Scary picture in advert!

[marmalade76]

If I am remembering the pic correctly the child was outside the stable (colt being inside) and could have easily been rescued should the need arise. If something went wrong with the kid under the stallion inside a stable, it would be very hard for his parents to extract him from the danger, and any horse is capable of being spooked regardless of their sex.

IME, youngsters, whether entire or not, often nibble and nip, and I would not like either of my children to be nibbled or nipped on the face! They've had their toes trodden on, fallen off, and had their fingers nipped when trying to feed thier pony (despite being told not to do it!), none of which worries me much as all those things happened to me as a child and I was not damaged by it. I was never bitten on the face, however, and certainly wouldn't like to try it, I would imagine that it could be very nasty indeed and could scar for life.

Do you really think that if that pony went to nip that that child could be whipped away in time?? I wouldn't like to risk it.

 

[team barney]

Do you really think that if that pony went to nip that that child could be whipped away in time?? I wouldn't like to risk it.

No, it isn't a situation I would put a child I was responsible for in, the kid could easily be scarred for life and the adult couldn't do anything to stop it, but you could get the child away and to safety as soon as it happened, the kid underneath the pony however could be killed before you could even have a chance of getting there.

 

[DragonSlayer]

Can you really decide from this picture that the horse is hard done by? Can you really tell if this horse is sedated from this picture?

Whether or not the owner is wise to let a kid crawl under the belly of a horse, stallion or otherwise....is a completely different story.

The horse looks like it's having a snooze to me, probably enjoyed his dinner, and thinking about soon having a lie-down...

 

[marmalade76]

the kid underneath the pony however could be killed before you could even have a chance of getting there.

True.

I know someone who's daughter was killed by one of their horses as a toddler, so it can and does happen.

 

[team barney]

Can you really decide from this picture that the horse is hard done by? Can you really tell if this horse is sedated from this picture?

Never said the horse was hard done by. I can't tell if the horse is sedated or not, I never said I could, I just said from past experiences, and knowing what people are capable of when trying to sell, that it wouldn't surprise me if he was.

 

[Honey08]

Really I do feel sorry for you guys who take life so seriously and appear to have missed on a carefree childhood as afforded to some of us.

I agree with this. I find a lot of the pictures of diddy children riding a 17h hunter (with a hat on) more scary. Just because a horse is a stallion doesn't make it a raving lunatic. Its probably not the best thing to do with any horse, but now and again we do daft things! This cob looks completely unbothered.

Comparing it to the feeding in the field thread is different - that was a situation when the horses would fight and kick by nature - this photo is of a completely relaxed horse IMO. (Not quite as relaxed as Enfys dead ones though!!) Yes its not a good idea to have a child climb under its legs, but hey ho.

Some stallions (and mares and geldings) are very relaxed creatures. Others are nutters. If you know your horse and handle it a lot you know what you would risk a child doing.

I have one of the grumpiest, anti social mares ever, and when she was on livery, the lady in the next stable had twins who were under two. When I was grooming, they used to insist on helping, and mother never stopped them. At first I was terrified, but this mare let the kids do anything - swing off her tail, whatever, without batting an eyelid. She was the same with my husband's 7yr old son when we first met. Now he is tall and 14 he gets the face pulling that the rest of us adults are subjected to. Its like she knows a diddy when she sees one. I also have a very easy gelding, but I wouldn't trust him with a child - they'd be picked up by their buttons or hair or something the moment I turned my back. I've also worked in riding schools where the sweetest RS pony would corner a child with barred teeth if given a chance, so kids wouldn't be allowed anywhere near them. You just have to know your horse.


As for being put off going to see it because the owners seemed idiots - crikey, half my best horses have come from idiots!