Lots of people think this video is funny and has gone viral over the past 48 hours. I’ve seen it on several equine forums where people have labeled it as hilarious. I thought it was funny at first but then, as the video progressed, I stopped laughing.
Yes, lots of small ponies have an “attitude.” Unless you have a small, capable rider to tune them up, many ponies have the smarts to take over. Certainly, that’s what seemed to happen here.
Yes, the boy was wearing a helmet and a vest (at least most of the time). And at the beginning I admired his pluck and his ability to stay on during the bucks. However, even though this was a compilation video, I think this poor kid hit the ground too hard and too often. I also don’t buy the argument that riding a pony this naughty (borderline dangerous) will make him a better rider. Quite the opposite. I think that riding a horse with bad habits teaches the rider to deal with that horse only and often to ride in a defensive fashion that works against them when they ride a horse that doesn’t come with a buck, rear or roll installed.
Luckily for this boy, he got a new pony who seems to have better manners. I wish him the best of luck. I think he’s got a lot of courage and a good sense of humor.
I agree with you 100%! The pony’s consistent dangerous behavior became alarming, and having to deal with these kinds of disobediences doesn’t teach good riding to a beginner. Plucky kid–glad he got a new pony.
maybe it’s just me, but i worry about what has happened to this pony now that they’ve had enough and got a new pony. he’ll probably either get the crap beat out of him by someone trying to ‘fix’ him or be sold to auction because he’s got a reputation now, even though it’s not his fault he’s behaving this way. the pony needs a rider, not a passenger, and this kid is not at a stage in his riding where he should be off the longe line on any horse, much less a cheeky pony like this. instead they had him jumping! (or trying to…) what kind of trainer does this?
as someone who has rescued and rehabbed many so-called ‘unrideable’ and ‘unruly’ horses just like this one, i know all too well what the cause of such behavior is, and it doesn’t come from the horse. i also know where they usually end up when poor judgment and bad training have made them seem like the villains and the riders the victims. the real responsibility lies with the parents and, most of all, the trainer. instead of laughing it off or patting themselves on the back for somehow not getting the kid killed, someone should be worrying about doing right by the pony, imo.
I read somewhere that the pony is now used for driving. There was a pretty active discussion on the YouTube page. I can’t remember for sure, but I think that’s where I saw the update.
“Neither Ross nor Ed was hurt in the making of this video”.
I can’t say I agree with that statement, and: thank God. Ed knew exactly how to roll Ross over his neck and drop him underneath him, thankfully he had no meanness or desire to hurt Ross. He stepped away, with the exception of moving off when the adult ran up from the off side Ross was hanging on under his belly.
The drop and roll is so completely unacceptable it’s shocking.
I agree that a FEW tumbles are to be expected, and it’s easy to laugh at them later, when you’re not physically hurt. Seriously, I’m thrilled Ross and Ed were separated, and hope they know small ponies can also be tuned up by a competent adult through ground driving…
The pony should no longer be used for anything. Period. Not unless he has been checked and found to be free of pain and trauma (as a lesson pony, it is highly unlikely that he will be free of either!).
Then he would need to be re-trained carefully to improve his instinctive reactions to triggers of these behaviors. This, too might be nearly impossible in a lesson situation.
Like I said, this pony should no longer be ridden, or perhaps even driven. Like jme, I fear for him. “Useless” lesson animals who don’t produce income in programs don’t have nice futures in grassy fields.
I wonder if all the rides looked like that. I wonder if he was a “lesson” pony or the boy’s pony. Finally, I wonder what, if any, training Ed received in between these rides.
I think Ross did a good job riding through some of those antics, but him being dragged, even a few feet was pretty scary. I hope he keeps riding. We need more men to take up the habit.