Pony Care E-Book

Alison Pocklington

• Herausgeber: Kenilworth Press
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 213

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018

Beschreibung

Aimed at the first-time pony owner, this book provides sound and practical advice on all aspects of finding, buying and caring for a pony. Beautifully illustrated throughout, Pony Care: A Complete Guide to Buying and Caring for Your First Pony is an essential step-by-step guide for the non-horsey parent. Topics include: Points to consider before buying, how to find and try the right pony and when to buy; Where to keep the pony, transport; Daily routine, feeding, health and exercise; Shoeing, tack and equipment, clipping and turnout; Selling the pony.  Written in an accessible and light-hearted style, readers will benefit from Alison's wealth of experience and gain a true insight into what is involved in owning a pony.

Leseprobe

Contents

Foreword

Introduction

1 Points to consider before buying

2 When is the right time to buy?

3 Finding the right pony

4 Trying the pony

5 Buying the pony

6 Where to keep the pony

7 Bringing the pony home

8 Daily routine

9 Feeding

10 Pony health

11 Shoeing

12 Tack and equipment

13 Exercise

14 Clipping and turnout

15 Transport

16 Selling the pony

17 Learn from my mistakes

Glossary

To my parents

For all your support, encouragement, time, patience and love. Thank you for making my pony dreams come true.

Foreword

‘The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man.’

Winston Churchill

Never was a truer word spoken, but only if you understand your horse or pony and his needs.

As generations become further removed from the time when horses were an intrinsic and vital part of life, knowledge is no longer passed on as it once was.

Alison knows her stuff inside out and has given the benefit of such a wealth of experience and common sense a full airing in Pony Care: A Complete Guide to Buying and Caring for Your First Pony.

This book is a MUST HAVE for anyone who has had the tireless and repetitive call to buy from their pony-mad child. In a light and often amusing style, it outlines the many pitfalls that await in any walk of life where a horse or pony is concerned.

Packed with advice as well as cautionary tales, many will view the mountain of keeping a pony too high to scale – and for some, through circumstances, it is.

Read as a whole or dip into the glossary to brush up on specifics. This is a book to help equip all those who want to set foot in the wonderful world of horses – and stay afloat.

Lucinda Green MBE

Introduction

Most children who learn to ride dream of owning their own pony. What is often not taken into consideration is the huge difference between riding a pony once a week at the local riding school and having the responsibility of caring for a pony full time, come rain or shine.

The aim of this book is to give non-horsey parents an insight into what is actually involved in buying, owning and caring for a pony. It also offers advice on how to find the right pony, buying the necessary equipment, livery options, daily care, feeding, shoeing, health, exercise and, when the time comes, how to go about selling the pony.

Unfortunately, it is more common for people to buy the wrong pony than it is to see a child suitably matched. However, if managed well, and with good support, a difficult pony can often end up being successful. The common mistakes made when buying are usually due to lack of knowledge and experience, seeking the wrong advice and being in too much of a hurry.

Buying an unsuitable pony can very quickly have an impact on the child’s confidence and interest in continuing to ride. Safety is also a very important issue. Riding and dealing with ponies will always involve a certain amount of risk, but this risk element is dramatically increased with inexperienced people.

Even the right pony can soon become a problem if managed incorrectly. This is often an unintended consequence of a lack of knowledge on how to care for the pony on a daily basis. For example, incorrect feeding can lead to bad behaviour and health issues.

Following this step-by-step guide will give you a better idea of when is the right time to buy, and how to go about purchasing and caring for the pony.

Alison Pocklington

Before buying a pony it is important to consider several points. This will make it clearer if it is to be a reality or just a dream.

How long has your child been riding?

Young children are introduced into numerous sports and hobbies as they grow up. Riding tends to be introduced through a local riding school or a friend who owns a pony. Usually, children try a new hobby and stick at it if they are successful. If not, they tend to drop the activity after a few months. Buying a pony is not as straightforward as buying a tennis racket, once the pony has been purchased a huge amount of time and dedication is required. Therefore, I recommend that your child has willingly ridden for at least a couple of years first.

Lead rein can be fun for parents and can help your child grow in confidence.

Where will the pony live?

This is one of the most important considerations. A pony cannot be kept in the garden like a dog, no matter how small he is. If you don’t have land and stables at home it is important to know what the local livery options are. This will be discussed in more detail later on.

Cost of buying and keeping a pony

When considering a purchase, discuss with your adviser what they think the budget should be for the type of pony you are looking for. Do not waste time trying ponies that are far too expensive. Time wasters very quickly get a reputation for being ‘joy riders’.

A suitable stable yard.

