So excited to finally be able to back a pony we got last November. He is a 14.2h 4 year old BRP but was a stallion and living in a paddock by himself for his first 3.5 years of life. He was gelded in September 2023, we picked him up in November and I was too busy with 2 other ponies I was working/showing so he was on the backburner at first. Plus he needed a lot of work and handling first - he lead, but barley.
He had almost never been in a stall, never really ever seen things as he was a pasture pet his whole 3.5 years of life so it was a bit of an undertaking. But he was always the sweetest pony, wanted to learn (even though he was terrified of EVERYTHING, and I mean everything), so we just took it slow and let him figure things out.
I have taken him to a few line shows so he can learn to load, stand on the trailer by himself, get bathed (he literally shook for the first few months if I hosed him off or bathed him. We are finally not shaking and standing still and looking like he kind of enjoys it), stand to get braided etc. All the fun stuff!
I had my husband on the end of a lunge line while I got on him and we took a few steps and he was perfect. Walked around the outdoor ring a few times on the lunge and quit. Then the next day (yesterday) I had my husband lunge me and we did some walk and about 5 mins of trot and again, he was perfect. He is on the lazy side and just wanted to walk, so we took lots of breaks (and pats and told how good he was) and he caught on fast. His voice commands are great and he really listens and even started to put leg, voice and going forward very quickly.
I then had my husband let me go so I can walk around on my own to practice some steering and some halts. Ended after a few minutes, lots of pats and praise and told him how good he was.
I have started about 8 ponies of this breeding - all the same sire (but all the others were welsh x BRP, so this is my first full BRP) and they have all been quite easy, so I’m very lucky and over the years, really understand what they like/don’t like. I have started a few pure welsh and some sport horses and they are all so different (of course). I have one more warmblood x BRP to start later this year or maybe next year (he is 2 now, but seems immature, so I just might wait until next year).
Our plan is to keep this boy and maybe break him to drive if he has the mind and attitude for it. He could be a match to our driving pony right now, but our current guy is already 15 years old, so we shall see. I will be boarding him out with an indoor all winter so I can work with him and get more of a feel on what to do with him. I just want him to learn some basics of steering before I move him since there will be other boarders there ha ha! I will start him as a hunter (my preferred sport after driving) and then bring him home in the spring and start some line driving.
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GAWJUS!!!
What a gorgeous boy!
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