Should I sell my pony?

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leah95

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I've got a 14.1hh new forest x, and although he may be very cute, he is turning out to be a nightmare! We bought him at the end of January after being told he was a "confidence giver" with "excellent stable manners".

However, not long after we bought him we found out this wasn't the case. The first time my daughter took him in the school, he rolled with her on him, and it wasn't the last time he did it either! He now has to be lead round in a bridle as he constantly drags when being lead and in the stable he constantly has his ears back, and is quite fond of nipping!

The one thing he is good at is hacking out, i cant really fault him there but it's more my mum that enjoys hacking out. However, where we are, to get to the trails, bridle paths ect. you have to walk down a busy main road. That's another thing they told us, "he's done a lot of road work". When my mum took him down he started bronching and bucking whenever a wagon or a bus went past!

Ive been working on him in the school and he has been getting better, but he isn't the pony we thought he was going to be and i really cant decide what to do:confused:
 
Was he unclipped when he rolled in the school?

Apart from that, he doesn't sound too bad. Nipping is a sign of tidbitting - presumably you've stopped this? And has his tack been professionally fitted?
 
he was unclipped yeah, it was in winter i never thought of that though, and yeah he doesn't get any treats due to his nipping and his previous owners didn''t either. And yeahh we got a second hand stubben saddle fitted just before we took him home so i dont think it's the saddle and we rode him a couple of times before we bought him and he was great; he was fine with barking dogs, really bad rain and wind, everything but i'm kicking myself now for not riding him in the school.

We are currently on a riding school (we dont use him as a riding school pony) and have recently found out he used to be there on the school! But apparently he didnt last very long and had "staff only" on his stable door:|
 
I suspect if he'd been clipped, he wouldn't have rolled.

Stubben's aren't great on ponies.

The riding school environment probably (most definately I'd say) doesn't suit him.
 
amymay said:
I suspect if he'd been clipped, he wouldn't have rolled.

Stubben's aren't great on ponies.

The riding school environment probably (most definately I'd say) doesn't suit him.
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Completely agree with this ^^

ALSO, How old is pony? what is pony fed? Have you had ponies teeth and back checked? How often is pony worked?
 
if he didn't enjoy the riding school before, then it's probably causing him stress even if he's not being used in lessons, I'd look to move him to a more peaceful yard tbh.
 
All newbies go through what we have taken to calling the "New Pony Horrors". Anywhere from 6 weeks to 3 months after purchase Ned finally figures out they are not going back to thier old rider and tries to figure out what they can get away with in thier new home. We've had them turn into total demons! They do turn back after a while.

You need to decide if you are going to sell him on or work to get him through. Either decicion is hard and will require commitment. Neither deiccion is right or wrong. Its about how you feel. If he is a danger to your daughter (and it sounds like he might be), or if he is going to cause her to lose confidennce you do need to do something.

If he is really not the pony for you then one of the bravest things you can do is to thing of selling him on and getting something more suited to you. But you do need to be able to be realistic and honest with a buyer - especially if there is a child involved - and this will probably mean that you may not be able to get back what you paid for him. You may not even be able to sell him as he is. If you are going to sell him you might want to think about selling him to a dealer rather than going through the heartache of doing it privately.

Alternatively you can try to work him through this. If you haven't already you need to get his back, teeth and tack checked professionally. If he wasn't vetted when you bought him you will also need to do that now to be sure there is no pain related reason for his behaviour.

Assuming there is no medical reason you will then need to work with an instructor to address his issues with your daughter together. This could be a long process. You don't say how old he is, but there are places that specialise in re-backing problem horses. You could explore sending him away to what is in effect Pony boot camp.

I can't tell you what to do - other than to go with your gut feeling. It is never nice. Probably every single horse owner here has gone through something similar - which ever decicion they made in the end.
 
Well recently a friend of ours lunged him a few times for us, he tried it on with her but she soon sorted him out, and since then he has been a lot better in the school but he has good days an bad days like all horses really, and he's 8 next month.

