HHO's "Bear" project pony...

[thefarsideofthefield]

Yep fair enough. He'd certainly pop the jumps he's never had any waryness or needed any encourgement over poles etc. I do need to get him in the school and I need to do that anyway regardless but I doubt my own ability to school a baby and want Boggle's fab jockey involved. She's back around next sunday.

From your posts and videos you look to be a perfectly good rider - so why do you doubt your own ability to bring on a youngster ? You may not have taken on the task of schooling a baby before but there always has to be a first time ( even for Boggles fab jockey !) . You've got yourself a lovely safe , sane youngster to play with , so why not make him the one that starts this part of your own riding journey ? Granted , it may take a little longer than having someone else hop on and do it but honestly I think you're really underestimating your own ability . It's mostly common sense , not rocket science . You are a sensible , sympathetic , experienced rider with great people around you and the common sense to ask for help if you can't work things out yourself . You are absolutely not going to do him any harm and you will learn skills that money can't buy.
Bringing on a young horse is incredibly rewarding and , I suspect , you will realise that you are capable of far more than you currently give yourself credit for . You and Bear will get to know each other inside out and , whether you end up selling him or not , you will have added to your skill set and have the huge satisfaction of looking at your horse knowing " You know what ? I did that !"
What if you changed your focus and ' The Project ' was to become about a learning process for the both of you ?

 

[Michen]

From your posts and videos you look to be a perfectly good rider - so why do you doubt your own ability to bring on a youngster ? You may not have taken on the task of schooling a baby before but there always has to be a first time ( even for Boggles fab jockey !) . You've got yourself a lovely safe , sane youngster to play with , so why not make him the one that starts this part of your own riding journey ? Granted , it may take a little longer than having someone else hop on and do it but honestly I think you're really underestimating your own ability . It's mostly common sense , not rocket science . You are a sensible , sympathetic , experienced rider with great people around you and the common sense to ask for help if you can't work things out yourself . You are absolutely not going to do him any harm and you will learn skills that money can't buy.
Bringing on a young horse is incredibly rewarding and , I suspect , you will realise that you are capable of far more than you currently give yourself credit for . You and Bear will get to know each other inside out and , whether you end up selling him or not , you will have added to your skill set and have the huge satisfaction of looking at your horse knowing " You know what ? I did that !"
What if you changed your focus and ' The Project ' was to become about a learning process for the both of you ?

That’s a lovely positive post- thank you. I could give it a bash, schooling is not really my *thing* but I reckon I could get him going a bit in the school at least.. Could always get another jockey on board if things go a bit wrong.

I did struggle to school Boggle when he was a baby, couldn’t get the correct leg etc when others would with ease, so I am just cautious not to create a problem with a baby.

 

[thefarsideofthefield]

That’s a lovely positive post- thank you. I could give it a bash, schooling is not really my *thing* but I reckon I could get him going a bit in the school at least.. Could always get another jockey on board if things go a bit wrong.

I did struggle to school Boggle when he was a baby, couldn’t get the correct leg etc when others would with ease, so I am just cautious not to create a problem with a baby.

That’s a lovely positive post- thank you. I could give it a bash, schooling is not really my *thing* but I reckon I could get him going a bit in the school at least.. Could always get another jockey on board if things go a bit wrong.

I did struggle to school Boggle when he was a baby, couldn’t get the correct leg etc when others would with ease, so I am just cautious not to create a problem with a baby.

You won't spoil him and he won't break ! Don't think of it as schooling , think of it as training - in the way that you would train a horse to stand tied up , load into a wagon or stand still at a meet . You're training him to understand basic aids and at this stage you're just looking at 15 minute sessions in the school working on simple transitions , changes of direction , balance on turns and big circles etc . I know you say it's not your thing but honestly , teaching them the basics is fantastically rewarding and there's nothing like it for getting your own brain engaged ie Why does he do/not do that ? Why does he find that hard/easy/fun/confusing ? Why do I find that hard/easy/fun/confusing ? Does he understand what I want ? If not what can I do to help him understand ?
You will develop your ' feel ' and the ability to really think about how to convey information to your horse if he doesn't ' get it .'
We've had youngsters in the field that I've felt totally indifferent towards ( some I've even quite disliked ) but once I've started the riding/training process and it's become just me and that horse forming that partenership my feelings invariably change . It's such an intense and rewarding thing and even the days where things don't progress so well ( which are inevitable !) serve a purpose because you have to step away and think about what did/didn't happen .
Go for it - you will get so much out of it from the point of view of your own development as a rider , the sense of achievement is awesome and it will give your relationship with Bear a whole new dimension .

