Advice please on xc schooling a stubborn pony!

Caramac71

Caramac71

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What is the best way of dealing with a pony that digs her heels in and just wont jump on selective (and apparently random) jumps?

My daughter has taken her loan pony to a xc clinic, which wasn't terribly successful, and then to a mini ODE. Both times there have been fences that she's stopped and had a look at, and taken a couple of attempts to get over, which is completely understandable. But there have also been fences (jumps, water and ditches) that the pony has dug her heels in and absolutely refused to go over. Clinic instructor got on and couldnt get her over one (which was just a log inbetween 2 fields, nothing big, wide or scary!) - yet she would jump other fences which to us looked far more difficult.

There doesnt seem to be any pattern as to type of fence, or whether it be in a shaded area or open field, so it's hard to predict what she'll take a dislike to. But when she does, she is the most stubborn mare imaginable!

They are off to a PC XC rally next week and I am really keen for her to tackle this correctly as so far the pony has won outright any battles they have!

She has tried a gentle approach of letting the pony stop and look, talking to her, coaxing her and then turning around and retrying. That hasn't worked. Nor has a lot of leg plus a few sharp smacks with the whip when she wants her to take off.

These have all been at jumps that the pony could step over so there really is no excuse. But when she digs her heels in and wont go forward there just doesnt seem to be any way of getting her to move.

Any suggestions or advice would be very gratefully received. Thank you!
 
Can you get her a private lesson with a good instructor before then? Without seeing them as a combination its very difficult for any one to advise. If not how about ringing the owners and seeing what they have to say, what works for one pony can make another worse.
 
I think it's really hard in a clinic environment to train a horse as if you do have a problem there is never enough time to sort it out. There are other people who want to jump as well and you end up moving onto the next jump without solving anything.
It sounds like the horse knows if she doesn't want to do something that eventually you will stop trying and do something else.
I'd book a schooling course and take the pony and stay there all day if necessary untill she starts to cooperate.
Choose a question that's easy and small like a mini ditch or walk in water, be quiet and firm and don't turn her away until she's done it. You could also try leading her over things first on a lunge line and then riding the obstacle.
As long as you don't loose your rag she'll do it eventually :).
 
Thank you both for the advice.

I have spoken with the owner who said she would take her to a fence and if she didnt jump after a couple of attempts then move on to something else that's a bit "easier". Once she's jumped a few fences that she likes and has become a bit more confident, then take her back to the problem one.

The thing is, there really were no difficult fences at the ODE - they were all under 50cm and even if something took her by surprise when presented to it the first time, there was no reason for her not to jump it the second. We suspect she was being nappy on that occasion and wanting to get back to the lorry, as when we looked at the course plan and jumps after the event, it was when she was going well away from the arena's that she refused, and everything that took her back in the "right" direction she flew over.

Totally agree with the rally situation not being ideal, and I think we will need to chat to the instructor beforehand to avoid anything becoming an issue. It is fairly easy to tell after the first attempt which jumps she is hesitant but can be persuaded over, and which ones she has no intention of jumping whatsoever. She also will get bored when it becomes too repetitive, if she is asked to jump the same jump many times over. Hopefully the instructor will be able to help get the balance right and it wont be too disruptive to the rest of the group.

We have just heard that the xc course she jumped (or, more to the point, didn't ;) ) last weekend, is open for schooling this weekend. Seems too good an opportunity to miss so we are planning to take her back and see if we can get her over the problem fences. It will also be interesting to try to jump them the opposite direction and see if she is more willing jumping them towards home!
 
i'd book a course for schooling and bring a extra set of hands, lunge line and a lunge whip. Your daughter wouldn't even need to be on board, you could get the pony over inhand. I'd do it inhand first until the pony knew it had no option but to jump fences presented to it.

How is your daughter coping with the refusals? It's very easy to knock kids confidence and get locked into a cycle where she loses confidence and just expects refusals.
 
paddi22 said:
i'd book a course for schooling and bring a extra set of hands, lunge line and a lunge whip. Your daughter wouldn't even need to be on board, you could get the pony over inhand. I'd do it inhand first until the pony knew it had no option but to jump fences presented to it.

How is your daughter coping with the refusals? It's very easy to knock kids confidence and get locked into a cycle where she loses confidence and just expects refusals.
Click to expand...

Yes good idea, we need all the help we can get and a very experienced friend is going to come with us. Also considering bringing another pony that she can follow if all else fails, although it would be preferable to have her jumping on her own. But at the moment we just want "good" experiences for her and then hopefully she will become a bit more cooperative, so will try whatever it takes. There is no rush and if it seems that pony isnt cut out for xc then so be it, but we want to give her every opportunity first as she seems to have fun on the jumps of her choice.

Last (part loan) pony my daughter had was a dirty stopper - at least this one doesnt do that!, and I think having ridden something like that has given her more confidence for this one. Daughter is fine, determined not to give up, and her and the pony are building a nice bond. She is getting so much more out of her on the flat, they have a brilliant dressage instructor who is getting the best out of both of them and they are making lots of improvement.

Daughter and I both wondered if she was expecting refusals and therefore not riding forward, but it wouldnt really explain why pony would jump 8 out of 12 of the fences last week (all of similar height and difficulty, as in small and easy!). And when they went to the XC clinic the instructor got on and couldnt get the pony over a small jump (she just seems to switch off and go into stubborn mode and nothing makes her budge) - and in fact pony was far more cooperative for my daughter than for the instructor. Pony then went on to jump (with my daughter) something twice the height and width of the log on the ground that she had previously refused :rolleyes:

We had thought that the pony was "bored" of the repetitiveness of the xc clinic and thought maybe a course would be more exciting for her, hence the mini ODE with jumps that she could walk over if necessary.

We have learnt what doesnt work with her (as in growling, smacking, kicking) so we are really hoping that it is just a question of the pony building up some trust and giving xc the same "wanting to please" attitude that she gives in other areas.
 
I am a big fan of lunging or long lead and rope halter work over fences, you get the horse trusting you and wanting to please and you take rider out of the situ too.
 
I know this is an old post but just wondered if Caramac71 had any luck with the stubborn pony - as I could use some tips? I am having exactly the same issue with ditches/coffins and banks with my daughter's pony. She plants her toes in front of them and will not move for love nor money! Had her instructor with us XC schooling along with another confident horse but still would not go over/up - she went into the water but would come back out! - doesn't do anything naughty but just doesn't move. I am wondering if lunge rein and leading over would work when we go again. Leading pony with rider on didn't work. Whip behind pony and flapping scary plastic bag did absolutely nothing - just stood there and refused to move! She jumped all the "normal" jumps no problem. Any tips greatly appreciated.
 
my first pony was notorious for doing this! but it made me a better rider in the long run:) i would suggest either a private lesson with an instructor or asking an older child from pony club to jump on depending on whether you are happy with this - i remember someone we knew got on my naughty pony and schooled her for a bit and she behaved better afterwards but i just wasnt big enough or strong enough to boss her around at the time. she just needed reminding to be polite! good luck and hope it all sorts out:)
 
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