Pony worries

[PonyFamily101]

Please bare with as it’s a long one!
We bought a pony who was sold as a LR/FR but can also step it up a gear and has been to pony club etc but the last few months had been on the lead rein more than off. In the first week of being with us she threw in a quite a big buck on the lead rein whilst in the school and my daughter came off. We were willing to over look this as we do think this was our fault (we had worked her quite hard for how soon she had been with us, we had put her on a diet, and miscommunication between husband and daughter, daughter was pulling reins back and husband pulled lead rein on) she’s now been with us 4 weeks which i know is very early days, she’s been brilliant, great ground manners, will wait by the gate for us as soon as she see’s us so never any problems to catch/bring in. Only issue we have had on the ground with her is a couple of times she has tried to pull to grass but when firm she stops straight away. Amazing on her own or in company hacking. She was vetted when we bought her, she’s up to date with teeth and farrier. DD has hacked her on and off lead rein, been trotting and walking off lead in lessons and an older more confident child has cantered her off lead and she was brilliant. She’s lunged multiple times a week, once is by our instructor who gives her a much better lunge than we do and gets her doing some jumps. 2 days ago the yard routine changed where they are now out at night and in, in the day. Today instructor gave someone else a lesson on her, this was with our permission as we weren’t around for the day, they were jumping in the lesson (worth noting this is the first person to jump her in i believe 9/10months) all was going well until the last 5 or so minutes of the lesson she threw a buck, shook her head side to side then reared and the child came off this happened as she was approaching a jump, Instructor said she walked over and started eating grass soon as child was on the floor. Instructor has said she’s lost all trust in her and that she isn’t willing to teach a child on her and that there was absolutely no need for her behaviour and she doesn’t know what we should do but that it’s really bad. I am panicking and thinking pony needs to go and I would have been terrified had she reared with our small daughter on her. Husband is saying absolutely not, isn’t fair on pony, we don’t know if she was tired from being out all night, if her hooves had been picked could of had a stone in, she was only lunged once this week, also the fact she came in from the field all night and was put into a lesson and lots of other possibly logical reasons but she has hacked out 3 times this week and a lesson with DD earlier in the week, but i am struggling to see the positives as i’ve always said I absolutely won’t allow for a pony that rears. Any advice/help would be very appreciated! The situation has me feeling anxious

I think on balance I agree with your husband. You've only had pony 4 weeks, pony was just getting settled in its new home and then suddenly the turnout routine changed, then suddenly pony had a different rider doing things it hadn't done for ages, having not done much that week.

Ponies take time to settle in, even the safest lead rein type can have a moment. I think I'd give the benefit of the doubt. Can you give your daughter a neckstrap or tell her to hold the front of the saddle if there's likely to be a miscommunication with whoever is holding the rope?

@Littlebitpsycho After writing it all out and reading it back 100+ times I do totally see his point and understand how much change pony has had in such a short amount of time. It’s hard to settle the uneasy feeling i currently have.
Saddle does have a balance strap but we definitely gave ourselves a talking to after the miscommunication issue and was a lesson learnt on our behalf so hopefully no more problems in that department🤞🏻

So your pony, who is still settling into her new home, had a change of routine and then jumped for the first time in 9 months, with a child who has never ridden her before? That's quite a big ask, especially for a pony who had been mainly on the lead rein for a few months before you got her.

She could have been sore, or confused, or simply not appreciated the way she was being ridden and had enough. I'd stop allowing other children ride her and focus on letting your daughter build a relationship with her, making sure to keep the work easy and enjoyable.

Sorry to hear this. What kind of rear was it, a full rear-rear threatening to go over or a little hop off the ground (not saying either is good but the former much much more worrying than the latter). I know you didn't witness it but what have those that did say? I can well understand the instructor not wanting a pony that's done any kind of rear to be used in lessons as school ponies really have to be whiter than white when you are charging people to ride, but I think you can have a slightly more relaxed risk attitude when it's your own pony.

The big and frequent routine changes she's been through in the last few weeks certainly would account for her being upset and unsettled, but probably not for full-on rearing I'd say, so if it was that I'd be going for full vet check, saddle fit check, teeth, dentist, the works. Possibly consider ulcer prevention treatment too if she's been stressed and had some diet changes. Even if you had all that checked when you got her I'd do it again as things can change quickly with horses.

I don't think you need to give up on her necessarily, a lot of ponies don't cope great with lots of different types of work and different riders if not in a good routine and being very consistently and confidently handled (that's why not all horses however well trained are suited to being a riding school pony, some just really can't handle plodding around on a lead rein one day then jumped by a more advanced rider the next).

