Are these ponies suitable for a riding school?

[DikTrom]

Just want to double check if I am too risk averse ....

Big riding school with about 20 ponies. Dd is 8 years old, riding for 2 years and confident cantering on variety of horses.

Children have to brush and tack up ponies on their own or with help of parent.

Ponies are not in boxes but all in stands so have to be approached from the rear.

Pony 1 - has kicked and bitten many children, one child showed me big teeth marks on her thigh.
pony 2: fine with brushing and tacking up but regularly attacks other ponies in the lesson through suddenly overtaking all others when cantering and then jumping from behind on neck of other pony and biting other pony so other pony starts bucking (apparently he does the same in the field)
Pony 3: kicks when approaching/bites when saddling
Pony 4: shattered the knee of mother holding pony when child was getting on (mother faces many operations, lengthy recovery, riding school has blamed mother) horse has sign on door no to stroke as horse does not like to be touched but is used in many many lessons
Pony5: always tries to escape from arena by ducking underneath entrance pole, leaving rider to hang on the pole.
Pony 6: rider fell, pony reversed and kicked hat off the fallen rider, pony behaves totally mad during competitions, eg bucking, rearing, galloping, trying to throw and push rider against the wall
Pony 7: rears when trying to lead out of stand
Pony 8: kicks when trying to get into stand
Pony 9: kicked dd. Hard in tummy yeasterday but luckily body protector took most of the impact (still mark from horse shoe to be seen though but checked out in hospital), dd was walking, pony was led several metres in front, suddenly reversed to where dd was and kicked her, totally unclear why.

Many of the remaining ponies are ok and don't seem to kick and bite, however child has no say on which pony is allocated and therefore has to regularly ride any of the above.

Would you allow your child to keep riding here or would you consider it too dangerous?

[VivaLeBeaver]

That's a lot of problem ponies.

I'm no expert (though have ridden for 30 years and used to work at a stables which my bf owned), I don't think I'd be keen on my dd going there.

When I was a kid there was one problem horse at the stables I could think of who used to bite a lot. Only the older kids were allowed near him. There were other ponies who were far from being bombproof but nothing like you describe.

At the stables my ex owned we got rid of a pony who took to trying to dislodge riders all the time. Either by bucking or by rolling. He was a liability for kids. As an adult I used to ride a horse at a stables who was known to buck when cantering but again only decent riders were allowed on him and you knew to expect the odd buck.

[Eelseelseels]

No, doesn't sound safe to me. I can't see that it's right for paying clients to have to tack up a horse that is a known kicker. I'd expect staff to tack up a horse that did this and for the child to get on board once safe. Riding school ponies can be grumpy buggers, and a bit of bucking is tolerable, but I wouldn't say a rearer was ok.

[Bonkey]

I would be very wary of sending my ds to somewhere with that many ponies who have 'quirks'.
And I wonder why so many of the ponies seem to be tricky - are they well looked after?

Yes there is bound to be one or two that are a bit tricky, but as said above, the only people dealing with these should be staff/more experienced.

I rode at a riding stables in my teens and there was a variety of ponies/horses that all had their ways with one or two which only more experienced people were to deal with - these had signs on doors, but most were easily handled.

All ones that were for children to ride/fuss/learn with were as safe as they could be!

[BrianTheMole]

Hmm, well you normally get the odd character who has a few quirks. But thats rather a lot. I wouldn't send my dc there.

[YeGodsAndLittleFishes]

Hell no.
I'm not horsey myself, but I've been taking DD to weekly riding lessons for nearly 10 years, tried out over half a dozen riding schools in that time.

I've never seen that many badly behaved ponies in one group lesson! I have seen avoidable accidents because instructors took unnecessary risks involving just one badly schooled pony. That was usually enough for me to find another riding school.

[mrslaughan]

I am at a yard, that has a riding school, son and husband do lessons.
They have quite a few horses/ponies, more than 20....there are about 3 with quirks......but they are SO careful about what lessons they go in, ....... (For example one gets agitated when crowded and will kick out at other ponies if crowded.....so will be in lead rein where helpers make sure space is maintained or, in with the very capable riders who know the pony, and know to give it space) .....
They just trailed a new pony, it reared once, that was it, went back to owner.

Seriously I would be looking for a new riding school.....I think it's odd that you are expected to get the ponies ready.....

