Rebacking a nappy horse

[rachboc]

Hi all.
After riding since I was a child I finally bought my first pony in Dec 2020. She's a 9 year old 13.2 mini cob/fell type for my children, aged 9,8 and 7. My kids are beginners, with the youngest still on the lead rein and the other 2 walking, trotting and starting to canter.

The pony is still settling in but (after finding the move stressful to start) is calm and kind. However she is much more inexperienced than we had hoped and has been very nappy. She naps away from the yard and in the school and last week reared when our yard owner rode her.

We think its a confidence issue (vet, saddler, dentist have all been out) and I think the solution may be to reback the pony as I suspect she was only quickly broken by the dealer we bought her from, who had her about 3 months.

Has anyone got any experience of this? I'd like her to be rebacked at home to help with thr settling issue. I'm hoping someone has advice on how long it will take, how expensive it might be and any recommendations for a trainer in Buckinghamshire? I'm not experienced to do it myself and want a proper job done so the children can have fun with her.

Many thanks

 

[Teaboy]

Long lining would be my go to and lots of it. Sorry can’t help on the trainer front. Can your instructor/yard owner not help to show you the long lining ropes initially?

 

[rachboc]

Yes my YO and her trainer will hopefully be the ones who guide the process. I'm due to speak to trainer today. I was just hoping for someone else with whom I can compare prices really.
YO has been long lining her a bit too, but we're now starting a more complete process. I want to go right back to abc....
Thanks for your reply

 

[Goldenstar]

Yo need to start again from the beginning and do lots of long lining however even though you have had the vet out you must always be thinking is there something wrong we have missed .
If you have access to a ridden horse I would lead this pony from it a lot get it out and about , you will need a person with a bike or a pretty fit one with you at first .
Napping can just resolve but it’s a bad issue to manage in a child’s pony and very demoralising for the child .
If it does not improve quickly my advice would be to do a full problems with performance work up with a suitable vet who does that type of work .
It could take three months six months or two or the horse might always be nappy .
Once the pony has been restarted you will have a long long time before it will be ready for a child to have fun with .
If I where you I would would return it .

 

[ycbm]

I'm sorry but this does not sound like a pony who will be suitable for the children you've bought her for. She should not be rearing under saddle with the yard owner even if she is newly backed. It's also pretty unlikely that she is newly backed at 9 years old and is much more likely that this nappy behaviour is ingrained (or that there is something wrong with her). I would try to get the seller to take her back as unfit for purpose, which you have the right to do because you bought from a dealer.
.

 

[paddi22]

I agree with ycbm. we get a TON of these 13.2 mini cobs into the rescue and there is a good proportion that will will always rear and nap given the chance. I've seen it happen so many times, they go out on loan to kids and if the kid is quiet or nervy they start to nap and rear, and it generally gets worse. they can be perfect on the ground for grooming etc, but the default is to nap and rear when they don't want to load/leave their friends etc.

when they get rehomed to older stronger kids who can ride them out of it they turn around and are great little things. at the start the cobs push their luck, the kids put a fight back up to them and then they settle and are fine.

I absolutely dread when I see 13.2 mini cobs in for retraining.they can be so stubborn and you really have to ride them out of things and go hard on them. Even the ones that retrain and turn out nice seem to revert once they go to a nervy kid and see their opportunity.


it mightn't be the case here but as soon as I saw 13.2 mini-cob I nearly guessed when the next paragraph would be.

 

[VRIN]

I think that the fact that it is 9 years old and only 'just broken' should raise alarm bells. I agree with previous poster send back to dealer and find something more suitable.

 

[oldie48]

Sorry but I have to agree with others who have posted, I'd also return the pony or sell on with full disclosure. I think you could end up spending money and still not have a suitable pony for your children. I think you need a been there, done it, got the T shirt type of pony, probably older than you would like but as safe as houses so still command a decent price. They are out there but take some finding.

 

[Dexter]

Test for PSSM. Its so, so, so common in cobs and my boy was exactly the same. We got the PSSM under control and hes a different horse. But honestly, send her back to the dealer if you can. It will save a lot of hassle and heartbreak in the long run.

 

[wren123]

Another one adding to the chorus of return it her or sell her with full disclosure. You could spend a Fortune on reschooling but I'd never trust the pony with my children. The fact that she reared when your yard owner was riding is a real red flag for me.

 

[Upthecreek]

You could spend lots of money and time and still not have a pony that your children could enjoy at the end of it. Never ever would I put beginner children aged 7, 8 and 9 on a pony that had been known to rear, it is so dangerous. My kids have been riding since they were toddlers so by age 8/9 were pretty fearless and rode some fairly spicy ponies, but that would have been a no no. I think you should send the pony back and look for something that has been reliably and consistently doing the job you need it to do.

 

[Wishfilly]

Knowing now that her default when stressed is to rear, are you really going to trust her with your kids? Even if she was recently backed, even if this was rushed, you now know that's her go to behaviour if she's upset.

I've helped bring on a few horses which were backed when they were older (usually ex-broodmares). Often backing is quicker because they are physically mature. It wasn't all plain sailing, but none reared with me (or anyone else).

It would always be at the back of my mind that if she got too scared or upset, she would rear, and that could be really dangerous for the kids.

Walk, trot and starting to canter, I feel is a stage where you really need an established, safe pony. I'd be seriously considering sending her back and looking for an older, been there, done that pony that's a true first ridden.