pony took off and my daughter has compound fracture

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ponymom

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My daughter is 8 years old and a novice and the first day of the easter break she had a nasty fall from her pony resulting in surgery for a compound fracture. She is in good form just dissappointed she cant ride any time soon! I am the one who needs to be sedated!:eek: This was her first pony and she had only ever ridden riding school ponies.I had reservations about the pony from the beginning,he's 5 and I felt he was too much for her but she wore me down and we bought him.He was nipping and doing a little buck if she used the crop.She had lessons on him in a sand arena and he was going well for her there.But at home he was playing up when she rode him in the garden and last Monday she popped him over a small jump and basically he took off galloping up the garden at break neck pace.I knew she couldnt pull him up so I waved him down and he went to the left came to a halt,she went to the right and came down on her hands.

This was the second time he took off when she was trying to jump so I know she cant hold him.Im going to sell him on.My worry is where to now?An older pony?How old?She is not put off by this accident one bit.But I dont want to see my only daughter in this way or worse again.Help!
 
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Unfortunately, ponies like you need are like hens teeth! V Rare! What about an old riding school pony - you need something that is very very quiet, a 5yo is probably far too young unless you are going to do leadrein stuff for ages. Sounds like she is past being led around though if she wants to jump.

Try the local pony club - they might have something for sale.
 
It does sound as if he is a bit forward going, and a young pony for a child is not always a good idea. There will be some very knowledgable people on here who will advise you better about the pony, but for your daughters sake please do not stop her riding if she wants to continue.

My own daughter had a nasty fall and broke her arm when she was about 10 - pony tripped on landing over a jump and they both fell:( At 12 the same pony bolted with her at pc camp when spooked by a low flying plane. She had a nasty fall and at 24 has just had major shoulder surgery to rectify that injury properly. There have been other less serious falls along the way of course. Overall though I do not think she has regrets. I don't - it has given her confidence, determination, toughness, self reliance and perhaps most importantly fun:). Just make sure she has a good hat, a good BP, a good instructor and, perhaps, a safer pony - but nothing is ever 100%.

I hope your little girl is better soon and that she moves onward and upwards.
 
Pony sounds far too young and green for an 8 yr old child! Never give in to 'pester power' where safety is concerned and ask around pony/riding clubs/schools for something which comes with a recommendation, some of the best ponies are still going strong in their 20's and have taught many children to ride so dont be put off by an older pony. Maybe send young pony off for schooling with a more experienced rider before selling on, it is very good that your daughter is still keen to ride..
 
While you are looking for the perfect pony, I would teach your daughter to fall properly. She needs to tuck and roll away from the pony - not to land on her hands.
Next time, make sure that you take charge of the choosing process. Don't even let your daughter look at the advert until you have viewed the pony yourself (with a knowledgeable friend if necessary) and then there will be no pleading to wear you down.
 
Despite concerns as to safety, you gave in to an 8yr old? :eek:
Are you 'horsey'? From the sounds of 'waving him down' & 'crop' perhaps not? :(
Did you have advice from riding instructor - did you thoroughly try out pony 1st?

Ponies are ponies. He has not long moved in? He didn't do anything wrong as such, but your daughter only tumbled due to the pony swerving away from you waving him down. It sounds like he just needs a bit more work & supervison to get him more settled. Please do NOT blame the pony for just being a little excitable to start with in a new place with a new rider - they are just like children at the end of the day when in new places.

Polite response from me is to put pony into livery, maybe in a good showing/pony competing yard & have assistance all the time - as an 8 yr old will need assistance.
 
I am seriously worried here - 8 yr old child fresh out of riding school environment trying to jump a 5 yr old pony in a GARDEN??? Seriously?

As a riding instructor, there are so many issues here I don't know where to start.

First of all, at 5 the pony is a baby, needs lots of schooling and a consistent environment, of course he will buck if the crop is used, as poor little mite doesn't have a clue why he is being hit, he needs to be ridden by either a more experienced rider to teach him the ropes, or under supervision by a good instructor, not a novice rider and by the sound of it very novice mum - sorry, but this was always an accident waiting to happen if I have read this right and you are not trolling here.

Daughter should still be having lessons in an enclosed arena, with a surface, especially if jumping. The ground is like concrete, the pony will be overexcited by being in a large open area, in fact I don't know a single pony that wouldn't bomb off in that situation.

Poor pony will be difficult to sell now, and anyone with a decent older pony would hesitate to sell it to a home where there is such a lack of knowledge - I have a couple of older ponies and have never sold them on in case they end up with someone who doesn't know what they are doing.

Over and out before I have an apoplectic fit.

Apologies for sounding so harsh, but I would go back to the riding school, have more lessons to build up confidence, perhaps join the Pony Club, and enlist the help of a good instructor to help you buy a more suitable pony next time.
 
