Need to be in two places at once!

[SamanthaG]

More of a vent really as I cant see a way around things yet,

I have a TB ex racer and a almost 3 year Dartmoor cross who share a field together, bring in is proving to be a battle, the TB goes out in the morning like an old donkey but comes in like a TB lol, so not many people will lead him in, that’s fine with me, I can cope with him and he is learning his manners (previous home just let him walk himself in and out of stable to field), due to me working he is often the last out which leads to head twitching if its been more than 10 min , so we got him a friend (the Dartmoor), my TB tolerates him in the field (early days) but they are not best buddies yet (pony isn’t allowed near the entrance as I am his mummy and not to be shared) but do look for each other if one is out of sight. The Dartmoor Is taking the piddle when my son leads him, my son is almost 13 and whilst he is slight he is almost the same height as me, but the pony pushes him around and pulled him over whilst leading him behind my TB, which lead to him being covered in grass and electrocuting him self whilst getting tangled in brambles at the same time, now I will have to admit the wonderful mummy that I am did have a chuckle, (I know terrible parent) anyway, I said ok tomorrow I will bring my boy in whilst you stay at the field and keep an eye on the pony and then I will come and get him so he learns to walk in nicely.

So I bring my Tb in, turn around and walk back up to the field only to see said pony jump out of the field over the electric fence and my crouched son (who was in front of the fence thinking pony would stop) and run down to the wall which is a typical Cornish hedge pops that too and waits at the gate for me. Geesh he is only 13hh ish think we have a cracking little jumping pony there. (field is about a 7min walk away through walkway between paddocks.)

So what the hell do I do tonight? Bring pony in first and risk my life with Tb or lead them in together (me with Tb , son with pony) with pony in front of Tb and risking my life as Tb has to be first! Its only day 3 but at some point I will have to be able to bring them in when I am alone so one will have to be last.

I have a sneaky feeling that the little bugger of a pony (who I love already) would jump out of his stable on seeing my tb go out in the morning, ok so put him out first, humm and then watch him jump out of the field whilst I go back to get TB

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

[Bug2007]

Get the dartmoor, bitted and bridled and lead him in on the headcollar underneath but with hthe option to take contact on reins if he starts to pull.

 

[SamanthaG]

Get the dartmoor, bitted and bridled and lead him in on the headcollar underneath but with hthe option to take contact on reins if he starts to pull.

Yes he will be bitted soon, but walks like angel with me, he is just taking the pee out of my son as he knows he is lighter, but there is the problem that at some point he will be first or last out/in so will be in stable or field alone and the bugger will jump out

 

[Honey08]

Could you spend a bit of time with your son and the pony in the field prior to bringing them in - getting your son's confidence back, and getting him to assert himself a bit more. We had the same problem with our section A and my son when he was little. We solved it by letting him battle it out around the yard and field! He wasn't very brave, but soon got the the measure of him once he realised that the pony was taking the mickey! We had the odd giggle too!

I think you need to do a bit of work on the TB too - he can't hog your attention all the time. Sometimes you will have to ignore him and go to the pony first. I know its flattering that he doesn't want to share you, but actually its bad manners and could cause dangerous situations - imagine if he shooed your pony away and it knocked your son over? Spend some time leading them around the field/yard/school together. It would be very useful to be able to do this if you had to... Its early days, and sure to sort itself out quickly if you nip it in the bud.

 

[SamanthaG]

Thanks, yes I realise the Tb hogging me isn’t a good thing, and its not flattering sometimes I wish would bog off lol, but its all new for him also, he came to us in Jan with issues health and condition wise, things are slowly coming right, his health is good (teeth, back etc sorted)
and his weight is up and he is learning manners, as he was left to his own devices for two years not ridden, or even lead about as the owner was scared of him. I do make my Tb wait and go and make a fuss of the pony and then back to him, as the first day he tried shooing the pony away from me so i told him of and have been doing this since, whether I am there or not the pony gets shooed away from the entrance to the field and the side of the fence his fave mare is on. He is just a typical grouchy old man sometimes, when the pony is out of his sight he does look to see where he is, but as soon as he gets close he wrinkles his nostrils up and flattens his ears as if he forgot to be mean to him for a moment, even the mare he loves who is stabled to him gets a hell of a look and the wall behind him gets a kick if she dares peek at him whilst he is eating. Some times he is a typical ex racer Tb with issues others he is an old donkey.

Its my day off tomorrow, so I will have chance to work with them both, as the pony arrived on my last day off and due to this lovely foggy mornings and evenings they have just had the basics done with them, turn out and in, a groom and feed and that’s it.