HHO's "Bear" project pony...

Bear says it’s been a really hard day. Not only did he run riot with the grooms and have a good play in the apple orchids. He was also sat on and led around the school for the first time as if he’d never carried a rider before. Time for a snooze in preparation for me rocking up to pester him further!

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Michen said:
Ummmmm so Bear tried to jump out this am and clearly failed but really enjoyed romping around the yards beautiful gardens...no reason for it, he had company, just clearly felt the grass was greener.

Apparently he thought it was a superb game and there’s not a scratch on him.

So I guess

A) he’s a shit jumper
B) he’s definitely got character.

I remember Bog doing this his first week difference being he cleared the fence!


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OMG this made me giggle ?.

I’m so looking forward to your adventures with him he seems to be a bit of a character!
 
My Connie is also a serial fence hopper. We’ve only managed to stop him so far with five foot post and rail and him becoming more aware of his limitations at 20 years old. I feel your pain!
 
tatty_v said:
Unless you’ve had a fence hopper, no one really appreciates the fear that you’ll go to get your horse and he just won’t be there!
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Ah, fond memories of the yard that had a woodchip gallops running around the perimeter of the land - she'd jump out of the field, onto the gallops, and have access to every single field and the yard from the gallops :rolleyes:. Some days it would take me an hour just to find what field she was in!
 
"Well if you hadn't put that rug on me I would have cleared it with ease. It is Cheltenham week you know - just practising!"
 
Oh his face! What a brilliant picture.

That fence does look more like the victim in a rug entanglement situation though (speaking from irritating experience :rolleyes:)
 
DabDab said:
Oh his face! What a brilliant picture.

That fence does look more like the victim in a rug entanglement situation though (speaking from irritating experience :rolleyes:)
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You reckon? Rug all intact though? Maybe he was trying to itch his rain scald...
 
Michen said:
You reckon? Rug all intact though? Maybe he was trying to itch his rain scald...
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Yeah I wouldn't be surprised, post and rail breaks comparatively easily vs a decent rug. Arty once left her rug on the demolished fence with one of the rails still through it - rug intact with all straps done up, horse minus rug but apparently unhurt, two sections of fence on the ground destroyed :rolleyes:.
 
DabDab said:
Yeah I wouldn't be surprised, post and rail breaks comparatively easily vs a decent rug. Arty once left her rug on the demolished fence with one of the rails still through it - rug intact with all straps done up, horse minus rug but apparently unhurt, two sections of fence on the ground destroyed :rolleyes:.
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Especially if the wood has rotted.
 
His face hiding from behind the hedge... sooo cheeky!

You've managed to brighten my day a bit / remind me that I'm not the only owner of a naughty little whatsit (going off other replies perhaps it's a boy thing?) as Fuzzball's escaping / electric fence destroying have just earned him an eviction notice & he is spending the night (& probably whatever period of time elapses before I can find him a space elsewhere) confined to stable which is unideal as things go (especially because the top door has had to be shut as the bottom one is theoretically low enough for him to jump)
 
DabDab said:
Yeah I wouldn't be surprised, post and rail breaks comparatively easily vs a decent rug. Arty once left her rug on the demolished fence with one of the rails still through it - rug intact with all straps done up, horse minus rug but apparently unhurt, two sections of fence on the ground destroyed :rolleyes:.
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Ha! Ponies. Well hopefully it was that then. A fence hopper would be most inconvenient.

Am feeling a bit out of my depth at the idea of him coming home in ten days or so, he’s only just being (very wobbly) led around with a rider on. Part of me wonders if we are totally babying him and actually should just be treating him as a normal, broken in horse but with a good dose of extra sensitivity to account for his nerves which, tbh, I think are pretty much ok ish now. I think I might leave him there an extra week or so but god it’s not ideal with work and two horses at different yards.
 
Are you going to get chance to have a sit on yourself in the next few days? I'd be led by the feel you get from that - and maybe inclined if he feels worried rather than explosive to see what happens if you get going a bit
 
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Roxylola said:
Are you going to get chance to have a sit on yourself in the next few days? I'd be led by the feel you get from that - and maybe inclined if he feels worried rather than explosive to see what happens if you get going a bit
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Probably next week I’ll get on him, once he’s had a few more days under saddle with the pros. I guess I’m thinking he may well go right back to the start again with another yard move. I can have friends help me at my yard etc but it’s tricky as we are all working, busy etc so I kind of need him at a point where I don’t rely on other people. I’d intend to do lots of long reining out hacking initially anyway which I can do solo.


