Unhappy with the situation i'm in at the moment.

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Tonty Tont

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I own a little coloured cob, Tont, and I keep him in a field with my mom's friend (i'm 14 and she's 68). Sue gave me Tont a year ago and helped me break him to ride, so for that I owe her everything, but I just hate keeping him where he is. There is no grass on the field and the shelter that there is is falling down. I feel like i'm being watched and judged with everything I do with him. Sue decides where we ride, when we ride and what we do when we ride - I have never been properly taught how to jump, yet Sue was a riding instructor for 50 years, we have lots of jump poles and wings, and I have asked and dropped hints endless amounts of times. I'm quite shy and just don't have the guts to say this to her.

I know my parents don't want to / can't afford to put Tont in livery, but just any advice on how to make this more bearable would be greatly appreciated :)

Nicole x

Sorry it's so long :D
 
Perhaps you could offer to help to rebuild/smarten up the shelter. If Sue helped you to break Tont to ride, surely you know her well enough to ask her to teach you to teach him to jump! If you really can't perhaps your mum could act as a go-between.
 
If you are not happy about the look of the place start to tidy and smarten the place up and then maybe your friend sue will be more willing to put time and effort in to repaying your for all your hard work around the place
 
Hi hun and welcome to the Forum. I'm not sure how much you know about pony care and management so please excuse me if you know this already - just thought it might help.

If Tont is a native type and he's rounded and you can just feel his ribs if you press hard against his sides and he's not skinny and ribby and tucked looking, then the ratty grass he's on is almost certainly fine for him. Especially for natives and good doers, lush grass can be a killer by setting off a bout of laminitis or even colic. You could look into getting him a supplement such as Baileys Lo Cal to make sure he's getting all his vits and mins and he'll probably need hay in the winter. Secondly hun, even if you rebuilt the field shelter and lined it with velvet and put gold taps in it and a plasma tv on the wall, Tont would still sooner stand out in all weathers with his bum tucked in a hedge if the weather's really bad. Usually, the only time a pony will voluntarily use a field shelter is to get away from the flies in mid summer! Nature has made them tasty to tigers and their only weapon is early warning and speed. The legs do the speed bit and standing in the open with friends so that all ears and eyes would pick up the shape or scent of a tiger moving in for the kill takes care of the warning part.

Your friend sounds a kind lady but maybe she needs a bit more than hints. Sometimes, letting a person know how much you value them and their skill can break down some barriers. Why not ask her outright - say you think you and Tonto are ready to try something new and you know she used to be a great RI. Or could you put a couple of poles down and have a bash at them yourself, then if she says anything, ask her can she help you learn to jump properly. Or you could tell her that you're interested in getting your BHS Stage 1 and can she help. Just a final thought, how old is Tont? If he's still a youngster, she might feel he's not quite ready for jumping yet. But you won't know til you ask her. Good luck x
 
If you don't like the current set up, get a part time job so you can rent your own field or pay for livery?

It sounds like this lady has already done a lot for you, and perhaps after 50 years of giving lessons she isn't that keen on giving free lessons in her spare time. So maybe you are expecting a bit much of her. And I agree with the other poster above that it may be a good idea to smarten up the shelter yourself. If she has done a lot already to help you, perhaps it is your turn to help Sue :-)

If you want to learn how to jump, it may be better to take some lessons on a horse that already knows it well rather than try to an inexperienced youngster. Perhaps you can get a few lessons at your local riding school?

Another thing to consider if you would like to learn more, is whether you can have a trainer come every couple of weeks and give you and Tont a lesson.

Good luck!
 
ok here is a different thought, maybe talk to your parents about joining pony club so you can mix with people your own age and go to rallys etc
 
but if you move shell have no companion for her horse?Maybe joining a riding club, etc, putting ads up for riding /hacking pals etc you can help paint jumps, etc .Your lady friend is 68 riding techniques change so much over the years maybe shes not confident ? Respect for riding at 68 by the way dont know anyone riding at that age ! Maybe you can hack to a riding school and have a lesson, you dont need to say anything ?Im sure there are ways round this.Can you invite friends over ?Hope it all works out for you
 
tontytont said:
I own a little coloured cob, Tont, and I keep him in a field with my mom's friend (i'm 14 and she's 68). Sue gave me Tont a year ago and helped me break him to ride,
Click to expand...


OK first off we need to understand if you do actually OWN this cob (as in a purchase or gift to do with as you like), or whether you have it on a permanent loan arrangement - these would be quite different.

Secondly, the pony has only been broken in the last year. Whilst most would be quite capable of popping around some jumps with a quiet competent rider there is the possibility that either the horse is too young or still growing, or that you are not a sufficiently balanced and experienced rider to cope with training a youngster to jump.
 
the watcher said:
OK first off we need to understand if you do actually OWN this cob (as in a purchase or gift to do with as you like), or whether you have it on a permanent loan arrangement - these would be quite different.