And, yeah that's what we're starting to think about the school though, if there's a lot going he becomes tense, like he's frightened but then other days he's fine and this is why we can't decide what to do
 
leah95 said:
Well recently a friend of ours lunged him a few times for us, he tried it on with her but she soon sorted him out, and since then he has been a lot better in the school but he has good days an bad days like all horses really, and he's 8 next month.

And, yeah that's what we're starting to think about the school though, if there's a lot going he becomes tense, like he's frightened but then other days he's fine and this is why we can't decide what to do
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Sounds to me that he cannot cope with a big/busy yard.

Time to move him to a smaller quieter yard- also ask the person who lunged him to come and do it again at new quiet small yard

xXx
 
If he's had a bad experience at that yard it can't be helping, I'd move him somewhere quiet with experienced help on hand & try again. Nothing you've said sounds incurable, & even if he's still not a good match for your daughter, it will be easier to find him a good home without losing out financially if he's less stressed & better mannered.
 
look at it from his point of view. He has been moved from a home where he was happy and knew what he was doing to live with strangers in an environment he has previously found stressful and upsetting. He doesn't know where he stands and is very unsettled.It's no wonder that he's stressed out and unhappy. That doesn't mean his behaviour is acceptable, but I think it often helps to try and see the other side as it certainly removes some of the frustration when you realise there are reasons for the behaviour.

In your position I would get him checked by vet, dentist, back person and saddler and move him to a smaller yard. I would turn him out for a few weeks to chill out and just bring him in to groom, handle and feed and then turn him back out. Start him back in work gently with a bit of lunging, and get an instructor or very experienced friend to help restart the ridden work. Once he's more relaxed you might find that he's a different pony :)
 
He doesn't get a feed but has one full bucket of hayalage in the morning and one full bucket in the evening and if he doesn't go out in the field he gets a small snack net. We recently had him weighed buy the feed company spillers and he scored a 5 which was the ideal weight. He has been booked in for the dentist and he is coming next week, and he is ridden about 6 times a week for about an hour.

And thankyou shay for that, it was very informative! My daughter needs something she can feel confident in the stable with, groom no problem ect. and you have to be on your guard with him constantly. I think with the right owner, someone with a lot of time and who is firm, he could go far, but it infuriates me that they sold him to us telling us he's something he's not, especially when there's a child involved!

And about moving to a smaller yard, its a bit of a funny situation really. We recently moved from a quiet yard which was mainly hacking out to the riding school. Where we used to be he was hacked out about once a week, which was just me riding because my daughter really doesnt enjoy hacking out. We moved because it was a very bitchy yard, with people who would prefer to watch you struggle than try and help you out if you get what i mean. We moved where we are now because my daughter has lessons there, it's a friendly yard and people are always willing to help. Since he's been there that is when my daughter has started to ride him everyday, and even jumped him and he has been a little bit better, but in the stable he is no better, the dragging hasnt stopped he just doesnt seem like a happy pony? ii want to do what's best for him and i want him to be happy but if we cant give him what he needs then maybe he will have to go:/
 
but it infuriates me that they sold him to us telling us he's something he's not, especially when there's a child involved!
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How was he in the stable when you and your daughter tried him?

I think with the right owner, someone with a lot of time and who is firm, he could go far
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Why can't that be you?
 
The rolling could had been an evasion tactic. My pony used to do this when I asked her to work, she would sort of go to pieces and throw herself on the ground.

With regards to handling in the stable make sure he's tied up then let your daughter handle him. It sounds like he's trying it on with you and needs to know where his place is.
 
i think he probably is unsettled yes, i feel a bit sorry for him because it sounds like he's had a lot of different owners and has been passed from pillar to post a bit:/ i look at it from that point of view and want to just give him time and a loving home, but then i also think of my daughter and her safety:(
 
Can you take him off the haylage and just put him on hay? I'm sure that's one of the reasons my horse was so full of himself when I first got him.
 