 

[Michen]

Bear got wind of the selling thing and decided to take matters into his own hands. After a lovely hack yesterday and intentions to repeat the same today he’s lame in trot. So just walking him home in hand and then I’ll pull the other brown sick note out of his box for the same thing.

Would like to know which one of you WhatsApped Bear plz! On a plus note he couldn’t give a rats arse about leaving his hacking companion to divert
HORSES!!!

 

[Jeni the dragon]

Oh what a nightmare! Hope it's nothing serious!

 

[Jayzee]

Oh no!!!!! Horses!! Really feel for you

 

[Wheels]

Oh bear! Not you too

 

[Ambers Echo]

I've just caught up with this. So so sorry about Boggle. And now bloody Bear too! No advice just sending hugs and virtual G& T. X

 

[alexomahony]

How's Bear doing @Michen? I hope the lameness hasn't come to anything xx

 

[Michen]

How's Bear doing @Michen? I hope the lameness hasn't come to anything xx

Ah thanks for asking! He’s absolutely sound and was by the time I looked again on the Monday, so no idea what that was about- trod on a stone!?

He was however extremely sad this morning at having been out all night in the rain. Apparently being rugless in such weather even with warm temperatures was really mean- I got a lot of side eye displeasure!!

 

[Jeni the dragon]

Aww! He looks like he's melted a bit!

 

[Roxylola]

That's appalling treatment expecting him to sleep in the rain naked all night! Anyone would think he was a native pony, not a prime specimen of glorious sporting blood horse ?
Glad hes sorted his flat tyre out at least

 

[Wheels]

Ah thanks for asking! He’s absolutely sound and was by the time I looked again on the Monday, so no idea what that was about- trod on a stone!?

He was however extremely sad this morning at having been out all night in the rain. Apparently being rugless in such weather even with warm temperatures was really mean- I got a lot of side eye displeasure!!

View attachment 50153

Oh jeez dont talk to me! My connie hates the rain! Shame we live in northern ireland really, he gets so grumpy when its wet lol

 

[CanteringCarrot]

My Spanish horse loves the rain. He often prefers to stand and rest in the rain vs in his box or in a sheltered area. I don't know why, he gets totally soaked!

Glad to hear that Bear is soggy but sound!

 

[Pippity]

That's definitely good news about Bear!

I let Blue stay in last night. As soon as she saw her headcollar, she retreated to the back of her stable with her arse to me, so she definitely made her feelings plain! (To be fair, it was absolutely bucketing down at the time. I was dripping wet after a ten-second sprint to the tack room.) For a feral Irish bog cob, she's getting distinctly precious about bad weather.

 

[Michen]

That's definitely good news about Bear!

I let Blue stay in last night. As soon as she saw her headcollar, she retreated to the back of her stable with her arse to me, so she definitely made her feelings plain! (To be fair, it was absolutely bucketing down at the time. I was dripping wet after a ten-second sprint to the tack room.) For a feral Irish bog cob, she's getting distinctly precious about bad weather.

Ridiculous aren’t they. Bog is the same too, I don’t bother turning him out in bad weather it’s just pointless, he’s miserable!

Bear could do with keeping trimmer so if he gets a little cold and wet it’s no bad thing I say having put a rain sheet on him tonight because I’m pathetic!

 

[alexomahony]

Really glad to hear that! They always find new ways to worry us!

Haha oh I'm going to call the RSPCC! (Royal society of prevention of cruelty to Connemaras)

 

[wren123]

What a relief, I'm really pleased for you that he's sound.

 

[Michen]

Urgh well don’t know what to think. Bear felt lame for a few strides in trot, head nod and all to begin with on road then very quickly seemed fine. Then felt unlevel again and stuffy on a grassy uphill track but it has a narrow “path” so they end up with one hoof on it and one off, possibly just baby wobbliness? Felt fine on another grass track and fine again on road.

Weird. I’m going to work him tomorrow and Monday to see if it becomes more apparent or not and then trot him up for vet on Tuesday when he’s here for Boggle.

Boggles leg went hot and swollen again yesterday but then down and cool again today so god knows what’s going on there. Am not ashamed to admit I sat on the floor and sobbed when I felt it had gone up again... please keep fingers crossed he’s sounder for vet on Tuesday and can resume his small paddock turnout again!