Secondly, the pony has only been broken in the last year. Whilst most would be quite capable of popping around some jumps with a quiet competent rider there is the possibility that either the horse is too young or still growing, or that you are not a sufficiently balanced and experienced rider to cope with training a youngster to jump.
Click to expand...

I do own Tont, as my name is in the passport, and he isn't exactly a youngster, more like 14 :D. He had a bad start in life so we didn't try to do anything until now.
 
Hey 68 ain't old I'm 61 and still riding. could be the fact if you don't ask, she's not a mind reader. If you aren't happy get a part time job or ask parents to finance new livery.
 
_CJ_ said:
If you don't like the current set up, get a part time job so you can rent your own field or pay for livery?

It sounds like this lady has already done a lot for you, and perhaps after 50 years of giving lessons she isn't that keen on giving free lessons in her spare time. So maybe you are expecting a bit much of her. And I agree with the other poster above that it may be a good idea to smarten up the shelter yourself. If she has done a lot already to help you, perhaps it is your turn to help Sue :-)

If you want to learn how to jump, it may be better to take some lessons on a horse that already knows it well rather than try to an inexperienced youngster. Perhaps you can get a few lessons at your local riding school?

Another thing to consider if you would like to learn more, is whether you can have a trainer come every couple of weeks and give you and Tont a lesson.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

Thanks :)
If I must be honest, I feel like I do work at the field which I shouldn't have to do. I collect barrowfuls of muck of fields from horses which aren't mine, they're Sue's. I help her feed her horses, which has resulted in my mom getting badly kicked and me nearly getting knocked flat on many occasions. When we used to rent stables, I was mucking out 6 a day when I only needed to do one. I also supply her with lunch, if that counts lol :D
Sue did say to my mom though that she would teach me to jump on her experianced cob, who I have previously rode so can handle, so she has said many times she will teach me, just nothing happens.

Nicole x
 
tontytont said:
Thanks :)
If I must be honest, I feel like I do work at the field which I shouldn't have to do. I collect barrowfuls of muck of fields from horses which aren't mine, they're Sue's. I help her feed her horses, which has resulted in my mom getting badly kicked and me nearly getting knocked flat on many occasions. When we used to rent stables, I was mucking out 6 a day when I only needed to do one. I also supply her with lunch, if that counts lol :D
Sue did say to my mom though that she would teach me to jump on her experianced cob, who I have previously rode so can handle, so she has said many times she will teach me, just nothing happens.

Nicole x
Click to expand...

Are you getting free livery? If so then helping around the place is a good exchange?

My advice would be to open your mouth, and say

"Sue, I'd really like to learn how to jump. Is this something you would be happy to teach me, or would you rather I got another instructor in?"

If she says she will, say great, and arrange a date and time there and then.

:)
 
Box_Of_Frogs said:
Hi hun and welcome to the Forum. I'm not sure how much you know about pony care and management so please excuse me if you know this already - just thought it might help.

If Tont is a native type and he's rounded and you can just feel his ribs if you press hard against his sides and he's not skinny and ribby and tucked looking, then the ratty grass he's on is almost certainly fine for him. Especially for natives and good doers, lush grass can be a killer by setting off a bout of laminitis or even colic. You could look into getting him a supplement such as Baileys Lo Cal to make sure he's getting all his vits and mins and he'll probably need hay in the winter. Secondly hun, even if you rebuilt the field shelter and lined it with velvet and put gold taps in it and a plasma tv on the wall, Tont would still sooner stand out in all weathers with his bum tucked in a hedge if the weather's really bad. Usually, the only time a pony will voluntarily use a field shelter is to get away from the flies in mid summer! Nature has made them tasty to tigers and their only weapon is early warning and speed. The legs do the speed bit and standing in the open with friends so that all ears and eyes would pick up the shape or scent of a tiger moving in for the kill takes care of the warning part.

Your friend sounds a kind lady but maybe she needs a bit more than hints. Sometimes, letting a person know how much you value them and their skill can break down some barriers. Why not ask her outright - say you think you and Tonto are ready to try something new and you know she used to be a great RI. Or could you put a couple of poles down and have a bash at them yourself, then if she says anything, ask her can she help you learn to jump properly. Or you could tell her that you're interested in getting your BHS Stage 1 and can she help. Just a final thought, how old is Tont? If he's still a youngster, she might feel he's not quite ready for jumping yet. But you won't know til you ask her. Good luck x
Click to expand...

Tont is overweight and on Baileys Lo Cal, but I just feel terrible watching him stood unhappy with no grazing. I don't mean long, lush grass, I just mean enough grass so he can trickle feed like horses are supposed to. We recently got thrown out of the stables we rented, so he has gone from a warm, cosy stable to out in the wilds, and i'm just really worried about him. I know I spoil him, but he's my baby :p
Oh, and Tont is 14, a bit of a late starter :D

Nicole x
 
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