Novice pony

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anxiousmum

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19 August 2009
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Hi - I bought a 4 yr old pony for my daughter, we bought off someone who knew her and watched her ride. We were told he was suitable so took him on trial for 3 weeks. He was a little angel for 2 months - didn't spook at anything but last week he got scared and reared and threw his rider. Since then he's not wanted to leave the yard with or without company and when she finally gets him out he trys turning for home at every opportunity. He's the first pony we've owned and is lovely to handle in the stable. Any advice would be welcomed but please don't suggest we sell him!!!
 
I would say try and get a small experienced rider on him and sort him out, personally i would say he is trying it on.

I am presuming you have had him checked, back, teeth, saddle etc????
 
Do you know a lightwieght adult or good child rider who may be willing to ride him for you? There maybe one on your yard or ask other liveries to see if they know someone. Or is there somebody with a good horse he could hack out with to give him confidence? At that age a scare is going to stay with him and knock his confidence, it sounds like he needs somebody calm and experienced to give him it back
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Maybe ask your local DC/ instructor for a small jockey who rides naughty ponies- when my sister was smaller she rode naughty/ young ponies for people quite cheaply and there's now other kids like her about doing it fairly cheap.
 
Unfortunately this can be typical of a 4 yo as they are at the end of the day still babies and learning so can get spooked.

No idea what level of riding ability your daughter is but if a novice then i think buying a 4 yo was possibly not the best idea. However, what's done is done and I am pretty sure the problem can be rectified. As others have said try and get a small adult/more experienced child to ride him as it may well be (if it is your daughter riding) she is now anxious it'll hapepen again and the pony is picking up on this and it's making him worse.

It's all about confidence at that age and the rider needs to be confident to 'nanny' the young pony through scary moments.

Just because the pony has reared once does not mean it'll happen again but you don't want to give it the opportunity to do it either so, a firmer, confident rider along with someone else on a horse should help. You could also maybe try leading him out or even do a bit of long reining with him.
 
Thanks everyone for your advice - I'm so not used to owning a pony but have ridden myself in the passed. After reading your advice she took him in the school this afternoon and another girl rode him for us. She's an experianced rider and he seemed a lot calmer. My daughter then rode him and even took him over some poles which she's not had the confidence to do either.....he came out of the yard ok too with another pony so just going to try and keep him along that vein until he's gained a bit more confidence.
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Don't forget to make a big fuss of him when he does something right (not food, just a pat and a 'good boy'). As others have said you need to build his confidence bit by bit.

I think the person who sold you the pony should have told you that he was a baby and needed treating carefully. Just be confident with him and be aware that anything new may well be very scary indeed. They always surprise me at what they do and don't spook at. Big orange bus or red tractor...no problem. Discarded McDonald's (killer) cup and straw WOW! SCARY MONSTER.
 
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