I dont know what to do :-(

skychick

skychick

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To cut a long story short......

I bought paddy a year ago. He was sold as a happy hacker, good jumping pony who was "good as gold". Tried him, we got on well. I bought him. Got him home. Things went badly wrong. It transpired that the girl had sold him as she was scared of him.
Basically, he is really nappy when hacking alone. Fine in company, can put in the odd buck if cantering in a group.
So general hacking in company he is fine.
He jumps anything and everything. Can ocassionally nap in the school if another horse goes past on the way out to the field. Which consists of a spin, bunny hop, buck.
He is not suitable for hunting or fun rides. They blow his brains. He bucks, rears, leaps, plunges, rein snatches in these circumstances.
He is perfect on the ground. Can get a little upset if there is a lot going on. By that i mean fidgety and wont stand still and if left alone tied up will jump back and hang on his headcollar. Thats easily solved by just looping the rope through and not actually tying him then when he pulls he gets no reaction.

Anyway. In july i decided that he wasnt for me. He needed to go to someone with more time and who doesnt want to hack alone often. He is ideally suited to someone who has worked with quirky horses and who doesnt take a heavy handed approach. He doesnt take kindly to this as i believe he has been mistreated in the past.
So i put him out on loan to a girl who had owned him in the past. She was the only person who seems to click with him.

She has now lost her grazing and so needs to return him. We are both gutted. She loves him but cant afford livery for 2 horses.

I really dont know what to do. I advertised him before she took him on project horses but only got mums "wanting the pretty coloured pony for lead rein classes" he is not a childs pony, he is a 14.2 ISH x Cob. He has too much quirk for a child.
I dont want to sell him cheap, he is the sort that unless he found someone sympathetic willing to put time into him he would be passed from pillar to post and probably mistreated. He has been passed around alot already.
I cant have him back, i have a mare in livery. I can afford 2 and i have lost my own land ( due to parents building a drive way up through it :-( )

So i dont know what to do.

Do i loan him out as a companion? he is only 13. So he could have a great ridden life with the right rider?
How do i find someone quiet, confident, sympathetic, who has time and patience and understands animals that arnt necessarily the easiest?
Do i have him PTS to avoid him getting into the wrong hands.
Do i give him to a horse sanctuary? I am in devon, he is in hereford at the mo. So if anyone reccomends somewhere that would be great.
Wherever he goes, i want to stay in contact. He means the world to me.

HELP, i dont know what to do and i am so upset about it. He is a lovely boy, just needs the right person to give him a long term stable, happy and loving home.
Sorry for the ramble. I am just at my witts end.
 
I remember your posts about him, what a shame he needs to move home again, whilst I dont agree with putting quirky horses down it is sometimes a better route.

how about testing the ground with some very honest adverts making sure you use his strong points to the max!

retirement livery,
can be worth contacting mare and foal sanctuary etc.

I hope it all works out for you both.
 
Thank you jhoward. I am devastated he has to move again, absolutely gutted and the girl who has loaned him from me is too and is doing all she can to try and make sure that he goes somewhere not as a "money making project" or where he could get into the wrong hands.
I may give the mare and foal sanctury a ring. I just feel so guilty sending him to a sanctuary when he is in fact healthy and could be ridden by the right person when there are so many horses out there in need of help who arnt fit and healthy or wanted.

Ugh its all so depressing. Why oh why do we become so attached and consumed by these dam animals!
 
If you can't find a home you are happy with for him, then I think you must pts. I know that is not what you want to hear, but sanctuaries are full to bursting, horses are going for very little money, without them having problems, so his prospects look bleak if you can't keep him yourself :(
 
Can you test the waters with a few adverts for sale/loan? There could be someone out there that could get on with him as well as the girl that loans him does. Be very honest about your adverts, you could vet the homes very carefully/ask for references/allow a trial etc.

