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Post by rj on Dec 3, 2006 11:52:52 GMT 1
If it's been gradually escalating to this point, I'd agree it's a 'boundary' issue, and it's a case of doing some effective consistent groundwork with him. But as you say teh biting is odd - & unacceptable. Without having seen the incident, it would (or should!!!) be hard to give opinion's. What happened immediately before; what was his expression/intention; what did he do immediately afterwards? It could be a case of treating the child like an equine playmate, because the children will probably not be seen as leader/dominant (I know, they're different - ref another thread!). You seem to think there is something about this child perhaps? Has he not been like that with anyone else at all ever? If so easy - make sure that child & pony don't get near each other!!! She may have been emitting a smell........ heaven knows what of!! Did she have anything in her hand? It might be pain related, but it didn't sound as though anyone was asking him to do anything Sorry, not very helpful, but hopefully someone will come up with some more sensible and helpful thoughts.
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megnum
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Post by megnum on Dec 3, 2006 12:06:49 GMT 1
Having just read rjs reply I agree about playmate to the children, we had a foal who I played with and now she is a fuly fledged 18month old with big bone and 14.2 in size I have only myself to blame when she plays and nips now. Maybe you could have the children (supervised) doing dominance exercises and everyday chores. Hope this helps ;D I am not really good at advice xxx - I have been to several rs and have enjoyed my time there the ponies are well looked after and arent dead well if they are they wouldnt enjoy lessons would they? perhaps you should look at this and see for yourself before placing false accusations freespace.virgin.net/ingestre.stables/index.htmlfreespace.virgin.net/ingestre.stables/index.htmlIf they were horrible places with ill kept ponies then the bhs wouldnt approve them dont you think? sorry for rant- I know it is stroppy ;D
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xxx
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Post by xxx on Dec 3, 2006 13:07:53 GMT 1
no, I dont agree that if they were horrible places the bhs wouldn't approve them, as I said I have yet to go to one where the horses are well cared for and not dead. I rode at one for several years as a child where the ponies were worked from 10 til 8 and stood with tack on all day in dirty dark stables. They were bhs approved. The other one I have visited, they hit the horses with poles (the instructors that is).They are bhs approved. Yes, I am sure there are SOME decent ones out there, but I haven't found one yet. Yes, this has formed my view of RS's, and so I do see the majority as haing brain-dead pones.
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Post by jonswager on Dec 3, 2006 13:40:07 GMT 1
Arggghhhhh!!! For gods sake please don,t be so ridiculous. Not all riding schools are bad and not all private homes are good ect... I,m yard manager at a small riding school and much like OP our ponies live out in a stable herd (have stables in case of bad weather though) and are not overworked. In term time they do nothing all week and just a couple of hours each day at the weekend. Not everyone is lucky enough to have horsey or rich parents who can buy them ponies and private instruction. Its attidudes like that that give horse riding an air of elitism.. Rant over but as regards OP i would be inclined to find pony a private home as we have had something similar with one of our ponies who is now very happy in a private home (who were well aware of why we were selling her and we did wait ages until we found the right home) being ridden by a young girl. I think that it is too risky to have a pony like that in a riding school as you are liable if pony hurts a child and parent decides to take legal action .
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Post by jill on Dec 3, 2006 13:41:24 GMT 1
Just a thought - as you say this child has been treated roughly by other ponies - are you sure he/she isn't teasing them while no-one is looking? It has happened with dogs - child thinks it's huge fun to pull ears or tails etc, but knows it isn't permitted so does it secretively. Dog ends up having to defend itself, and to me this smacks of self defence, even if it is get the first blow in before the child "attacks". At risk of upsetting parents, prehaps you could investigate - has the pony ever showed any signs of aggression to anyone else?
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xxx
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Post by xxx on Dec 3, 2006 13:42:44 GMT 1
yes, but I personally have yet to find a good one. Maybe over in england you have better ones. No, its attitude like yours that assume that all RS are run well that means they get away with it. As I said above there probably are some good ones, I'll wait until I see one to change my views.
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Post by jonswager on Dec 3, 2006 14:04:09 GMT 1
I never said all riding schools are well run just that not all are bad !! ;D I try to avoid absolutes However i do not take offense as you don,t know me and this is after all just a DG .
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xxx
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Post by xxx on Dec 3, 2006 14:05:29 GMT 1
I'm sure not all are bad, but could we have some of those over here please!!
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Post by jonswager on Dec 3, 2006 14:13:12 GMT 1
I have visited some dreadfull riding schools and some fantastic ones but i think more needs to be done by the councils that issue the license to ensure that horse welfare is put first. Once established i know that often the yearly vet check is nothing more than a quick look over the stable door or even over the field gate. If the checks were actually carried out in full it would be harder for some riding schools to get away with poor care.
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xxx
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Post by xxx on Dec 3, 2006 14:16:13 GMT 1
yes. The bhs has approved all the ones I've been to, and they've still been awful! I have a feeling the first one I went to is improving, and wonder if they have been pulled up for not taking good enough care
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Post by mags on Dec 3, 2006 14:40:40 GMT 1
I do think, while obviously all checks need to be done to find a cuase, you need to find another home for this pony. Sadly if this happened again and the parent found out that this pony had previously attacked a child you would be open to been sued and they would have a very good case against you.
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Post by mellymoo on Dec 3, 2006 20:07:48 GMT 1
I would say that if the child has been bitten by two ponies, she needs to be looked at first - is she doing something to upset them (not intentionally), does she need some handling lessons? Can you watch ehr around them, see if she is doing anything to them that they don't like?
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Post by magicboy on Dec 3, 2006 20:26:06 GMT 1
Hi Rusheen, I've been reading this thread with interest. Sorry I can't give any advise as I'm not experienced enough and usually post for help, what I'd like to say is your yard sounds what I would love to send my neice to as she's just learning. I hope you find the answer to you'r pony's problem and lots of luck with your yard
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Post by fin on Dec 3, 2006 20:54:46 GMT 1
I think some people do get bitten. My son had a period where absolutely every single horse he went near bit him--and I mean every one. We were at a Ben Hart clinic, and we mwntioned this....and Ben said, Ok. Walk up to that horse. So Rohan did....and sure enough, 30 seconds later, it nipped him.
What ROhan was doing was keeping his teeth very clenched, and his houlders up and tight, and his upper body very slighly inclined away from the horse. What that bpdy language was saying was, effectively, I'm going to get bitten. So the horse obliged. He lerned to relax and hasn't been bitten since.
So I guess if the kid was bitten once, she may well have been on the defensive. Plus, if she has been sneaking treats to the ponies, that might well explain the biting on the hand--especially from a dominant pony who thinks he calls the shots.
I assume he's never done anything like this before?
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Post by specialsparkle3 on Dec 3, 2006 20:56:55 GMT 1
Hi Rusheen, I agree with the suggestion that you should look at the child first. Your first question should be, is the pony aggressive to any other children? if not, the child IS the problem-------some people just naturally irritate horses, and that's a fact. I employed a groom at one time, that none of my horses could stand. She was kind to them, never did anything to harm them, but her mere presence upset and annoyed them. Also I have had experience of a lady who bought a horse and kept it at livery. She adored it, but the horse HATED her with a passion--- anyone else could ride or handle it, but it would attack her-----it was really sad. The fact that another pony has behaved in a similar way towards the child could back up my theory. She doesn't have to be unkind to him it is probably simply that he doesn't LIKE her.
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