Ultimate Dressage

by **Khalon** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 7:38 pm

Haven't we all known or ridden a pony like this?!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/v/50oZV103X24&feature=user[/youtube]

My Rusty got me off whenever he wanted for about the first year.

One of my funniest memories of my daughter and Ladybug was at a little XC school like this one. Ladybug had a grazing rein on (at all times) so she waited until she got to the up bank. She stopped right in front and the grass was just at nose level, and she would NOT move. My daughter was so furious she didn't know what to do (and it didn't help that almost everyone was laughing and trying not to). She was in tears. I walked out and stood behind Buggy and she looked at me, and finished the course. My daughter did actually do events after that :lol:

by **BeanMachine** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 8:39 pm

She's hitting him in the mouth after every jump.

by **valerie** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 8:41 pm

I think he's snatching after every jump.

by **Pique** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 8:43 pm

BeanMachine wrote:She's hitting him in the mouth after every jump.

Doesn't seem to phase him as he dives for the grass!

Lighten up folks.

by **Acolori** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 8:47 pm

The one at 1:21 just kills me.

by **BeanMachine** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 8:48 pm

Oh cripes, I know...didn't mean to be a downer. I think I'm a grump b/c I didn't get to ride on this gorgeous day and I'm sitting at home while my friends are at the movies and going out for drinks on St. Patty's day.

by **Katahdin** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 8:58 pm

valerie wrote:I think he's snatching after every jump.

Yep. Which doesn't make it okay for her to be catching him in the mouth--but she's doing it, I think, out of self-defense, in an attempt to prevent the nose-dive on the landing side. I can't blame her for it too much; apparently no one's making an effort to show her a better way.

I don't think she's a bad little rider, and I don't think this is a bad little pony, but they could be doing so much better together if they were getting any, y'know, actual quality help from a good instructor. As it is, this cute pony is getting away with murder and this gutsy kid is learning how to ride badly. Too bad for them both.

ETA: Sorry--really!--for not participating in the joke. It's just that I've seen this video all over the internet with people snarking on the kid's riding skills; it's rubbed me a bit the wrong way.

by **WAG** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 9:10 pm

Geez, it wasn't supposed to be a critique, just a funny, I-can-relate video.

by **M&M** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 9:11 pm

Liver chestnut named Robby. Trotted up the path through the field, turned around, trotted back and at the end of the path going towards home, he would stop and put his head down to graze. I would slide down his neck.

And he did it again.....and again......and again......and......

There were no instructors present - the pony belonged to a friend who had no instructor and couldn't outsmart him either. Manure happens....

But it sure does separate the "want it bad enough"s from the "it looked like a good idea on when I was reading all the horse books"!

by **LMPPosse** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 9:13 pm

Oooooooo That's a naughty pony!! My evil pony was named "Peter" although my own pony (We called him "Pony" because his real name was too horrible to say out loud and we never bothered to change it) did his fair share of chucking me (over fences, into rivers, down power lines, off on trees.......). He sure has that little girls number. Glad to see she was able to kick him forward after some of those fences. A nice grazing rein will help.

Bad, bad pony!!

by **Rhianon** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 9:15 pm

Okay, I laughed out loud. Game little kid. And I know falls happen -- it's part of the sport.

But . . . repeated falls (and I realize the video repeated some shots) are not good for anybody. Just because kids bounce better doesn't mean little bits of damage aren't being done all the same. The brain bounces around inside the skull, and the more times this happens in a short space, the more likely it is to cause issues. (There's been a fair bit of research recently on this in kids and sports). And the neck can get compromised. Might not show up for years.

I do get the humour--really I do-- and the very "British" buck-up and get it done attitude. But I didn't like to see this "over the front" tumble repeated so many times.

by **Alex** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 9:40 pm

You know if the kid had an old lead weight event pad strapped to her behind, the pony might be surprised at how much strength it takes to pull her out of the tack. I'd guess about 200 lbs. of lead outta do the trick.... :wink:

(This is merely a snigger joke.)

by **martha sc** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 9:49 pm

I hooted when I watched this! :lol:

I have a friend that has taught children to ride for MANY years, she says" Ponies was put on earth to run off with small chirrun." She would love this video, I'm going to send it on to her.

by **batkitty** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 10:01 pm

My daughter says she doesn't want this pony

. Can you believe that???? Maybe she has a good eye. I need to show her other sales videos.

by **webbcutey** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 10:08 pm

I rode a similar pony last weekend! Babe, she's always been the smarter-than-me pony. I knew this, and didn't try to jump her.

I remember watching a friend jump Babe over a log when we were about ten. First time, Babe did it. Then she started doing the nose-to-the-grass after the jump every time. And Babe's a mule - she stops MUCH shorter than this pony was!

by **Zonderpaard** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 10:09 pm

Looks like a prospect for the hunter ring--no grass, all dirt.

by **snowpony** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 10:42 pm

What a cute pony! Far from evil he's just doing what comes naturally - eating that lovely grass. Good for the girl's riding to learn to root her balance lower and slip the reins if necessary.

by **Frogling** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 11:20 pm

I know it was supposed to be cute and funny but somehow it just made me sad. I can't imagine this was fun for that little girl and although kids are resilient, she could have been seriously hurt. I snapped my arm like a twig from a fall that wasn't going any faster than she was. You just have to fall wrong. Why didn't they just try grazing reins? It seems clear that the little girl didn't have the strength and timing/coordination to prevent the pony from doing that. She's trying the best she can and the pony is just a pony. Why didn't an adult step in to stop the cycle?

