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The tack room

Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

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Original poster

Pony shaped dilemma !

27 replies

Plomino · 22/01/2013 22:13

This might end up a tad long, so bear with me !

I used to be on a livery yard for about 7 years , before we moved to the sticks and managed to buy our own house with land and stables . Although have been here for 6 years , I still keep in touch with my best yard buddy , and she comes and visits etc etc . Before Christmas , I was lucky enough to be able to have my stable yard rebuilt , with 3 boxes. The plan was always that I would get another horse to fill the third box , after the devastating loss of my first pony .

In November , I was chatting to my yard buddy on the phone , when she mentioned that there was a horse on the yard looking for a home. His owner was a really nice bloke , but inexperienced , and had basically made a mistake in buying him at all . He was willing to give him away for free , provided his good home was guaranteed . So I went down to have a look , and the horse IS lovely . Has a few issues like nipping , has a slightly dodgy hoof ( false quarter ) but is nothing I can't deal with , and haven't done before . I ws debating taking him on, and then I broke my leg in stupid riding accident .

Today , have had another call from yard buddy . Things have deteriorated slightly , inasmuch as horse is basically not being too well cared for . He has no rugs , is not fed any dinner , and is standing on rubber matting only all ight every night . He is not a native , and this is obviously not doing him any good as he is shivering and had lost a considerable amount of weight . Part of me , says take him! If we don't get on, I could always rehome him ( which being honest is unlikely , I keep all my horses for life) and part of me says what about the unknown . What if he doesn't get on with the others ? What if he costs me a fortune to get right ? And yet another part of me says FREE PONY FGS !

I don't know . Maybe I'm over thinking this ? Surely I would have a lot of the same worries even if I paid a fortune for one anyway ? What shall I do ? Someone , talk some sense into me . DH just rolls his eyes and says 'tell me when the stable needs emptying '. ( I might just have previous for doing exactly the same thing with my big hay monster some five years ago )

Help !

OP posts:

Pixel · 23/01/2013 00:18

Well I wonder, if you hadn't broken your leg, would you already have him by now? You liked him, you have the room and there is nothing wrong with him physically that you can't deal with. What about your friend? Do you reckon she genuinely thinks this horse will suit you, or is she so desperate to see the poor thing go to a decent home that she will try to persuade you regardless of any faults she's seen in it?
If the owner is a 'nice bloke' would he agree to a trial period?

mrslaughan · 23/01/2013 12:55

God - I say take hi, but then I am a sucker for a hard luck story and hate the thought of a horse being mistreated.
I am a novice so no idea, of what is involved, but if you go into it with the attitude he is a project and if it is too much, you could re-home spring summer, and at least he is well cared for between now and then.

Callisto · 23/01/2013 13:11

I'd take him tbh, and I would give his owner a dressing down about neglect once the horse was signed over to me too. Why is no-one on the livery yard keeping an eye on him? I couldn't stand by and see this going on - surely someone must have a spare rug at the very least?

horseylady · 23/01/2013 14:14

If youre experienced take him. Sounds like you were planning on before the accident. If they don't get on you can keep them separate. It's hard work, but doable. My two mares hate each other. Well they don't if there's a fence in a way or out riding but my pony will kill my horse if together. Rugs can be got cheaply if you know enough people. I bought someone's entire collection for £50!!

I hope it works out.

mrslaughan · 23/01/2013 14:18

Just want to second what calisto has said - he should get a bollocking for neglect and I too was wondering how this is allowed to go on, at a livery yard

frostyfingers · 23/01/2013 14:23

I too would take him, especially since you were keen on him before your accident. Since the "nice bloke" (not that nice if you leave your horse to suffer...) has neglected him, it might be worth saying yes I'll take him, but would like a contribution towards feeding him up/getting him right.

It's a shame no-one has shown a little more care to him (we have one horse on our livery whose owner is always leaving him in too long, but we all take turns to check his water and throw him hay so he's not too hungry - her hay, mind, not ours!)

Booboostoo · 23/01/2013 15:02

What do you want to do with this horse? Do you have any idea if he fits the bill for the activities you want to do? That is, if you want to hack him have you ridden him on a hack at all?

Feeding him up and getting a decent farrier to sort him out is easily done, but if the horse is unsuitable for the activity you want, can you afford to keep him anyway?

Also, is your leg still in plaster? A new horse always means upset for the existing herd, all your horses will be more lively, are you up to dealing with that if you are not 100% OK yourself?

Rehoming him in the spring is a possibility but you need to find a home for him and at the moment there are plenty of free or really cheap horses doing the rounds because many people cannot afford to keep them.

Original poster

Plomino · 23/01/2013 18:30

Thanks for the replies !

My yard buddy has been keeping a watching eye , and feeding him extra hay, and this week has managed to find a rug for him so the immediate worry is not as bad as I first thought . She would take him on , but at the moment she may be redundant inside a year , so can't take on any extras .

