LauraWheeler
Well-Known Member
Just a little background for anyone who doesn't know.
Herbie is a new forest pony who I bought almost 2 years ago as a bad tempered dangourous pony who was going to end up for meat. He was 8 years old and had had 6 other owners already. He was agressive and refused to be ridden. Infact he refused to do prity much everything and god help you if you tried to make him do it. Hacking was impossable he would just nap and if you tried to make him go forwards he would just buck, rear, leap and spin. He was the same even if you took him out with another horse. The other horse could dissapear off ahead and Herbs would still just stand there. Hence were the name horrid Herbie came from
. Loads of people told me to give up on him send him to the sales and hope the meat man bought him 
. I refused to give up and kept trying to help him.
Fast forward to yesterday.
I took Herbie out for a hack. We are on a get fit campain as I want to take him hunting in two weeks
. I had pland to do a lovely route with lots of trot. I was trotting along the track when I saw three riders in front. They all looked quite nervous and kept looking behind to see if I was catching up. I desided it was probably best to change route. I cut up the hill through the heather to the top track. Herbs was so good and didn't nap to the other horses 
We carried on along the track and had a nice trot. Then we dropped down the hill the otherside into the valley. In this valley the tracks are nice and sandy so I thought we'd have a little canter. I put my leg on and Herbs was off. Cantering along with his ears pricked We came to a down hill bit so I stopped and walked down. Once we reached the bottom I asked Him to trot but Herbs had other ideas and off he set in canter again. Ears still pricked We flew along the track and the whole way through the rest of the valley. We had a few more canters on the way home and Herbs seemed to be enjoying every one. He wanted to go and had his ears pricked every time he realy felt like he was enjoying himself 
He jogged the rest of the way home even though we had been out for an hour and a half and had cantered alot of the way, he seemed so happy so was I and yes I shed a few tears of joy . When we got back I gave him a groom and was thinking back to this time last year when I was still struggling to get him to hack out and people were telling me to give up, He would never be a nice pony and would NEVER hack out.
I'm so proud of Herbie and how far he's come over the last couple of years. I Knew he could do it.
So to everyone who is struggling with a naughty horse I'd like to say keep going it'll be so worth it in the end. It won't happen over night but it is possable, nomatter how many people tell you to give up, nomatter how many people tell you it's a lost course, no matter how many people tell you it will NEVER happen. Herbs and I did it, It wasn't easy and he still has his querks, which i'm shore he allways will but thats what makes him him, Thats what makes him perfect in my eyes. My special little man who means the world to me. xx
Herbie is a new forest pony who I bought almost 2 years ago as a bad tempered dangourous pony who was going to end up for meat. He was 8 years old and had had 6 other owners already. He was agressive and refused to be ridden. Infact he refused to do prity much everything and god help you if you tried to make him do it. Hacking was impossable he would just nap and if you tried to make him go forwards he would just buck, rear, leap and spin. He was the same even if you took him out with another horse. The other horse could dissapear off ahead and Herbs would still just stand there. Hence were the name horrid Herbie came from
. Loads of people told me to give up on him send him to the sales and hope the meat man bought him . I refused to give up and kept trying to help him.Fast forward to yesterday.
I took Herbie out for a hack. We are on a get fit campain as I want to take him hunting in two weeks
. I had pland to do a lovely route with lots of trot. I was trotting along the track when I saw three riders in front. They all looked quite nervous and kept looking behind to see if I was catching up. I desided it was probably best to change route. I cut up the hill through the heather to the top track. Herbs was so good and didn't nap to the other horses We carried on along the track and had a nice trot. Then we dropped down the hill the otherside into the valley. In this valley the tracks are nice and sandy so I thought we'd have a little canter. I put my leg on and Herbs was off. Cantering along with his ears pricked We came to a down hill bit so I stopped and walked down. Once we reached the bottom I asked Him to trot but Herbs had other ideas and off he set in canter again. Ears still pricked We flew along the track and the whole way through the rest of the valley. We had a few more canters on the way home and Herbs seemed to be enjoying every one. He wanted to go and had his ears pricked every time he realy felt like he was enjoying himself He jogged the rest of the way home even though we had been out for an hour and a half and had cantered alot of the way, he seemed so happy so was I and yes I shed a few tears of joy . When we got back I gave him a groom and was thinking back to this time last year when I was still struggling to get him to hack out and people were telling me to give up, He would never be a nice pony and would NEVER hack out.I'm so proud of Herbie and how far he's come over the last couple of years. I Knew he could do it.
So to everyone who is struggling with a naughty horse I'd like to say keep going it'll be so worth it in the end. It won't happen over night but it is possable, nomatter how many people tell you to give up, nomatter how many people tell you it's a lost course, no matter how many people tell you it will NEVER happen. Herbs and I did it, It wasn't easy and he still has his querks, which i'm shore he allways will but thats what makes him him, Thats what makes him perfect in my eyes. My special little man who means the world to me. xx