Is there a way you and loaner can meet halfway to keep him? If you cannot find a home for him then have a look at other avenues, I would say sanctuary and charities are full to bursting tbh :(
 
Hi

Sorry to hear your problems! If only people would be honest when selling horses and ponies! Have you considered the riding school option? I know he isn't an easy ride but some riding schools are very good at dealing with difficult equines. If you loaned him to one you could still keep in contact and if the other girl's circumstances ever changed he would still be yours to hand over to her.
 
Agree with a post above about putting up blatently honest adverts - highlighting all these flaws he has, or failing that companion home.
 
You say he jumps anything and everything? Can he not therefore be competed? My mare used to blow her lid at every event I took her to and I certainly couldn't do sponsored rides etc, but in the end she settled to competing in show jumping and dressage. So long as she was taken regularly (around twice a month) she settled and got used to it. Sounds like this pony just needs to attend a few shows with an understanding patient person, then could end up being a very good jumping pony for someone. I would not put a healthy, and otherwise happy and good natured animal to sleep. I would advertise him for sale or for loan (maybe even offer a trial). Say what a brilliant jumper he is but that he needs help overcoming his nerves and could go at a very good price to the right person. Make sure you have a contract drawn up covering all eventualities. There must be someone looking for a really good jumping pony but can't afford to pay the huge price for the talent?
 
Don't be too pesmistic, I think he sounds lovely and your description of him wouldn't bother me. He's a just horse for a competent rider as opposed to a numpty. Its not the end of the world if he doesn't like hacking alone, some people don't like hacking without company.
I know time is against you, regarding livery bills, but get some really decent photos and put him on Horsemart and see what interest you get. Concentrate on the positives, of which he has many,because if potential buyers feel you don't think he's a great horse, they won't either. Not saying that you should omit to mention his quirks, but don't fill the ad with a list of things he can't do, some of those foibles can be mentioned to enquirers when they phone or view.
 
Im so sorry to hear about your tricky situation, its always heartbreaking when deciding what to do with your much loved horse when everything seems to be against you.

I agree with Wagtail & Horserider - I think he sounds lovely, just quirky! If i was closer i would jump at the oppertunity.

I think you need to advertise him with some great jumping & flatwork pictures, be honest yet at the same time highlight his best features. Okay, so he may not be a happy hacker but he might make a fantastic PC/RC/BSJA pony? I dont agree with putting down a healthy horse when there could be the perfect rider/home out there for him.

Maybe find a confident, competant junior rider in your local area and get them to take him to a few shows and see how they get on? Not only will it boast his confidence, you can then boast his CV as well!

I think anything is worth a try at this stage. You obviously love him and want to find him a good home... Dont give up hope.
xXx
 
I have tried advertising him back along. I made sure i mentioned all of his good points, but also was honest about his bad ones. The only calls i had were from young teenagers (i have nothing against young teenagers most ride confidently and very well) but these were ones that say they can ride forward going horses. He is forward going-ish. But isnt just fizzy or spooky. And none that rang had actually dealt with something a bit tricky. So there would have been the risk that 6 months down the line he would be moved on.
Or because he is nicely marked (skewbald) mums want him for their young kids to do coloured classes on.

He seems best doing indoor showjumping (less going on around him to distract him) and he jumps 4ft with ease. So he really is a gem jumping wise.

Ideally i would love to find a loan poss with view to buy locally. That would be my ideal situation.
Failing that i think i will loan him as a companion although there seems to be a glut of those at the mo!

PTS would break my heart....but because i love him so much, i would rather that than find out someone was hitting/being cruel to him because he was misbehaving.
 
Re PC/RC...he could be good, if he would learn to settle. He has a tendancy to get a bit highly strung at events i.e leaping, doesnt like to stand around and tends to bunny hop and run backwards and generally be a monkey.
He is brilliant and bold XC (i didnt take him, but the girl who has him on loan and has to give him up used to) he used to be a great lead for nervous horses.
 
