Went to see a pony this afternoon - made me very sad.

[Callisto]

Hi all,

as you know, I'm pony-hunting atm for DD. We went to see a 12h 13yo grey mare this afternoon and it was a bit awful really. The pony was sweet but I could see she had no topline muscle at all and on further investigation found I could feel every rib and that her back end looked wasted. What I thought was a pretty good ewe neck turned out to be further evidence of zero topline muscle. Her withers were very bony and her spine was sticking up. She had a round, tight belly though and I reckon it's as good a case of worms as I've seen. But the topline muscle wastage looked odd to me - like she was much older (I checked her teeth and she was around 13). She hasn't been in work for 3 months, but that wouldn't account for it.

Poor girl was obviously hungry and was in a field with some bigger ponies who obviously bullied her. There was plenty of hay out and the woman who showed pony to me said she was fed daily and had had her teeth done recently. I'm not sure what to do really, I doubt the RSPCA will even come out and look at her and she had hay in the field. But I feel so sorry for her.

[Booboostoo]

Very sad situation. Maybe try the WHW? They are supposed to be more proactive than the RSPCA.

[Callisto]

Thanks Booboo, I'll give them a call.

[SaggyOldClothCatPuss]

My little welsh mare is similar at the moment. I have just weaned her from her foal. He is a big boy and was taking everything she had and more. 3 months doesnt seem like long to lose all top line! But then when she was in work, she may not have had much to start with! Was she expensive? Did she seem like she might be the pony you are looking for? Id be tempted to make a low offer and take her home!

[Callisto]

She was £300. Not sure why I went to see her really. I am tempted to take her home, but DD needs a pony she can ride and I've got her lead-rein pony to find a home for so there isn't really any room for one to bring on and sell. We have very limited pasture so I can't see the yard owner being terribly keen on taking on yet another pony. I might have a word with her anyway though (she is as soft as me).

[Olderyetwilder]

If she's a child's pony and been ridden by not very capable children she might not have been working properly (lifting back, working through from back end etc) so may never have developed the proper way of going which developes the muscles on the topline and hindquarters.

GD's new pony was like this when we got her (she'd done a stint as a brood mare, she had lovely paces and conformation but needed a lot of bringing on) Lots of hill work, hours of schooling long and low, work on circles, and a good conditioning feed has pretty much sorted her out and she's really filled out in her hindquarters and shoulders and has slowly developed enough topline to build self-carriage. She looks a different pony from when we bought her (cheap) and she and GD are devoted to each other.

If the pony's got a nice nature, she's cheap enough and dd has the skills to school her into a proper way of going (or you could get someone else to school her) she could be a great project.

[SaggyOldClothCatPuss]

£300 is not much. Poor pony! Im such a soft touch, its why I have 6! They were all gimpy or strange at one point or other!