Bit advice for child and pony

[Felttippenandpaper]

I know this is a huge topic so just looking for some thoughts and shared experiences, as I've just started thinking about this.

DD (9) is a very gentle, quiet rider - good seat, soft hands. Her weakest area is effectiveness! We loan a 12.2 Welsh pony (DP), in his twenties. We solely hack together, no schooling, competing or jumping. We've had DP for 2 years. He has always been heavy in the hands, and inclined to lean. DD does a good job of keeping him active but I feel his eggbutt jointed snaffle may not be optimal for helping her.

There is no issue with brakes, but steering and control could be more refined! He just seems a bit dead in the mouth at times. For example, today he decided he wanted to walk on the (holey) verge, not the road. It then becomes an undignified battle for DD to get him off. He's an old boy, schooling is not an option. DD has weekly lessons and is a nice little rider, but certainly not good enough for any elaborate biting.

What are people's thoughts about other types of bit? Thanks for any help.

You know damn well what I mean. I don’t believe you were joking and even if you were the joke isn’t remotely funny. Attitudes like this is what is destroying the reputation of all equestrians. Beating a horse with a whip or kicking it with spurs is not something you should ever joke about. It’s vile and disgusting.

I hope you either do the decent thing and get the pony thoroughly checked over to ensure they are not in pain before you put your child back on it. If you cannot do that then give the pony back to its owner - at least that way it won’t be forced to suffer.

Agree with this. If your child is not capable of doing very basic schooling, they have no business using either crop or spurs.

Read the thread 🙄

Gosh OP you are so rude. Laughing and eye rolling at people for not knowing you were joking when in the context of the thread the comments could have been entirely serious.

But reading the (quite short) thread makes it clear I was joking. Even reading OP's posts only, it would take less than a minute to do that. Surely that's a basic starting point, before piling in to have a go at someone? I think that's pretty rude.

I did. Like a pp, I didn't believe you.

Just thinking about the pony’s sensitive feet again. Was he barefoot for some time before being shod again?

mine was and he was sensitive afterwards.

I think it wore off eventually after a couple of shoeings. I cant honestly remember, but if yours was only recently shod perhaps his feet will get a bit less sore. Or maybe not.

It wasn’t clear to me, which is what I said. In the context of the thread it did seem plausible.

A running gag? Do you know what that is? And you believe I was serious?! I don't believe that you do, I think you are embarrassed, and doubling down.

I apologised for winding people up, I just felt a bit exasperated at the way the thread was going. To reassure anyone who feels concerned, there will be no gag(!), spurs(!) or crop anywhere near DP. Thank you all for the advice and suggestions 😌

Thanks, no he's never been barefoot in the time we've known him.

The only one is doubling down is you. Joking about abusing ponies isn’t funny nor will it ever be. I can only hope the owner of the pony sees this and takes their pony back.

I do. However your continued insistence that schooling is not an option and that you just want to hack once a week, combined with dismissing every piece of good advice you have received here, has me convinced that you don't have any idea what you're doing and ignorance is dangerous.

A lot of people go out and buy harsh training aids and equipment, in the belief that they are a replacement for good training and good sense. You've not said anything to convince me you aren't one of them.

It was absolutely obvious you were joking, you have said several times how gentle your dd is and how you want to be kind to dpony so it was very clear it was a joke. Some people on mn really struggle with jokes.

Have you tried lowering the bit, just a hole or two?

I think at his age a few joint issues will be quite likely as well as possible laminitis. A vet check would probably be a good idea, if he's laminitic he needs keeping off hard ground/diet change/restricted exercise.

A trial of bute might be worthwhile if he's arthritic.

A pony with sore feet will often lean on the hand, I think that this will be the issue in your case.

I think you are right, thank you for this. I'll get him checked 🙁

No, I will give that a go (after he's been checked)