You might be able to settle her a lot more by not having her on lessons, go right back to basics with lots of hacking and groundwork if she's good with that and build up the school work gradually, but if it was a proper rear I would certainly want a good health explanation why before I put a child up on her again...

If everyone sold their pony every time it did something wrong, then nobody would ride.

Does your pony need to be doing so much work in such a busy environment? It all seems too confusing. It's lunged by you (so I'm assuming that you're quite experienced with horses as it's quite a skill) and by the instructor (why?). It's ridden on and off the lead rein by your daughter, someone else canters it, and then you stick a random on for a lesson? No wonder the poor thing is confused.

Either your daughter needs to ride on the lead rein, or she's good enough to ride without. Choose one person to lunge - can be you if you truly know what you're doing, if not, it needs to be your instructor. Don't let it be used for lessons. Changing home, diet, routine and multiple riders in a 4 week period is insane.

And more randomly and not that it really matters, but are you in the UK? Different countries do things differently and have different expectations.

@notquiteruralbliss I completely understand what you’re saying. I wasn’t actually made aware they would be jumping her.
The older more confident child who has ridden her once previously, we thought would have been good for a few more off lead miles but definitely going to stick with her and my daughter building their relationship.

@maxelly Thanks for your reply. It was actually caught on video so I have seen it, it definitely wasn’t a big full on straight up rear, i’d class it as a slightly bigger hop off the ground. No i completely agree and from our perspective don’t want her to be used anymore. I think on this one we do have to give her the benefit of the doubt with all the changes she has had lately and if it happens again will definitely be getting the vet out and all relevant checks done!

I think you should just be letting your daughter ride the pony , you’ve bought this pony as a LR/ FR so why do you want other people on her , I’d be trying to keep her calm and sane for your daughter

@ChangeEmailAddress I agree and do think i just panicked after hearing what had happened and began to think the worse. A buck doesn’t bother me but hearing that she reared panicked me. She’s actually in a quiet environment, there are only 7 ponies on the yard including her. She did come to us slightly overweight so we have been working her to try get some weight off as it’s a worry going into summer. She’s lunged by the instructor because i feel instructor gives her a much better lunge than i do but instructor charges quite a lot to lunge so it’s not something we want to be paying out for multiple times a week. The child who has cantered her has only ridden her the once but still i understand it must be confusing for her now i’ve written it all out. Daughter was off lead rein but had a big confidence knock on a different pony and has now gone back into lead rein that’s why she is doing some work off but mainly on, we will be sticking to on lead now. Overall she has had 3 different riders on her including our daughter but i do understand your point. We are in the UK

@Floralnomad Because daughter isn’t quite confident to be completely off the lead rein yet we were hoping someone riding her off lead would keep that side of her ticking over and she wouldn’t become just a lead rein pony, we did not realise she was going to be jumping with someone on her anytime soon. Definitely going to stick with just daughter riding her from here onwards

Have you checked her saddle fit? Especially if. She's been out of work or been overweight for awhile.

Sounds like a good plan, lots of quiet/calm riding from your daughter mainly on lead rein, building up to spells of it will do her lots of good I think, I'd maybe cool it on the lunging too. I get that you want her exercised every day especially if she's stabled for a considerable part of the day and/or her weight needs managing but lunging can really blow some horses minds if they are being made to work really hard and/or they're just not used to it. And ultimately lots of lunging does just make them fitter and fitter and so needing more and more work so it can be a bit of a vicious circle.

If the yard has a horse walker she can go on or they will hand walk her instead or even lead her out from another horse on days you don't ride that would maybe be better for her than lunging? Or I don't think it's a bad thing for her to be schooled by someone more experienced occasionally provided they're a quiet, experienced riders which it sounds as though maybe the lesson child wasn't?

there was absolutely no need for her behaviour

^ I completely disagree. She's been through some massive changes in the last few weeks and is trying to get her bearings. She's already going to have less tolerance for anything else that crops up as simple as a painful stone as some of the PP suggested. There's no way I'd let anyone else ride her for lessons until the bond between her and your daughter is solid.

It’s a sentiment being, not a machine 😡 If you can’t give her a few weeks to settle in, get to know her, let her get to know you then yes - sell her on to someone who will. I have five horses. I know them inside out, and they know me. It takes time, patience, consistency and mutual trust and respect to build a relationship with any animal. Slow down.

@maxelly It was definitely a concern that she’s going to end up being ‘too fit’ which we don’t want. Ultimately we just want a safe and sensible pony but with a little less weight on her. No horse walker unfortunately. I think on the days daughter can’t ride that I will take her out in hand for some walks rather than lunge her. Eventually I think having someone very experienced to ride her off lead for some extra miles will be a good idea but going to stick with just daughter riding her for now. Kicking myself for allowing her to be used but would have never thought this could happen especially as I had no idea she would be jumping. I appreciate your advice and thank you for being kind :)

what is pony being fed? At this point suggest no hard feed

If it is such a small yard where are all the other children that ride her coming from ?

