First pony at home

[Screwl]

I'd appreciate advice re the pitfalls of keeping a pony at home. My 7 year old has had her 11hh Dartmoor pony on full livery for a while. He has been on loan for a few months but is coming back to us now. We're moving to a home, by accident really, with stable, arena and small paddock. We do have a box.

I'm not experienced (can tack up and groom but there it ends) and have certainly never had full care of a pony before. DD is a slightly nervous novice and the pony has never lived alone before. So far, a recipe for disaster perhaps? He's a showing schoolmaster (not a big thing for us) and we'd like her to be able to enjoy riding at the beach which is close, but we won't be attempting to jump anything a rabbit couldn't hop over.

The pony is very saintly (though not cuddly) and
well known as the perfect pony to learn on. So we have that going for us. We bought him without trying him first and by some miracle he turned out to be a unicorn as advertised. (We then tried this again with a hacking pony and got properly burnt.)

We have found instructor who will visit regularly. Please, if you can be bothered, tell me what I need to do and avoid doing to keep both pony and daughter intact. How often should she ride, what are the dangerous things to avoid? Full disclosure: I have significant anxiety about my daughter riding due to an experience in my own childhood but we're supportive of her passion and happy to supervise everything. It doesn't help that the pony goes like the clappers when asked so she asks and then falls off before the pony has a chance to slow down. He doesn't treat her like she's 7 and should be taken with a pinch of salt.

You can’t keep him on his own - they’re herd animals and he will be miserable. You’ll need to get at least one other equine (preferably 2) to keep him company. Have you got enough land for that?

As above. You cannot keep a pony on his own, he needs a companion but two get very attached to each other and you may well need three. Do you have the land, time and energy for three ponies?

If you are not that knowledgeable, who will notice that the pony has the beginnings of laminitis, or is lame, or has colic? Horse care is very complex.

Your Dd is very, very young and will need someone to supervise every time she rides. Ideally you need to give some instructions to help her ride the pony. Especially if she’s starting to fall off when she runs off with her.

Do you have time for mucking out, field maintenance, poo picking, fence repairs? Can you be around for the farrier, vet, dentist, for hay deliveries, muck heap removal and every day early for turn out and before it gets dark to bring in? What will you do when you go on holiday?

I agree that keeping a horse alone isn't fair. Especially if they're used to being on a livery yard with lots of other horses and people. Is there space for more than one?

The bigger issue with going it alone, outside of the riding, is the maintenance. Worming, foot care, keeping up with feed and hay supplies, things you don't have to worry about when a horse is full livery! Are you going to be ok with that? Especially if you need a second beastie, even if it's just a companion horse?

Horse care is very complex.

Are you planning to do this alone?

If the extent of your knowledge starts and ends with tacking up and grooming how do you feel about your ability to comply with the Animal Welfare Act?

Could you take on a livery who would care for your pony and bring an equine or two to be companions?

This system works very well for my parents. We have 4 stables. The livery has free keep for two in return for looking after our two oldies.

So no advice, then. Except don't do it. Need for a companion pony noted.

You could potentially foster a horse/pony via a rescue as a companion, but I'm not sure if that is the best plan with limited experience.

Are you keen on learning? Could you upskill yourself (by volunteering or doing BHS stable management courses)?

Alternatively, having an arrangement with another horse/pony owner could work; you could offer free livery in exchange for some support?

Unless you are going to do a crash course in horse management I just wouldn’t do it until your daughter is old enough and more competent to take responsibility .

Maybe go into HHO and ask the question.

You'll need to have someone in the know check the ground and what's growing there.
Check all fencing and fix as required.
Find: vet, farrier, dentist.
Find suppliers of: hay, straw (or other bedding), and feed/ supplements.
Mouseproof feed bins.
Transport?
Secure tack area.
Water?
Buy: yard brush, witchy broom, wheelbarrow, forks, shovels, hosepipe.
Secure gear area (rugs, headboards, grooming kit, etc.).
Decide where muck heap is going, and who will remove it.
Freelance groom for when you're away / need some help.
And a companion pony.

You'll need to determine how much land, how it drains, and what fencing you're going to use. A small pony will be at risk of laminitis so you'll have to work out how to restrict grazing if necessary.

How much land do you have? Could you rent it to someone experienced and let them help with your pony? Echo what everyone else has said re companion and a lot of bloody work. You’ll also need to have a plan to cover holidays etc

In a word: don't.

You dont have the experience to give the pony the care it needs, without knowledgeable people around. I have decades of experience, but still rely on peers for some things.

Land management itself (pasture rolling and rotation, fencing, pest control, ensuring adequate water supply, drainage, resting fields etc) is complex as it is.

You might find that the move will unsettle him. He might not remain the saintly pony that you know and love. That would be my concern, that you don't have the experience to deal with him, should he start to push the boundaries.

"Don't do it" is advice. It's sensible advice in the circumstances you described, even if it's not what you want to hear. But it's still advice.

No casual advice anyone posts on an internet forum is going to compensate for the basic fact you don't currently have the skills, knowledge or experience to be responsible for caring for a horse.

There are equestrian colleges and riding schools that run intensive stable management courses, or the BHS Stage 1 care training (can do the training without the exam), or something similar.

But it's just not a muddle along and hope for the best kind of deal. The only way you can care for this horse adequately and safely is to obtain the skills, knowledge and experience you currently lack.

I'm sure you wouldn't deliberately set out to neglect him, but if you do (for instance because you don't know what to feed him or how much or how often or when) then you will be legally responsible for having done so.

Plus if your DD isn't riding appropriately - safety aside - she could also inadvertently mess up all his training to date.

