What I say:
"Well, I think a turning 5 year old is probably a little too young for him..."
What I mean:
"What the is wrong with you?! I said he's a good horse but not yet a finished kids horse, why do you want a green gelding for your 4 year old with no experience?!"
WIS: "Do you mind if I ask how much you weigh? He's just not that big of a horse."
WIM: "I've had too many people think that it's okay for a 180-220 pound person to ride a 13.2 pony, despite my saying he weighs about 740 lbs and has a weight limit of about 140-150 MAX. including all tack."
No, it is not okay for you to ride a horse his size...
I don't know why he looks so much bigger when being ridden!
WIS: "Well, I think you might just be a little too big for him..."
WIM: "No. You are way too heavy to ride this horse. I don't know why you think it's okay, but it's not. Stop."
WIS: "Yes, I know you can be heavy and be a 'light' rider, but at 180 you are probably just a bit big since he is smaller than he looks in pictures... "
WIM: "I know you say you understand where I'm coming from and that you'll lose weight, but I'm not selling you a horse and then having you call me in 4 months complaining that he has soreness issues and started bucking. Nope."
What they say: "Well, I know your mom said that he was smaller than he looked in the pictures and he had a weight limit, but I only weigh about 185 and he looks big..."
WIS: "Yes, he looks big in all the pictures but he is definitely a pony, he needs pony tack and is small bodied. He look big in the pictures, we don't know why, but 185 is pretty heavy for him."
WIM: "We just told you on the phone and in the ad that he's smaller than he looks and you're too heavy. "
WIS: "Oh, You grew up riding a shetland about his height until you were 15? Interesting."
WIM: "No, no you didn't. Shetlands do not officially get that big."
WIS: "He's about 13.2 hands. In other measurements? He is 52 inches... In feet? Uh, I don't know.."
WIM: "What kind of a horseman doesn't understand hands? Nobody measures horses in feet...."
WIS: "Oh you have a 22.2 hand thoroughbred? Wow."
WIM: "Wow! Call the Guinness book of world records! Why have you not reported him? That's amazing! You know, considering the current tallest living horse is only 20.2 and the all time record was 21.2 hands.. "
Big Jake
WIS: "Oh, you found another pony? Okay, thanks for letting me know."
WIM: "Oh, you bought another pony within 5 hours of talking to me and making an appointment to come out tomorrow at noon? Okay, not sure how you even did that but okay. Thanks for letting me know! "
WIM after thinking about it: "Somebody actually called me, the night before, and said they wouldn't be coming so I don't have to get the horse ready and just sit there waiting for hours. Oh my gosh. That never happens."
Big Jake is just down the road from me.. yup, he's a big one.
ReplyDeletePonies are hard to sell unless they are super broke kid mounts (rare). Update us on the one you got to retrain, is that the one you want to sell? He was a doll.
Yep. He's gotten so good too. Rides bareback or in a saddle with a snaffle. He neck reins now and will stop and back up if you say "Whoa and back- Bacckk*- with a kiss. Listens well to legs and position. I was working him on turning with just my hips and shoulders and then when he got that, we added in reins. Amazing how quick he picked up neck reining after that, lol. I've walk, trotted and cantered him and he's getting better about walking on a loose rein. He does like to go though but he's cut out the butt hunch thing he did in the beginning. Considering when I got him he'd never been ridden, I think he's doing pretty good. Oh, he'll also yield his hind quarters and front end on the ground if you point, back up if you point towards him and walk, etc. He's still a little spooky about some things on the ground- plastic bags! Eek! He does not appreciate desensitization training time.
ReplyDeleteHe probably looks bigger in photos of you on him because he's broad and takes up your leg, particularly the photo of him under saddle, where it looks like you've got your stirrups adjusted so that you can actually reach his sides. In the one of you standing next to him he does look sweet and petite :)
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