Edited I actually don’t know why I’m doubting myself, I did all of Boggles first spent hours long reining out hacking , hacking him on my own under saddle, etc etc (until he went through his naughty stage). I am more than capable.. probably being a wet wipe.
 
Michen said:
Ha! Ponies. Well hopefully it was that then. A fence hopper would be most inconvenient.

Am feeling a bit out of my depth at the idea of him coming home in ten days or so, he’s only just being (very wobbly) led around with a rider on. Part of me wonders if we are totally babying him and actually should just be treating him as a normal, broken in horse but with a good dose of extra sensitivity to account for his nerves which, tbh, I think are pretty much ok ish now. I think I might leave him there an extra week or so but god it’s not ideal with work and two horses at different yards.
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Not sure I get why they're being so cautious? There's videos of him walk/trot/canter/jump and he's going very sweetly. He's probably wondering what the heck is going on.
 
Rowreach said:
Not sure I get why they're being so cautious? There's videos of him walk/trot/canter/jump and he's going very sweetly. He's probably wondering what the heck is going on.
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Really just because he is/was so nervous? In between those videos and now a lot has happened to him mentally- I don’t think it would have been right to just assume he should be picked up where he left off given the move was hard for him. So we figured it can only be a good thing to go right back to basics for a few sessions and make sure nothing happened to upset him and to desensitise him a bit. That seems like a better option than to just hop on and hope for the best, quiet gentle work to improve his confidence but nothing that may set him back. But now his confidence is hugely improved I do think he is ready to be treated a bit more like a normal horse.
 
Michen said:
Really just because he is/was so nervous? In between those videos and now a lot has happened to him mentally- I don’t think it would have been right to just assume he should be picked up where he left off given the move was hard for him. So we figured it can only be a good thing to go right back to basics for a few sessions and make sure nothing happened to upset him and to desensitise him a bit. That seems like a better option than to just hop on and hope for the best, quiet gentle work to improve his confidence but nothing that may set him back. But now his confidence is hugely improved I do think he is ready to be treated a bit more like a normal horse.
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A few days being cautious, giving him time to settle will have done no harm but I would hope by next week they will have him going forward, the only thing I would be a little careful about is how fast he was going previously, quietly in all paces, you can then spend time on getting the basics established and going out hacking, thinking back he was rushing along although seemingly happy he may be a bit more of a worrier than he appeared and the move was a major change for him, it is pleasing how quickly he has settled there is no great rush to crack on just because we all want updates;)
 
be positive said:
A few days being cautious, giving him time to settle will have done no harm but I would hope by next week they will have him going forward, the only thing I would be a little careful about is how fast he was going previously, quietly in all paces, you can then spend time on getting the basics established and going out hacking, thinking back he was rushing along although seemingly happy he may be a bit more of a worrier than he appeared and the move was a major change for him, it is pleasing how quickly he has settled there is no great rush to crack on just because we all want updates;)
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Hacking is what I'd be doing for a few weeks, and not worrying about the other stuff too much. Good for the mind, good for the soul, and good for strengthening him up.
 
Rowreach said:
Hacking is what I'd be doing for a few weeks, and not worrying about the other stuff too much. Good for the mind, good for the soul, and good for strengthening him up.
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That’s the plan, but I’m not about to have a horse go out on the lanes that’s not under saddle doing the basics in the school for at least several days confidently first. If we had got on him a few days ago and taken him out hacking It would have been completely irresponsible. The horse needs a bit of time to feel happy with his surroundings, having a rider on board etc and remembering what’s what since his upheaval in the safety of a school before we introduce him to the wider world again.

It will come and once he’s established with the above hopefully in a few days will be the time to take him out hacking.
 
i dont think it does any harm to go slowly when a horse has moved and especially as he had so many moves in quick succession. the pros should know what they are doing and should be able to judge when to crack on, hopefully you will be on him yourself next week and will be able to feel for yourself and make a judgement..
 
This horse is going to really keep me on my toes lol. He’s an interesting mix of nervous with a massive dollop of stubborn pony cheek. Asked him to go in the wash box this eve..has been in it before just to have some carrots and get used to it. Absolutely planted, nothing I could do to get him in it. Proper full on cheeky pony face, his eyes all soft and mischievous.

It’s going to be really important that I get it absolutely right with him with cheeky pony behaviour vs genuine nerves... luckily he’s got super expressive eyes so it’s pretty obvious.

The pros say he is intelligent, stubborn and feisty amongst the nerves. I think they are right!!!

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Ooooh that pony face! Mine makes similar faces (big carthorse head tho) and despite the behaviour being exasperating to deal with, I can't help but smile inside.

Love his velvety nose too.
 
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