How NOT to look after a pony

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teddyt

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I came across this advert-

SOLD.Rosette machine! and crowd puller!..the prettiest, sweetest, cutest miniature shetland who makes people gasp as she is so small.Used to build childrens confidence in the In- hand classes in the show ring...never strong or naughty.Also used by non horsey siblings so that they can too enjoy showing and be included..WORTH HER WEIGHT IN PURE GOLD.She lives in our garden and has a stable in the shed,we tie her to the clothesline for turnout and she has daily exercise trotting by the side of my bike/or ride and lead.Is turned out regularly with a mixed herd of sizes.Good to clip,box,farrier,traffic etc..haha....absolutely pure family fun with no hassle ever....
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The pony is now sold but i think its irresponsible to advertise that you keep a pony in the garden shed and tie it to the clothes line! :( There are enough people owning horses that shouldnt, let alone encouraging people to think that thats an accessible way to own a pony. Ok, so its tiny but not the point imo.

Thoughts?
 
Not the first time I've come across a shetland being kept in the back garden. At least it got some exercise, the one I saw on the animal rescue programme was kept in a small shed :( not even enough room for it to turn around :(

I think people look on shetlands as a slightly larger dog!
Hoplefully it has gone to a home where it can behave like a normal shettie....god help them LOL ( I love them really)
 
Not ideal, but she does say 'turned out with a herd' later on. Perhaps this is during the laminitis season, in which case it makes sense in a way. But I agree, it wasn't a good idea to put it as a selling point in the ad, incase people with only those facilities bought her.
 
I agree it sounds like a lovely childs pony. Its just the way its being advertised like its a toy. Unknowledgable people who have a pony mad kid might think that its easy to look after (note no hassle ever comment in ad) and they can keep it in their garden- as angieandben says, a bit like a dog.

Makes me sad to think that people think its acceptable, however tiny the pony is. Seems like they are playing down the responsibility required and it just screams poor welfare waiting to happen to me. Im sure the pony was well looked after but i dont think that its ability to be kept in a garden shed should be a selling point.
 
You are all assuming this pony was in a small garden and a wooden shed for a stable. Maybe the person maybe like me, 1.5 acre garden and a massive double garage which we have converted into a stable and feed room. We have kept 15.2 hunters that have shown upto county in this way so is this totally unacceptable?

I agree that it doesn't sound good, especially the tying up to the washing line but you are jumping to conclusions without knowing the full story
 
see I don't count 1.5 acres as a garden........

I am interested as to whether the washing line was rotary (maybe pony walker stylee!) or straight across so pony had to walk up and down.... seems a bizarre thing to do!
 
mrogers- yes, i admit i dont know the whole story and as you say, the garden may be huge, etc. However, its the 'tone' of the advert that i object to. i.e. to me the ad read like the pony was a great kids pony, no hassle and could be kept with minimal facilities by converting your garden shed. Its the danger that the pony could be exposed to if someone with the money but no experience bought it for their child.

To me its not relevant to say in the advert how they keep it. By saying that they keep it in the shed and tie it to the washing line it indicates that is an acceptable way to look after a pony, thereby potentially encouraging unsuitable buyers. Someone knowledgeable can read between the lines but i felt the ad undermined the pony and was portraying the pony more as an accessory to win rosettes or as i said earlier- a toy, not an animal requiring knowledge and many needs to meet its welfare.
 
Here we go again:rolleyes:

Well, the advert certainly gets attention doesn't it ? As the pony is sold it did the job too. I honestly don't see what is wrong with it.

I'd go and see if I was looking and make my own mind up not take anything at face value, I never do. I agree, garden and garage can conjure up pictures of a 20 ' x 20' suburban plot with a manky garden shed, not always so.

One of the best LR/ 1st ridden ponies (Remember Baby? Meg) I ever bought came out of a back garden, she was tied to the washing line too. There is tying and tying though. This was basically a 30' zip line she had, plenty of room. Much safer than tethering to a tree etc.