What were you expecting? Everything you need to know about horse care and stable management in 100 words?

I wouldn't be doing this for a 7 year old who could well quickly lose interest, especially when you have no real experience and don't know what you're doing.

Out of interest how often does your daughter ride now , is he ridden / lunged as part of his livery and why was he out on loan ?

I have no problem with advice I don't like and certainly don't expect anonymous users to do leg work we can do ourselves. I have a problem with a uncalled for tone. We do have a stack of pony care books higher than the children which we're diligently working through, and of course RL experienced contacts in the course of keeping a pony at busy stables. What I unashamedly, occasionally, use MN for is the outlying bit of knowledge that I might have missed. A belt and braces approach from anyone who might want to comment.

However, I think MN users forget how people in RL work sometimes, where courtesy is actually a thing. There's a way to give advice without coming off like a prat and doing your best to indulge in an impromptu public shaming. I don't have enough invested here to tolerate head tilts and aggressive undertones without checking out. You're presumably all here because you like the social vibe. I'm not. But do enjoy telling each other that I didn't like the content, rather than found the tone viperish. That's what MN seems to do best, even better than the useful advice one can sometimes come by.

In the long run, I won't be telling my daughter that our arena, paddock and stables will be sitting empty for her childhood while she rides her very mature pony elsewhere because a group of unknown ladies feel it is unthinkable for anyone to own a horse for the first time (quite how any of you got started is hard to think). She rode four times a week for over a year, took pony care classes and built up considerable muscle and knowledge herself but obviously is disqualified from having a pony because she has the misfortune of being 7 and incapable of demonstrating commitment. The pony has been on loan for reasons I have no inclination to share but which have nothing to do with the pony or the girl. And the days after being counted down until they're together again. I will facilitate this if I can, naturally.

Shev won't be riding with just me present until her instructor advises. Nor would I take responsibility for any animal without knowing experts who will cast their eye over the animal regularly. Our pony has back, teeth, worming and hooves done regularly and surprising enough, I'm aware of it and would even plan to continue this! Imagine! But do feel free to report me under the terms of the Animal Welfare Act if you can track our irresponsible hides

"while she rides her very mature pony" - the pony you acknowledge she cannot - or will not - control? ("the pony goes like the clappers when asked so she asks and then falls off").

Honestly, this is a recipe for disaster.

"How often should she ride, what are the dangerous things to avoid?" - some ponies are more naughty when fit/in full work, others calm down. No one who hasn't met and worked with this pony can advise on that. Dangerous things to avoid; well not letting your daughter ask him to 'go like the clappers' when she can't control him would be a good start.

At the end of the day, people aren't saying this to be mean to you or your child . People are responding because you have two lives in your hands - your child, and this pony. Without appropriate knowledge both risk serious problems.

Before you take the pony home I would suggest having it on diy (or at least part livery where u look after it for the weekends) so that you learn the ins and outs of how to look after the pony with supervisor on hand constantly. You can't learn to look after a pony out of a book unfortunately. They are complicated animals

I am a riding instructor. That would be my advise to any first time owner: it won't take forever but this is an important step before pony comes home

Hi, we have our horses at home and it’s great. One is mine, the other my 6 year old sons. We ride together, would that be something you might consider? Or is there local people for your daughter to ride out with? If I’m not riding then my son rides in the horses field. We put little jumps or obstacle courses such as cones to weave in and out of etc for him to do which he enjoys. With regards to how many times he rides I generally leave that up to him. Sometimes he rides every day, sometimes twice a week, if he wants to ride then he does but no pressure if not. He really does love it though and I think more so having her at home as he can pop out and see her over the gate in his pyjamas, lead her round the garden and bring her to the back door for a treat. Good luck with the move x

I am not going to be negative but would add a few points. She should not go out hacking by herself until she knows the pony really well. Will she have to ride on the road, many are very dangerous now and I never take mine on the road. Security, there is a lot of rural crime, tack, quad bikes, etc need to be securely locked up. Certainly a good instructor will be essential. Is there a local pony club? They will know the area and offer advice

I am not going to be negative but would add a few points. She should not go out hacking by herself until she knows the pony really well. Will she have to ride on the road, many are very dangerous now and I never take mine on the road. Security, there is a lot of rural crime, tack, quad bikes, etc need to be securely locked up. Certainly a good instructor will be essential. Is there a local pony club? They will know the area and offer advice

I'm so glad we bothered to spend time writing out what we hoped was useful basic information.

Agree with pps, especially the none negotiable need for a companion or possibly two.
The other thing to consider is that inexperience is expensive. On a good yard, or with experience, minor issues can be dealt with cheaply. Unsupervised beginners need to pay, and quite often don't even notice the minor issues until they become serious and expensive. Eg emergency vet call out for something that could be treated easily by someone with sufficient knowledge. Or worse, not calling a vet immediately because you don't have the experience to recognise the tiny, insignificant symptoms as a precursor to something serious or even fatal.

You might think it's unfortunate for your dd, but that's not the full picture. I was an only child with ponies at home, but a combination of experience, lax parenting and the area meant I had plenty of nearby pony mad companions to do things with from a very young age. Otherwise I imagine it would be very lonely for a young child to commit most of their free time to essentially be without peers, barring the occasions you are available for transport, and even then it's not the same.
My own dc not only had each other, but we had/ have spares should they invite riding friends, and as a long time owner with local friends/ acquaintances, I could also easily arrange friends to meet up and hack with, riding to each other's yards etc.

And fwiw, reading your stack of horse care books isn't going to magically change you from a beginner to someone competent enough to supervise a novice child.

You are beginning to sound like you have been kicked in the head once too many.