Any advice for a novice rider?

Carojay

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I got my boy Jay (Welsh D) about 4 months ago and he is the best boy - very sweet, cuddly and not a nasty bone in his body. But he is very lazy and very stubborn. When he decides he doesn't want to do anything I really struggle to persuade him otherwise.

When I ride in the school at the yard alone I can't really get him to do anything other than plod, and when I ask for a bot more speed he plants his feet and its a real effort to get him going again - I turn his head so he is off balance and has to move to get his balance again but no matter how much I kick he then just moves his back end so he is balanced again and plants again!

He is great on the lunge - walks, trots, canters beautifully, and if I have someone there with me (my teacher, my experienced friend or even my un-horsey mum) they can get him going by using the lunging whip for gentle encouragement - but this is frustrating because I want him to move off my leg when I am alone too!

I take him hacking, but if he is alone he will nap and plant so I usually don't get further than a few hundred yards from the yard. But if we go with other horses heis fine - infant on one occasion he bolted! (One extreme to the other).
My teacher and my experienced friend have both ridden him and although they found him a bit of a struggle to get going they have managed to trot him and canter him - I have tried putting in the strategies they used and have given me but it never seems to work.

I have had his back and teeth checked and no problems were found. I have tried a different saddle which also didn't make any difference. I think it must be me - I don't think he sees me as his boss, but I really do try to be firm and go with the attitude 'you will do what I say' but I still can't persuade him to do it! I do ground work with him - this has improved some areas - e.g. My leading is better and he is beginning to stand at the mounting block, and I lunge him regularly and he is brilliant then - does exactly what I say, it is just when I ride that he decides not to listen to me.

Sorry for such a long ramble but I am really frustrated - I would love to be able to do a bit of schooling and hacking on my own occasionally as I don't always have people around to come out with me! Any advice would be really appreciated! :)
 

JulesRules

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He sounds like a right monkey :) A bit like my girl when I first got her. She used to have a tantrum and plant both feet if I even tried to take her into the school and wouldn't hack alone and used to just go backwards if I tried to take her away from the yard without her friends.

Firstly the schooling - make sure you are not nagging. Ask for a nice active walk and when you get it take you leg off straight away. If you don't get it ask again and if you still don't get it use a schooling whip behind your leg to re-inforce. As soon as he does what you ask reward by removing your leg. Hopefully he will soon get the idea and you will notice a difference quite quickly.

Another trick I used to use with my girl is that when she started taking the mickey and planting her feet I would just get off and lunge her and make her work really hard for a short spell. Then when I got back on she would be an absolute angel. Might be worth a try.

In terms of hacking out alone he may just not trust you to look after him yet if he does not see you as a strong leader. Doing some groundwork may help you build a relationship.

I'm sure lots of of others will also have suggestions. Good luck and keep your chin up. I'm sure you will come out the other side:)
 

Carojay

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Thanks JulesRules. He is a right monkey! :)

He doesn't always respond to the whip but I suppose I can nag so I will keep trying and take your advice.

I have also tried getting off and lunging him but then, even if he has worked hard on the lunge I then get back on and he plants again - I'm sure he's playing games with me! But perhaps I need to keep working him hard on the lunge which I suppose will at least get him fitter which should help in the long run (he was a bit fat when I got him - he has dropped a bit now but as he hasn't done much work he isn't exactly fit).

I agree about the hacking - he needs to trust me more. I'll keep working on it!
 

Twinkley Lights

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I would use a longer dressage / schooling whip if he's not listening to your leg or crop. Agree with doing more groundwork to show you mean business and establish your position. If you take him out try someone walking with you the first few times and be determined if he plants as it's better to try to proceed as you mean to go on. I know how you feel ss my new Haffie is super when ridden and in stable but will panic and be a bit bargy when she is separated from the herd to tack up. I need to hack alone and she is used to this elsewhere so I'm working with her and my instructor to help her realise it's ok to trust people here as well as her old home as all nice things follow. Good luck.
 

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite

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OP you don't say whether your Welsh D is normally ridden alone or in company, or whether your yard has got lots of horses on it???

Yours sounds like my boy when I first had him, he'd been in a trekking centre and all he knew was to follow the bum ahead and not have to think. THEN I got him and tried to hack him solo and by god was he a toad!!! Simply because he didn't trust me to be his herd leader and make the decisions.

I had a knowledgeable friend help me with him. We went right back to groundwork, i.e. me asking him to move his feet around me on a long-line, picking his feet up (gaining his confidence), and going backwards and forwards iand around me in a circle n a "safe" space (the school) first, then as he gained confidence we moved out onto the road and did it there - also meeting stuff like traffic etc. All of this still on the ground. Good behaviour followed by reward (not food!). And then followed by leading him out in hand - making him walk politely and calmly, and repeating the "moving feet around" exercises that we'd done in the school over again.