You gotta fall off to learn to ride well thats what my dad always used to say and i finished off show jumping A grade so it seemed to work with me. However it does do my head in when i see children smacking ponies with crops, when did the theory and practice of using your legs stop. I also believe that ponies that dont do a thing wrong actually do not teach children how to ride, you only learn to be a better rider by having a horse/pony that makes you think about what you are doing otherwise there could be consequences as my husband says you have to be thinking x 100 ahead of the horse/pony all the time as to what could happen so you are prepared for it. Possibly pony is a bit fresh, pony has also learnt that 8 year old is not that strong a rider and pony is also only 5 years old itself. Dont punish pony for this (he is being a pony) try to keep him exercised whilst your daughter is not able to ride even if it is loose schooling or lunging, and as you now know when pony is going to bolt after jumping leave the jumping out until your daughter and pony have bonded and got to understand each other. It will work, seems sad that pony has to go because it has done what all horses/ponies do because after all they are animals and unpredictable. I understand you are concerned about your daughters safety but riding horses/ponies is a dangerous sport and if you cant accept that then best not ride at all.
 
Whilst I totally agree in principle with some of the sentiments expressed here I do think people are being a bit harsh in their way of expressing things.
OP - there is lots of good advice here none of which I would argue with but, I would point out that kids do fall off ponies no matter how experienced the home. Accidents can be minimised but not eliminated. As I said before, hat, BP and a good instructor will be a good place to start - hopefully you will then get the advice you need to continue safely. I would also agree, having re-read the post that if you are keeping the pony at home and you are inexperienced that is probably the worst possible thing you can do. Please do get some professional help.
 
millreef said:
To be honesT I Really think yOu should not have bought a pony. Your daughter shouLd perhaps Learn to ride first?
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:D Just after I posted my last reply the thought did cross my mind. The jumping in the garden may be a give away. If not OP I apologise.
 
Thanks for all advice,especially to the first 4 posters who didnt label me!Just because I'm called ponymom doesnt mean I am a naive mother rushing off to buy the first pony I see! How many of those who seem so critical of me have children themselves?Or do you spend all of your time riding horses? If you see your child on an out of control pony coming towards you'll do your utmost to stop him before he gets any further!Any parent would do the same!As for the use of the term crop!In my day we called it a crop!So what!My daughter was wearing a fully approved hat and back protector.The garden I refer to is our land!She was attending one to one lessons with him with a qualified instructor after 3 years of riding weekly at a riding school.Her instructor had said he was a little green but was surprised at him taking off like that.If some of the posters on the forum had their way horse riding would be reserved for the privileged 'horsey' few!It must be wonderful to be perfect and to get it right every time!
 
Ponymom, I fell off all the time when I was learning to ride and never broke anything even now some 50 years later, (touches wood). Your daughter was very unlucky.

In your shoes, which I am not, I would look for a steady older pony that has been there and done it all. Is your pony kept with equine company? Often ponies/horses do not do well on their own. Just a thought.

Jane
 
I think that there are many, many, very sweet people on this forum, there are also a few who like to cause perturbation and agitation. If Ponymom is genuine then she should ignore my posts and take the advice of those who think she is genuine. I do not however. I've been bitten more than once by TROLL's on this forum. Some of their comments were inhumane and deeply offensive so I have very little patience for them I'm afraid.

As for Ponymoms comments;
1 -She was attending one to one lessons with him with a qualified instructor after 3 years of riding weekly at a riding school.Her instructor had said he was a little green but was surprised at him taking off like that. Any riding instructor worth their salt would have the pony in an enclosed area and would have dealt with a bolting pony in a professional manner - AND certainly not have let a Parent go chasing after the thing with a flippin crop.
2. If some of the posters on the forum had their way horse riding would be reserved for the privileged 'horsey' few!It must be wonderful to be perfect and to get it right every time!
Any Wally can own a horse or pony - that's the problem dear. This forum is for those who love horses and like to find advice or give it. Read some of the posts on here about the state of ponies which have ended up in sales and their fate after this is the knackers yard - why? Because anyone can have one and they often do!
 
Yes, I have kids and yes, I spend all my day riding and being around horses.

I got my kids a schoolmistress who had a reputation (right from being newly broken) and an edge even in her twenties and all three of them rode her with no disasters. Two made excellent riders (one only ever sat on). I put this down to me half knowing what the job is and not courting such disasters!

All three of my children had no riding experience AT ALL before, though I have always had a horse at home. My son started age 8, daughter 7. Son's next pony was a newly broken 5 yo Welsh Sec B pony with a cold back. Again, we had the most tremendous fun and success with him, once we had sorted the bucking out. Oddly, we discovered he was fine bareback and this only came to light when the kids were having an illicit bareback jumping competition with each other - quite unbeknowns to me. I went mad, as they only had headcollars on their ponies (Psycho Schoolmistress and Buckaroo Baby) and NO HATS!

Maybe I was lucky?
 
My daughter got her first pony at ten years old, he was 6 years old and only over from Ireland a year. We never rushed either of them, they schooled regularly, hacked regularly and had lessons regularly from an experienced Instructor. Even on the first hacks I had him on a line so that JUST IN CASE, I had a measure of control. He isn't small by any means at 14hh. The jumping and speed came much later. It really is about taking things slowly and reassessing if needs be. He is a lovely lad and we still have him six years later, he is twelve now and my daughter is sixteen and not tall so she hasn't outgrown him, they still toddle off on hacks together and he is adored by her.

