School ponys new adventure

[littleblackcob]

Hey gang. I am the proud owner of a little black cob called Burt. He has been a school pony for about 11 years. Ive riden him as a school pony for about 7 years. Middle of last year I decided my life needed a Burt in it and I bought him. Hes around 15 now and ive had him for about 7 months now. We are still at the yard he was a school pony at and hes as happy as larry. His own stable, lots of fussing and me flapping around on him. Hes a bit of a podge pot and prone to bouts of laziness.
Im not the most confident of riders at all and can be very nervous. Hes such a gem and knows when im not feeling it.
The livery ponies at our yard come in for the winter with 2 hours turnout a day and exercise when you can get down there (its full livery). Hes never been an 'in' pony so I was really nervous as to how he would cope. In my head hes not liking it and turned into a race horse. He hasn't but that's how I feel. To the point where im too nervous to get on him. And only go in the school. Im escpecially nervous of going out for a hack on him even though he is safe as houses. Hes known as Bombproof Burt.
Am I being mean not going out? The staff and other liveries will take him out for me. I just want to give him his best life. Pretty sure hes loving being pampered.
Anyone else have these issues?

 

[Kizzy2004]

Could you take him for a walk in hand rather then hack him straight away if your worried? Is there anyone you can hack out with or maybe ask for a hacking lesson from one of the instructors.

I wouldn’t worry to much about him being in too long if that’s his routine and what he’s used to.

He sounds like a lovely pony.

 

[HeyMich]

Try and get him out and about as much as you can, with safe and sane hacking buddies if you can - I imagine being in the stable 22 hrs a day and only being ridden in a school is pretty dull for him! The more he gets out, the more he'll settle with you. What reasons do you have to be nervous? Are the staff/liveries scared to ride him? How many times has he been great, and how many times has he been silly/dangerous? What are the odds of something bad happening? Be brave!

 

[Winters100]

Bombproof Burt sounds awesome! If you are nervous I would ask a more experienced friend or a pro to hop on and take him out, and if he behaves find yourself some hacking friends and off you go. The thing with nerves is the longer you wait the worse they get, at least that is my experience, and being a horse I am pretty sure that he would like a nice hack more than being pampered in the box Good luck and do enjoy him!

 

[Pearlsasinger]

He will be even more bombproof if he gets out and about. You are probably feeling nervous because he is keen to get out of the stable, especially if when he was a school horse, he was used to living out. Can you join someone else on a hack? Are the staff exercising other ponies at a tie when you could join them?

 

[littleblackcob]

Try and get him out and about as much as you can, with safe and sane hacking buddies if you can - I imagine being in the stable 22 hrs a day and only being ridden in a school is pretty dull for him! The more he gets out, the more he'll settle with you. What reasons do you have to be nervous? Are the staff/liveries scared to ride him? How many times has he been great, and how many times has he been silly/dangerous? What are the odds of something bad happening? Be brave!

Could you take him for a walk in hand rather then hack him straight away if your worried? Is there anyone you can hack out with or maybe ask for a hacking lesson from one of the instructors.

I wouldn’t worry to much about him being in too long if that’s his routine and what he’s used to.

He sounds like a lovely pony.

Could you take him for a walk in hand rather then hack him straight away if your worried? Is there anyone you can hack out with or maybe ask for a hacking lesson from one of the instructors.

I wouldn’t worry to much about him being in too long if that’s his routine and what he’s used to.

He sounds like a lovely pony.

 

[littleblackcob]

Hey guys. Apologies for the weird reply thing above. Just getting used to navigating round the forum....sound like me and Burt in a lesson. LOL
Thanks for all your replies. I have had some bad experiences whilst out. Not falling off accidents, but situations where the person leading a group hack (we used to do pub rides) would suddenly decide she was going to canter or even gallop without checking the rest of us were happy with this and then wed be off like a shot. My Burt is as safe as houses but going at this speed scared me to death. So it put me off.
Burt is a super star. He is so sweet.
I do have some wonderful friends and staff who know him really well and will take him out at the drop of a hat.
And yes a best friend who is waiting very patiently whilst I get my head in the zone to go out with.
Im planning to do some school stuff with him that involve poles that will keep his brain ticking. Being a cob he is a clever little pony. Good all rounder. Although as you guys say having been a school pony for 11 years hes due a rest. Lol
Thanks for all your replies. Its really nice to know there are other people who can help. xx

 

[zandp]

Take him for a walk tacked up, when you're brain isn't overthinking pop on and ride home ? It's what I used to do and do when I have hacking heebyjeebies.

 

[Rumtytum]

Hey guys. Apologies for the weird reply thing above. Just getting used to navigating round the forum....sound like me and Burt in a lesson. LOL
Thanks for all your replies. I have had some bad experiences whilst out. Not falling off accidents, but situations where the person leading a group hack (we used to do pub rides) would suddenly decide she was going to canter or even gallop without checking the rest of us were happy with this and then wed be off like a shot. My Burt is as safe as houses but going at this speed scared me to death. So it put me off.
Burt is a super star. He is so sweet.
I do have some wonderful friends and staff who know him really well and will take him out at the drop of a hat.
And yes a best friend who is waiting very patiently whilst I get my head in the zone to go out with.
Im planning to do some school stuff with him that involve poles that will keep his brain ticking. Being a cob he is a clever little pony. Good all rounder. Although as you guys say having been a school pony for 11 years hes due a rest. Lol
Thanks for all your replies. Its really nice to know there are other people who can help. xx

A few pics of Burt (who sounds absolutely gorgeous) would be much appreciated ?

 

[Cutgrass]

Yes I also think we need pictures of Burt ?

