Has anyone actually taken care of Ponies?

[Azureth 687]

Like on a ranch or the like? If so, are they difficult to take care of?

[Steve Piranha 29,428]

And I rode them a handful of times when I was WAAAAAAAAY younger 

[SharpWit 2,682]

Yes! I worked at a petting zoo with an older one that was very well tempered. Didn't even have to harness her when it was time to come out of the pasture.

She was too short and old for riding, but we would let our summer camp groom her and complete an obstacle course while she watched. Care mostly consisted of shoveling and occasionally spraying out her stall, and giving her half as much hay or alfalfa. We'd check her over daily but would also give dewormer and have a farrier come out to trim and clean her hooves at least once during the season.

[Misty Shadow 7,923]

I think I got to see a horse face-to-face when I was little, but that's it. 

[AppleButt 8,675]

My mom has a horse, used to own a horse ranch, and I also took riding lessons for a few years.  Not ponies, but not really different 
 

It’s more costly than it is hard. 
 

You gotta feed em twice a day, give em hay, keep their hooves trimmed, float their teeth about once a year cause their teeth grow and can cause pain in their mouths if you don’t, keep them watered, muck out their stalls, keep em exercised  whether through riding em or lunging (tying them to a rope and making them walk, trot, canter, etc  in circles),  keep em groomed, and etc. 

 

Its not too hard, there’s just a little more chores to it than normal animals. 

[Yoshi89 5,293]

Count me as riding a pony when I was younger, at a street fair once.

[virtualpet 5]

[ Ruby ] 

Our neighbors actually have horses! They have three full-sized horses and two miniature horses. We used to go over there when we were in middle school to help take care of them and get riding lessons, but now we only really see them when they come over to the fence and we pet them. 

It does take a lot of effort, but I think AppleButt covered it.