New horse - not what he seems

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Lotty

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Daughter needed a confidence giver as she's really nervous now following a nasty fall last year.

Looked at a bombroof confidence giver at a riding school, which use horses for their school and sell them after a year. She rode him 5 times in the indoor, outdoor arena and also hacked him out alone. After asking loads of questions he seemed to fit the description.

On the day of collection I received his passport which said he was 5, owner said he was 7. Been having problems with him and I put it down to insecurity as when he goes to the school he starts to shout, get tense, shakes his head and has a small paddy. If I get on him I can ride him out of it but my daughter is too nervous.

I hacked him out today, just a short one up the field and back. He was hesitant about going but was ok, then when I turned him for home he wanted to go asap. Was flinging his head, wanting to put it down then take off. I kept turning him and going back then would turn and head for home again.

He's deffinately not what he was when we viewed him.

Do I have any comeback.....Help!
 
It sounds like the pony is very insecure in his new environment and being on his own in the school and out hacking. Why not try having another pony (and rider) in the school with him and someone out hacking with you to build up his confidence. He's probably not used to being on his own.
 
How long have you had him?? Sounds like he's a bit stressed out.... all sounds a bit strange though, what did you say to them when it turned out he was only 5?
 
If the pony was advertised as 7 then you could persue for refund and the pony returned on trades description.

I would hazard a guess that most of the problems you're witnessing are due to the pony being an ex-riding school pony.

I always liken them to people who've been institutionalised. They struggle to adapt to life in the big wide world. Most will adapt in time, but some never seem to settle when being cared for and ridden one-to-one.

We bought a pony from a riding school and my daughter had similar problems with her. Took alot of patience and re-schooling to get her pony to be used to solo schooling as she was used to following other ponies.

Three years down the line and she's been the best pony ever! She's the little grey, second left, in my signature.
 
Ditto the reply above, this is often the case with horses / ponies that have come out of a riding school. He may just need time to adjust.
You could have comeback with the pony only being 5 but if you noticed this on the passport and still went ahead with the sale it this may be difficult.
Hope it works out for you.
 
The pony is probably used to following another horse and is feeling insecure. However I would not be happy that he was advertised as 7 and in his passport states 5. I would have words with the old owner and test water and see where you stand. You could also call up your local trading standards office and see what they say
 
Lotty whereabouts are you? I'm wondering because we have a riding school local to us which seems to specialise in this sort of thing - "ideal child's first pony" which on investigation has only recently been broken and is ridden by a couple of the bigger kids each day before doing it's riding school work for three hours.
 
Thanks for all your replies.

I was told he was 7 but his passport wasn't given to me until he was loaded in the trailer. I looked at it when I got home.

The strange thing is why did he not shout and react this way when my daughter rode him alone at the riding school? She also hacked him out and had to pass lots of horses in different fields and he didn't shout. Where as here as soon as he sees a horse he shouts like mad and you have to urge him on.

I have ridden out with my daughter and I was on my horse, sometimes he would have that anxious look and then he'd be ok. However, If my daughter is riding him in the school and I take my horse in he panics to be with mine. This is the reason I've tried working on him on his own.

I live in Northants.
 
Riding school ponies can be very much herd animals, though as he's so young he's probably still capable of learning to be more independent re riding out alone etc. He was probably doing far more work in the school and so was less lively when ridden.

The calling may well be him trying to make friends/contact with the new horses, or to try and see if any of his old friends are around. He's probably missing them and feels insecure.
 
I bought my horse from some people that bought him out of a riding school for their children because they rode him in the school and he was patent safe. However once in his new five star luxury home he was not ridden 8 hours per day 6 days per week and soon learnt some naught tricks to scare the kids.

Horses are not daft..........

I bought him from them and althogh it took about 2 years he became a little gem so much so that I had him for 18 years. He could be ridden by himself in the heaviest of Central London traffic, hunted, jumped and basic dressage.

It always takes time for a horse to settle down to a new home and to build up a relationship but if you have a very nervous child you are going to need a real gem of a pony and I would suggest you buy it locally from a private home by word of mouth.
 
Probably just wants company, and is not used to the new surroundings, does he seem dangerous or just nervous?

This is exactly why the RS where pickle is ridden makes sure all there horses are always ridden alone sometimes or they become too clingy. We always found that to get them used to being alone you ride them with another horse for a week or two, then the next week you just hold the other pony in the school no tack, no rider. We then left the school door open, and tied a pony outside the school so they are still visible. They soon get used to that and the pony can be taken away completely
 
I would ring the RS and discuss it with them. Tell them your problems but suggest you keep him abit longer (as it may just be settling in nerves), but if he is not right in say a month then ask if they'll have him back. To me it sounds a lot like he is just insecure in the new environment, given more time he should settle down fine.
 
This morning I took him out in hand up the same field and back. He did shout at first and then I had him concentrating, if he got bolshy I backed him up and then carried on. The walk finished on a good note.

Daughter bathed him this afternoon so I thought I'd trim his overgrown bridle-path. I had very quiet trimmers and he snorted and got very bouncy when I turned them on. Spent quite a while just putting trimmers on his neck, walking away and coming back. Will keep doing this all week.

But there's another lie - I asked if he was ok being clipped and the answer was 'yes'. Also he had been hogged about 5 months ago????
 
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