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The tack room

Can I just go on about dd's pony as he's the first one we've ever bought and people don't seem to be very complimentary about him.

41 replies

TackedOff · 02/04/2013 17:48

We've loaned for the past three years. I bought him from an old school friend of dds - she was a nervous rider and hadn't done much with him for the last couple of years, hunting and hacking and two pc senior camps (where he was very well behaved). When her parents asked us if we wanted to buy him we went to see hiim and really liked him - asking around afterwards people were definitely not particularly complimentary as he wasn't 'proven'.

Our ponies are at livery atm and the YO told us not to buy him that he 'wasn't good enough' for dd. DD is a good rider but hasn't really done much - never been to PC camp, only a few rallies as her old pony hated SJ and anything in the school really. We needed a pony that would live out, hack happily, hunt sensibly and be able to take part in PC rallies without disgracing himself.

First rally today and he was very good, dd enjoys riding him, he's very 'looky' but extremely cheerful and quite bouncy, but he listens to dd and did what he was told. He rushes his fences a bit but seems very willing and genuine. He's a welsh x - 14.2 - pretty head, big feet, needs to build up a bit of muscle but I think he is nice looking. He seems a nice chap.

Was very sad to see that the YO had trimmed his feet and - I was cross - chopped off his forelock which was very pretty. She (YO) really doesn't seem to like him and hadn't even told the yard assistant his name :-(

Dd and I seem to be the only ones who like him and I am wondering if I have missed something!

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SaggyOldClothCatPuss · 04/04/2013 14:35

I can understand taking off the entire mane and forelock if you were cobbing out your horse, but just the forelock?
And there is no way a YO ought to be doing this without your consent!

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Pixel · 04/04/2013 16:05

My mum owns half of dhorse and is desperate to hog him but she'd still never do it behind my back or else.

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Floralnomad · 04/04/2013 17:14

We hogged our Irish Draught X he looked very handsome ,but it is a decision that needs to be thought of very long term IYSWIM . Our Dartmoor has a lovely long mane and I think if I was the one doing the grooming I'd be sorely tempted but my sister just uses bucket loads of mane and tail spray .

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CalamityKate · 04/04/2013 18:04

I can't abide long, flowy manes. Even on horses it's meant to look nice on.

All horses should have manes neatly pulled to about 4-5 inches. Fact.

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TackedOff · 04/04/2013 18:50

I like manes and forelocks to be neatish. But she chopped it off really square, it looks silly!

You shouldn't pull some natives manes if you are planning to show them?

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CalamityKate · 04/04/2013 19:49

No I know you shouldn't. That's why I never got into showing; my fingers always itch to pull messy/long manes

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CalamityKate · 04/04/2013 19:51

I agree chopped off square forelocks look silly. They should be pulled like manes.

Chopping a forelock too blunt/short has the same effect as it does on humans; its unflattering and makes the wearer look surprised.

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Pixel · 04/04/2013 23:20

We had my mum's old horse on loan before he was ours and his owner always used to cut his forelock straight across. She called it his 'Beatle Cut' Grin.

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SaggyOldClothCatPuss · 04/04/2013 23:23

If you are planning on showing as a native you need a 'natural' judiciously pulled mane and tail. And dont trim any feather.

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lovebeansontoast · 05/04/2013 08:09

That's good, but if he's good enough to show even at local level, don't let her trim him again. Welsh should not be trimmed like that and if she shows at HOYS she should(and probably does) know it!

He sounds like a fab pony to me, despite YO's best attempts at undermining your confidence and enthusiasm for him. Really pleased you've found such a nice one. :)

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TackedOff · 09/04/2013 07:37

Quick update : he was brilliant at the hunt ride, very fast and jumped everything much to dds delight Grin well behaved too, he seems a good mix of chilled when you need him to be and forward going and willing when ridden - a friend said more like a horse than a pony?! His clip still needs to fall out but he's not shedding at all yet. He has very big feet and does look a bit like a camelGrin cross country rally tomorrow at a very demanding course so we'll see... Dd still anxious about sj as her old pony refused so often, but I think he'll be fine as he does that lovely ears pricked forward thing when he jumps in the school - sorry not a very technical description Grin

He does poke his nose a bit and also stretches his neck out long and low when he's stopped working.

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Mirage · 09/04/2013 08:45

Oh well done! He sounds a real star and I'm sure he'll be just as good at SJ,he sounds so willing.Have fun at the cross country and let us know how it goes.Which course are you going to?

Thanks Callisto and Saggy,Brandy is now living permanently on my dads farm,along with dpony..There are tractors there,but not near enough their paddock for him to notice so I've asked if I can move him temporarily to a field next to the road.Dad is thinking about it and you can't push him otherwise he'll dig his heels in.Grin..As he isn't charging me for the field or hay,I don't want to upset him.[I'm not a total freeloader as I am 'paying' by working on the farm,and we are in the throes of lambing,so very busy.]

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BehindLockNumberNine · 09/04/2013 09:33

He sounds fantasticd Smile

Still hoping for a picture so I can drool (as we are a long way off buying a pony for dd)

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TackedOff · 10/04/2013 18:03

First day of xc rally and he was fab, put in a couple of stops but only one pony didn't, also Dd needed to keep her leg on more even though he was fast to the jumps. Feeling really happy about him as he is so chilled!

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Vicky134 · 05/05/2013 21:45

At the end of the day, he is your pony, not the yard owners or anyone elses. Your dd's safety and happiness is paramount, not the opinions of everybody else. If the YO is causing you a problem perhaps you could consider finding a different livery yard.

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TackedOff · 09/05/2013 13:44

Just a quick update - he's turned out to be a really lovely pony. We've had so many compliments now that I have become a bit blase :-D

He'll never make a show pony but he is very very safe, forward going, enthusiastic and did a fairly high level pony club xc rally with no issues - a couple of stops but we're working on it. He's put a couple of stops in SJ also but we are also working on this. We all love him, he couldn't be easier!

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