I am sorry to hear about your situation but I also can't believe you even mentioned the thought of having him PTS! Yes I know people will jump on me and use the whole "better that than him being passed around, you not knowing where he's going etc etc,blah blah blah" but to be honest i totally disagree with those who think like this.

You have already said that this one girl gets on fine with him and doesn't experience the same issues you have or, if she does they don't bother her and she deals with them fine. She is no magician and does not (as far as I imagine) have special powers that make her the only one who can ride the pony. He sounds to me like a perfectly normal 14.2hh pony who has a few quirks! Nothing abnormal about that and you will find there are 100s like him who are owned by other people who amazingly enough do not mistreat them and do not pass them on. I think it is very arrogant of people on here to assume that there is unlikely to be people out there who can ride these horses.

From what you say he is sound, is not dangerous and is a great little jumper - is that right? Therefore I see no reason why he could not be sold to a competent teenager to do PC or even eventing or BSJA with him as it sounds like he would be ideal and kids who want to do such activities tend to be more confident or just are not affected by ponies behaving this way and that attitude (confidence) will then rub off on the pony. He may always have his quirks but they certainly do not sound out of the oridinary at all.

Certainly if you had said he was dangerous, bolted, threw people off regularly or had soundness issues then maybe considering having him PTS wouldn't be the worst thing to happen but from what i am reading this is not the case. Get him advertised - I would NOT highlight bad points in any advert. Use the old - "needs competent, confident rider" or "Not novice ride" as opposed to mentioning anything about his bad traits.

Let people come and see him and ride him and make their own decisions - you can tell them more then or you can make your mind up once you see them whether you think they're suitable. You can either loan or sell, that's up to you. He sounds like he could give the right rider years of fun!
 
I think you are being overly pessimistic. He sounds fairly typical of a teenagers jumping pony!

I'd advertise him on the PC site, as a talented jumping pony suitable for PC, BSJA or BE but requiring a confident calm rider who can deal with his quirks. You can say that he is for long term loan or loan with a view to buy as the right home is your number one priority. That way you retain control and can prevent him being passed from pillar to post.

When someone calls explain his quirks and that at present he doesn't hack alone or hunt but it may be possible with the right rider to calm and reassure him.

I would also consider loaning him to a riding school or college. I know our riding school has taken on quirky horses and ponies on loan or working livery and in fact they have improved as a result of their time there. Look for one that is a where to train centre if possible as they are more likely to have suitable riders for quirky ponies. Again if you loan you can be sure he is happy before taking any permanent decisions.

I don't think he is one to PTS he sounds like a few ponies I rode as a teenager!
 
I understand what you are saying Lady25t

I have traced his full history. He has been quirky throughout his whole life. He has been passed around beyond belief.
No this girl isnt a magician, but she worked with problem horses as a job/career before going to university to become a physiotherapist.
He doesnt bolt, but he does throw people off regularly. Im not sure if he would be suitable for a pony/riding club home. Yes he is a talented jumper. Jumps 4ft. Doesnt care about fillers, ditches, water. But....that is all providing there isnt anything else going on around him. If there is, then he starts his antics which can range from spinning, to a spin, drop shoulder, rear (mini), buck combination to a bunny hopping backwards followed by spin, mini rear and buck. All of which are managable with the right rider.
He most definately isnt suited to fun rides or hunting. On the fun ride, bearing in mind we had hacked 4.5 miles to get there and he wasnt super fit, i had 3 hours of leaping, rearing, bucking, rein snatching, plunging. It was constant. Finally after 3 hours and my exhaustion he decided if you did a massive leap in the air, on landing rein snatch then buck followed straight away by another huge leap, plunge, rein snatch, buck....you can make your rider fly into a gorse bush and smack their head on a rock. Then that became a bit of a fun game. So he did it twice more, and i finished the ride on foot with concussion. And then had to walk the 4.5 miles home with him still leaping. Bucking, etc etc. He didnt tire. He ran on adrenaline.
I know fun rides are not the best and i expected a couple of bucks. but people around the local area are still talking about his antics. That was 9 months ago.
He took 4 weeks to settle again after the fun ride and i mean hacking sensibly with a friend and in the stable. it really upset him. he is very sensative.

