New Connememara, advice for a novice please

annsGG

annsGG

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Hi All

Finally found me a horse to love, I posted last year to say that I was looking for a riding horse as we have a 2yo Dartmoor mare and Shetland gelding (also 2) for use as lawn-mowers.
Just went out today and left a deposit on Woody, a 9 year old Connemara Dun Gelding and it was love at first sight, although we have looked at several, none felt completely 'right' so we just decided to let a horse find us, which is what happened. We got to know each other and went for a ride and now we're collecting him next weekend.
I've got back into horses after a 45 year break (!) and had to really start from the beginning again as things have changed so much, I now feel I am ready for a 'proper horse' to have some pleasure out of after 18 months of 'practising and remembering' on the litt'luns.

Can anyone offer any advice on (a) the Connemara breed and (b) the best way of introducing them to each other, the little guys have the run of the stables at the moment but I thought it best to seperate them with a leccy fence at first, leaving the stables open for them to go in and out as they please? the 2 little ones are really hardy and stay out with no rugs all year but always have access to the stables, the new guy also lives out but with a rug in winter.

Any tips gratefully received, as with all the helpful advice given last year.

Ann, Cornwall
 
All the connemaras I've meet are lovely, nice temperaments, hardy but with enough quality to make excellent all round riding ponies. I'd recommend joining the breed society, I'm an IDHS member although I don't show or anything it is always interesting to read the magazine and see what my horses various relatives are upto and they are a good source of information.
As to how to introduce new horses I personally find separating with fences can cause more problems as it drags establishing the pecking order out and horse can injure themselves on the fencing. I prefer to turn them all out in the biggest field I have and let them sort it out. That is a personal judgement call and accidents can happen either way but my attitude is that if they have to mix at some point might as well start as you mean to go on. Same goes for riding - get straight on with it, none of the horses that come to me get a settling in period, they are ridden from day one for the same reason, it is important to establish normal patterns and make your expectations clear straight away.
If he is living out in a rug happily at the moment I'd continue with that, there is no point in making extra work for yourself.
 
No advice, but congrats on your new neddy
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I have a conny cross (well we think lol). . .and he is a star. He has a really loving tempremant and just loves to please. Has a fab jump on him and is just well lovely. All the connies i know are very nice
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Have lots of fun with your new horse
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Have you got two adjoining paddocks you could use? My personal preference is to introduce over a sturdy fence, or elec if that's all you have. Have fun with your native 3!
 
I am yet to meet a crap connie
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the grey in my sig is connie x warmblood, she's a little angel- most of the time. Good luck with your new pony
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i have a dun connie

this is going to sound slightly mean but they arent the cleverest ponies

they tend to be quite quiet but with explosions

my boy wears a rug because he is clipped but some of his hair is 6 or 7 inches long [no exaggeration]

they have very kind natures and are very forgiving but they dont forget as we learnt with ours and his previous experiences


GOOD LUCK
 
So glad you found a horse that you click with. I think that letting the right horse find you was a great plan. I didn't do that and regretted it.

I bought a connemara - I can say that every single one I have ever met is very motivated by food, cheeky, stubborn and very clever. Mine is very stubborn and always has a new trick - not catching, not leading, etc. personally, i would not recommend the breed, but individuals of every breed are different, and yours may not be as difficult as others. I have only ever met 4, so that's not exactly every connie out there.

Your fencing plan sounds good - cornwall is quite mild, yes? So your connie will just need a rug in the winter if he is clipped.

Good luck - I might not be fond of the connemara, but you will probably get along fine with yours.
 
Having recently bought a connemara x, here are my views. Good points - very hardy, good doer, sure footed, fantastic jumping ability, kind nature. Bad points - too clever for own good and can be stubborn (but always can be won round with treats!), and very hairy!
Love mine too bits as has a really cheeky personality but I always feel safe on board.
In terms of introductions I would judge their moods on the day - if they all apppear calm chuck them out together but leave headcollars on if you have to catch in emergency.
Have fun and enjoy!
 

Having got a few Connies and having had dealings with a lot more can I say that they can be saints on legs or extremely difficult and quirky. They have all been a lot more intelligent than other breeds I have dealt with which can make for major problems. I have never considered them as a breed for novice owners.
 
Thanks to you all for your valuable advice (but don't stop lol)

Woody seems to have quite a few of those traits, on first impressions he seems very friendly (even my horse-wary hubby isn't afraid of him), kind and gentle. Will post more next week with pics once he's settled in, then back here for ongoing advice I expect

Thanks again

Ann
 
We had a dun Connie for five years.

Good points: lovely colour, lived on fresh air, clever jumper, huge personality
Bad points: attitude, attitude, attitude, attitude... unpredictable, prone to temper tantrums, an almighty buck, bolshy, wilful, confrontational... loved him to bits but he was jolly hard work.
 
I absolutely love connies and have yet to ride a bad one. My loan pony is an overheight connemara and he is super. Bombproof, good little jumper, safe and willing (just a tad lazy). Whereas the connie mare I had as a teen was v v fast! Nevertheless she was also safe and sane. I think they are a super breed and can turn their hoof to most activities. Every connie I have met has been super manners wise as well as in the saddle. Haha clearly I am biased but I wouldn't have anything else!

Pop some pictures of him up!!
 
I have a conne x arab and he's lovely, but oh my is his stubborn!!! My YO calls him a mule!!! That said he is very friendly and gentle, a right little flirt (everyone falls in love in an instant!). dispite his temper tantrums he never tried to get me off - just register that he disagreed with my decision - I always found being more stubborn than him sorted that out.

Excellent to hack, very bright and surefooted... good luck I'd have a connie again any day but I love them stubborn!!!
 
Hmmm mine is not a typical connie at all, fairly intelligent, not hardy - hates getting wet, won't go through water, is always ill (has his own vet book I'm convinced) is a big flirt with the ladies, hates dentists with a passion, tolerates the vet as long as they don't actually try to treat him with/for anything. Loves the farrier completely and utterly and loves to be pampered. Can jump and does elem level dressage but can pretty much turn his hoof to anything as long as there is no water involved
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Oh and I love him to bits - would I get another one? No I'd get a TB instead as they must be more hardy than him!
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Iv just sold my connie, i had him for 4 years and was the best thing that ever happened i loved him to bits and it was the hardest thing ever to sell!! He was an amazing jumper and loved his work! He did have cheaky moments(liked to escape from his field) but loved to please. They love people and food!
Sure you will love him to bits and get on really well!!
Good luck with him!:) xx
 
My personal exprience is that connemaras make your life difficult just because. My one,
my friend's Smokey, my sister's old pony Shamrock,
Blue and Magic at the stables I used to ride at...everything.
They act like they've never seen a particular filler when
they've jumped it eight times
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,
are hard to
catch, sometimes my one won't let me saddle him (i had the fit of his saddle checked - no probs),
sometimes he won't lead, digs his heels in. sometimes he rears up when i try and catch him.
Shamrock used to buck
all the time, Blue was another rearer...Magic was semi-sane but undid bolts, knew
that when she was going up a hill she could eat with a dasiy rein
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connies are cute, but HARD WORK!!
 
Thanks all, brought Woody home yesterday and he's luuuuvly, (even horse-wary hubby loves him).
He's obviously a little lost and lonely as he's been sharing a field with 3 other big horses and now has just a little shetland and dartmoor babies for company, and that's separated with a leccy fence, cries like a baby the minute they leave him. He is an absolute pleasure so far, comes to call (or if you switch the lights on), doesn't flinch at anything you do to him (so far!).

Will try to get some piccies up at the weekend or Xmas
 
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