AdorableAlice
Well-Known Member
Young, badly educated pony + young child = injury and disaster.
Where do some people get their ideas from.
Where do some people get their ideas from.
Rearing 2 yr old? WWYD?
- Thread starter Orson Cart
- Start date
ladyt25
Well-Known Member
To be honest I think it's fairly 'normal' behaviour in many little ponies of this age (and horses in general when they're at this baby stage) they are babies at the end of the day and testing themselves and the owner and rearing is natural horse play behaviour as well. Being 10hh it's at leats not as big of an issue for the handler as not some lumping great horses flailing it's legs around but of course, like any hporse this behaviour in hand is not acceptable.
I definitely think though the poor mite needs to be either turned out of have a door made on its stable so it can see out - it is probably getting very stressed out - can you imagine if you (or tell the owner if SHE) were 'imprisoned' in this way would she like it?? It's not fair treatment and certainly smacking the pony is NOT going to help. I would think you could at leat explain that to her? I appreciate she's worried about her and her unborn baby's safety but if that's the case then i suggest she put it on grass/full livery until she has had the baby and then get some professional advice/help on dealing with the issues.
I definitely think though the poor mite needs to be either turned out of have a door made on its stable so it can see out - it is probably getting very stressed out - can you imagine if you (or tell the owner if SHE) were 'imprisoned' in this way would she like it?? It's not fair treatment and certainly smacking the pony is NOT going to help. I would think you could at leat explain that to her? I appreciate she's worried about her and her unborn baby's safety but if that's the case then i suggest she put it on grass/full livery until she has had the baby and then get some professional advice/help on dealing with the issues.
PolarSkye
Well-Known Member
Well it's all a bit academic really as you don't own the horse and we're getting all this info second hand, but . . . if the youngster belonged to me (and I wouldn't be buying a 2-year-old) then I'd turn it away in (older) company, preferably mares, to live out, be a baby horse and learn some horsey manners. I'd handle it briefly every day - head collar on, feet picked out, quick brush and meanwhile be reinforcing/reminding it of acceptable behaviour using positive reinforcement. I would only stable it if it were injured or ill. As for leading it, it's only 10hh . . . if it rears, a sharp tug and a tight turn (horses find it difficult to rear when they're turning) as a correction and then continue calmly . . . a rub or a scratch and some verbal praise for good behaviour. That's it. No gadgets, no whips, no long lines.
At this age, it's short, simple, uncomplicated lessons . . . and calmness . . . that will make the best and most productive impression on the pony's young mind.
P
At this age, it's short, simple, uncomplicated lessons . . . and calmness . . . that will make the best and most productive impression on the pony's young mind.
P
scarymare
Well-Known Member
Yes and also if you do lose a youngster on a lunge line they will panick like *******, perhaps not such an issue at this size but still when I'm starting mine (don't go into menage at all just to and fro in field) I don't even clip on, just pull it (thin lead rope 8') through so that if push comes to shove I can release without a panicking rope towing baby kicking and squealing round the field.
Queenbee
Well-Known Member
I'd have a halter and thread the lead rope over the head, firm handling but consistent and gentle. So she got this little mite because she needed a companion for her other horse who hates being alone in the field but she insists on stabling the little beggar! Get it's balls off, put it on a calmer, chuck it and the other horse out in the field and just leave it until baby is born, then lots of firm leading with the halter... I mean it's tiny ffs! How hard can it be?
AdorableAlice
Well-Known Member
Tehe, Queenbee - it's a little girl, tricky to find it's balls !!
Good job she hasn't got Ted all 15.2h of him at 9 months old, probably only you me will know what I mean. My farrier just given him a cuddle. Ted was suspicious but not panicky so we didn't push it further.
Meowy Catkin
Meow!
Right. If the pony was mine I'd have her in a leather headcollar and a long leadrope (not a lungeline). I would also wear gloves and carry a schooling whip when leading her. If she went to rear (the slight hesitation as they stop going forwards, just before they go up) I would send her forwards and say 'walk on'. You can let out the rope so that they wont catch you if they do rear and mini lunge a circle. Once the pony has all four hooves nicely on the ground again, I would go back to leading (gather in leadrope and walk at the pony's shoulder) and pretend that nothing had happened.