A well-maintained paddock.

The cost of buying the pony is often not the expensive part, it is the keeping of him. It is advisable to discuss with an experienced person as to what the monthly costs will be.

MONTHLY COSTS

• Stable rent

• Bedding

• Hay and feed

• Shoeing

• Routine veterinary costs

• Dentist

• Transport

• Lessons

• Insurance.

EQUIPMENT COSTS

• Saddle

• Bridle

• Indoor and outdoor rugs (summer and winter)

• Mucking out equipment

• Feed and water buckets

• Haynet

• Grooming kit

• First aid kit

• Travel boots and tail bandage.

Cost of equipment

Often, when buying a pony, some equipment may be included in the price or available to purchase. Other times, the pony will come with just a headcollar and rope.

Parents can help out with heavy items such as haynets.

Parents’ knowledge on stable management

If both parents and child have no experience in looking after a pony, it is advisable to seek help and advice. It is important that the pony is fed correctly, otherwise behavioural and health issues may quickly occur. Early recognition of problems is important to avoid more serious conditions and huge vet bills.

Time involved in caring for a pony

The time involved in caring for a pony will vary depending on the livery arrangement and whether the pony is stabled or living out in the field. However, even when living out, the pony will need to be checked at least once a day. This can become time consuming when working around school and work. If the pony is stabled, much more time is required. It may not be possible to ride during the week as school and work commitments often take up too much time. Weekends and school holidays may be the only option. If this is the case, arrangements must be made to keep the pony exercised during the week. Someone must also be available to assist in the case of illness, an emergency or when going away on holiday.

Positives of buying a pony

Buying a pony can be rewarding and pleasurable for the whole family. Here are some of the positive points.

Benefits for the child

• Riding is a healthy hobby.

• Caring for and riding a pony provides your child with exercise and fresh air.

• The child will be responsible for caring for an animal, learning that the pony’s welfare comes first.

• Riding can be a very social hobby. Therefore, the child will hopefully meet new people, learn to work with others and improve their social skills.

• Owning a pony is a full-time occupation and can be an ideal distraction from getting involved with the wrong crowd.

• Riding can provide goals, especially if the child eventually starts competing or working towards Pony Club tests. They will also learn valuable life skills as they deal with the ups and downs of success and failure.

At unmounted Pony Club rallies, children can learn about pony care.

Owning a pony can be great for self-esteem.

‘Ella benefits from owning and caring for her pony in many ways. Her relationship with her pony is very positive for her self-esteem (particularly if there is a rosette involved). She has also learned that ponies can be very frustrating and things go wrong. She falls off and gets back on — and keeps trying. I think this is a very valuable ethos for life!

The discipline of looking after her pony come rain or shine is extremely valuable. She enjoys learning about looking after her and has become a self-styled mucking out guru (at the weekend only if there is nothing better to do!). She enjoys the stable management routine and gets pleasure out of improving in the tasks — whether it’s successfully picking a foot up or putting a rug on by herself.

As a very tall child Ella has benefited from riding, it has helped develop her balance and coordination. Riding helps Ella to control her emotions. She realises that getting wound up and emotional has a negative effect on Storm’s behaviour and tries to control herself!

It is lovely to have a passion in common with your child. It is exciting to help them prepare for a competition and to share the ups and downs! Often whilst hacking she will relax and be more communicative about something that concerns her.’

Rebeka

Caring for a pony is a fabulous adventure.

Benefits for the parents

Owning a pony can be very rewarding for parents as well:

• It enables you to spend quality time with your child. Unlike other hobbies and sports, you will be much more involved.

• It will improve your health, as you will be spending more time outdoors and getting lots of exercise.

• Parents who have never ridden will find themselves learning a new skill as they become involved in caring for the pony. It may even tempt you to take up riding yourself.

• You will meet lots of new people and possibly develop friendships.

• If your child joins Pony Club, it is expected that parents volunteer to help at rallies, camps and events. This is a great opportunity to speak to the other parents, discuss problems and seek advice. In time, you may be asked to become a committee member of the Pony Club or Riding Club.

Parents can join in with the fresh air and exercise.

‘There is nothing like riding a pony for learning excellent lessons in resilience, the power of practice and understanding how important thoughts and doubts are in allowing you or hindering your success. There are always hurdles to jump with ponies and it is difficult to believe sometimes that you can get over them. But the growth that comes from finally succeeding is an amazing learning experience. There are the obvious lessons in responsibility and commitment and having to put another’s needs before your own. But the other really big thing for me is there is so much fun. Fay is outside doing things, engaged in something real and we are having a fabulous adventure together. No matter how long it lasts we will have these wonderful memories forever.’

