Hi
A little long, but please bear with me!
My dd is nearly 8 been riding 6 months at a local riding school. For the summer we have loaned a 17 year old, 12.2. pony, who has been perfect, we keep her in the yard at home, (there are liveries there too). The pony was an old jumping pony and can be a little nappy in the sandschool, but is safe and kind. I used to ride a lot and have been teaching dd the basics, she is very competent in rising and sitting trot and transistions are generally good for her level there are moments when the pony cuts a corner, or tries to go back to the gate, but nothing major, just typical pony stuff.
Recently dd has had a couple of formal private lessons and this week cantered (under control, without holding on!) for the first time. She has a good seat and can do circles, but the pony is turning out to be very forward going and takes a lot of work to get back down to a reasonable trot after canter and can race. I could see dd really struggling to get things under control. Partly due to her inexperience and the fact the pony is opening her mouth a little. After the lesson, dd told me she was a little bit scared and didn't like feeling out of control, she said she wanted to cry!!! I don't want her to be worried about riding, she is so confident and will speak to the instructor before next time.
The instructor who I don't know that well, but has taught (very successsfully) other children at the yard, suggested that putting the pony in a pelham may help - a thick one, but I am not too happy with the idea. Currently she has an eggbut snaffle with a normal noseband (which the instructor did up very tight) and I just feel that dd is too young and her hands are moving too much to feel this is right for the pony.
However, I am very rusty with all this, it is a long time that I was very involved with horsey stuff and wonder if perhaps I am being a bit too cautious. Obviously I will speak to the owner about it, but wanted to run it past someone else and get any thoughts. I know that the pony used to (many years ago), be ridden in a flash noseband and to be honest would feel happier with this, but don't know enough about everything to know if this would help.
Sorry I sound a bit vague, but it really is a long time since I had to think about any of this!!!!
Thanks
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Strong pony - advice please
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paddlinglikehell · 10/09/2012 22:02
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