amandathepanda
Well-Known Member
2 years ago I bought a 13.2 non-descript black native type pony aged somewhere between 8 and 18 as I felt sorry for him (for peanuts). He was about to go on the meat lorry as he was completely unmanageable, you couldn't catch him, lead him, touch him or do anything with him., He was a nervous wreak. His feet were so long it was embarrassing and I got reported to the ILPH by some helpful person (the ILPH were satisfied I was actually doing a very good job for the pony as at least he was still alive!).
To get a headcollar on him, I had to build a wall in his stable out of straw bales to corner him so the vet could get near enough to sedate him - even then it still took 5 of us to get a head collar over his nose! We ended up leaving 2 headcollars on him all the time (in case he got one off) and a 3 foot rope attached as a grab handle.
To get his feet trimmed took 4 of us all afternoon to get near enough to him to sedate him (he took enough sedative to knock out a 17 hand horse and was still fighting it) and even then we couldn't do as good a job as we wanted.
Whenever he saw a strange person, in particular any men, Magic would run to the back of the stable. Sometimes even we couldn't get near him and he knew us!! It took a year to be able to turn him into a small paddock and know we would be able to get him in again.
Last summer I gave him to a close friend who kept him at my yard. Izzy is an incredibly nervous rider having had a few bad falls herself and still shakes getting on a strange horse for the first time. I thought it would do them both good as Izzy wanted something to pet and play with in the stable and magic really needed someone who had the time to play with him and fuss him.
I am delighted to say that today, for the first time Izzy has ridden magic in walk and trot around a school! They have both come such a long way. I am so proud of both of them! Bearing in mind I had been told by several people to shoot Magic and Izzy was too scared to get on a horse for 7 years, this is such massive acheivement for them both.
If these two can do it, anybody can!! I can't wait to take them out hacking
They both deserve to start having some fun now!
To get a headcollar on him, I had to build a wall in his stable out of straw bales to corner him so the vet could get near enough to sedate him - even then it still took 5 of us to get a head collar over his nose! We ended up leaving 2 headcollars on him all the time (in case he got one off) and a 3 foot rope attached as a grab handle.
To get his feet trimmed took 4 of us all afternoon to get near enough to him to sedate him (he took enough sedative to knock out a 17 hand horse and was still fighting it) and even then we couldn't do as good a job as we wanted.
Whenever he saw a strange person, in particular any men, Magic would run to the back of the stable. Sometimes even we couldn't get near him and he knew us!! It took a year to be able to turn him into a small paddock and know we would be able to get him in again.
Last summer I gave him to a close friend who kept him at my yard. Izzy is an incredibly nervous rider having had a few bad falls herself and still shakes getting on a strange horse for the first time. I thought it would do them both good as Izzy wanted something to pet and play with in the stable and magic really needed someone who had the time to play with him and fuss him.
I am delighted to say that today, for the first time Izzy has ridden magic in walk and trot around a school! They have both come such a long way. I am so proud of both of them! Bearing in mind I had been told by several people to shoot Magic and Izzy was too scared to get on a horse for 7 years, this is such massive acheivement for them both.
If these two can do it, anybody can!! I can't wait to take them out hacking