Very common practice for camping.
http://www.myhorse.com/horse-camping.html-0

I always find these threads amusing when people instantly jump to conclusions and have a bitchfest about adverts, if you are that concerned then phone up, go see or report it to the Welfare Authorities.:)
 
AngieandBen said:
I think people look on shetlands as a slightly larger dog!
QUOTE]

:o Damn! Guilty! Mine walks to heel, without a halter on, and fetches. He is a very happy little horse, and yes, he is kept in a quarter acre paddock which would be garden sized I imagine.
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this forum has really 'gone to the dogs'. So many 'new' professionals that I'm afraid to open my gob or have an opinion!!!!!! New standard affermations.....'yes, isnt that /this dreadful'...'oh, no'!....'ooooooooooooooooooh'....'poor baby/foalie'..................'yes, Im sure you are headed for the nexy olympics' and so on.I am deluded by what used to be a great site. It now seems to be perfect for pre kindergarten prospects.
I know, completely off the screen but hey ho, needed to let rip. Mairi.
 
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I abhor the adverts which talk about horses as machines and would never go to look at the animal so described. But I know a miniature shetland who shares a field with 2 hunters and has a garden shed as his stable. He is perfectly happy with this arrangement. The shed is better suited to his size than either of the available full-size stables. He has to wear a grazing muzzle in summer, so actually I guess he might prefer to live in a large garden to restrict his grazing.
Mairi, I have to confess that I prefer to read opinions from truly knowledgeable, experienced horsepeople like yourself than from some of those who think they know a lot and are determined to share their opinions. In fact I would rather read about those who happily confess that they know little, than some members.
 
teddyt said:
I came across this advert-



The pony is now sold but i think its irresponsible to advertise that you keep a pony in the garden shed and tie it to the clothes line! :( There are enough people owning horses that shouldnt, let alone encouraging people to think that thats an accessible way to own a pony. Ok, so its tiny but not the point imo.

Thoughts?
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Thoughts?....try not to be such a pompous windbag......who are you to say who can/cannot keep a horse/pony....is keeping a pony an exclusive right to those whom you deem suitable?...do tell us how you come to such an equation!
 
I don;t see anything wrong with keeping the pony in the garden or having him live in the shed ( we converted a shed for a minature shetland) however, I would draw the line on tieing it to a washing line!
 
ooh I was just trying to remember where I had seen horses tied like that, must have been on something similar to that enfys :)

I still think the rotary idea would be more fun though :)
 
I don't see what's wrong with it. A friend keeps her's in a fenced off piece of front garden, when there's a laminitus risk anyway. And pony regularly lets itself into the kitchen.

A different friend used to have the dogs tied to the washing line, just a very long zip line really. So they were out rather than being stuck in the house.

I understand why people think this is a bad idea for advertising etc. But I'd love nothing more than to have a Shetland running around when I'm older with a house etc.
 
At the risk of sounding like a pompous windbag, b1tch or anything else mentioned i will try to explain my point again! (sorry if my opinion upsets some people ;))

If you are knowledgeable and looking for a childs pony then being able to keep it in the shed and tied to a washing line (rotary or otherwise :)) is not really a selling point. Well, to me it isnt. So why put it in the advert?

But if you have not had a pony before and your small child wants one, like it wanted a hamster last week and a kitten next week then seeing that you could keep it in your back garden would be appealing.

So by advertising that it is kept in such a way is irrelevant, unless you are targeting your sale to those that have little knowledge of ponies and would see that being able to keep it in the garden is a sale clincher.

As i said, im sure the pony was well looked after and i dont know the exact circumstances. Just that i disaprove of marketing a pony in this way as it is more likely to attract the wrong rather than the right buyer.

Nothing to ring the authorities about, just my opinion on marketing an obviously nice pony inappropriately.

*teddy skuttles off to the kindergarten with slapped wrist for daring to have an opinion on a forum*
 
i agree with others - quite sweet really. And i suppose with him/her being so small, keeping them in the garden wouldn't be a bad way of keeping an eye on them! haha.

Although the washing line thing is a bit different... Lol

CxLBx
 
I can't see anyone thinking of a pony in the same way as they would a hamster, that's just mental, even a dizzy blonde like me wouldn't think like that!! I see where you are coming from OP, but lot's of people keep horses that some would think unsuitable. I know lot's of horses who aren't as well looked after (in my eyes) as mine. It's not to say they are wrong, they just have a different way to me. As a kid, we had a massive back garden and constantly nagged to be allowed to keep a pony there and convert our garage into a stable. My un-horsey folks explained that it wasn't an option. The thing is, the garden was easily big enough. I also know a well known Scottish showjumper who kept his first pony in the garden of his council house lol.

