Mis sold a pony?

[Louisejane24]

Hi all, when it comes to horses, I don't have much luck so I'm feeling a little silly today! I'm looking for some advice here as I don't know where to turn. I know this is an odd topid for CAG!

 

We bought a pony for my nervous daughter of ten. We have been looking a very long time for the right one and we thought we had found her. The advert for the horse included "a safe sensible ride who works well in the arena and hasn't a bad bone in her body" It also stated "no vices" which is a near impossible with horses, I know!

 

We trialled her twice at the owners, my daughter jumped her, hacked her out and did all the usual flatwork, the pony was ideal and I can honestly say she did not put a foot wrong so her owner delivered her last Thursday.

 

Now I know its not quite a week and every horse needs time to settle but this pony is dangerous!! I asked the owner how long she thought we should leave her and she said she would be fine to ride the next night.

 

On bringing her in, she was bargy and a nightmare to tack up but we took it slow thinking that she was just nervous in new surroundings. As soon as my daughter got on the pony, it kept stopping and backing up, if my daughter put her leg on then she would buck, if she didn't put her leg on then she would keep backing up. Eventually, the pony threw a huge buck and dumped my daughter in the arena. An older more experienced rider got on her and she also got dumped after the pony reared and then bucked her. We didn't have a whip and both girls were only using leg aids.

 

I spoke to the owner that night and she said that the pony had never ever bucked, reared or kicked and she must not have settled, she recommended that the next day we lunge her to get her used to the arena and put my daughter on the lunge line.

 

Our instructor put her on the lunge line and the pony went nuts, aiming a huge kick at the instructors head and narrowly missing her head. We worked through it and my daughter rode her but again, the pony kept backing up and threatening to rear if my daughter asked her to walk on. My daughter got her to do the basics and then ended the lesson early. I updated the owner that night and the owner confessed that even though she recommended we lunge her that she had never actually lunged her and had no idea what she would be like!! She also went back on her statement that the pony never bucked and said she did buck when a whip was used on her, we never used one.

 

Sunday was much of the same, only by this point my daughter was too scared to get on her so the experienced girl rode her and had to fight her all the way. The owner just kept saying she hasn't settled. I rested her on Monday as I felt like it was too much for the pony and last night the experienced girl got on her again.

 

It was horrendous!! The pony was playing up the whole time, throwing huge bucks and backing up and going onto her back legs. When the girl asked her to walk forward she virtually ran backwards, slamming into the other horse in the arena, when she reached the fence she started to rear, very almost going backwards over the fence with the rider on her.

 

I don't know what to do, the owner refuses to come and take her back as she says she no longer has the money and just says she hasn't settled.

 

The vet witnessed last nights episode and was shocked that she had been sold to us as a childs pony, he said he would be willing to provide a statement to last nights behaviour and recommended I give the owner 7 days to return the money or I should go to small claims court.

 

This pony has supposed to have had novices on her all her life and done pony club, xc and sj as well as taken nervous riders to the beach!

 

There is no way on earth I would sell her on as I would never forgive myself if anything happened to another little girl, its more good luck than anything else that no one has been hurt with us.

 

Is there anything I can do or is it just my stupid fault for taking the pony without trialling?

 

Many thanks

[assisted blonde]

Ok really stupid question has your vet thoroughly checked the pony over to make sure that there are no injuries that are causing the pony pain when ridden, what is she like when out in the paddock or in the stable, is she nasty and jumpy or quite calm?

Do you think that there is a chance she could have been sedated on the occasions that your daughter tried her at the previous owners?

How long had the previous owner had the pony, is it possible to contact the owner prior to the one you bought her from to establish what she was like then?

The only reason i am asking is to try and see if there is a solvable problem or if this is a deep rooted one, if the Pony has been known for its bad behaviour prior to you buying it then I would say you have a very strong case against the seller as she has misled you.

If she has done pony club etc there must be someone who can vouch for her previous character and if she has been ok in the past.

You are right to say you wouldnt sell her on but if she went back to your seller (which seems unlikely as she allegedly cannot reimburse you) who is to say she wouldnt be sold again.

Really hard situation but dont write the pony off just yet, she could be really unsettled, or she may just need taking back to basics and retraining.

Got to say my gut feeling is that she was doped when you saw her though.