5 FUN THINGS TO DO WITH YOUR PONY WHEN IT RAINS

The rain is a tiny bit ridiculous at the moment, with days of hot sun broken by what seem to be weeks of rain…! But fear not, HQ Pony Mag has you covered with five super fun things to do with your pony when it's raining.

1. Practice leading your pony

If your stable yard has a big barn or long undercover walkway, you can practice leading your pony when it's raining. It's always a good idea to teach our ponies how to walk next to us instead of dragging us behind them or us having to drag them.

Get your halter and practice walking your pony up and down. The correct position when leading your pony is to have his head in line with your elbow. Grab a few of your friends and see whose pony leads the best.

Here are some tips on leading your pony:

1. If your pony is trying to pull past you: Ask him to back up and stand.

2. If your pony is having to be dragged: Gently use your whip (as instructed in the Groundwork, Part 2 article) to encourage him to speed up.

3. If your pony is very, very lazy: You may need to have extra encouragement to get him to move. We find carrots are the best form of bribery!

Make many stops when practising and change your leading speed to keep it fresh. After a session, or two, like this, your pony should lead much better.

2. Bring a friend to meet your pony

We are sure you have told all your friends about your special pony, so why not bring one or two of your friends along to meet him on a rainy day? It will brighten up your day and theirs.

If your friends don't know anything about ponies, you can always tell them about your pony and teach them how to groom or tack up a pony. Maybe they will enjoy meeting your pony so much they will want to start riding with you.

3. Teach your pony a trick

By teaching your pony how to do a trick or two, you will learn a lot about how to talk to your pony. Some ponies learn new tricks very fast, and others a bit slower. There are so many tricks you can teach your pony. Some of the tricks can be done while moving, and other tricks need to be done while standing still. You will need to do some research and learn how to do the tricks because each trick is taught differently.

Here are some tricks to teach your pony when it is raining: Come here 'Starlight':

1. Teaching your ponies his name and getting him to come to you is a very neat trick, and it will make the rest of your riding a lot easier.

2. Know which stable is mine: Teach your pony which stable is his and to go into the stable all by himself!

3. Lift your feet: Teach your pony to lift each foot when you ask him to. Put your head down: Teach your pony to drop his head when you ask him to.

Remember, ponies have very short attention spans, meaning they can only learn the trick for a few minutes at a time. If you find the trick is not working, let him have a break and try again after some time.

4. Play with your pony's ears

It may seem like a silly thing to do, but most ponies really like it, and it helps them relax.

Always be gentle with your pony's ears. Not all ponies like their ears being played with, so make sure he likes it before you dive right in.

How to tell if your pony likes having his ears played with:

1. If he lets you touch them.

2. If he keeps his head still and does not make any sudden movements.

3. If he gets all relaxed and starts to close his eyes.

4. If he falls asleep.

How to tell if your pony does not like having his ears played with:

1. If he does not let you touch his ears.

2. If he pulls his head away when you try to touch his ears.

3. If he puts his head up high where you can't reach his ears.

4. If he does not stay still.

If your pony likes having his ears played with, then start by stroking them from the base to the tip, or moving them gently in small circles.

5. Give your pony a break

Did you know that most ponies work for six days a week and only get Mondays off?

Ponies work very hard for the whole year and deserve a break every now and then. It is always a great idea to give your pony a break when possible, especially when he is ridden by multiple riders.

Use the opportunity of a rainy day to sit with your pony. Don't ask him to do anything; just talk to him and give him lots of love, cuddles, and maybe a few carrots. This is a great time to get to know your pony better and he will also appreciate the day off!

Have fun with your pony on a rainy day!

Enjoy practising leading your pony, playing with your pony's ears, introducing your friends to your pony, teaching your pony a new trick or giving your pony a well-deserved break! With all these fun ideas, your rainy pony days can be bright again – just remember to invite your friends along to join in on the fun.