Aids to help control 'naughty' horse

[Harliquin]

I was just wondering (and I'm sure this has been asked a million times) if anyone had tips to controlling a horse that 'tries it on'. He's not ebing naughty, he just knows I'm new I think.

The horse at the riding school I go to often drifts, pulls to go the other way, cuts corners etc and won't listen to me when I try to correct him by putting him in the right way. He also won't stop when told, he will just wander into the middle.

My instructor tells me if he pulls to go into the middle just to turn him round in a big circle back to where we started.

But I was concerned in case one day he bolted or something with me on him. How would you control a horse who did that?

Thanks for any tips

 

[AmyMay]

Just follow the instructions your instructor gives you. Most riding school ponies are notorious for having minds of their own - and I can't imagine for a minute that he'll bolt with you.

 

[Kat]

Well your instructor is the person to listen to!

Riding school ponies are normally brilliant at evaluating their riders and know exactly what their weaknesses are and how to exploit them. There is one that my husband rides who will do a beautiful dressage test and fab lateral work with a good rider, but the same horse is a monster when hacked by the YM bucking bunny hopping etc, with a beginner on the leadrein he goes like he's on rails never putting a foot wrong but with a cocky teen or new exam student he pulls out every trick in the bag, from carting them in the school, to bucking, to refusing to move, to leaning, dropping a shoulder etc.

They know their job and how far to push normally. They also have a strong instinct for self preservation and saving their energy/mouths/back etc.

You will need to be strict with him and consistant and keep doing what your instructor says. If you try to be nice or let him off occasionally he will get worse and take the mick. After a while of being consistantly strict with him and pushing him to really work for you he will start to respect you and will try it on less. It is a valuable part of learning and something that catches out a lot of people not used to school horses.

I ride with a lot of people training for their exams and it is actually really interesting when they come in and sit on the horses we know well to see how they cope and to hear their evaluations. Often the horses run rings around them