Dizzle
Well-Known Member
So, I made a mistake. I rushed into buying a pony and he's not suitable at all for either of the jobs he was bought for.
So, the pony came from a riding school that offered little to no turnout and that only had very inexperienced riders and helpers, it was a difficult environment and anything but the most stoic of horses would struggle, he hadn't settled and so they were selling him, I thought that with turnout and 1-2-1 handling he would come good, I spoke to an old owner (not the one that had sold him to the RS) who gave him a glowing review, I did some FB stalking and couldn't find anything bad, I found pictures and clips of him being a good children's pony. I was told he was happy with mares and geldings...
When bought him.... he initially seemed fine with my mare, then I noticed his willy. A lot. They he started chasing and mounting her, both of them were getting scrapes and she came into a MASSIVE season, this was not normal for her. So I separated them and called the vet, bloods were ran and it was found that he was NOT a rig but we started him off on Regumate which seemed to help with his stallion like behaviour, I slowly introduced them back together and they were fine together for 6 weeks and then my mare came into a massive season again (unusual for her) and they started fighting again, the pony was better than before but still interested in my mare (but the amount of piss flying around I'd defy any gelding not to want to sniff), I separated them as I was worried about injury, he had chunks out of his neck and my mare ended up with a puffy leg.
I was contacted by someone who used to be on a yard with him who said that he had mounted her mare so much he had made her sore and once at a show he had sent everything mad calling his head off.
When I ride my mare he calls and isn't settled in the field, even if there are other horses in the next field. I can't bring him onto the yard without her, I couldn't even tie her out of sight to hose her off the other day. I haven't let me son ride him either as whilst he may be fine for a more balanced older child, my son isn't going to be that for many years and I need him to walk calmly out on his own for my son to be able to ride.
So essentially I have a pony that isn't suitable for us ridden wise for many years, he isn't suitable to be turned out with my mare (I cannot risk her being hurt, she's priceless to me) but can't be turned out without her. One option would be to buy two more companions, a mare and a gelding but I can't see that one flying with the husband to be honest. I could sell the pony but a 11hh 16 year old project that cannot be turned out with mares and that I cannot vouch for first hand about being ridden isn't the best of sellers to be honest. I could put my mare on Regumate as well but that's not cheap having two horses on daily medication.
There could be a good home for him out there, there is more likely, a bad home for him out there. I'm really seriously thinking about having him put to sleep. I think it's the only way I can guarantee his future and whilst I do like the pony, I've had him three months and I can't justify paying for him to be on retirement livery potentially for another 15 years!
What would you do in my situation?
So, the pony came from a riding school that offered little to no turnout and that only had very inexperienced riders and helpers, it was a difficult environment and anything but the most stoic of horses would struggle, he hadn't settled and so they were selling him, I thought that with turnout and 1-2-1 handling he would come good, I spoke to an old owner (not the one that had sold him to the RS) who gave him a glowing review, I did some FB stalking and couldn't find anything bad, I found pictures and clips of him being a good children's pony. I was told he was happy with mares and geldings...
When bought him.... he initially seemed fine with my mare, then I noticed his willy. A lot. They he started chasing and mounting her, both of them were getting scrapes and she came into a MASSIVE season, this was not normal for her. So I separated them and called the vet, bloods were ran and it was found that he was NOT a rig but we started him off on Regumate which seemed to help with his stallion like behaviour, I slowly introduced them back together and they were fine together for 6 weeks and then my mare came into a massive season again (unusual for her) and they started fighting again, the pony was better than before but still interested in my mare (but the amount of piss flying around I'd defy any gelding not to want to sniff), I separated them as I was worried about injury, he had chunks out of his neck and my mare ended up with a puffy leg.
I was contacted by someone who used to be on a yard with him who said that he had mounted her mare so much he had made her sore and once at a show he had sent everything mad calling his head off.
When I ride my mare he calls and isn't settled in the field, even if there are other horses in the next field. I can't bring him onto the yard without her, I couldn't even tie her out of sight to hose her off the other day. I haven't let me son ride him either as whilst he may be fine for a more balanced older child, my son isn't going to be that for many years and I need him to walk calmly out on his own for my son to be able to ride.
So essentially I have a pony that isn't suitable for us ridden wise for many years, he isn't suitable to be turned out with my mare (I cannot risk her being hurt, she's priceless to me) but can't be turned out without her. One option would be to buy two more companions, a mare and a gelding but I can't see that one flying with the husband to be honest. I could sell the pony but a 11hh 16 year old project that cannot be turned out with mares and that I cannot vouch for first hand about being ridden isn't the best of sellers to be honest. I could put my mare on Regumate as well but that's not cheap having two horses on daily medication.
There could be a good home for him out there, there is more likely, a bad home for him out there. I'm really seriously thinking about having him put to sleep. I think it's the only way I can guarantee his future and whilst I do like the pony, I've had him three months and I can't justify paying for him to be on retirement livery potentially for another 15 years!
What would you do in my situation?
Sadly just one of those things, you weren't to know about the mare/gelding issues until he went into that situation and presumably if little/no turnout with others at the riding school he may not have been observed interacting with others. Hope it all works out.