how much turnout does he get?
my daughters old pony came from a riding school, he was school sour and who can blame him!! between lessons he was kept in a open fronted barn with about 10 other ponies of varying size, he wasn't the lowest ranking but pretty way down the pile so got bossed about and nipped by the others. he was 8 when we got him and had already learnt all the usual pony evasion tricks:rolleyes: but as a lead rein pony he was second to none:D we tried to stable him and he was a demon, hated it with a vengeance :( so we turned him out 24/7 and he was a different boy, we let him be a pony, eat grass , buck and fart round the paddock when he felt like it and roll in the mud:eek: his nipping of my kids stopped (think he felt he needed to boss them about after being so long in the pecking order himself) and he was just generally happier and more chilled out. we had him until he was 15, i had to fight with my daughter to sell him !!;)
 
With you saying 'if he doesn't go out' does this mean he's stabled a lot? A complete personality transplant can easily come about if a horse, & especially a child's pony, is kept in a lot. It would also explain the grumpyness, dragging when you lead him & rolling in the school, especially if he's used to being out. I'd try him out 24/7, or if that's not possible at least only in overnight.
 
also another thing i forgot to mention, recently when my daughter goes to tack him up in the stable he has been turning his bum on her kicking out, when we bought him they said he puts his ears back when you tack him up but "he never does anything"

and amymay, i dont know really, i think he just needs someone with a lot more confidence but i dont know:/

and yeah i think he is trying it on, he's got a very cheeky streak in him, his previous owners said he had "character" hahaha
 
he goes out most days but whenever we put him out after a couple of ours he comes to the gate ready to come in, but he is always better behaved when he's been out. In a couple of weeks we're going into the summer field where they get the option of 24/7 turn out, so that is an option i will keep open
 
leah95 said:
he goes out most days but whenever we put him out after a couple of ours he comes to the gate ready to come in, but he is always better behaved when he's been out. In a couple of weeks we're going into the summer field where they get the option of 24/7 turn out, so that is an option i will keep open
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If he decides he wants to come in and stands at the gate- LEAVE him until the normal time you would bring him in!

I think you have had a lot of Very helpful advice- now its time for you to

A) make some changes=- take him Off haylage, turn him out for longer, cut don feed slightly if he is not doing a lot of excercise, see if person who lunged him can do some more work WITH you and your daughter etc etc etc

B) decide to sell and sell- cut your losses, put a notch on your Book of Life and get a new horse/pony suitable for you and daughter TRYING animal out fully before deciding to buy.

Good Luck with whichever choice you make

xXx
 
Yes, i think i'll go away and try all these tips and if it still isnt working out in a couple of weeks or so then maybe it is time for a different route

but either way thankyou for all the helpful advice!
 
There is every possibility that he was lovely pony and as described in his old home and the previous owners havn't lied. New owners, a move, change in routine and going back to a yard that he has been unhappy at in the past could result in this sort of behaviour and it needs to be nipped in the bud.

If he waits at the gate after a couple of hours, I would leave him out there and see if he will settle. Preferably change to 24 hour grazing if he is better when turned out. Cut out the haylage, If he has to be in then give him hay. If he has been at this yard before and was not happy, then perhaps a move to a smaller, quieter yard is in order. A lot of ponies used in a riding school can turn sour if used in the school too much. I used to work in a riding school and took on a school mare. She would evade any proper work in the school and hated any jump work as she had been over-used as was a decent size for all the teenagers. She was also horribley nappy and spooky due to not hacking out much and when she did it was always behind another horse and never alone. If he turns his bum at you when tacking up, always have him tied up, preferably outside the stable. If you are not confident and firm with him then he could be taking advantage.

See if you have anyone near you that can help.
 
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Have you had his back checked? Is he tacked up every time he's in the stable? Just a thought, but his back might be hurting somewhere? and because he's tacked up in the stable, he might be associating tack/stable with pain and that's causing him to be sharp when handling.

Or on the other hand, he could be like my first pony, he would try it on with anyone who wouldn't tell him off.. he'd bite/kick his loaner but as soon as i went and did the same, he'd stand lovely.. sometimes all they need is a good telling off and putting them back in there place!!

:)
 
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