what went wrong?

[[100652]]

Basically a pony went away last year to be backed and broken- slowly.
Apparently was a total star and ended up staying away for 6 months being walked through busy roads, forestries, passing hunts etc.
Hadnt been cantered when sat on as rider felt she was too big (pony is only small) but had cantered on lunge etc.

Pony came back from being away and went straight into a loan home for a younger rider. She arrived Monday from a long journey and Tuesday had a phonecall saying the pony isnt suitable because she just doesnt DO anything.. she will walk when on the leadrein and trot (at a push) but when off the leadrein she wont move she just stands there. They had an adult get on her and i believe that she was the same (not moving) except once she had been whipped/pushed she ended up bucking them off.

Owner has arranged to pick up the horse 48 hours after it had arrived at the loan home, distraught that her young horse had been away for 6 months and hasnt seemed to have been broken properly so she rang the lady who had done the work. The lady who had the horse for those 6 months was gobsmacked and sent videos and photos of horse being ridden, offered to come back down to show owner exactly what pony is capable of as her reputation is on the line and she is a well known lady in her local area. She is quite some distance away (came via word of mouth) and her relatives are down here, they have offered to ride the pony to show the owner that she has infact paid for the correct work also. Owner had a lot of trust in this woman and believes she has done the work but then why is pony not co-operating for the new loan home? Loan home was a lovely relaxed yard, a knowledgable loaner and a younger rider with lots of confidence.

Pony may have needed time to settle in but not all people believe horses need this 'settling in' period and pony should have at least walked.. somewhere!
Pony is 6 years old and was left late to be backed/broken because owner was in no rush, ground manners are impeccable and horse has a lovely calm temperament so in theory- this should have been a well fitting match.

What went wrong do we think and what next steps should owner take from this point to firstly, find out what was wrong the pony and secondly try and make sure this doesnt happen again if/when a new loan home is found? Owner is unable to ride the pony themselves due to other issues.

 

[HaffiesRock]

If the pony has been backed slowly and sympathetically, I would guess the loan home may have not been so sympathetic with the pony and it objected? They havent given the poor pony much of a chance though. I think its better off in a new home. x xx

 

[Spangie]

What tack did they put on it at loaners?

 

[[100652]]

What tack did they put on it at loaners?

Saddle and bridle were provided from the lady who backed the pony.
Bit was also provided but i believe the bit given was too big and a pony bit was used instead (i think it was the same type of bit, just smaller)
Saddle had been fitted to the pony initially and all the tack had been used on pony for last 6 months.. minus the bit but i dont think it was changed in severity, just size and i believe they used the origial bit to start with anyway.

 

[be positive]

Has the pony been ridden by anyone other than the person who broke it? if not that is the issue, part of starting a childs pony has to be getting children on it before expecting to send it away as a made, albeit green, childs ride, a child however good will ride differently, the breaker was too big to canter so likely to have been longer in the leg, heavier as well as much more experienced, they have made problems that can be resolved but will take time, require going back several steps to get the pony confident with a child on top.

I have recently had a similar pony in for schooling, broken by an adult, hunted and hacked supposedly "perfect" but was not a childs pony in any way, it did come round but took time, had to be ridden by children regularly to improve its confidence as it just did not really trust a child the way it did a "big person"