up in the same place hopefully, and can be very educational along the way, so I reckon you’ve nowt to worry about ?
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Exactly! I’m not experienced with babies, Basil was not a baby although hadn’t competed, so it’s important I remember that just because Boggle wasn’t affected by “x” doesn’t mean Bear won’t be etc.

So impressed I managed to get all three Bay Connie B’s in one sentence.

Edited to add just got a couple of videos from him early. He. Is. Smart. Even his nervous walk is smart.
 
I wouldn't worry too much his had a huge change and he doesn't know you at all, one of my Arabs can be a shaky trembling wreck when his world has been turned upside down, he doesn't like the hunt when they are around then he shakes and he doesn't like going to the vet that upsets him and he can be nervous around strangers but with me in everyday life his fine mostly his quite brave to ride doesn't have a nap in him, his the type of horse that thrives on being handled and ridden by the one human he trusts.
 
Michen said:
Yes I did see a video of him being mounted from the ground. He didn’t look nervous at all.

I am feeling a *little* concerned. I totally get his world has been turned upside down and he will get lots of time and tlc to account for this, but I’ve never had a horse whose default is to be nervous nature wise, shaking like a leaf etc, and I hope this won’t be general attitude to life.. I’m being a little harsh because of course I’m used to the over confidence of Boggle. But it does feel like Bear is a little unnecessarily nervous, the yard gets plenty of horses over from abroad and she said it’s rare to have one who gets quite this trembly and upset. I do not believe this horse has had any form of bad start whatsoever.

I have no doubt he will be absolutely fine very soon and I’m not in a rush et etc I just hope it’s not the way he is when faced with something new or potentially upsetting in general life that’s all. If he’s a nervous/sensitive chap as his general disposition it will be a good learning curve for me as not something I’m used to!

I really really hope nothing happened to him in transit that I don’t know about.
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Just to say this sounds incredibly similar when I first bought Arlo, he was very nervous of being mounted despite being broken. He had recently come from Wales and had a few homes in a short time. He remained in some ways a nervous horse on the ground but in no way did it stop me being able to do anything with him, he is a confident ride and just a complete joy in all ways. It did take a bit of time to build his confidence, but it hasn’t effected his ability to be handled/ridden in anyway and his default is not to worry and is a bold horse in most ways. I think with these sorts of horses you just have to approach things in a different way.
 
i am so pleased you didnt end up with flash, there was something not right with him and i think you would have had many vet visits.....i liked bear the best of the ones you showed us so am pleased you have got him. poor little chap, never left home before and then going to different yards and having a long journey on 1 horsebox only to be transferred on to another. when you look at it from his point of view he is entitled to be scared and nervous. sometimes it takes quit a while for a horse to settle even if they have just had a short journey from one yard to another so dont be disheartened, i am sure he will soon be calmer....
 
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