Equipment wise , I suspect Abbey's ( my first pony) wardrobe will fit him , ditto saddle if I get it professionally refitted and stuffed , so initial outlay would really be the cost of getting him here . Riding wise , I'm really looking for a horse to hack out on and be able to relax , nothing too strenuous , probably a bit of long distance at most , because I have the big lad already to do the fancy stuff , but whilst I do hack him out , it's not exactly what I would term relaxation . Take your eye off him for a minute and he'll see what he can get away with. I think this boy should be able to do all that and more . He has been ridden out and jumped by someone who was going to take him on loan , but that fell through.

I'm mightily pissed off at the yard owner , but as long as he's paid , I really don't think he gives a shit.

Have had long chat with yard buddy again today . I go see him again a week tomorrow . I think once I've ridden him properly , I'll know . Will put towbar on the Landy in case I end up taking him there and then !

OP posts:

Callisto · 24/01/2013 08:27

I'm glad someone is keeping an eye on him - well done to your friend. Make sure that he is signed over to you - pay a £1 or something for him t make it official and get a receipt from the current owner.

Oh and I know you're 'only going to try' him, but post a pic when you get him home .

Original poster

Plomino · 31/01/2013 21:10

Well ...... I went to see him again

He comes on Thursday !! Have paid the owner a whole pound for him . He's still a bit nippy , but I think that a lot of that is a consequence of ignorant handling , and should be easily solvable. He now has a borrowed rug from me until he gets here , my spare saddle fits pretty much as though it was made for him , and I think , given a few months tlc , I'll have a bargain . Have managed to put pic on profile if anyone's interested , and will put another on when he gets here!

OP posts:

Pixel · 31/01/2013 21:27

I can see the photo but which one is he?
Sounds like you are all sorted .
(hate to be the voice of doom but the saddle may not fit once he's had the TLC as I have found out more than once!).

Original poster

Plomino · 31/01/2013 21:38

Ah . He's the grey one at the bottom . The top two are my current spoilt others .

Will get the saddle professionally fitted to be on the safe side , but if he changes shape that dramatically , will just have to do some more overtime ....

OP posts:

Pixel · 01/02/2013 00:50

That explains why I was confused then. I can only see three copies of the same photo, no grey pony at all. Oh well I'm sure he's lovely .

Pixel · 01/02/2013 00:51

Oh and a grey box on the main profile page that says "sorry we couldn't find that picture"

Original poster

Plomino · 01/02/2013 01:24

Am crap at the picture thingy . Have tried again . I will get there !

Interestingly , I googled him , and found an old preloved advert , that pretty much describes him as a saint , but also as very good at XC . I shall be well chuffed if I've managed to buy another eventer for £1 !

OP posts:

Zazzles007 · 01/02/2013 03:48

Hi Plomino, glad things have worked out well. Keep us posted on how the new pony goes.

Pixel · 01/02/2013 15:55

I can see it now, oh he's lovely! I can see why you couldn't resist (he looks a lot like our first pony).

Original poster

Plomino · 07/02/2013 20:26

He's here ! He's here!

Not that I'm excited or anything but ......... He's been so good . He apparently travelled like a dream , walked off the lorry like a dog on a lead , then RAN into his stable , I just about managed to get the lead rope undone , then he threw himself into his massive straw bed , rolled and rolled , got up , dug all his banks up into a huge pile in the middle , then rolled on it all over again , then snorted , and spent all afternoon staring into the distance at his new view . I think he's quite happy so far ! Am trying to get pic on profile .

OP posts:

mrslaughan · 07/02/2013 21:34

Oh how wonderful! Certainly sounds as if he's making himself at home!

chocolatecakeystuff · 07/02/2013 21:40

Hahaha he's obviously enjoying his bed then :-) keep us posted xx

Zazzles007 · 22/02/2013 01:42

Awww, I've only just caught up with this! What a lovely ending to the story .

mrslaughan · 22/02/2013 15:37

Plomino - you need to update us as to how he is doing.

Original poster

Plomino · 24/02/2013 10:21

Well .

He knows he's fallen on his hooves alright! I've never known a horse who loves laying down so much . He's definitely smart , and very much of the 'give an inch and he'll take a mile ' variety , but he's learning . The nipping has all but stopped , but if you tell him 'no' he puts his head on one side like a dog and sticks his tongue out! He's a charmer and he knows it .

Farrier popped round yesterday and isn't worried about the dodgy foot at all , hopefully saddle fitter is round this week , and then we start seeing what he can do . Having googled him and an old owner , have found a picture of him showjumping , so he's definitely been there and done it !

OP posts:

Littlebigbum · 24/02/2013 10:33

Great Plomino

lovebeansontoast · 24/02/2013 11:21

This is fantastic to read plomino. Lucky boy! Please keep us posted. I can't see the pic on your profile though.

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