[YeGodsAndLittleFishes]

Yes, most of the riding schools DD's been to have been great, only a couple of bad incidents. the current one has over 90 horses, and it is and excellent. Of course there are a few badly behaved ponies, but they are very well handled and kept away from one another.

[Bonkey]

90?!?!?!

[YeGodsAndLittleFishes]

Oh no, they offer full livery, DIY etc and have masses of land. They are not all riding school ponies! Have been to a couple of other places that are similar.

[rideyourbike]

Ponies are a perfect size for children, but generally their temperament is less than ideal. A shire horse is more suited, apart from it's size! Does sound like the riding school has a particularly bad bunch!

[todayisnottheday]

Oh no, that's not ok. Ponies are not perfect but attacking another whilst being ridden is beyond the pale and that pony shouldn't be used. Many misbehave in the field but all should know it stops when they are working.

Bitting and kicking is a bit different, all ponies can but it should be a one off. If they have a pony who is fantastic for dc to learn on but is unreliable on the ground many schools would keep them on but carefully manage them.

Our riding school is fully made up of quirky horses and ponies but each one is respected and managed. Sorry but I would suggest you find a new school - and tell anyone who asks why. The whole set up is taking an unacceptable risk in an already risky sport.

[todayisnottheday]

Fwiw I don't believe in learning to ride on automated machines like many riding schools. Learning to ride needs to include learning to handle difficulties otherwise you are just learning to sit on top not to ride but it has to be as safe as possible!

[Toapointlordcopper]

Every stable I've ridden at has a couple of awkward buggers, but never this many. I wouldn't go within a mile of a place like this.

[DikTrom]

Thanks for all the comments. I am going to look for another riding school. It does worry me.

[FlockOfTwats]

Nope. My friend was killed at the RS we worked at. Horse should never have been there in the first place (This was voiced many many times, owner took it out of lessons and put it in foal). I'd be going elsewhere.

[YeGodsAndLittleFishes]

FlockOfTwats That is so terrible. Your poor friend. I hope they closed the place down!

[SlowlorisIncognito]

Imo it is not ok, especially if the children are expected to tack up etc by themselves. Ive been involved with riding schools as pupil and staff for many years and been kicked once and bitten only a handful of times. My current yo probably wouldn't allow most of those ponies in her riding school.

For comparison, she has 30 horsesand ponies. There is only one that really bites, and two which have occasionally kicked whilst ridden but never at people. All are safe to lead etc and only the more experienced people tack up anything that isn't easy to do.

Tbh the situation you describe sounds unsafe mainly due to the lack of experienced help. Is the yard bhs registered?

[FlockOfTwats]

The difference between acceptable and not IMO is the ability to predict behaviour.

Any horse is unpredictable when it comes down to it and you take a risk by being around them. No one should ever take for granted how strong they are or thatthey have their own brain and can decide to act against what we would like them to do. I have had parents kick off at me because their child has become unseated over a jump, or the horse has dodged out and childs popped off the side or front door. That IMO Iis ridiculous. If you put your kid on a live animal at some point Ill fall off.

In a riding school you will get those with quirks. Ive been nipped. Ive been kicked by one horse that just seemed to hate me. Never put a hoof wrong for anyone else. Just me!

The point it becomes unacceptable is when an animal is known to cinsistently behave in a certain manner, and as far as I know, is when the owner and yard owner become responsible for that risk too. (Ie, you couldnt sue someone if you fall off normally and break your leg because the horse tripped over, but if the horse is known to say, rear up or bronc round the yard, you havea legal case).

Thats what makes this unacceptable IMO op, that these ponies are well known for behaviour which is dangerous.

And no, the RS wasnt shut down. Although the horse was known for its behaviour, it had a foal. That made a difference as far as I remember.

[NigellasDealer]

well I have worked in several ridng schools and there is always 'one' (or two) but that does sound like too many badly behaved animals and there is usually a reason for that....
I would find somewhere else to ride or look at a share.

[DikTrom]

Thanks for all the comments, I am now looking for another riding school.

I am in the Netherlands and generally there is a disregard for Health and Safety and this clearly extends to riding schools. When my dd was severely kicked nobody batted an eye (and nobody went over to help, I was in the arena holding a horse). As long as it isn't their child they don't mind, clearly not realising that it will only be a matter of time.
This is a licensed three star riding school, but safety seems to be judged by the injury book and accidents do not seem to be recorded.