BILLY THE KID

Billy came to me as a project and seems to have stayed…

His past is a little hazy but he seems to have been passed around quite a bit. He ended up in a riding school as a young, green, recently broken pony (not a good idea in my opinion) and it seems he had a habit of ditching riders (unsurprising!) and a reluctance to work. He was then bought by a lady for her daughter and again he proved to be too much to handle.

I took Billy on to re-break, sort out any issues and hopefully sell him on (he’s not quite tall enough for me to want to keep him!). When I started working with Billy I soon realised that his saddle did not fit; hence his reluctance to work. He’d been forced into a flash noseband and since he has lockjaw, the noseband would have prevented him opening his mouth to relieve his discomfort. His mane is so thick and long that he was unable to see when being ridden, hence the bolting and ditching of riders. I took Billy back to basics; simple bridle with no noseband, fleece saddle and forelock plaited up and away we went! A few niggles and one bolt, but he’s good as gold.

As yet I haven’t sold Billy as I’m concerned that new owners wouldn’t understand him and would try and restrict him as he was before, so it looks like he’s here to stay. A dinky gypsy cob who has the heart of a lion, the attitude of a shire stallion and the size of a large dog!