Why can no-one ride my pony?!

[Baileysmidmag]

My 14.2 pony is for sale. He has done BE, BSJA and always does well in prelim and novice dressage. Last weekend i came 2nd in my PN finishing on my dressage score of 31.5.

Two people have come to see him. He worked very well for me when first 'showing him off' and then the girl got on. Quite a good little jockey, though he shoved his head in the air and off he went. He jumped well but he was too strong for her.
Today a girl and her mother came to see him. Mother bigging the child up saying how she had competed for the country on her 12.2 in dressage? Anyways he warmed up well and the girl got on. Bailey was very good with her, responsive etc but still no shape and no real contact.
Then the mother got on! She was quite stiff i thought and rode him no better than her daughter really. The girl jumped him very well but then the mother told me that he was everything they were looking for but she expected him to be more 'there' in the contact and he came out a little stiff?

This so very annoying because he goes perfectly well and the people dont appriciate that you have to actually RIDE him.
I dont know if Baileys perfect next little jockey is out there ?

Rant over

 

[saskia295]

If he were for sale 18 months ago, I would have had him!

Sorry, that doesn't help you much does it?! That's the problem with kids and parents with money, they buy their kids flashy ponies but as soon as they get on one they actually have to RIDE, it all seems to go pear shaped for some reason!!!

 

[Rachel_M]

You have to take into account that your horse is used to you and completely understand your aids. He is not a machine and it takes time for a horse to understand another riders aids, which differ slightly between everyone, so I would think it is the case that your horse is just taking time to get used others riders. It is not simply fair to say it is the other riders at fault.

 

[Gamebird]

If it's any consolation it's probably slightly worse when everyone that comes to try a horse rides it SO much better than you after 2 years owning it.....

 

[I_A_P]

Yes thats the thing Gamebird and Miss Huggy Bear.

#Your horse is USED and knows you so well...also think how much those riders must "want" to ride well it is quite nerve racking riding someone elses horse!

 

[red marksman]

I think the point S and B is making is that people are turning down the pony without realising that after a few lessons they would be fine, and that a new relationship with a pony doesn't happen immediately. I reckon it can take a year to 18months to really get an understanding.

 

[Weezy]

I agree with red marksman. It is VERY frustrating when people get on your horse, cannot get the tune they want (that you CAN get) and then dismiss the horse out of hand - as someone else said, horses are NOT machines, so these riders do need to look at how the horse goes for the regular rider and realise that with a bit of adapting they will be able to make the horse go like that too, so long as they have the skill!

 

[henryhorn]

We have sold a horse tonight who was a really difficult ride unless you were quiet but firm.
The number of people who pretended they were better than they actually were was amazing, but we tended to weed them out on the phone calls rather than allow them to come and view.
We had three people who could easily ride her but one was a doubting Thomas who even questioned the passport matched the horse (we bred her so have a vid of her being born for goodness sake!). His daughter liked her but her younger sister didn't.
Another woman wanted her to hunt 20-30 miles a day, jumping 60- 80 fences, and decided her legs looked too dainty for that..

This one is local, rode her superbly and tried her by taking her through our water splash, which is easily PN standard in difficulty. I let them have a week't trial because I knew their yard owner, and tonight they bought her. I am really happy as the match is going to work I think, despite her needing careful riding.
She did a PC rally earlier this week, has hacked over the open moorland and although she isn't quiet, hasn't scared her at all.
I would be more careful in who you have try your horse. Ask them how they would feel about a stronger ride into fences etc and be totally honest about him.
You will find someone it just takes time...the height of him I would have thought would be ideal PC material, have you advertised him on the PC site? (off there now to remove our horse!)

 

[Vix1978]

How I sympathise! I have been in this boat - you are completely honest about the horse, but the viewers aren't honest about their own ability.
Ditto what has already been said - you have to weed people out on the phone. Start with asking what they are looking for and what they have done previously - this way you can often end the calls quickly that will be of no good.
Something else that annoys me though - people seem to expect the horse to go beautifully the moment you get in the saddle! They seem to find warm-up etc a completely novel idea!!!!

 

[xspiralx]

It is very frustrating, I had this seemingly hundreds of times with Paris when I was selling her. Of course a horse is not a machine, so you wouldn't expect someone to get it perfectly on a first try, but the number of people who rode totally ineffectually and then said to me "she doesn't work in an outline" was maddening - I felt like saying "well she was 2 minutes ago when I rode her!!"

Anyway, don't stress yet, you've only had two people come out! Sure you will find the right home in no time.

 

[happy_talk]

do you have any friends that you can ask to ride him so he gets used to other people??

 

[Baileysmidmag]

Hey
Thanks for the replies everyone.
Yes my sister rides him- rarely though and my instructer gets on sometimes. We have tried to tell them on the phone that he isnt the easiest ride in the world as he can be strong but people big themselves up and come anyway!
'xspiralx' i totally agree with you - if they just looked how my went when i was riding before, they would know he doesnt go round like a camel and actually goes quite nicely!