Tips for viewing tiny lean rein pony

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Polos Mum

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I've never viewed a pony I couldn't ride before so just wondering if anyone had any tips for viewing small (7hh) lead rein ponies?

I'm not taking my son to the first viewing as it might be a nut job and I don't want him over excited by the whole idea if it doesn't work out.
Need to check he comes with tack as finding it for tiddlys might be tricky.
Could a 7hh get though proper 3 rail post and rail?
They don't have a rider so how can I get an idea of how he'll be with a rider? other than general behaviour?

He's only very local so second viewings no problem, and owner isn't in a rush to loan
 
See him lunge, take him inhand and see if he behaves, test for spookyness, do a sudden loud laugh in his ear :P (Kids always do this) lean over him (not putting your full weight on obviously) , flap your arms down his sides and little ponies are very good and limbo-ing under fences... ... Do everything to him a kid would do by accident.
 
7 hands is tiny so I assume your child is very young which means you need the pony to be totally quiet and as bombproof as possible. I would want to see it lunged, I like to be able to lunge a small pony both for exercise and later with the child on as the step between lead rein and off, it also saves you running constantly once the child gets more enthusiastic.
I would take it for a walk, fully tacked up, see how well it works with you, does it read your body language to stop and go or does it require you to use the rein to stop it and lots of encouragement to go forward, do loads of transitions, including trot and really test its ability to stay with you.
Do as much as you can to test the bombproof side, traffic, livestock, people walking dogs anything you can find that it should not worry about to see how it reacts.
I would not accept any quirks in a pony of that size it should be safe in all circumstances, I know it can never be 100% but it should be as close as possible when tiny children are involved. A friend lost her lead rein pony yesterday and will be looking for another, he will be hard to replace as he was so steady and kind with the children.
 
Many thanks both, yes my son is only 2 1/2 ans small for his age. he's done no riding (other than the odd sit on my 17hh with me - and sitting on our big labrador!) I've told the owner he's done nothing and she thought that would be fine.

Its a little soon for him to have a pony really but this one is right sex, right age (fed up of ads for child perfect 4 y/o's!), loan only, local so if he's what he says on paper it'd be worth having to lunge him etc myself a little more than I planned.

Is it possible to ride and lead something this size (not with my son on, just for exercise!) or are you so far away you don't have any control?
 
I used to lead my 11hh LR pony off my hunter, but 7hh is really tiny, he won't be able to keep up!
Cub safari saddles are great, they aren't expensive, fit everything and have a lovely secure seat and handle for your son.
Good luck! How exciting. It is so easy to walk the dogs once you can get small on a pony!!
 
I think it would be difficult from a 17 hander for many reasons, tiny ponies will struggle to keep up with anything bigger and can get very sore in their backs from being led while the legs are going so fast, 10 mins on the lunge a couple of times a week should keep them sane and help with the weight, you dont want them too fit anyway.
A track or long narrow paddock is good to keep them restricted but moving more than a square area.
 
Perfect ideas, a third larger 'dog' to walk would be no problem to fit in and be positive you're right he doesn't want to be too fit - interesting to get wide views on how much exercise he'd need.
 
Be as noisy and unpredictable as possible and see how the pony reacts. Tack up the pony and just slap the tack on, give the pony no warning. When I tried one out they didn't have a rider for it so I swung my leg over a few times and bounced my foot up and down on the saddle a few times. It looks daft but you'll get a good idea about the pony. I explained to the seller that I would be lovely to him at home, I was just testing him!

When I brought him home I went out of my way to find spooky things to bring him near and he's getting used to everything. My son is 2.5 also and he looks tiny on his 9.2 pony! I would have loved a 8h one or smaller.
I can't do lead and ride due to clash of personalities...

Good luck!
 
My OH would need to build a suitably sized stable door, and we'd put him opposite the big horses in the barn so he could see them at night (he won't see out the windows!
He'll come with tack etc

Any other 'tiny' issues I haven't thought of? I'd not spotted that they would walk so slowly which makes me realise how little I know about minis

How do you travel them? I've a 511 but that would be huge for him and partitions of no use at all!!
 
Don't forget you will have to check your fencing too!

7hh is very small and will step through 'normal' horse fencing. I had a minature Shetland for my grandson and he could slide through or under horse fencing and I had to redo all the electric fencing to make it low enough for him.

We solved the door problem with two of the covered chains they sell for doorways. We had to have two or he would escape from just one!

Travelling will be interesting. If your OH is practical he may be able to make up some sort of low breast bar for him. Otherwise cross tying if you can get them low enough or building a barrier with bales?

We will need pictures!
 
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If it works out there will bea photo over load!

Would he get through standard post and 3 rail? My lab can fit through but I mesured him at 24 inches, this boy is 30 inches and less flexible than a dog!
 
Pop a strand of tape under the lowest rails, that ought to do the job.
I have plastic posts & 2 low strands of tape (1 below bottom rail & 1 just over that rail) all set as close to the P & R fences as possible, not lost Tiny Fuzzy yet.....

I took off a top door from one of the stables (how many people actually use them?).
Hooked back the main usual door to the wall.
My brother cut a bit off the top door, then we hung it on lift off hinges. Hinge hooks on the door frame & the loop bits on the door. Can try & find pics of the type of hinge if you want.
Good & solid it is :)
It does however open in (bonus as then small people cannot open the door easily to let pony out when you are not looking).
The draw bolts to close have holes drilled into the frame of the door.
It takes a few seconds to lift the door off & use the std door if required.

Hope all goes well, but harden your heart as you'll prob only have for 2 or 3 yrs til son outgrows pony.
I've had a 4 yr old on 33" Tiny Fuzzy & they were a little on the big side, tho not big for their age.
 
It might be worth getting some chicken wire or some electric fencing and stakes to close the gap along the bottom. If you go down the wire fencing route then make sure the holes are tiny so he can't get himself stuck in it. I prefer electric fencing and stakes just half a foot inside the fence line. You'll be surprised what the little terrors will squeeze through for the grass outside the paddock!
 
Many thanks, all good tips. Must not get ahead of myself!!

I was going to ask how much he might carry and therefore realistically how long could he be ridden - in my favour is my 4 month old daughter, if my son could ride him for a couple of years then she'd be where he is now and pony'd have another job to do for her
 
zigzag said:
If he isn't that much bigger than the dog, put him in the boot of the car lol :P
Click to expand...

I did seriously consider this - we have a toyota landcruser with a huge boot and it's only 6/7 miles, it would be much easier to cross tie him in that than it would be to cross tie him in the trailer! Knowing my luck tho I'd get spotted and then there would be a huge thread about a crazy lady driving with a pony in the boot of her car !!
 
My friend bought a mini Shetland for her sons who is extremely good natured with the children but is an absolute s*d to catch, those little legs are nippy. He is not ridden much and is not really broken and its hard to keep his weight down. I would go for slightly bigger pony 10-11 hands as your son will be on lead rein anyway. My youngest daughter did PC camp when she was three on a 10 hand pony and at four was on a 11.2 which she rode until she was ten and her sister rode till she was twelve.
 
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