Catherine

Try to avoid becoming the overambitious or ultra-competitive parent. It is commonly seen in many sports, not just riding, and is one of the main reasons children quit. If you become too pushy or hard on your child, they will quickly lose confidence and interest. Try not to compare your child to others, as all children develop at a different pace. Equally, do not be tempted to rush out and buy a ‘better’ pony because yours is not as talented as others you see. Your child may not yet be ready for the next pony and this could set them back. Once a child becomes confident in their ability and develops a trusting relationship with their pony, progress will be made in leaps and bounds.

A hands-on mum helps with Pony Club preparations.

Choosing the right time to buy is difficult and will very much depend on the parents’ knowledge and experience or that of a friend or instructor who might be willing to help. A child who comes from a horsey background will often have had a pony bought for them at a very early age, or sometimes even before they are born! This is fine when the parents themselves have the experience of riding and looking after horses. In this situation, the horses and ponies usually live at home and the child grows up watching the parents. This does not apply for a child who has learned to ride at the local riding school once or twice a week. Here are some questions to consider and advice on gaining the necessary information and knowledge before buying a pony.

Riding lessons will help your child to improve their riding skills.

What level of rider should the child be?

When coming from a non-horsey background, I would not advise buying until the child is riding quite competently off the lead rein. This is because a young child being led around is often quite happy and confident, but that can often change when the lead rein comes off. The best place to make this transition is at a riding school in an enclosed area with a qualified instructor, not in the middle of a big field or going down the road with an inexperienced mummy or daddy. A riding school pony tends to know his job and will help the child develop the skills required to ride off the lead rein. This may not be so easily done riding a pony alone. The child needs to be confident enough that they are not relying on parents to be holding on every stride. A nervous child will often result in a nervous parent, the two combined can cause the pony to become unsettled. This could very quickly result in the child losing confidence and deciding they do not want to ride anymore. Therefore, I would advise that the child is happy to walk, trot and canter in the arena and an open space on a well-behaved pony before purchasing.

Does the child always want to ride?

Consider in the last two years how often your child has ridden. Have there been periods when he or she has ‘gone off riding’ and decided that they want to have a break. Are they put off in winter when it’s cold and wet? Would they sometimes rather give it a miss because they are tired or their friends are doing something more exciting? If this is the case, then owning a pony is not for you and it is much better to continue riding weekly at the riding school where the twenty-four-hour and seven-day-week commitment is not necessary.

‘First pony I would definitely have on trial and for longer rather than being swept up in the excitement that the children generated. Turned out to be super but was a bit rash now I think about it as I hadn’t owned anything for fifteen years!

Riding has encouraged all three children to think about themselves and looking after another creature from the age of five will give them good independence qualities, I think!

They are also quite tough and fearless and tend not to moan too much about being wet/cold/muddy, etc. from being sent off hunting.’

Nicola

This active, outdoor sport can be exhilarating and fun once the basics have been mastered.

Children develop trusting relationships with their pony.

A young rider will grow in confidence as they develop and improve.

Enjoying an autumn morning out hunting.

What other hobbies does the child have?

If your child is involved in lots of other sports and hobbies it may not be the right decision to look into owning. Younger children tend to follow what they are good at. If they are particularly sporty or interested in dance or drama, you may find that you are spending a lot of money on a pony that only gets ridden twice a week due to other activities. If this is the case, it makes more sense to save money and continue to ride at the riding school.

Parents can help novice riders make tack adjustments from the ground.

School days

Consider the amount of time your child has on a school day. As they get older, the pressure of school work increases. Being able to ride after school becomes more challenging during the winter months as daylight hours are shorter, unless you are fortunate enough to have access to an indoor or floodlit arena.

Time of year

When deciding to buy a pony, the time of year should be taken into consideration. At the end of autumn, ponies can often be bought cheaper. Many people will not want to keep a pony whose rider has lost interest, or one that has been outgrown, throughout the winter months.

The cost of keeping a pony can increase during these months as it is often necessary to stable and feed. While buying can be cheaper, it has the disadvantages of costs and short, cold winter days to look after him and ride. This can very quickly put your child off. If a pony is going to misbehave it is more likely to do so when stabled more and the weather is colder.

Buying in spring and summer may mean the pony costs a little more but the new experience of becoming an owner will be much more pleasurable in better weather conditions and longer daylight hours. The start of the summer holidays is ideal as there will be plenty of time for the child to ride and get to know their new pony.