THEN we got to the stage where I tacked him up and led him on the outwards journey (always going on a circular ride); and then about half way round, one day I inconspicuously hopped up on him and rode him back to the yard!!! (Friend was hovvering in her landie!).

I just wonder if you need to press the pause button at the moment, coz what can happen is that you (and your horse) get into a battle phase where you both stop enjoying your hacking and it all gets too much hassle.

I would strongly recommend profesional help for you; personally can recommend anyone who has trained in say "Intelligent Horsemanship" as they've got the right sort of approach. Or get onto Michael Peace's website and/or read some of his stuff - he has a very clear and sensible approach which the person who helped me with mine applauds. (Um, will get shot down for this no doubt, but PLEEEESE avoid Parelli!!!! :) )

People told me I'd never ever get mine out solo; it took a lot of work, but I did, and whilst now he still prefers to hack out with his field-mate (mare), he will go out on his own when asked to.

Persevere, and ignore people who say you'll never do it. You will! I would strongly suggest some professional help though to help you through this phase and achieve what you want to do with your horse.
 

Pearlsasinger

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My advice is to stop kicking! Put your leg on firmly and nudge, use the muscles of your set to push him on, use a schooling whip to encourage him to react more quickly and try a whip-whop to 'flap' if he stops when you don't want him to but kicking will just make him dead to the leg.
I suggest that you have some lessons with a recommended instructor and then practise the techniques you have been given in between your lessons.
Good luck!
 

Carojay

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Thanks for the advice.
MiJodsR2bBlinkinTite - he is on a yard with just one other horse who he goes out with once or twice a week quite happily, he also goes out with another horse occasionally who he is quite excitable with (nothing too silly but total opposite of his behaviour in school or when out alone). It is only once or twice a week that I would like him to go out alone. Thanks for all your suggestions - I shall keep going with the groundwork.

Pearlsasinger - I have a great teacher and when she is here I feel like we have made great progress but as soon as I try to use the techniques she has given me when I am alone I don't seem to get anywhere! I do agree about the kicking - I worry he will become dead to it, but as soon as I take my leg off he stops or slows down!

I know it's still early days - I'm sure we will get there eventually. I'm just feeling like I'm not making any progress at the moment :(
 

Pearlsasinger

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Is there someone who could watch your lesson and then remind you of what your RI said when you are practising? It often helps to not be on your own.
 

Carojay

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That's a really good idea. There is at least one person who could do that for me at least sometimes!

Hopefully it will help - thank you! :)
 

mirage

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He's a Welshie,they think they know best.:D

Knobberpony was the same when we first got her,she would plant when the girls rode her and would only move if I walked or ran next to her.I can't tell you how many circuits of the school and courses of jumps I did.We used a long schooling whip,asked once,then used it, and also had a teenager come and ride her every so often to give her a blast and have some fun.It took a good 4 months before my eldest clicked with her and knobberpony realised that it was more fun to do as she was asked.Now,watching my daughter racing around on her,it is hard to imagine how many tears of frustration were shed and how we struggled with her.

Are you able to take him on any fun rides,cross country courses or hunting? Hunting really livens them up and does them the world of good.
 

Carojay

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Thanks mirage! It's good to know its possible to overcome - I'm now 31 and I get my mum to come and run alongside him to get him moving :D

His previous owner also advised me to take him hunting - I'm not sure my tidings up to it - I'm not the most confident! I'm sure he would love it though - I'm trying to jump a little more as I know he is keen on that, so as my confidence grows the more we will be able to do. It's a bit of a vicious circle though with my confidence (or lack of) and his need for fun!
 

Echo24

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What about doing some pole work in the school? He might find the school boring which is why he refuses to work. Maybe introducing some poles might add some variety and hopefully spark his interest. Good luck!
 

mirage

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You are very welcome Carojay:)

I thought of you this morning whilst trying to help my 7 year old get her new pony going,another Welsh.He has worked out that her legs aren't quite long or strong enough to deliver a hefty kick,and will behave immaculately in lessons,but is currently proving hard to get get going otherwise.Cue lots of running alongside and jumping from me whilst knobberpony and my eldest flew around.I had to remind my frustrated jockey that we'd been here before,she was the same when we first got her-not now! Yesterday she beat a 16.2 hunter in a race across the fields,not bad for an elderly 13hh pony.

charcoalfeather's suggestion is a good one,we found gridwork was very useful or getting ponies going,we'd make a box out of poles at various heights and it really helped get some impetus going.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.
 

Carojay

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I managed to get jay to trot today! :D
I did some pole work (same exercise I did with my teacher yesterday which he seemed to love) and also had spurs on (rollerball ones) and made use of better whip technique which all seemed to tell him I meant what I said!

Only had to do the whip thing once or twice - but seemed to work!

I hope it lasts! :)
 
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