New pony problems

[caroline0]

SORRY LONG POST
So i have just bought a lead rein pony for my daughter. when i went to view the pony she seemed very laid back and had a lovely quiet temperament.
So she got delivered at the beginning of the month. she wasnt allowed out to graze with the other ponies for 3 days for worming ect. during this time we had her in the indoor school, lunging and doing a little ground work to get to know her, she seemed quiet enough.
After 3 days i put her out with the other horses, she seemed fine. There is a cob in that field which i didnt know at the time gets quiet possessive over some mares. when i came to take her out the field he did try and bite me and followed me out with his ears pinned back. One of th girls on the yard then told me that earlier the cob had been mounting my pony.
We tied the pony up to groom her and she wouldnt stand still and was trying to nip us.I took the pony into the indoor school to do some work and she didnt seem like the quiet little pony we had seen, when my daughter went to get on her she arched her back and went to buck so i quickly took my daughter off.
The next day i put into the other field with some different horses so i could separate her from the cob who was mounting her to see if it would calm her down. Any way that night ( which was friday) she got caught in the barb wire fence and cut her leg. The wound isnt deep and i have been cleaning it out but she is a bit lame and it is a bit swelled. I know she wont be happy but she is being really grumpy and keep trying to nip and being quite bargy. Im a bit stuck on what to do with her to calm her,i know everything will be strange and that she has hurt herself but I dont want my daughter to become scared of her. She doesnt seem like the same pony we went to view.

 

[pixie]

1. She's in a strange new environment with people and horses that she doesn't know.
2. She has been put straight out with two different groups of horses, rather than being put next to them and perhaps having just one of the calmer ones in with her as a slow introduction.
3. Don't put horses in a field with barbed wire, especially not loose enough that she can get caught up in it!
No wonder the poor thing is unsettled!
How experienced are you OP?

 

[be positive]

I agree with all pixie has said, the yard sounds unsuitable if they just put a small pony mare out with a group of horses with no proper introduction, then when it goes pear shaped put her in a field with barbed wire, no wonder the poor pony is grumpy, she is upset, has been bullied, now has a painful leg, give her a chance and look for somewhere safer and more appropriate rather than giving calmers, no amount of calmer will make her relax if the atmosphere feels unsafe.

If the leg is swollen and she is lame I hope you have had the vet, she may require antibiotics and pain relief, barbed wire is nasty stuff and it could be infected even if it is not deep.

Just to add if she has been mounted by a big cob her back may also be very sore and explain why the lovely pony had her back up when ridden, that would be worth checking as well she could be in a lot of pain.

 

[Enfys]

New girl in the school yard, daunting for anyone

Give her time to settle, see if you can just put her out with one or two quieter horses (I prefer same sex herds) so that she can settle without being harassed. Presumably the cut leg was due to her trying to escape from others in the field. I hope it isn't severe and that she heals fast.

re: the bucking, it is just possible that if a cob was mounting her (I presume she is only small) that she may have a sore back from that or from trying to get away, any number of possibilities.

The important thing is to get her in a small, happy group, not in a big established herd, it is always beyond me why I hear of YO's doing this time and time again, why ever do they just throw a newbie out and let it take its' chance, asking for trouble.

For now, if she is grumpy (and who can blame her) give her time, don't put yourself or your daughter in a position where she can bite or kick you, tie her up or have someone at her head all the time, and just groom her and lead her out for some nice grass, give yourselves time to get to know each other. She'll come round, she's just had a bit of rough start.

 

[Pinkvboots]

agree with the others I would find a suitable herd for her to be in and be safe having other horses mount her is dangerous, I wouldn't be turning out any horse in a field with barbed wire I know people do and that's their choice but I wouldn't, it could take her a few months to settle completely try to get her into a good routine so she knows she gets turned out and fed at the same time horses thrive on routine they are very much creatures of habit, if she is bucking when ridden I would put her on the lunge first before your daughter gets on so any silliness is on the lunge, if her leg is swollen and she is lame there is a good chance the cut is infected so you will need a vet.

 

[madlady]

As others have said she needs a bit of time to adjust. I certainly wouldn't be happy about a larger cob mounting her and would be having words with your YO about more suitable field companions for her. If that can't be provided I would look elsewhere.

The injury can be dealt with - it might be worth a call to your vet to make sure she doesn't need bute/antibiotics.

If the yard you are on is fenced with barbed wire then unfortunately you are stuck with it (unless you move) TBH I have more concerns about stock fencing than I do about barbed wire, I've found that my horses have more respect for barbed wire because it pricks them but I have seen some truly horrific injuries from stock fencing and straight wire - easily as bad (if not worse) than those from barbed wire.