Friends with ponies

The thought of owning a pony is very exciting – in reality, it is also hard work. Children are less likely to find it a chore if they are around friends who also have ponies. The mucking out, grooming and other activities can become fun, even on a cold winter’s evening. More often than not, it is when children reach their teenage years that they give up riding if they don’t have friends sharing this mutual interest.

Cleaning up the yard together is great for teamwork and friendships.

Stable management

Knowledge and experience in caring for a pony is more important than the level of riding. The perfect pony can soon become a nightmare if managed incorrectly. The child who rides weekly at a riding school may often have a pony handed to them that is groomed, tacked up and ready to go. After the lesson the pony is then taken away to be dealt with. This is often the case as it is easier for the riding school to have experienced staff do the job than to supervise half a dozen children running around trying to tack up ponies.

Health and safety has a huge influence on what yards will allow clients to do with horses and ponies. Unfortunately, this system does not help your child learn and gain experience. There are numerous books and DVDs to help with learning about stable management, but putting this into practice is not so easy and should initially be done under supervision. More accidents occur on the stable yard than in the arena; even the smallest pony is capable of causing severe injuries to a child or adult if care is not taken.

Children having a pony care demonstration.

It is therefore essential that both child and parents gain some experience before buying. This can be done in a number of ways. Some riding schools may offer ‘pony days’ or even ‘pony camp’. This is where the child is given the opportunity to spend the day with a pony and, along with riding lessons, they will carry out all the tasks required to care for a pony on a daily basis. It may also include some formal lectures on feeding, shoeing and health issues. If the riding school does not offer this in a group situation, it is worth asking if something can be booked in privately.

Areas to cover before buying

STABLE MANAGEMENT

•Basic handling

•Mucking out

•Grooming

•Feeding

•Turning out and catching from the field

•Applying rugs

•Tacking up

•Tack cleaning.

RIDING

•Confidently walk, trot and canter

•Ride in an open space

•Riding and road safety.

Some equine colleges or British Horse Society (BHS) training yards may offer stable management courses. These are more suited to adults and teenagers. Contact the local Pony Club or Riding Club to see if they have any pony days or training days. They may also be able to put you in contact with a freelance instructor who could offer some training.

Tell your riding instructor that you are considering buying a pony and ask if it would be possible to spend some time at the stables, watching and helping. This used to be very common and one of the best ways of gaining experience. Unfortunately, due to health and safety regulations, many establishments are now wary of doing this because of the amount of supervision required.

Having a friend who already has a pony is ideal. Spending time watching and helping is lots of fun and educational. It is also advisable for the parents to be involved.

Another option is to look for a yard that offers full livery. The pony will be cared for by experienced staff that are usually happy for you to be involved. This is a great way to learn and get supervised hands-on experience until you are confident to look after the pony by yourself.

Catching a pony competently.

Finding a pony is the easy bit as there are hundreds of ponies on the market. Finding the right one is not so straightforward, even for the most experienced person. There are many honest people in the horse world who want to do their best for the pony and the potential buyer. Unfortunately, there are just as many who are not so considerate and will do anything to either make money or get rid of a problem. When purchasing for the first time, it is essential that you are aware of why things go wrong and how to go about eliminating risks.

Why the wrong pony is purchased

Overkeen first-time buyers will often go ahead without seeking any advice. Buyers may find a pony through an advert or sale and buy it without having asked the right questions or getting the opinion of a qualified or experienced instructor. Dishonest sellers will quickly pick up on naive, inexperienced buyers and can often take advantage.

Pony Val with her devoted young owner.

Seeking the right advice

Care must be taken when asking for help in finding a pony. It is essential that the adviser knows your child’s ability and confidence level. It is also important that they know what your aspirations are, otherwise you may end up with a pony that has cost you more than is necessary. Also, be aware of people that offer to find you a pony and are only interested in making a commission on a sale. It is common practice that a seller will give 10 per cent of the sale price to the person who has found the client. This often leads to people being more concerned about getting their commission than finding a suitable match. Deal only with a professional that you know well and trust, such as your own instructor.

‘One of the most important first steps I found is, as we know, finding the right genuine first pony. The pony that will make or break the start of a riding passion.

One of the hardest and most frustrating things that stands out for me is how many dishonest people are out there nowadays, selling unsuitable first time ponies.

It’s very hard for non-horsey parents to see through this. They think they are getting a pony that does what the seller says but that is not always the case. It is also not always the way that the more you pay for the pony means the better it is.’

Georgie

A knowledgeable instructor giving a lesson.

‘What would I have done differently on buying our first pony again? I would have taken someone more experienced with me right from the start or even possibly employed someone to help, then they might have been more willing to come and look with us and not let us down at the last minute, as happened with us. So we just went on our own.