What do I do with highly strung pony while pregnant?

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horsemad32

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Hi,
Been a lurker a long while but could really do with a bit of advice now. I have a highly strung pony who I took on as a scared project a couple of years ago. It's been a long road to get her to be a pretty safe ride, and last summer everything finally fell into place and she accepted a rider without any problems, and has been steadily improving since. BUT - I've recently found out I'm pregnant. I have a very secure saddle, and she's so much better than she used to be, but I'm aware that time is running out for riding her for now.

The original plan was to turn her away, but I have another (sane, sensible, safe) horse also. This one I'll be able to ride for much longer, and the problem is that if I ride my sane horse and DON'T ride the pony, she gets very pushy/bargy in the field, kicks out at the other horse (caused an injury last weekend) and is generally foul tempered. She's got way too attached to me :(. In a way I needed her to get attached for the trust to grow, but now it's causing a problem. Help?
 
If you can't find someone suitable to ride her, can you carry on doing some form of groundwork with her ?

Enough to keep her mind occupied/keep her in line - I'm not NH so I can't recommend any particular 'games' or exercises as such.

I kept my horse occupied when I was unable to ride for 5 months, by lunging over poles, loose schooling, teaching him in-hand movements such as turn on the forehand/turn on the haunches etc.

I would also set up a little 'courses' of obstacles in the school for us to navigate around in the arena. He was a young, sharp little horse who didn't appreciate being turned away with no job and got naughty in the field, harassing the other horses/jumping out/trashing fencing etc.

My Mum bought me the book below for some other ideas - Initially I was quite dismissive but I used quite a few things from it, and it was handy for new things to do with him and the horse did benefit.

It's this - http://www.amazon.co.uk/101-Horsemanship-Exercises-Improving-Groundwork/dp/0715326724
 
Last edited:
horsemad32 said:
Hi,
Been a lurker a long while but could really do with a bit of advice now. I have a highly strung pony who I took on as a scared project a couple of years ago. It's been a long road to get her to be a pretty safe ride, and last summer everything finally fell into place and she accepted a rider without any problems, and has been steadily improving since. BUT - I've recently found out I'm pregnant. I have a very secure saddle, and she's so much better than she used to be, but I'm aware that time is running out for riding her for now.

The original plan was to turn her away, but I have another (sane, sensible, safe) horse also. This one I'll be able to ride for much longer, and the problem is that if I ride my sane horse and DON'T ride the pony, she gets very pushy/bargy in the field, kicks out at the other horse (caused an injury last weekend) and is generally foul tempered. She's got way too attached to me :(. In a way I needed her to get attached for the trust to grow, but now it's causing a problem. Help?
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I would either try to find a confident rider for her, then you can ride out together or try to find alternative grazing with company for her.
 
Can you get an adult/confident sharer, or someone who is willing to ride her a couple of times a week for you? Or as someone else said, keep her ticking over doing inhand things, looseschooling, loose jumping, lunging, longreining etc. Can you ride and lead off your other horse? Congratulations on your pregnancy, and I hope you find a solution for the pony :)
 
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