Naughty little pony, help!

[carla7]

I don't really know where to start with this one. I bought my two sons a shetland pony called fudge last winter, if I'm honest with myself I thought it would be a good idea to get get them interested in something that I also enjoy and he kind of was the pony I never had as a child.

When I got him he was the perfect lead rein pony, gentle with the kids never bucked or messed around until last night!

After a bit of a lunge my first little jockey aged three climbed aboard only to have his wellies bitten off on both sides, my other son (5)has no interest in riding since he fell off last year. My two kids are not that confident so I don't want them to have a bad experience on him. I'm scared my husband will make me sell him if the kids don't become interested.

Any suggestions to how I can get my kids to love this sweet little chap that I love so much even if its not riding him?

[Esther.D]

Just a very quick reply, so sorry if I have missed something Has he been ok with the kids in the past or was this their first ride? (sorry if I haven't followed properly). If, as I think it is, he was fine with them til last night I would be looking into this sudden change of character, was he sore somewhere? just feeling the spring in his toes? Has he been ridden much over the winter? Did he seem malicious or was he just messing? If he was just messing tbh I would just tell him off and laugh it off with your son "ooh! he nearly gobbled up your toes naughty pony" etc, children pick up very heavily on adult emotions, if you stay lighthearted then they tend to. My daughters favourite pony to ride is really spooky, but she thinks it is really funny because we just treat it as a huge joke (which of course gives the pony confidence and so he spooks less as we are not anxious).

I involve my kids (18 months and 4yrs) with the care of the ponies, they help to feed, groom etc as well as ride. They enjoy that almost as much as the riding and it helps them feel confident around the ponies.

[Mary Poppins]

I think that you have to let your kids take the lead and show you what they are interested in. If you try and force them to be interested in horses then this may well have to opposite effect and they will not want to have anything to do with them.

Why not try and get another child to ride your pony? That way he will be getting exercised and will be ready for your children as and when they want to ride.

[daftdraught]

My son act like a real pro if other kids ride his pony he gets all possesive and shows off it certainly helped him raise his interest,

[eml]

Little boys generally want to be going fast and are not interested in grooming/patting etc. Take them to a local riding club and do LR games then they will see the point.

I personally never lunge lead rein ponies as I don't want them to go faster then I can!! Take the pony out for long walks without the children and insist on perfect in hand manners. I used to walk my daughters LR pony for miles while she was at school and did a lot of in hand obedience work. At that age the child is an ornament not a rider!!

[Esther.D]

Thats true, Beth is a typical little girl and just wants to groom and make them pretty as well as riding, Lucy just wants to clamber around them all day and has tantrums when we take her away (and I was worried they wouldn't like horses!)

Is the main problem the pony's behaviour or the kids' interest?

[Lemme]

sounds to me like he's worked out they are not that interested and hes taking the Mick! Sounds to me as if you need to find a little Jockey who he will respect and in the meantime do plenty of inhand work with him, how big is he?
are you too heavy to get on?

It takes them very little time to work out when they have the upperhand, if I am feeling off just leading the little s**t can have me over if I let him feel that.