Have to agree with you Mairi I'm afraid. I think the new rider forum people migrated here when they were asked to pay to participate .

quote ' In fact I would rather read about those who happily confess that they know little'

Pearl, I am just that person lol. and where are the flippin smilies anyway???
 
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chestnuttymare said:
I can't see anyone thinking of a pony in the same way as they would a hamster, that's just mental, even a dizzy blonde like me wouldn't think like that!! QUOTE]


The problem is, some people are scarily stupid so I can see teddyt's point of view. Its not that there is anything wrong in keeping the little pony this way (I also think it sounds rather sweet) but the worry that some complete eejit will think caring for a shetland is no more complicated than a hamster. Alas, you can never under estimate other people's greed or stupidity. :(
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teddyt

I get it. No it's not a responsible way to market a pony.

I am very tempted to do one for a teenager's pony - aimed at the 'I have had three riding lessons (five years ago, on holiday in Italy) and now summer holidays are here I fancy a pony' person.

You have to remember that not everyone reading Horse Deals is an expert. In fact, who on here truly is?
 
chestnuttymare said:
I can't see anyone thinking of a pony in the same way as they would a hamster, that's just mental, even a dizzy blonde like me wouldn't think like that!!
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Unfortunately, that is where you are wrong. It is amazing just how many people DO think of a sweet ikkle shetty as being nothing more demanding than a hamster.
 
as i read the advert it actually sounds really sweet- like they are trying to make a point of just how child-proof the pony is. now it might not be the most 'responsible' thing to write in an advert but you don't know that the seller isn't going to vet the purchaser carefully...similarly, it might be the most professional advert in the world and yet the seller might sell to a complete numpty. i think the advert wording really isn't an issue- its the steps taken by the seller when perspective purchasers come along that you should be getting your knickers in a twist about...:rolleyes:
 
point is, if a 'numpty' wants to buy an equine they will. It doesn't matter if its advertised or round the corner, they are free to buy if someone sells. Perhaps 'numty' numpties wouldn't bother looking at ads so only 'relative' numpties would seek their horsehamster via mags or websites! Just a thought.
PS, there is a dealer who has a 'state of the ark' horsebox parked in her field -the ramp is permanently down (and hanging on by a bit of string and a prayer) and her cobs use it as a field shelter. What works for her wouldn't work for me but so what!
 
chestnuttymare said:
I can't see anyone thinking of a pony in the same way as they would a hamster, that's just mental, even a dizzy blonde like me wouldn't think like that!! I see where you are coming from OP, but lot's of people keep horses that some would think unsuitable. I know lot's of horses who aren't as well looked after (in my eyes) as mine. It's not to say they are wrong, they just have a different way to me. As a kid, we had a massive back garden and constantly nagged to be allowed to keep a pony there and convert our garage into a stable. My un-horsey folks explained that it wasn't an option. The thing is, the garden was easily big enough. I also know a well known Scottish showjumper who kept his first pony in the garden of his council house lol.

Have to agree with you Mairi I'm afraid. I think the new rider forum people migrated here when they were asked to pay to participate .

quote ' In fact I would rather read about those who happily confess that they know little'

Pearl, I am just that person lol. and where are the flippin smilies anyway???
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Hello Chuckles!XXXX
 
Well im glad some of you understand my point of view :)

I have to say that i find it rather amusing that you cant post an opinion on here and ask for others opinions (i.e. starting a discussion) without being called names, accused of being b1tchy or getting your knickers in a twist :D. Or have i missed some of the point of a forum- to discuss opinions? Ive learnt loads from some of the discussions on here and i dont see why stating an opinion is seemed as being a know it all. I also wasnt aware of anything ive said in this thread as being b1tchy.

now it might not be the most 'responsible' thing to write in an advert but you don't know that the seller isn't going to vet the purchaser carefully...similarly, it might be the most professional advert in the world and yet the seller might sell to a complete numpty.
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Totally agree. The seller may well have sold the pony to a fab home without a washing line in sight :).

Unfortunately, that is where you are wrong. It is amazing just how many people DO think of a sweet ikkle shetty as being nothing more demanding than a hamster.
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Exactly! And wording like that will attract them imo. You can buy a shetland for the fraction of the price of a dog these days but you only need to look at how many turn up at markets and in rescue centres to see that they often get a bad deal. Encouraging people that they can be kept with the minimum of facilities makes this worse.
 
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