noblesteed
Well-Known Member
Some of you may have seen my last post, to cut a long story short I keep my horse at a quiet farm with no arena, with one adult (nurse) friend and her gelding. I am a primary teacher. My horse is very happy and settled at the farm after we both coped very badly with a year at a larger livery yard. Last week the farmer announced that a 12 year old child was bringing her new pony, a mare, into our field. Despite me voicing my concerns about not wanting to end up supervising a minor with her first pony, the pony came on Friday.
Turns out Mum is as clueless as the child. This so far is the catalogue of disasters:
Friday- pony arrives, they turn it out straight away. 2 hours later attempt to catch it - no chance. Cue screaming and running around field, scaring our horses and the 5 in the adjacent field. Tears and tantrums. My friend watches in horror as her 17 year old gelding gallops flat out on baked solid ground, then politely goes over and offers to help them at tea time once the horses have calmed down. This she does, pony is caught, everyone happy. My friend kindly offers to take child and new pony on a short hack with us on Monday as her first ride.
Saturday - child attempts to catch pony. Pony runs away. Mum tells me they bought the pony because child has lost all confidence after a nasty fall off a relatives ex racehorse. Child has ridden for 2 years but mum wanted her to 'learn everything' first before getting pony, which they got cheap because it was 'too much' for it's previous child owner. But 'it will be fine'... Mother rings her 'knowledgeable friend' to help. After chasing pony is caught. KF shows child how to tack up pony. Pony is released. Later in day after much chasing pony is caught, KF tacks up, child gets on and they lead her round an adjacent empty field.
Sunday - After usual catching fiasco 'knowledgeable friend' suggests a short hack round the village and will accompany on foot. 20 minutes later cue screaming, clattering of hooves, all traffic stopped in village, utter chaos. Pony has spooked, dumped child on ground and bolted down a busy main road. Child is bleeding and bruised, pony panicking. 'Knowledgeable friend' finally catches pony, berates it, throws it in our field, tends to child. 1 hour later back they come to 'sort it out'. Poor thing quaking with fear goes into blind panic as they attempt to catch it, upsets all other horses who proceed to do wheel of death around their fields. My friend on seeing her horse once again flat out galloping, leaping, bucking, twisting etc finally gathers up what remains of her composure and tells them to stop bloody chasing the pony before her horse ends up with an injury, as he is old, still recovering from a blown tendon and isn't insured on that leg any more. CUe horrendous argument with 'KF' as child's father runs for cover! My friend in tears, child in tears, horses stressed to hell.
I really don't want to go up this morning as I am dreading what I will find!!!!! What should I do? I am trying to stay out of it but I know what my big mouth is like... I know we all have to start somewhere but dear me... Who was it suggested people pass an exam before buying an equine?
I must add that throughout all of this my horse (usually the root of all trouble), in same field, has been standing munching grass like it was popcorn and watching it all unfold!!!!
Turns out Mum is as clueless as the child. This so far is the catalogue of disasters:
Friday- pony arrives, they turn it out straight away. 2 hours later attempt to catch it - no chance. Cue screaming and running around field, scaring our horses and the 5 in the adjacent field. Tears and tantrums. My friend watches in horror as her 17 year old gelding gallops flat out on baked solid ground, then politely goes over and offers to help them at tea time once the horses have calmed down. This she does, pony is caught, everyone happy. My friend kindly offers to take child and new pony on a short hack with us on Monday as her first ride.
Saturday - child attempts to catch pony. Pony runs away. Mum tells me they bought the pony because child has lost all confidence after a nasty fall off a relatives ex racehorse. Child has ridden for 2 years but mum wanted her to 'learn everything' first before getting pony, which they got cheap because it was 'too much' for it's previous child owner. But 'it will be fine'... Mother rings her 'knowledgeable friend' to help. After chasing pony is caught. KF shows child how to tack up pony. Pony is released. Later in day after much chasing pony is caught, KF tacks up, child gets on and they lead her round an adjacent empty field.
Sunday - After usual catching fiasco 'knowledgeable friend' suggests a short hack round the village and will accompany on foot. 20 minutes later cue screaming, clattering of hooves, all traffic stopped in village, utter chaos. Pony has spooked, dumped child on ground and bolted down a busy main road. Child is bleeding and bruised, pony panicking. 'Knowledgeable friend' finally catches pony, berates it, throws it in our field, tends to child. 1 hour later back they come to 'sort it out'. Poor thing quaking with fear goes into blind panic as they attempt to catch it, upsets all other horses who proceed to do wheel of death around their fields. My friend on seeing her horse once again flat out galloping, leaping, bucking, twisting etc finally gathers up what remains of her composure and tells them to stop bloody chasing the pony before her horse ends up with an injury, as he is old, still recovering from a blown tendon and isn't insured on that leg any more. CUe horrendous argument with 'KF' as child's father runs for cover! My friend in tears, child in tears, horses stressed to hell.
I really don't want to go up this morning as I am dreading what I will find!!!!! What should I do? I am trying to stay out of it but I know what my big mouth is like... I know we all have to start somewhere but dear me... Who was it suggested people pass an exam before buying an equine?
I must add that throughout all of this my horse (usually the root of all trouble), in same field, has been standing munching grass like it was popcorn and watching it all unfold!!!!