 

[Tiddlypom]

Bear’s unlevel strides may just be due to bruising from before he was shod. I didn’t word my comments very well at the time re resting and giving him some danilon, so I’m sorry for that, but I have (too much) experience of barefoot horses getting bruised feet and then on just how long it takes to settle. In my case, I was too keen to get my mare ‘self trimming’ on the road, but my local lanes have too much loose gravel on them and she always ended up footsore. This happened more than once before I realised that she was always going to have to be booted on the roads...

IME it takes a few weeks for internal bruising in the feet to settle down, but it does eventually.

Hope it all settles soon, and fingers crossed for better news for Bog after the vet visit.

 

[Abi90]

Oh no Michen, you really aren’t having much luck hope things look better for them both soon!

 

[Michen]

Bear’s unlevel strides may just be due to bruising from before he was shod. I didn’t word my comments very well at the time re resting and giving him some danilon, so I’m sorry for that, but I have (too much) experience of barefoot horses getting bruised feet and then on just how long it takes to settle. In my case, I was too keen to get my mare ‘self trimming’ on the road, but my local lanes have too much loose gravel on them and she always ended up footsore. This happened more than once before I realised that she was always going to have to be booted on the roads...

IME it takes a few weeks for internal bruising in the feet to settle down, but it does eventually.

Hope it all settles soon, and fingers crossed for better news for Bog after the vet visit.

He was shod weeks ago though, and didn’t take a lame step until Sunday so wouldn’t really make sense I wouldn’t have thought. I wonder whether he got a new bruise from a stone and it’s just settling down since Sunday.

Thanks, I can’t believe I’ll potentially be trotting up two horses on Tuesday ?

 

[DabDab]

Oh no, hope it's something of nothing with Bear, and that Bog's leg is improved when the vet comes on Tuesday.

Tbh there a lot of things that can make a young horse take a dodgy few strides - a bit of tension, uneven ground, just not being quite straight etc... A week ago I had a minute or so of minor melt down because Arts suddenly went lame on a hack. The culprit turned out to be a horse fly biting her shoulder

 

[palo1]

Young horses have a lot on to remain level on all surfaces at all times and certainly my experience suggest that one cause of minor/intermittent unlevel-ness/duff strides can be uncertainty or lack of confidence with the way the ground on that stride 'feels' to them. Young horses are easily bruised and minorly strained as well as legs/tendons/muscles are still weak. Most horses are one sided too and the less 'confident' side is often the one that seems to go 'off'. Of course, a brewing abcess can cause the same! It's worth checking out in any case but probably not a major worry.

 

[Michen]

Oh no, hope it's something of nothing with Bear, and that Bog's leg is improved when the vet comes on Tuesday.

Tbh there a lot of things that can make a young horse take a dodgy few strides - a bit of tension, uneven ground, just not being quite straight etc... A week ago I had a minute or so of minor melt down because Arts suddenly went lame on a hack. The culprit turned out to be a horse fly biting her shoulder

Young horses have a lot on to remain level on all surfaces at all times and certainly my experience suggest that one cause of minor/intermittent unlevel-ness/duff strides can be uncertainty or lack of confidence with the way the ground on that stride 'feels' to them. Young horses are easily bruised and minorly strained as well as legs/tendons/muscles are still weak. Most horses are one sided too and the less 'confident' side is often the one that seems to go 'off'. Of course, a brewing abcess can cause the same! It's worth checking out in any case but probably not a major worry.

Sorry for the delay- I’ve been sulking all day! Feels like everything is one step forwards two steps back at the moment. Appreciate the thoughts and sounds very sensible/likely.

Measured both horses this evening. Well sort of. Bear is 15.1hh and I think has some more growing to do. He didn’t bat an eyelid at the measuring stick.

Boggle, however, what a total moron- wouldn’t let me anywhere near him with the stick and looked like he genuinely thought I was trying to kill him!

 

[Michen]

Am really sitting on my hands not to swap Bear for this youngster.. he’s too small for her but I just bloody love him. He reminds me so much of Boggle. She needs something minimum of Bear size...

He’s only 3 and 14.3hh but very petite. Am slightly in love ??

He belongs to a very good mate!

 

[Roxylola]

Ooh, I like that

 

[Michen]

Ooh, I like that

He’s so nice and has such a Boggle
Temperament and attitude. But he is too small. God I like him though! And too young.

 

[Roxylola]

But neither of them would be for keeps...

 

[Bellaboo18]

He is lovely ...