Complaint Review: Carolyn Derrenbacher - Howard County Maryland

When the mother and children came the first time to ride our pony I told the mom that the pony was to much for them. I never let go of the pony and I led them around at a walk. She insisted her kids could w/t/c no problem and that the pony was wonderful. The pony was to much for them. They left everything was wonderful. They wanted to bring dad to see pony, found a place to keep her etc.. Came out with dad, I told them to wait for me to get there but they did not. They saddled her took her out to the riding area and got on. As I got there I could see the mom making the kid ask more and more of the pony I could tell the pony was tense. She asked the pony to trot, the pony did a tiny buck, the child became unbalanced slid off the pony landing on her feet! The mom lunged at the pony which the pony shyed away from and I caught the pony and moved her away from the stunned child. I felt the girth and it was so tight I couldn't squeeze any fingers under it. I loosened the girth she calmed right down. No attacks, no trauma, nothing I did ask the mom if she wanted the child to get back on and just sit there I would hold the pony, so she wouldn't be afraid, she said no, I said fine. End of story they left, the dad wasn't at all shaken by the situation. Each time the story is told it gets worse. I decided to investigate the farm where they took lessons and the trainer told me that the children were just learning to trot and did not know how to post yet. Mom trys to push them to hard when they are not ready. I have 1 pony, not a "horse trader". My mistake was to let them come back the 2nd time.

When the mother and children came the first time to ride our pony I told the mom that the pony was to much for them. I never let go of the pony and I led them around at a walk. She insisted her kids could w/t/c no problem and that the pony was wonderful. The pony was to much for them. They left everything was wonderful. They wanted to bring dad to see pony, found a place to keep her etc.. Came out with dad, I told them to wait for me to get there but they did not. They saddled her took her out to the riding area and got on. As I got there I could see the mom making the kid ask more and more of the pony I could tell the pony was tense. She asked the pony to trot, the pony did a tiny buck, the child became unbalanced slid off the pony landing on her feet! The mom lunged at the pony which the pony shyed away from and I caught the pony and moved her away from the stunned child. I felt the girth and it was so tight I couldn't squeeze any fingers under it. I loosened the girth she calmed right down. No attacks, no trauma, nothing I did ask the mom if she wanted the child to get back on and just sit there I would hold the pony, so she wouldn't be afraid, she said no, I said fine. End of story they left, the dad wasn't at all shaken by the situation. Each time the story is told it gets worse. I decided to investigate the farm where they took lessons and the trainer told me that the children were just learning to trot and did not know how to post yet. Mom trys to push them to hard when they are not ready. I have 1 pony, not a "horse trader". My mistake was to let them come back the 2nd time.

When the mother and children came the first time to ride our pony I told the mom that the pony was to much for them. I never let go of the pony and I led them around at a walk. She insisted her kids could w/t/c no problem and that the pony was wonderful. The pony was to much for them. They left everything was wonderful. They wanted to bring dad to see pony, found a place to keep her etc.. Came out with dad, I told them to wait for me to get there but they did not. They saddled her took her out to the riding area and got on. As I got there I could see the mom making the kid ask more and more of the pony I could tell the pony was tense. She asked the pony to trot, the pony did a tiny buck, the child became unbalanced slid off the pony landing on her feet! The mom lunged at the pony which the pony shyed away from and I caught the pony and moved her away from the stunned child. I felt the girth and it was so tight I couldn't squeeze any fingers under it. I loosened the girth she calmed right down. No attacks, no trauma, nothing I did ask the mom if she wanted the child to get back on and just sit there I would hold the pony, so she wouldn't be afraid, she said no, I said fine. End of story they left, the dad wasn't at all shaken by the situation. Each time the story is told it gets worse. I decided to investigate the farm where they took lessons and the trainer told me that the children were just learning to trot and did not know how to post yet. Mom trys to push them to hard when they are not ready. I have 1 pony, not a "horse trader". My mistake was to let them come back the 2nd time.

When the mother and children came the first time to ride our pony I told the mom that the pony was to much for them. I never let go of the pony and I led them around at a walk. She insisted her kids could w/t/c no problem and that the pony was wonderful. The pony was to much for them. They left everything was wonderful. They wanted to bring dad to see pony, found a place to keep her etc.. Came out with dad, I told them to wait for me to get there but they did not. They saddled her took her out to the riding area and got on. As I got there I could see the mom making the kid ask more and more of the pony I could tell the pony was tense. She asked the pony to trot, the pony did a tiny buck, the child became unbalanced slid off the pony landing on her feet! The mom lunged at the pony which the pony shyed away from and I caught the pony and moved her away from the stunned child. I felt the girth and it was so tight I couldn't squeeze any fingers under it. I loosened the girth she calmed right down. No attacks, no trauma, nothing I did ask the mom if she wanted the child to get back on and just sit there I would hold the pony, so she wouldn't be afraid, she said no, I said fine. End of story they left, the dad wasn't at all shaken by the situation. Each time the story is told it gets worse. I decided to investigate the farm where they took lessons and the trainer told me that the children were just learning to trot and did not know how to post yet. Mom trys to push them to hard when they are not ready. I have 1 pony, not a "horse trader". My mistake was to let them come back the 2nd time.