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Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

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Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

The tack room

Have decided to buy a pony for ds - your top tips please !

40 replies

CMOTdibbler · 04/11/2010 22:42

Yes, you all said I'd be doing this, and I scoffed.. But ds loves riding soo much, and had a real blast at the school show and a gymkhana on his friends pont that we feel the time is right.

His instructor (and who owns the yard where pony will be living) has said she will go and look at any we ask her to, so obv will be getting good rl advice, but has anyone got any words of wisdom to share ?

Intention is a sec A, up to 12hh for ds who is a tall 4.5, just off the lead rein in the school and trotting nicely

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nappyaddict · 20/12/2010 11:36

My friend's little girl started lessons at just turned 4 (the youngest you can round here) and was off the lead rein by 4.4. I thought it was really young!!

mummydoc · 15/12/2010 22:12

gosh that is incredibly young. make sure he isn't over worked they are still develpoing and growing at that age, my yard has a " baby" who is 4 1/2 and he has been brought on incredibly slowly for last yr. our pony has bengard sire .... bengard rocket. i will look out for you at shows next year as we are just over the border in herefordshire. i would definitely join a branch of the ponyclub

WhyHavePets · 12/12/2010 17:03

They were 5 and 7 at the time. My friends dd was also 5 and took about the same amount of time. It took about 3 months to get them balanced, in control and cantering. Ds is now 8 and started jumping, it has taken about 5 months to get to that stage I think.

CMOTdibbler · 12/12/2010 14:01

DS started riding regularly when he was 3.4, did 'tots tasters' (15 minute lesson with a leader and somone walking beside) until he was just over 4, and came off the lead rein in the school when he was 4.5.

I think that it has worked well as he has a very secure seat, good leg and body position, and great balance. Being on the lead rein with 1:1 attention meant they concentrate on doing loads of balance and position exercises, rather than just riding

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nappyaddict · 11/12/2010 20:44

How old were they?

WhyHavePets · 11/12/2010 18:56

NA, it took ds and dd about 5 lessons before they came off the lead rein. THey had to be able to rise introt properly and be able to use their body to turn the pony.

NorbertDentressAngelOnTheTree · 11/12/2010 18:05

Hi CMOT -no horse advice or questions here ( I don't know one end of a horse from t'other ) but just wanted to say hello and ask how you're going to gift wrap it?

Sorry to hear hand isn't coming along as you'd hope.

nappyaddict · 11/12/2010 17:52

How many months of lessons did it take for DS to come off the lead rein?

CMOTdibbler · 10/12/2010 15:56

No, never before! I have been doing a distance learning course, and pony is on working livery with loads of support, so I'll be learning fast.

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nappyaddict · 10/12/2010 15:41

CMOT Have you ever had your own pony? I would love to get DS a pony but I know nothing about looking after them so not really possible.

CMOTdibbler · 10/12/2010 15:08

and for anyone interested, he is by Bengad Dogberry, out of Bengad Downy Rose

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CMOTdibbler · 10/12/2010 12:32

No, I don't ! I grew up showing white goats, and was never allowed to use the show shampoo as it was far too expensive for humans

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seeker · 10/12/2010 11:23

You think I'm joking? At least your ds is too young to con you into buying special mane and tail shampoo, conditioner and serum.....

CMOTdibbler · 10/12/2010 09:24

Shall I mortgage my soul to the grooming products company now Seeker ?

Hand prognosis isn't v good - 4 months on I have no wrist movement at all, and v v v limited finger movement. Am now seeing top hand surgeon, but he says it is basically buggered (his words), but will be able to make it a bit more functional. Was a silly little fall, but just landed entirely on my hand in exactly the wrong way and then it all went a bit wrong.

If the school owner wasn't doing continued schooling and development as part of the deal, then I wouldn't have considered him tbh, but as a large part of what she does is buying young ponies and bringing them on I do trust her. And his nature is lovely - walks gently alongside ds, obeys his voice commands, let him put his rug on without a twitch

I'll be bothering you all to learn about showing in the spring

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nappyaddict · 10/12/2010 09:19

Also does he have group or private lessons?

nappyaddict · 10/12/2010 09:11

CMOT Can I ask how long DS has been riding? Round here they don't do lessons until they are 4.6

MitchyInge · 10/12/2010 08:55

Ahhhh he is beautiful, you must all be thrilled. They make a sweet pair, sorry to hear about your hand though. Will it heal?

That really is young, suppose just can't think of ours as a 'baby' now he is nearly 8!

seeker · 09/12/2010 22:12

A grey! What did I tell you about toiletries bills?????????

WhyHavePets · 08/12/2010 19:38

Aww, he sounds like a pet! I agree it is very young and I do think it is a brave move - but it is totally down to you to assess how it will work! Many people do make it work and work well.

Good luck with him, I bet your ds is over the moon!

CMOTdibbler · 08/12/2010 16:48

12hh, 3.5 years (I know, very young, but school owner is v experienced in bringing on youngstock and will be working with him as part of the deal).
Apparently a good pedigree too, but I don't have it to hand to tell you

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WhyHavePets · 08/12/2010 16:43

What a pretty boy!! congratulations

So, what are his vitals? Height, age etc?

CMOTdibbler · 08/12/2010 16:38

Well, we've done it ! Pic on my profile.

He's on working livery, so will be ridden by some of the girls at the stables, and as he is young, school owner (who found him) will be schooling him regularly too, and is going to teach me to lunge

He is gorgeous, and unworried by being led around by small children, lifts his feet for them, and didn't bat an eyelid when there was a party at the weekend and loads of children running round screaming.

He is sort of my pony, but having lost the use of one hand after a riding accident in August, I can't manage a horse on my own, but can still tack up a pony, so get my fix

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seeker · 10/11/2010 22:51

Are you sure you want to buy at this stage?

If I were you, I would look into loaning or part loaning - your ds is too young to enjoy most of the benefits of having your own pony (the messing about with friends and hacking out stuff). He's also too young to take much 9any) responsibility for a pony, so essentially it would have to be your pony.

Who would ride it as well as your ds? Practically any pony would need more work than a 4 yead old could give it so as not to be too lively for a 4 year old. IYSWIM.

Not meaning to put you off - but there is a lOT to think about. Not least not buying a grey. My dd has a white Arab mare, and her toiletries bill is eye watering!

JRsandCoffee · 10/11/2010 21:55

Hmmm I'd be wary of buying a school pony - they have a habit of being a lot different when not doing a couple of hours a day through the week and 3 or 4 both days at the weekend! You do sometimes get a cracker but often not. Doing a loan scheme can work well though as pony gets both the work it's used to and the extra tlc and individual riding.

You could try getting in touch with the local pony club - the DC or the chief instructor, they might know of something?

mummydoc · 09/11/2010 22:09

sorry should be how high not howhow

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