Sol
Well-Known Member
Sorry, this might get long 
Small pony:
I still have my first pony - 16yr old, 11.1hh Welshie who is everything but a saint. I've had him since we were both 9, and he came with just a snaffle bridle and being head shy/bucked/bolted/napped/spooked crazily etc etc. He taught me to stay on.
He's a complete git basically, as he still does most of the above, doesn't jump, I wouldn't ever trust him with a small child - on the leadrein, maybe, but he's not great on the ground either (has run through my mum, will barge, often refuses to move).
I've tried doing groundwork etc with him but 'set in his ways' doesn't say enough for Dimples. I still ride him occasionally and he still takes the mick out of me
But he's fine with other horses and doesn't bite/kick or anything horrendous.
The problem? At the moment, he's on DIY livery with Danny, so costs us stabling + haylage + farrier to keep his feet neat (not shod). He could be stabled at home but then would have to be fed haylage 24/7 as we have very little grazing. My mum keeps saying how much she would like a horse - Dan is too much for her to hack out - she has friends at the yard and would like to just be able to go hacking with them, nothing major, but if we got another horse ideally it would be something I could school/jump a few days a week too but quiet enough for her to hack. We can't afford another + Dimp, and as awful as it is to say, he could live another 15 years easily
But nor is he really 'sellable'? He was loaned out as a companion for 2yrs with all expenses paid basically but loaners let his vaccinations lapse, and generally got bored of their ponies before they sold the gelding he was a companion to and gave Dimp back.
Basically - I don't know where I should go with this? I love him to bits, but he's costing money, not earning his keep, he's awkward to handle and I don't have the time, facilities or realistically the experience to do much with him Ideas?!?
Instructor -
It's now got to the stage where I've decided, dressage is my main aim. I jumped Dan tonight and although we got over a 3'6 upright, he had it down all but once, and persisted with having jumps much smaller down :/ He CAN jump, he's just lazy with his feet and always has been, so showjumping is more like skittles.....
My instructer though, events. She's also my YO. heh... She's been great so far, but I can't help feeling that really, dressage for eventing, and dressage itself do vary, if slightly, and it might be more helpful in the long run to have an instructor who knows dressage and has done dressage up the levels? Therefore they really know what we're aiming for and stuff. But then I sort of come back to the idea of 'aren't we being a bit too ambitious?' I don't even have a lorry yet. I can't ride /that/ well. Dan isn't /that/ flashy. Is there much point? Nobody on the yard is really into dressage either so I feel a bit of a loner in that respect...
Again, ideas/thoughts??
Your choice what you get after reading through all of that!
Sol x.
Small pony:
I still have my first pony - 16yr old, 11.1hh Welshie who is everything but a saint. I've had him since we were both 9, and he came with just a snaffle bridle and being head shy/bucked/bolted/napped/spooked crazily etc etc. He taught me to stay on.
He's a complete git basically, as he still does most of the above, doesn't jump, I wouldn't ever trust him with a small child - on the leadrein, maybe, but he's not great on the ground either (has run through my mum, will barge, often refuses to move).I've tried doing groundwork etc with him but 'set in his ways' doesn't say enough for Dimples. I still ride him occasionally and he still takes the mick out of me
But he's fine with other horses and doesn't bite/kick or anything horrendous.The problem? At the moment, he's on DIY livery with Danny, so costs us stabling + haylage + farrier to keep his feet neat (not shod). He could be stabled at home but then would have to be fed haylage 24/7 as we have very little grazing. My mum keeps saying how much she would like a horse - Dan is too much for her to hack out - she has friends at the yard and would like to just be able to go hacking with them, nothing major, but if we got another horse ideally it would be something I could school/jump a few days a week too but quiet enough for her to hack. We can't afford another + Dimp, and as awful as it is to say, he could live another 15 years easily
But nor is he really 'sellable'? He was loaned out as a companion for 2yrs with all expenses paid basically but loaners let his vaccinations lapse, and generally got bored of their ponies before they sold the gelding he was a companion to and gave Dimp back.Basically - I don't know where I should go with this? I love him to bits, but he's costing money, not earning his keep, he's awkward to handle and I don't have the time, facilities or realistically the experience to do much with him
Ideas?!?Instructor -
It's now got to the stage where I've decided, dressage is my main aim. I jumped Dan tonight and although we got over a 3'6 upright, he had it down all but once, and persisted with having jumps much smaller down :/ He CAN jump, he's just lazy with his feet and always has been, so showjumping is more like skittles.....
My instructer though, events. She's also my YO. heh... She's been great so far, but I can't help feeling that really, dressage for eventing, and dressage itself do vary, if slightly, and it might be more helpful in the long run to have an instructor who knows dressage and has done dressage up the levels? Therefore they really know what we're aiming for and stuff. But then I sort of come back to the idea of 'aren't we being a bit too ambitious?' I don't even have a lorry yet. I can't ride /that/ well. Dan isn't /that/ flashy. Is there much point? Nobody on the yard is really into dressage either so I feel a bit of a loner in that respect...
Again, ideas/thoughts??
Your choice what you get after reading through all of that!
Sol x.