Sorry I'm a downer. I know it was supposed to be funny and maybe the little girl thinks it's funny but it just made me feel sad.

by **dressage57348** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 11:29 pm

My evil pony was a little pinto named Georgia. She not only had my number she had my name, address, astrological sign and blood type. :-)

by **SLM** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 11:37 pm

Mine wasn't quite a pony but a Morgan Broodmare named Annie who stopped in EVERY corner of the arena...no matter what!!! :lol:

This is hilarious I am laughing and hubby in the other room is going "what's so funny??" :roll:

by **Little Jamie** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 11:41 pm

That pony will teach many a little girl to really ride! And good for her for sticking with it.

BUT - does no one else think that putting her stirrups a whole or so shorter would help her to "brace?" As for pony getting snatched after each jump: if he didnt, the rider did. It was defensive, IMO, on the part of the rider, and quite instinctive. What else are you gonna do?

Next time, perhaps, they should work in the grass on the flat. A grazing (or anti-grazing) bridle would be a great aid to the rider but wouldn't really teach her to ride.

What a lovely little pony! I thought.

by **Code3** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 11:53 pm

I learned to ride on a borrowed horse named Star who had the biggest roman nose I've ever seen. Star's owner didn't ride her because she ran away with her. She ran away with me too, but I kept getting on. Second was a borrowed pony named Stormy, who would rub me off on the fence then stand on me. Everyone needs an evil pony in their childhood.

by **Frogling** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 12:49 am

What will this teach the girl? How will this teach her to 'really ride'? For instance, if you put the stirrups shorter so she can "brace" is that what you want to teach her? To brace in the stirrups? Just food for thought.

by **Among The Stars** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 12:56 am

Did anybody read the description on the video?

this is her first cross country ever!

This was back in july. i am pleased to say sorrell won her first one day event with this pony going clear cross country! this video was peps first cross country

It was her first time going xc, and she must have improved greatly if she later won an event and went clear. Everybody has to start somewhere!

My evil pony was named Peanut. Only I wasn't a little kid, I was a successful junior h/j rider and he was a project. I could gallop around 4' jumper courses on hot TBs all day, yet this pony could dump me over a crossrail anytime he wanted. I was so happy when he became someone else's problem!

by **snowpony** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 1:57 am

Well I don't think she needs to learn to "brace" she needs more flat work before jumping when she doesn't have enough balance and control. It's not a matter of weight and strength but balance, a good seat and timing. The pony isn't purposely pulling her off he's just grabbing an irresistible snack.

by **SusanSch** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 4:27 am

Mine was an obstinate stone-blind little appy-beast who stopped dead from any gait in front of every exit from the arena. Her name was Misty.

by **Hoof'n It** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 4:34 am

Mine was called LadyBee. Fat arse little piebald pony. Only one thing on her mind = GRASS! The amount of times that she dumped me, EXACTLY like this was amazing. Thats where a bit of bindertwine from the saddle D ring to the bit comes in handy. The horse cant get their heads down to eat the grass....

by **Valencia** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 8:03 am

Gawd what a giggle :lol:

. I laughed and laughed. Thanks for the video it was great. Child is certainly resilient! :shock:

and the pony is no doubt in a muzzle 24/7 to try and prevent founder

.

On a serious note for those without humour: I do think the snatching is to stop him pulling her uot of the saddle, he has a mightily effective tecninique for sure JUMP - PROP - PULL...argh GRASSsssss :wink:

.

by **AliBear** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 8:18 am

Oh my version was called william and no jumps were required. It's how I learnt to do a forwards roll.

6 times in 1 hack the little bugger.

Grass reins please.

by **sabella** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 11:16 am

Blazer. Silver dapple devil pony. I only had him for a year, but he bucked 32 times and only managed to toss me 13. I was so proud of those numbers when I was a kid! He wasn't much for the dead stop and graze maneuver but he was all for the bucking while going down hill one.

by **EquusTP** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 11:26 am

Frogling wrote:What will this teach the girl? How will this teach her to 'really ride'? For instance, if you put the stirrups shorter so she can "brace" is that what you want to teach her? To brace in the stirrups? Just food for thought.

It's teaching the girl not to drop the connection over the jump. That's something that a generation of jumper riders has lost with the "crest release" fad. Someday it could just save her life over CC, as her horse stumbles on landing... just food for thought...

~Equus

by **6feet15hands** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 11:31 am

Being able to ride an evil pony should be a requirement before upgrading to a horse. :lol:

(says taylor, who still has the wily little Arab she bought almost ten years ago)

by **MMdressage** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 11:32 am

grass rein.... hilarioius reminds me of my fat ponies

by **valerie** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 11:36 am

Generally, I think anyone who can survive a Shetland pony and still want to ride WILL be a rider when they grow up. It is sort of weeding out the riders from the wannabes at a young enough age that parents don't have to shell out a lot of money for bigger and better horses. :lol:

by **ToastyO** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 11:36 am

Yes. His name was Sunny.

I couldn't help but laugh at the video, but good for the girl for getting back on all those times.

by **Snork** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 11:40 am

Thats an evil little pony. :lol:

Ultimate Dressage

Clever pony + grass = hilarious xc video!

Clever pony + grass = hilarious xc video!

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