Finding Connor
My search for my first horse was a fairly long journey. I searched for 8 months saw 11 horses in total and had 2 failed vettings.
You really do see it all when on the search for a new horse. But here’s a summary.
1) Myles a 14.2hh Irish Cob he actually looked a lot like Connor does (Blagdon Splash) 11 years old and WIDE like wider than Connor. He was so strong and needed a more confident rider as he was quite sharp. Didn’t get a great vibe.
2) Jack a 13.2hh Welsh C light bay. He was nice I actually quite liked him we schooled a little did a little jump and hacked he was a good lad and I’m sure I could have made it work with him but hindsight and all is a wonderful thing. He was quite unfit so can only imagine the sass once he was in regular work. I decided to get him vetted he however failed his fit for purpose injury on the hind leg. He was only suitable to a purely hacking home of which I am not.
3) Flash a 13.2hh New Forest dark bay. Could be flighty in hand but good under saddle. I schooled him and jumped him he was a good lad but he was expensive and had a in hand issue. I went with a vetting with Robin my actual vet and got told he had serious cataracts in both eyes, sadly I didn’t want or need to take on a new pony with a existing health issue. However the handling thing makes sense now.
Feeling defeated the search continues.
4) Rio a 13.2 welsh type. Very nice to look at however this pony is a pure jumping pony. He lives for it. Can also tell that’s pretty much all he’s done he had the basic flat work but considering how far he’d gone with his jumping I’d hoped for a more schooled pony. Very sweet owners but he wouldn’t have enjoyed being my pony.
5) Pip a 13.2/13.3hh coloured cob. Did not like the vibe of person or the yard where this pony was. Quite obviously dealers and just not very good at it. Pony was possible blind in one eye and green as grass. It was a firm no from me.
6) Alfie was a 13.3/14hh New Forest type. Bit of an all rounder sweet boy probably needs a bit more confidence from the rider but I can be a nervous nelly. Did all things with him he did however have incredibly bad feet which current owners were trying to deal with. Alfie however got sold on very quickly after my visit so alas he wasn’t a option.
7) Charlie 14hh pony I can’t remember his breed but he was very pretty he was grey and probably had a bit of Apoloosa in him. This pony would be a lot of fun for someone whose not a nervous nelly like me. He is however cold backed although he didn’t buck or bronc with me he did with his owner/rider when looking at him.
8) Bobbie 13.1hh dark bay pony again I can’t remember his breed but he was quite fine. He was lovely although quite green but even for me he was probs a tiny bit too small perhaps if he weren’t quite so fine his height would not have been a problem for my tiny legs.
9) Blackjack 14hh coloured again I can’t remember his breed. A big nope! He was a very nice pony IMO. Very strong quite green and flighty and could be a problem to load. Whilst I know problems can be worked on the problems don’t seem like problems when you fall for a pony.
10) Troy 14hh black cob. He was nice enough. A little nappy in the school but nothing major. Anyone who knows me knows my hacking confidence is very up and down and this little cob TERRIFIED me! Bouncing literally on the spot. I had/have no doubt he would have buggered off with me. That’s a firm no from me. The lady did admit his riders do just race him around which is unhelpful.
11) Connor 14.1hh Irish Cob. I was so heartbroken at this point about Troy (was second visit) that I had completely forgotten about Connor. He was already on the yard when we got there. Saw the woman ride him and he looked lame but once ridden forward and properly he was fine. He was such a good boy we schooled jumped did poles and solo hacked. He didn’t do anything to the point I forgot about him. I realised my error and got him vetted. Which he passed with flying colours and came home less than a week later.
So there you have it. My search for my first pony. Long winded and expensive but I wouldn’t trade my pony for the world.