I'd rope in a friend who understands and is happy to have a walk hack around the block, ride him in the school for 10 minutes to convince yourself he's listening and being his normal brilliant Burt self, then head out and enjoy a hack. I bet you'd be nervous the first time but less so the second and eventually won't think anything of it. I can see how you got to feeling nervous though. I wouldn't want to hack with someone who didn't communicate and wasn't happy to go at the speed of the slowest and/or least confident riders. That's just bad manners!

 

[JackFrost]

Burt is your best friend. He will be the one to help you overcome your fears. Your worry isn't actually about him, it's about what has happened in the past. We are all vulnerable when we are sitting on a horse. Allow yourself to slowly learn trust again - share your fears with Burt and he will look after you and carry you to where you want to be.

 

[Chianti]

Hey gang. I am the proud owner of a little black cob called Burt. He has been a school pony for about 11 years. Ive riden him as a school pony for about 7 years. Middle of last year I decided my life needed a Burt in it and I bought him. Hes around 15 now and ive had him for about 7 months now. We are still at the yard he was a school pony at and hes as happy as larry. His own stable, lots of fussing and me flapping around on him. Hes a bit of a podge pot and prone to bouts of laziness.
Im not the most confident of riders at all and can be very nervous. Hes such a gem and knows when im not feeling it.
The livery ponies at our yard come in for the winter with 2 hours turnout a day and exercise when you can get down there (its full livery). Hes never been an 'in' pony so I was really nervous as to how he would cope. In my head hes not liking it and turned into a race horse. He hasn't but that's how I feel. To the point where im too nervous to get on him. And only go in the school. Im escpecially nervous of going out for a hack on him even though he is safe as houses. Hes known as Bombproof Burt.
Am I being mean not going out? The staff and other liveries will take him out for me. I just want to give him his best life. Pretty sure hes loving being pampered.
Anyone else have these issues?

Is there any way you can move him to a yard with more turn out? I know it's really difficult in winter but only having two hours turnout is quite difficult for most horses and I think particularly for ponies. Mine is used to living out but at one yard had to be in over night for a while. He turned into a grumpy monster but was fine as soon as he was turned out again. Imagine being in your bedroom for that long every day with only a couple of hours a day of freedom.

 

[SO1]

He sounds like he is a lovely pony.

Maybe a group hack with lots of unexpected cantering at this time of year is not the best way forward perhaps you can go on a hack with just one person and doing more walking and trotting until you are more confident. What is he being fed on if he is in less work with less turnout he might need less hard feed compared to when he was living out and doing a lot more work.

 

[littleblackcob]

Is there any way you can move him to a yard with more turn out? I know it's really difficult in winter but only having two hours turnout is quite difficult for most horses and I think particularly for ponies. Mine is used to living out but at one yard had to be in over night for a while. He turned into a grumpy monster but was fine as soon as he was turned out again. Imagine being in your bedroom for that long every day with only a couple of hours a day of freedom.

Thanks Chianti. It is possible but hes been there since he was 3 and all his friends and mine have horses there. It would be really hard to move him. Hes very chilled out and im hoping that he will settle in. Ive been assured by the staff he is not stressing at all. Its me that's stressing. LOL We are all hoping that there maybe a change of management sometime and they will consider putting them all out in the field during the day and in at night. Trouble is its a 40 strong herd with half of those school ponies. Our fields although big (we have 2 massive fields) are part of a flood plain. Unfortunately if these flood over winter which they quite often do they turn into swamps. Its hard and I often wonder if buying him was the best idea because he isn't a 'school' pony anymore but he gets a lot more fuss and attention and more importantly food. LOL
He is by nature very lazy and maybe this will be the best thing that's ever happened to him.
Crikey ive just answered my own question there haven't I? LOL

 

[littleblackcob]

He sounds like he is a lovely pony.

Maybe a group hack with lots of unexpected cantering at this time of year is not the best way forward perhaps you can go on a hack with just one person and doing more walking and trotting until you are more confident. What is he being fed on if he is in less work with less turnout he might need less hard feed compared to when he was living out and doing a lot more work.

Thank you. He gets two small feeds a day. Breakfast and dinner. Lots of hay. He has 1 sccop pony nuts and some alfa light. They don't give him huge amounts as he is porker. And yes going with others out will definitely help. Trouble is during this lockdown we are only allowed to go in twos! Id be much happier in a mini group of 3/4 calm ponies to be fair. I think its a work in progress.

 

[Chianti]

Thanks Chianti. It is possible but hes been there since he was 3 and all his friends and mine have horses there. It would be really hard to move him. Hes very chilled out and im hoping that he will settle in. Ive been assured by the staff he is not stressing at all. Its me that's stressing. LOL We are all hoping that there maybe a change of management sometime and they will consider putting them all out in the field during the day and in at night. Trouble is its a 40 strong herd with half of those school ponies. Our fields although big (we have 2 massive fields) are part of a flood plain. Unfortunately if these flood over winter which they quite often do they turn into swamps. Its hard and I often wonder if buying him was the best idea because he isn't a 'school' pony anymore but he gets a lot more fuss and attention and more importantly food. LOL
He is by nature very lazy and maybe this will be the best thing that's ever happened to him.
Crikey ive just answered my own question there haven't I? LOL

Mine was also the riding school pony that I hacked out once a week. The riding school closed so I first of all took him on loan and then a few months later bought him. He's changed a lot - he's quite small so in the school was usually at the back of the string in the school or on a hack. Four years on and he's changed a lot. He's more forward going and more spooky! I often have 'why have I done this?' moments but then I think I'd only spend my time and money on things like holidays and clothes and a new car.......