It doesn't matter if you start off doing 20 circles between the field and the stables, they soon learn that rearing (or thinking about rearing) = lots of boring circles. I have found that now, if my grey is thinking about going up, just saying 'walk on' is enough to stop her. I also like to give her a rub on the neck and tell her 'good girl' when she's behaving really well as this reinforces the good/desired behaviour.
RE the rearing in the stable. I agree, she needs to be able to see out with all her hooves on the ground and the owner needs to stop punishing her for trying to look out of the stable.
The pony really does sound like a normal youngster and she needs to be calmly corrected when she behaves incorrectly. Calm and consistant handling with praise for good behaviour and quick correction of undesirable behaviour makes a sensible, calm adult horse/pony.
It doesn't matter if you start off doing 20 circles between the field and the stables, they soon learn that rearing (or thinking about rearing) = lots of boring circles. I have found that now, if my grey is thinking about going up, just saying 'walk on' is enough to stop her. I also like to give her a rub on the neck and tell her 'good girl' when she's behaving really well as this reinforces the good/desired behaviour.
RE the rearing in the stable. I agree, she needs to be able to see out with all her hooves on the ground and the owner needs to stop punishing her for trying to look out of the stable.
The pony really does sound like a normal youngster and she needs to be calmly corrected when she behaves incorrectly. Calm and consistant handling with praise for good behaviour and quick correction of undesirable behaviour makes a sensible, calm adult horse/pony.
Pearlsasinger
Up in the clouds
My thoughts exactly!
I would have a simple rope halter and a schooling whip. Keep it moving, in any direction, don't let it get behind the handler. MAKE it behave. Be one (metaphorical) step in front of it all the time. If it went up, I'd crack its backside with the whip. If it wants to kick out at the whip, it will have to bring its back legs down. Or it will get the idea and come down and walk on.
However having allowed it to get into this habit, the pregnant owner should ask someone else to work with it until she is able to do so safely.
Queenbee
Well-Known Member
AA, I had the balls off my horse and my man 
I just can't take it seriously tbh, I mean fine, the little mite is scared in a stable environment, and this should be handled with genuine understanding and gentleness, so he can feel relaxed but a mini me rearing on the lead rope being led?! Perhaps it's just me and I know how to deal, but to me it's just not rocket science, I've also found that the majority of this kind of behaviour is because the flipping handler is so weak (I don't mean they should beat the hell out of said pony and be cruel) horses, younsters in particular need strong boundaries and a strong handler, without it they can turn into neurotic dangerous wizz crackers, boundaries and firmness relaxes them, they know what's acceptable and what they can and can't do, they then generally relax and behave well... Because they don't feel lost!
I remember when Bens balls hit home, he went from angel to !!!!!!! In 0-60mph! He would rear on rope and in field and jump up and kick out, the day he started was the day I called vets! Honest to god, I just do not get some people, neurotic youngster + inept handler + testosterone = hell on earth!! And actually even though I didn't say it earlier it does seem like the lady in question needs some outside help, she's obviously not able to cope baby on the way or not
poor wee chap
I just can't take it seriously tbh, I mean fine, the little mite is scared in a stable environment, and this should be handled with genuine understanding and gentleness, so he can feel relaxed but a mini me rearing on the lead rope being led?! Perhaps it's just me and I know how to deal, but to me it's just not rocket science, I've also found that the majority of this kind of behaviour is because the flipping handler is so weak (I don't mean they should beat the hell out of said pony and be cruel) horses, younsters in particular need strong boundaries and a strong handler, without it they can turn into neurotic dangerous wizz crackers, boundaries and firmness relaxes them, they know what's acceptable and what they can and can't do, they then generally relax and behave well... Because they don't feel lost! I remember when Bens balls hit home, he went from angel to !!!!!!! In 0-60mph! He would rear on rope and in field and jump up and kick out, the day he started was the day I called vets! Honest to god, I just do not get some people, neurotic youngster + inept handler + testosterone = hell on earth!! And actually even though I didn't say it earlier it does seem like the lady in question needs some outside help, she's obviously not able to cope baby on the way or not
poor wee chap Orson Cart
Well-Known Member
Thanks everyone for all your replies - they have all been very interesting. I shall pass all your suggestions onto the owner tomorrow. 
Ems
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Ems
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