So yes he can jump, and very nicely too. Has a fantastic rythm to a fence, Can correct himself whatever mistake he may make i personally wouldnt take him to a pony club or ridng club event or show where there is so much else going on.

He is a cracking little pony....but providing something doesnt up set him. He is sensitive.

Believe me i havent gone from kick along straigh forward plods to him. My first pony was an arab that went like greece lightning. Was strong as an ox, could spin on a sixpence, would buck, rear and was so hyper sometimes had to be ridden 2 x a day just to keep him sane!

He is just the sort of horse that needs someone who understands that oneday you may go to the yard and have a straightforwards, calm happy paddy. But the next day you may go there and have an uptight, unhappy, fidgety, nappy, pony that will bronc and spin. If someone shouts on the yard it upsets him.
 
Other posters are right in that you should not write off a gutsy PC kid.

I teach PC and honestly I do wonder why some parents buy some ponies for their precious children!!! Bucks, bronking, dirty stops, flinging itself around because it doesn't want to stand still, tanking off all quite common place! There's usually at least 1 in each ride!!
 
I too think you are being overly pessimistic. The reason I say this is that I too have a difficult pony, one that I would describe as not a novice ride, won't hack alone, spooky in company, difficult at competitions/rides, and jumps unpredictably. For this reason I am keeping him as I don;t want him to be passed around. However, if I couldn;t afford to keep him he would have to go and I would try damn hard to find a good home for him and I am sure I could. I know a teenage girl who has been to ride him and to be honest, he is way better for her than me. She is in no way experienced with difficult horses, is small and not very strong, but she has never really had a bad experience and is relaxed and doesn't ask much of him. I previously rehomed a VERY difficult welsh mare, and she is now in a home for lofe with people who get on very well with her.

You could consider an equine college - no need to hack out alone and mostly work in school and XC, or a reputable riding school for the same reason. Or a competition home, or pony club - one of the better ones, where the kids get really decent training, and dont; mind difficult if they are talented.

I wouldn't even be thinking PTS at this stage, he honestly doesn't sound that bad. Most people are not honest about their horses and it sound like you are.

It can sometimes be difficult to see how someone else may be able to offer the home you want for him but it can be done.
 
There are a few different types based on different things e.g. magnesium, something else...have you tried a few? It might just be that he needs something else.

Otherwise, sounds like a fab PC pony!!
 
What a shame. I've advertised a couple really honestly as suggested (last one was titled 'very averagey horse' and it hasn't worked at all. People assume that as everyone bigs up their horse that it must be truly terrible. Although too quirky for a child, that height is defo getting into the 14/15 year old group and they can be fearless and really good for a pony like that (if you remember back in the day....). However the passing on once they have outgrown or outclassed the pony is inevitable. I would try for a loan if you can afford to - you just never know who is out there.
 
I havent tried any recently. He is out on loan this is why all of this has come up. the girl who loaned him had free grazing for him and her competition mare.
She has lost her grazing which was meant to be a permanat thing. So she has to let him go as she cant afford livery for 2.
I no longer have grazing as my parents built a driveway through my paddocks and stables and i keep my mare in livery. My livery yard is full and i am in the process of moving house and so i cant afford money or time wise to have 2 in livery in different places.
Bloody nightmare. If i had a big enough back garden....he would be coming home to live in that.
 
Sounds to me like a great little ride for someone confident. You might well find a nice loan home for him to e.g. a teenager/small adult who wants something to jump but doesn't currently have the capital to buy. Plenty of horses don't hack alone and it doesn't bother their owners. The rest sounds fine for a relatively confident rider, more 'not novice ride' than 'project' I'd say. Good luck getting something sorted.
 
