Advice and Experience please on very attached pony

Ravenwood

Ravenwood

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We have a really super pony on loan for my daughter but she is desperately attached to my mare.

Today we took them both to a dressage comp, it was my turn first and when I went into the indoor school to do my tests, pony really threw a tantrum - she neighed continuously (hence my mare neighed all through our tests
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), she either rooted herself to the spot or spun round and generally messed about. Thankfully a friend was with me (Thank you Epsom) who was able to help daughter control pony. Daughter became nervous and got off whilst friend led pony around.

When it was daughters turn, the pony went into the school very bouncy but she did listen and they did super transitions, although she neighed a lot, had her head up and was really fighting between getting back to my mare and doing what she was told! As it turned out my daughter rode a lovely test and was very positive although had terrible nerves!

So my thought is that we continue taking them out together and just make the pony get used to her friend leaving her, but I am now convinced that I can only do this if I have someone else around to help daughter when I go off - which of course is not always practicable.

Has anyone else encountered this problem and how did you overcome it?
 
Is it just your horse that she's like it with or is it T as well? Could daughter ride the other horse while you ride Holly? I think, being a smart little pony, that she occasionally needs a bit of a reminder of how to behave ie with the mounting ... and I've always found with her that jumping on myself in these situations nips it in the bud..
Be sure to give Holly a stern talking to from me....followed by a hug of course
 
How long have you had loan pony? If it's only recent, then it might just be an insecurity thing and might improve with time.

A new pony we bought became hopelessly attached to my horse in his first week, would tank off across the yard if the other horse was out, franticly whinnying to him etc. Took a few weeks (maybe 2 months?) for him to become confident without his new best friend. Going to shows made it worse, but he is fine now!

However if you have had pony a while, then not so good! Perhaps start taking her out on her own more as she can't rely on her security blanket for ever.
 
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How long have you had loan pony? If it's only recent, then it might just be an insecurity thing and might improve with time.

A new pony we bought became hopelessly attached to my horse in his first week, would tank off across the yard if the other horse was out, franticly whinnying to him etc. Took a few weeks (maybe 2 months?) for him to become confident without his new best friend. Going to shows made it worse, but he is fine now!

However if you have had pony a while, then not so good! Perhaps start taking her out on her own more as she can't rely on her security blanket for ever.

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When she is out on her own ie Pony club she is good as gold. We have had her only 3 months and this is the first time we have taken them out together and she was obviously stressed to be on her own.

I think we will persevere taking them out together and like you say hopefully she will get used to the traumas of show life!
 
My horse has always been the neighing to his friend type but once he's in the arena doing his 'job' he shuts up and gets on with it and only then neighs again when he's finished.My sisters horse we've had since a 4 yr old (he's coming up 8 this May) and he suffers with a lack of confidence and can have a tendency to nap when we take them to shows together but his napping is no more than a reluctance to leave his friend and neighing, again once he's doing his bit he concentrates on the job in hand (except for dressage but we're working on it!). He is tonnes better now though being left in the wagon whilst my horse is doing his thing but it's just been a case of perserverance and extending the time he's left alone bit by bit.

I think all horses have their quirks - when our two go compete on their own they hardly neigh at all but mine seems to actually perform better when he has a friend with him for some reason
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. I think the pony will eventually get used to it as you do more and providing it does the job when asked the neighing maybe something you have to put up with a little bit?! I would try make sure the pony can be lead or ridden away from its 'friend' at events just to instill who is boss and so it doesn't develop into nappy behaviour.
 
Take them together and take them separately - she'll soon get the hang of it. The important thing is for daughter not to make a big deal of it.

The more things you can take her and them to the better - regardless of whether you actually compete or not.
 
My friends horse does the same and we have tried virtually everything to stop it because we compete a lot.

If my mare leaves him he becomes completely hysterical....still ridable but his test will be absolutely awful. The only solution we have found is to get consequetive times and to stand my mare next to the arena...nothing else works.

Both going to the regionals at the end of this week and we have no idea how its going to work because the times are drawn so they may not be convenient.
 
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