Stupid little girl * Very long rant *

Poor you and poor pony,I had a brat like that at my yard,I very politely spoke to parents who then proceeded to slate my name everywhere,luckily I have a good name so anyone who took any notice wasnt worth worrying about.However I have now turned to an adult only yard,which I know is a shame for decent teenagers but how do you tell the good from the bad until its too late ?
 
what a brat.
cant stand em.
is the person shes having lessons off any good?! if she rides like that obviously not.
some people really need to go on a horse owners course before being allowed one!
 
I also recomend that you put the PC seed in their head. If she behaves like that at a rally or comp she will be slaughtered, or at least she would at my daughters old PC! I dont know about the kids but I was terrified of the DC.
 
Pony club was my first thought too, altho how long she would last I dont know, but at least the stuff they tell her will have the PC badge on it so harder to ignore. She might get sat on by some of the really good riders too.
 
sadly it's all too common, and not just with kids either! The worse culprits on my yard are the adults!

There does seem to be a fashion for 3 ring gags, grakle nose bands and martingales at the moment. There are a few horses on the yard that are used for jumping and are kitted out in this sort of kit , obviously to look the part! Its the hands not the bit though, and even a milder bit can cause damage with rougth hands. Its hard getting involved. I am one of those people who cant sit and watch this sort of thing happen though. I try to lead by example, and this does tend to work quite well. Other liveries see how happy and well my horse looks/behaves and they ask advice and im always happy to give it. They then see the results and thats them sorted!

However on our liveryyard the YO wont tolerate bad horsemanship, and will have words.

I dont advocate hurting this young girl to teach her a lesson and i do hope those suggestions where made toungue in cheek. It does sound like she needs a mentor, and is more likely to listen to someone she respects and can look up to. There is no point going to the parents about this, as they are not horsey so wont understand. The young girl sounds ignorant and novice. The riding instructor sounds like a waste of space.

Hopefully some one will have the time and paitence to help this girl and her pony, before some one gets hurt.
 
I just want to point out that maybe it's not the little girls fault, maybe she just honestly doesn't know any better.

I loaned a pony when i was 14, had spent 4 years having riding lessons, helping out friends with their ponies, helping out at my riding stables etc. I felt completely competent to have my own pony. And the owner obviously had enough confidence in me to loan her pony ( turns out she wasn't that great of an owner after letting me move ponio to another yard and not having any contact at all with her until 4 years later when the loan came to an end).

I don't have horsey parents, both have rode in the past but haven't done so for years, but they helped me out as much as they can.

So i had this pony for five years altogether, she was a veteran too (27 when i gave her back!) and i gave her the best care i knew of. Now looking back, after spending two years at college doing a BTEC ND in Horse Management and taking my BHS Stage 1,2, and 3, I shamefully know things I did with my pony were just down right wrong!

But I didn't know any better and either no one noticed or no one cared enough to help. Maybe we should give the girl the benefit of the doubt :-)

She maybe just needs some good stable management lessons.
 
It always amazes me how saintly some of these horses are, they keep trying and never lash out, what they need to do is meet a horse that demands their respect and will eat them if treated with anything less than that
 
skint1 said:
It always amazes me how saintly some of these horses are, they keep trying and never lash out, what they need to do is meet a horse that demands their respect and will eat them if treated with anything less than that
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I'd like to see her try ride my old pony, like she rides hers; he'd have dropped her. Kids like her dont deserve lovely ponies.
I once smacked my pony for refusing, my parents smacked me.
 
KingCharles said:
There does seem to be a fashion for 3 ring gags, grakle nose bands and martingales at the moment. There are a few horses on the yard that are used for jumping and are kitted out in this sort of kit , obviously to look the part! It tolerate bad horsemanship, and will have words.
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Yes a b***dy awful fashion. One I have recently come up against. I have managed to convince the child that the pony does not need dutch gag, grackle and martingale. It certainly helped that the second time I sat on said pony he was at a show and I put him in a hanging cheek snaffle with cavesson noseband, he won his ridden coloured class and went very sweetly for the entire show.
 
HM You sort of some how need to put a positive but decisive spin on it.

How about how wonderful and talented the pony is but you think it's being mismanaged at the moment, you know what your talking about co's hubby is such a star (these sound like people where only big upping your skills will get them on side) .
Did they know there'sa really talented pony trainer called so and so locally (insert name of pony clubs best tutour here) and with regular training she could make the teams as they are a talted combo.

Something like that might just get them to sit up and pay attention, but also no guarantee.

Is there someone she or her parents look up to? Could you track them back to a local conntection after all the horse world is small, or pepople are always telling me.
 
It all sounds very unfortunate for the pony, but I feel quite sorry for the girl who's got such a beating on here. She's a young girl, probably doesn't know any different - if she's having lessons, then at least she's shown willing to learn? Why doesn't the instructor teach her differently?

As for the parents, sounds like they're not very horsey? Perhaps the whole family needs educating about horses and then perhaps they can be more understanding and sympathetic towards the pony.

Criticising people on a forum is all very well, but unless the girl/parents are made aware of what they are doing wrong, it's not going to change anything, is it?
 
I don't think that the girl is taking a beating per se, the op is concerned for both of them and is looking for ways to help, both for the safety of the girl and the well being of the pony.
I think she has had a lot of good advice here and it will give her some things to take away and maybe help. everybody has to learn and as someone has said, perhaps the girl just doesn't know any better and just needs pointed in the right direction.

Obviously people are going to comment as it is an emotive subject, but I think the jist of it is that people are giving helpful suggestions.
 
Can't stand people who think their ponies are machines, and that when they don't 'work properly' they can just get an upgrade.. Still, maybe have some words with her? Maybe she's willing to learn, after all she is having lessons, it's not like she's teaching herself.. xx
 
JenJ said:
It all sounds very unfortunate for the pony, but I feel quite sorry for the girl who's got such a beating on here. She's a young girl, probably doesn't know any different - if she's having lessons, then at least she's shown willing to learn? Why doesn't the instructor teach her differently?

As for the parents, sounds like they're not very horsey? Perhaps the whole family needs educating about horses and then perhaps they can be more understanding and sympathetic towards the pony.

Criticising people on a forum is all very well, but unless the girl/parents are made aware of what they are doing wrong, it's not going to change anything, is it?
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I agree. I'm not saying what she's doing is right but it sounds like someone needs to have a word with her parents. They are probably clueless. However she sounds a little spoilt - if i'd ever acted like a horrible brat i'd have been whalloped with the schooling whip!
 
People have spoken to the parents, from what I read. I think this problem stems from them. My parents were not horsey. Sister and I got first horse when I was 15, one day I rode him bareback to the field from home, trotted him on and he tripped and skinned his knees, I was mortified that he was hurt, and then got such a blasting from my Dad for hurting the horse! If this child got a little of the same treatment maybe she would consider the pony.
 
she sounds like a total twit! but i don't think having words with the parents or her will do anything. whether her parents are horsey or not, the pony not jumping the jumps in a show jumping competition will make them able to figure out something isn't right with the pony or rider
and anyone can realise that beating a horse with a whip is not necessary and is pure nastiness and the outlet of her anger! most non horsey people i meet find just carrying a whip is mean.. i think the parents choose to just turn a blind eye. either that or they're so used to the little brat lashing out they don't even notice it anymore

getting her to do some sort of pony club or group clinic/lesson would be a good idea though.

i don't understand how the YO can't say anything though. she has a duty of care to the pony and it sounds like she's abusing the poor thing.
and she might only be 14, but not cantering on hard ground and not pulling hard on the reins (no matter what bit) is just common sense..
 
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