I have an ISH called Paddy who sounds just the same as yours! I bought him for my brother and he started of a plod but quickly changed into something with a bit more spark. I get on great with the horse but then I'm a confident, balanced rider and couldn't understand why people found him so difficult to ride. I hunted him even though he does the same as your paddy and he was fab once he got going. He settled down the more he went out. Don't underestimate the hunting fraternity! Some of the things people hunt...

Unfortunately I had to sell him as I have 6 other horses and a livery yard, my brother had another horse and he was being wasted.

I advertised him a year ago and he seems to choose a rider rather than the other way round. I had so many people come to try him who fell in love with his face, but weren't confident or competent enough riders to let him be even though I went to great lengths describing what he is like. I also thought he had been mistreated in the past as he gets really upset if you get on at him.

He is wonderful on the ground and very sweet and like you I didn't want to pam him off cheaply where he would go from one home to another so in the end I have put him out on loan with a view to buy to a PC teenage girl locally and so far he is behaving himself. The girl seems to have common sense and is just taking him slowly. Good luck!
 
Could you loan to an equine college?

Wouldnt have to hack by himself, Could jump XC courses and SJ. I went to an equine college and there were a few Horses there that sounds like yours. And they were firm favourites with most of the riders (I tried to stay away from them, cos I'm a wimp hehe) But some of the riders in my class were very confident and experienced, And really got along with them.

I personally wouldn't put down a healthy Horse unless it really was a danger to others. Which yours doesnt seem to be, just full of character and quirky.

Good luck with whatever you deicde to do, his stunning BTW!
 
Mimi2610 said:
I have an ISH called Paddy who sounds just the same as yours! I bought him for my brother and he started of a plod but quickly changed into something with a bit more spark. I get on great with the horse but then I'm a confident, balanced rider and couldn't understand why people found him so difficult to ride. I hunted him even though he does the same as your paddy and he was fab once he got going. He settled down the more he went out. Don't underestimate the hunting fraternity! Some of the things people hunt...

Unfortunately I had to sell him as I have 6 other horses and a livery yard, my brother had another horse and he was being wasted.

I advertised him a year ago and he seems to choose a rider rather than the other way round. I had so many people come to try him who fell in love with his face, but weren't confident or competent enough riders to let him be even though I went to great lengths describing what he is like. I also thought he had been mistreated in the past as he gets really upset if you get on at him.

He is wonderful on the ground and very sweet and like you I didn't want to pam him off cheaply where he would go from one home to another so in the end I have put him out on loan with a view to buy to a PC teenage girl locally and so far he is behaving himself. The girl seems to have common sense and is just taking him slowly. Good luck!
Click to expand...

Ha mine is called Paddy too! It must be something about the name :-D

Im really glad your paddy has gone to a good home. Between me and the girl who has him on loan, we are going to see if this is the way that we can go about finding a great new home for him. It doesnt help that i am in east devon and paddy and her are in hereford! But i would do anything to give him a great home.

I dont believe in putting healthy horses down, i just wanted people to be honest, and say if there are people out there that do want something thats not straight forwards. At the end of the day, i just want him to be happy and safe. Also that i can keep track of him and where he goes.
 
saying about the college route.

i put my mare up at bicton on a working/full livery type, now for me it didnt end to well., they negelcted to get my horse her jabs done and I had an awful incident with them using their own farrier which resulted in a lame horse BUT there overal care was good and the reasons i put my horse there did work for us on the riding side.

now if your lad is good on the ground say for lunging long reining, pulling trimming etc and he can jump then i actully think it could work, some of the quirkier horses really do respond to the routine they have.

you do get imput into how your horse is used and by whom.

why dont you contact a couple? hartbury have a really good reputation bicton... um myjodsaretoblinkingtight also had her pony there. maybe contact her and get her view also.

it certinally wouldnt hurt to contact the colleges be honest and see if he could be of use to them.
 
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