Pony baggage : Fat, teeth and new shoes

Jenny Wren getting fat

I've always been on the periphery of horses and horse ownership as I am now. Paying a fortune for riding lessons for children was my way of avoiding all the baggage and even more expense that comes with ponies. Spectators see more of the game than the players so here's what I've seen over the years.

Ponies get fat on fresh air and weeds, even in what seems to be a bare paddock and pony owners are for ever thinking; " does my pony look  fat in this". This being a horse rug. They have very efficient digestive systems; the ponies not the owners, so unless they are working really hard like Black Beauty or my Grandfather's Clydesdales did ..... don't feed them anything at all when they are at grass, especially in the Spring when the green stuff is full of soluble carbs.  Manage them so you can still see their ribs.

A horse's teeth grow continuously otherwise they would soon wear away to stumps, they are not just there so that horse people and every Irishman can tell how old your pony is, they also contribute to making Vets wealthy because they need regular home visits for tooth maintenance with a file.

Finally but most importantly; they need new shoes and pedicure more often than their owners. This means that you need a Farrier. Farriers have arcane and mysterious skills acquired over many years at college, in the Army and the gym. Never forget that they are doing you a favour by attending to your pony entirely at their convenience and by taking all major credit cards for the eye watering fee.

I am still avoiding the baggage because Sue Cameron, Connie and Rosie deal with it.