Sounds like you have her doing an awful lot for a pony thats only just moved in. Shes not had a chance to work out who you are (especially with lots of people doing things with her) let alone settle into a routine and start building trust. Why are you keeping her so busy? If she is overweight she may be struggling with the work load on top of all the other factors. Id also be checking saddle fit as shes clearly going to be changing shape which means it could be nipping now when it wasnt before, potentially when shes jumping which is why she said no.

Listen to her when she is talking to you, she is trying to tell you something

Instructor has said she’s lost all trust in her and that she isn’t willing to teach a child on her and that there was absolutely no need for her behaviour

Wow! So this ‘instructor’ (and I use that word loosely) has decided to use a pony in a lesson that has only been with you 4 weeks? Madness imo. As others have said no more using in lessons and no lunging. Mine get more hyped up with lunging tbh.

Mine always go a bit scooby being out 24/7 or out at night and in during the day in hotter weather. Let your pony settle and do absolutely everything you can for it yourself is my advice. Also re-evaluate what you feed. It’s all a very fine balance but you’ll find your feet with the pony. As for the rearing keep a close eye on that - there’s nothing worse than letting that become a habit and a dangerous one at that.

Is the pony a mare? Only asking as hormonal changes for seasons added on to a change in home, routine and diet can have an impact on behaviour. My mare (definitely not a kids pony but pretty safe now after several years 😂) will be reluctant to do what she doesn’t want to when in season as its hormones and sometimes a comfort thing. I’ve been bucked off for purely asking for canter all due to her starting her 1st season of the year.

I am on the committee of a riding club and work at a pony club riding school so see kids ponies all the time! They can have their own minds - and even the best will unseat a rider eventually. If horse and rider were ok after the fall, and all was going well just before that incident, I’d have asked the pony to re-attempt the jump as a tiny cross and finish on a good note. Could have been a miscommunication between rider and horse approaching the fence? One off behaviour is not something to close the book on a pony for. Especially as it wasn’t that big a rear.

Is the pony big enough for a petite adult to ride? That’s your best bet for additional schooling as they also have the core and body strength to ride out any issues

Good luck with the pony ❤️

Have you spoken to the previous owner to see if the pony has ever done this before?
If not (though obviously people may lie) then I'd suggest getting a work up done, teeth, saddle, physio, vet check to include scoping for ulcers. Rule everything out first then you will know how to proceed.
Ponies aren't naughty for the sake of it. Something has gone wrong somewhere.
If nothing physical is found then I'd proceed with caution. Keep your daughter on the lead rein for the time being.
I'd be exceptionally careful with a rearer as obviously there is a risk of the pony going over. Although from what you have said it wasn't a full rear.

Oh and I know it's hard to say as haven't seen the instructor but perhaps get a different pair of eyes on the pony.

Rearing is an absolute no for me, but I am shocked at you allowing others ride her only 4 weeks in. This time should be for bonding and getting to know her, settling in your own children etc.

she’s had a huge upheaval; lots of hard change and it sounds like multiple riders- and is being worked hard. 😔 I’m with your husband.

I'd agree with a lot of what's been said about it being early days and a lot of change.
The mini rear and buck sounds like it could be discomfort from the saddle, and I would most def. be getting it checked. If it's not fitting well it can be tolerable to begin with but as time goes on it gets worse ie as the lesson progress. Think about walking in slightly ill fitting shoes, fine for a few mins, agony after an hour.

It just sounds like a lot at once. If she’s not been jumped for nearly a year she might have lost a bit of confidence with it, if it was right at the end I’d imagine the pony might have been getting a bit tired hence the buck, then maybe got a bit confused by a then unbalanced child.
Id not worry about this personally and agree with your husband.
Also even the safest safest safest horses can have a mad moment, and if you are going to go down the having a horse as a hobby for your DC I think you need to accept this and if you can’t it’s not the sport for you.
I used to have a gelding I would genuinely have let beginners have a walk and trot on, he was a SAINT. I genuinely can’t even think of a time he even spooked, I’ve never come across such a safe horse.
In his entire ridden career only one person ever fell off him; he had one really bizzare moment while cross country schooling and dropped a shoulder and bucked at speed and buried the lady who was loaning him at the time. Did nothing of the sort for the ten more years he was in work.
It could be pain, it could be not being clear what their not-regular rider is asking, they could be unfit and struggling and making that known. It’s not a reason to throw in the towel.