They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks – but going by these pictures, you can teach an old (er) pony to jump, with alacrity.
Jack had been a mounted games pony before his move to the Isle of Man a year ago, but had not done much else in other disciplines. But aged 14, he is now showjumping and going across country – with a bit of extra spring – with 12-year-old Alice Teare.
Owner Barbara Eyres told H&H she bought Jack unseen, from Ireland, for her 10-year-old son Cameron.
“He was sold as an all-rounder but I don’t think he’d done that much other stuff!” she said. “We took him showjumping and a bit of cross-country and he was like a four-year-old. He’s so honest and lovely but really green, and when we asked the previous owner, she said ‘He’s never done any of that’!”
Barbara said Jack’s exuberant jumping meant Cameron and Alice have “done a bit of a swap”, so Cameron has been riding Alice’s older jumping pony.
“Alice has thoroughly enjoyed jumping Jack,” she said. “She loves him to pieces and has a massive smile on her face. I think he’s got massive potential as a jumper; just needs a bit more mileage and he could be amazing.”
The pictures of Jack’s mighty leap were taken on 1 October, at a cross-country clear round event.
“She was worried about that jump so she asked her friend Macy to stand there, and she got a good photo!” Barbara said. “The others he jumped big too, but I kept looking at that picture because it doesn’t look real, he looks like a JA jumping pony. I kept thinking it wasn’t quite real, but it was.”
The aim is for Alice and Jack to compete in a one-day event this weekend.
“We’re not sure if he’s ever done dressage before so we did have a little practice, and I said ‘Just make sure you stay in the arena’!” Barbara said.
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