I do think a nice quiet young horse is nothing horrific for a young rider IF common sense is used and experienced people are at hand to help with both educations.
 
Ponymom I hope your daughter has a speedy recovery.

How big is the pony & what bit is the pony being ridden in. Often I find that a Kimblewick or a Pelham with one rein works well for the young rider until they have the strength and balance to cope with a pony going strong. (Before anyone jumps down my throat - bits are not necessarily stronger BUT work differently.) I'd rather see a pony slowed easily than hauled around in a snaffle.

As to why he took off there could be many reasons. Most often with a young pony and spring grass its excess energy.

Are you able to lunge the pony - sounds like you may have ridden as a child. If not then while your daughter is out of action head for the local school to be taught how to lunge. You could also consider the pony going to be schooled while you daughter can't ride.

Spring grass can have a nasty effect on some ponies as the rapid growth reduces the balance of Magnesium.

Suggest that you feed him twice daily with 1 Level Dessert spoon each, Epsom Salts, Baking Soda, Yeast & Dried Thyme. Mix with some mollasses and add to a very small feed.
 
I think OP was just very unlucky - many of us here have been in far worse situations and come off with a few bruises. At least your daughter is still keen to ride OP and you have a bit of thinking time over what to do. Maybe you could send the pony for a bit of schooling while she recovers and then get an honest opinion as to whether they are a good match or not. Maybe a 5 year old is not ideal, but with the right help it is not necessarily a disaster.

I don't think OP is a troll. My own mum was not horsey but through sheer luck she bought an old pony that was a gem. 14.2 ex JA so he could jump but he was bombproof on the roads and incredibly kind. My mum would drop me off at the field in the morning and pick me up in the evening and I was just 10. Of course no parent would dream of doing that these days and it was a miracle I was not injured - what 10 year old unsupervised with a pony has any sense? But that was the way things were back in the day. And we called them crops back then too :)
 
Crops/whips doesnt matter what you call them they shouldnt be in any childs hands, their hands are too small to start with to hold a crop and the reins and try and control a pony (it is an animal at the end of the day and animals do as animals do), also a child cannot understand the meaning behind giving a pony a smack, there are many reasons, times and ways to give a horse/pony a smack, doing this wrong could cause a lot of problems later on. I agree with changing the bit and pony going for schooling, if you do change the bit only use it when your child is on it, i am thinking maybe a bigger stronger child might get on and then you have another issue with the pony end up running away from the bit. Also new environment, spring grass are all big major factors in this. At the end of the day we all had to learn to ride before we got to where we are now and we didnt all learn from a 38 year old school master so give pony and your daughter a chance. They could become stars who knows.
 
Hedgewitch13 said:
You put an 8 year old novice on a 5 year old pony? I am biting my tongue on this one but it does seem very troll like to me.
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When I was that age I was put on a 4yo pony. My parents were clueless at the time as was I.
It can happen. If she is a troll then I'm the one looking silly here :p
But if she isn't I do feel sorry for her as we were in the exact same position, pony was a typical baby and I was just out of riding school. It led to disaster but we sought professional help got a brill RI and she is still teaching me today. :)
 
I use the term "crop" for a short whip and "whip" for a schooling whip. I'm not old, maybe it's a regional thing?

I also don't see a problem with riding in a garden if it's the right garden. A girl who used to live down the road rode her horse in the garden in the summer, because she had a lovely big lawn which she kept watered - much better for the horse when the ground is like concrete everywhere else. Was she a novice? No, she was British champion in her discipline at that time.

My first horse was an 8 year old. He wasn't well schooled, and was very spooky, regularly stopped at jumps and was grouchy. But I coped and he taught me a lot. My current horse is 4, and was very green when I got him. He is far more sensible in so many ways than the 8 year old. Age doesn't necessarily mean that the horse will be calmer/more sensible.

However, I feel sorry for the pony getting sold for an accident which sounds like it was not entirely its fault. Yes, it took off (likely because there was a novice on board), but it sounds like the little girl actually fell off from losing her balance when the pony stopped. I think it's very sad just to sell what is perceived to be the "problem" when it is actually the rider's lack of experience at fault.

Would it be possible to get a more experienced lightweight rider to bring the pony on? When I was a teenager I used to go once a week to help a family in a similar situation - they had a pony kept at home which had developed a bucking problem, which I could deal with but the little girl couldn't.
 
I really wish I was as perfect as some of the people on this forum! To the OP - hope your daughter heals well - these things happen sometimes around ponies and I know how scarey it as as a parent to see your child in danger or hurt. Maybe a quieter more confidence giving pony is the way to go. It can be really difficult finding the right pony for your child and no pony is perfect but good luck whatever you decide.
 
Yea I bought my 6 year old daughter a lion after she pestered me, we kept it in the old budgie aviary, it got out and ate her, hope the new lion is better behaved.
 
The lion isn't even far fetched. In the 70's a friends parents did buy her a lion cub :eek: She still has pics of it lying beside the fire. Obviously they didn't know what they were doing and the poor little thing died.
 
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