JenHunt
Well-Known Member
for the first time in 8 years I took Tom out for a ride today.
he's my sisters horse, and OH has been loaned him by her as she's got a job in Australia for a year. But OH is away at a conference this weekend, and Ron is feeling a little tired and under the weather so I decided to give him the day off.
I don't always get on with him as he's an attention seeker, and a bit OCD, I also find that he is quite a difficult ride - he's fussy in his mouth, and doesn't just walk out the way Ron does - you're constantly steering him, and keeping him walking out, and if you're not careful he just curls up under you and jogs.
But, I wanted to ride, and he needed a stroll out. And my sister wanted me to check how he felt and if I thought his saddle needed checking. So I tacked up and we set off.
First thing... He has no neck!
his ears seem to sprout from his withers!
and he's a really odd shape. It's like sitting on a barrel. I also remembered quite quickly why I like my lovely monoflap, as the girth buckles were quite definitely poking holes in my legs! 
As we moved off it became quite obvious how ponyish he is (for those who don't know, he's out of a dark bay welsh section C, by a 17hh, coloured Hanoverian called Philip Pembroke, and looks like an overgrown welsh pony). He looks (from the ground) like he has floaty paces, but it feels like riding a pony! I couldn't make him stretch out to make his walk more comfortable.
Once he'd warmed up we had a short trot, and he did stretch out a bit, but I felt like I was nagging him all the way to get him to swing through his back and lengthen his stride a fraction. Once we came back to walk though he just wanted to curl up under me and jog.... it's annoying because nothing you do seems to help! in the end I managed to really push him into my hand with my legs and he came back to walk for a few strides, so I repeated it, and he did seem to settle.
Once home, the usually silent, and completely unbothered Ron actually called out to him! must be going soft!
and, I don't think Tom's saddle needs checking, think my sister just hadn't tightened the girth properly!
he's my sisters horse, and OH has been loaned him by her as she's got a job in Australia for a year. But OH is away at a conference this weekend, and Ron is feeling a little tired and under the weather so I decided to give him the day off.
I don't always get on with him as he's an attention seeker, and a bit OCD, I also find that he is quite a difficult ride - he's fussy in his mouth, and doesn't just walk out the way Ron does - you're constantly steering him, and keeping him walking out, and if you're not careful he just curls up under you and jogs.
But, I wanted to ride, and he needed a stroll out. And my sister wanted me to check how he felt and if I thought his saddle needed checking. So I tacked up and we set off.
First thing... He has no neck!
his ears seem to sprout from his withers! and he's a really odd shape. It's like sitting on a barrel. I also remembered quite quickly why I like my lovely monoflap, as the girth buckles were quite definitely poking holes in my legs! As we moved off it became quite obvious how ponyish he is (for those who don't know, he's out of a dark bay welsh section C, by a 17hh, coloured Hanoverian called Philip Pembroke, and looks like an overgrown welsh pony). He looks (from the ground) like he has floaty paces, but it feels like riding a pony! I couldn't make him stretch out to make his walk more comfortable.
Once he'd warmed up we had a short trot, and he did stretch out a bit, but I felt like I was nagging him all the way to get him to swing through his back and lengthen his stride a fraction. Once we came back to walk though he just wanted to curl up under me and jog.... it's annoying because nothing you do seems to help! in the end I managed to really push him into my hand with my legs and he came back to walk for a few strides, so I repeated it, and he did seem to settle.
Once home, the usually silent, and completely unbothered Ron actually called out to him! must be going soft!
and, I don't think Tom's saddle needs checking, think my sister just hadn't tightened the girth properly!
