2 Y/O pony planting her feet while leading!

[Ally_F]

Please help!

I have had my pony for only just over a week now, so I know she is not at the point of trusting me yet, but for some reason after a perfect week together she has just started to plant her feet while leading so I cant get her to the stable!

I really wanted to start doing ground work with her now she has had a little time to settle in, but I cant even get her onto the yard (her field is at the end of the drive) without her stopping.

It has been suggested that she might not like the pressure from the head collar as her wolf teeth are coming through - but I cant get her safely to the stable to check, and she throws her head in the air if you put your hand near her mouth while in the field (her teeth where checked during the vetting and all was fine except he said her wolf teeth where coming through)

Does anyone have any advice as to how I can get her to walk on, or even some ground work I can do in the field to get her to trust me more to help stop this?

It took me over 30 mins to do a 2 min walk - and the last bit we had to "reverse" in as she was having none of it, I've tried zig-zagging her but she only moves her back feet, I cant get the front to move, also spinning away doesn't work as she seems to have an invisible line she wont cross. She is not scared of anything as she happily steals grass from the side of the road!

Sorry for the Essay but I'm really lost as to what to do, without loosing what little relationship we have managed to get? Thanks!!!!

 

[SwingHorse]

If she isn't showing any signs of fear - which it sounds like she isn't - she's just taking the pee, which needs to be stopped in its tracks, or you end up with an unmanagable youngster, and then an unmanageable horse.

First, I'd get in touch with her old owners, make sure she didn't do it with them, and if she did ask how they coped. Do you know how much ground work they did with her?

If you're worried about her teeth, get the headcollar on in the field, and feed her by hand, with grass, hay or some hard feed to get her used to you handling her mouth. Let her muzzle your fingers (many youngsters like to have a lick etc) and go from there, stopping trying to touch her teeth as soon as she gets stressed. I'd also ring the vet and ask their opinion on it, as I've never personally experienced a youngster acting up in a headcollar because of teeth.

Back to the leading, a couple of methods for you to try.
1) Bring an experienced friend who can lead another horse slightly infront of your youngster. I say experienced because if your baby is acting up, you don't want another horse getting hurt. If the other horse stays nice and calm, and walks a further 10-20 metres once your horse plants itseld, she might follow.

2) Have you tried ground work in the field, teaching commands like whoa, walk on etc? Even just walking her around the field (may with another horse to keep it a confidence building experiences) for 10 minutes of so, getting her used to doing as you say, e.g. back up, responding to the pressure to put of her halter etc.

3) It may sound harsh, but take a schooling whip (the type with a short lash, so it makes a little noise) and when she plants her feet flick the edge of your riding boot and firmly ask to walk on. If she still won't move, take a deep breath, and ask again, this time flick the whip toward (But not actually touching her!) her side. Usually this is our last resort, and it does work.

Another hint, is when she does plant herself, make her behave. No fidgeting, eating the grass etc - tell her to stand, and reprimand her when she doesn't. That way planting becomes just as boring as walking on!

 

[fidleyspromise]

Some excellent tips from Swinghorse.

My youngster had never been led and I started off in the field and had my OH walk my older one around for her to follow. Once she was moving and listening I would gradually take her further away from the other one and was doing lots of circles/figure 8s with her to get her thinking and not just going in straight lines.

Once we had this sussed, I then led her into the yard and back. We've now progressed to being in the yard by ourselves with no other horses there and also going walks down the drive and back.

 

[StormyMoments]

my two year old mare does this too walking to the yard she just stops, then nothing i push her shoulder and move her head in the direction of which im pushing her, it kinda puts her off ballance so she kinda snaps out of it, but she can be a moo to lead so when i bring her back to the field she tries to rear and jump all over me so i stop and wait for her to calm down a bit... never works but stops me being trampled for a minute

 

[LiveryList]

My mare did this when i first got her- she was also 2 and in my opinion testing me. She would stop at the same place on the way to the field everyday and if i pushed her too much to walk forward she would shoot back with her head in the air. One trick that worked with her was if she stopped i would stand in front of her and make her walk back a few steps, then ask her to stand and then walk on. I would repeat this until she would go forward and then praise her. She stopped on and off for a few weeks in various places but once she had settled and got into her routine she was fine. She will still try it now even a year on but now knows it not worth the hassle

 

[Ally_F]

Thank you so much for all of your advice!

I have a friend coming over tomorrow night to help, and she can lead my boy in front for her to follow, hopefully this will work.

but in the mean time I will try your other advice.

She has been very well handled by the previous owners, and I visited her 4 times, and she lead fine, and even her first week here she was perfect, picked up her feet lovely, stands to be tied up, brushed everything.

I'm sure she's just testing me, but having never faced this problem with my boys I got totally lost as to what to do

Yet again Thank you so much! - Hopefully I will be able to sleep tonight instead of worrying that I ruined her already