Fitness/no turnout/naughtiness quandry

[giggles mum]

I'm not in charge so it's not up to me what happens to the ponies at my yard, but I just wondered how people here would handle the quandry of having ponies who are quite fit because they do a lot of work, have to live in because it's an inner city yard, and therefore some of them are not as bombproof as your average riding school pony!

 

[AmyMay]

Move.....

 

[Blizzard]

Lunge them? turnout in school? reduce hard feed?

 

[Gentle_Warrior]

Move

 

[giggles mum]

They don't belong to me BTW - it's a riding school and I work there. I can hack out every one of the ponies, they aren't mad and there are lots who are great in the school or hacking on the lead rein - the only issue is that not many of them at all can hack out off LR with a young child.

 

[airedale]

one word

FEEDING

just feed the little dears hay

if they need a 'feed' then a handful of Hi-Fi and a carrot is quite sufficient.

My pony 14 hh mare lives in (allergy) and did around an 8 to 11 mile active hack on sat. and then did a XC competition on hilly terrain (with a warm up at home over a course of SJ - she's a little buzzy) on half of nuts, one of hi-fi and 4 sections or more of hay per day and hardly broke a sweat either day - and she's only worked at weekends and maybe once during the week.

ponies stay fit on fresh air if they are in good condition and the last thing they need is the ubiquitous 3 meals a day !!