Any ideas for a pony that wont jump?

[mastermax]

Hi all, as previously mentioned in a previous thread, I have been loaned a beautiful highland pony that I will take hunting this year. As he is still only 6 nearly 7 and not done a lot of work, I have been schooling him and hes done really well. I have also been fittening him up nicely and is now capable of good long canters through the woods over different terrain and also good long uphill trots. Whilst in the school he has done calvalletti, trot poles etc but WILL NOT under any circumstances go over a jump. If I take all the poles away, he will trot and canter through the wings but even if I put a pole on the floor in the middle of the jump he wont go near it. I have tried him over natural fences through the woods and no go!. I know that I may be able to go around jumps whilst hunting but I am going to be a bit buggered if there is no option. Also my confidence will be low as I wont know if he will try and jump or stop etc
Does anyone have any ideas as to what I can do to help him or is just a highland that will not jump.
Many thanks

 

[Simsar]

Take him and see what happens, he could be totally differant when out. have you tried having a lead from another horse over a fence or x country schooling??

 

[Daddy_Long_Legs]

Have you had his back checked? When you get it checked and that's ruled out then try getting a lead......or try loose schooling him.

I had a mare who also would not jump but we loose schooled her and suddenly it clicked with her and she turned into a fab hunter.

 

[alainax]

Loose school over jumps if you have a secure area or lunge if not.

Give him lots of practice doing that, then ride him following behind an experienced horse.

Soon he'l be jumping no bother

 

[Simsar]

Yes another for getting back checked was going to edit but wouldn't let me. Loose schooling can go either way, but good luck.

 

[mystiandsunny]

Most horses who don't want to jump (at all), have something that hurts, unless they've been turned sour by overjumping or nasty methods to try to make them.

 

[Simsar]

Is this why he was for loan maybe did you know his history??

 

[mastermax]

Hi and thanks for replies. I know his history from day one which is lovely and his back and teeth are all done and A ok as we get all of our other horses done on a regular basis. I have loose jumped him in the sand school and he can "fly" over them although never tried to have a lead from another horse, thanks for this, this is a great idea. He has never done any form of jumping up to now so although wont be sour I think he genuinely is unsure of what is expected. I have done the ground work etc and this has been going well with no hic cups its only when the pole is off the floor that he can nap for Britain. He may surprise me out hunting and actually WANT to do it. In the meantime I will get my husband to give me a lead with his proven jumper.
Thanks for your replies, its good to get other opions as sometimes the woods block out the trees. x

 

[Simsar]

Naughty pony may need a little tickle if he naps then, blimey that was polite for me! take him x country schooling he will love it with another, sounds a bit as if he is taking the mick if he sails loose, keep us posted and of course lets see the pictures when you have some. All the best. x

 

[mastermax]

Naughty pony may need a little tickle if he naps then, blimey that was polite for me! take him x country schooling he will love it with another, sounds a bit as if he is taking the mick if he sails loose, keep us posted and of course lets see the pictures when you have some. All the best. x

Hi Simsar, LOL!!! I have "tickled" the arse of him on Weds last week and he looks around as if to say "Yeah right"! My suspisions are lying towards him taking the mick tho as he really does go over beautifully, loose. somewhere in our local woods is a clearing that has natural banks and logs etc so Twizzel and I are taking naughty pony on Tues to see if it makes a difference along with my big ginger cob who does jump lovely now.
Will keep you posted and will also take phone camera action shots of me tickling (love that word!) his little bottom.
xx

 

[Simsar]

Hi Simsar, LOL!!! I have "tickled" the arse of him on Weds last week and he looks around as if to say "Yeah right"! My suspisions are lying towards him taking the mick tho as he really does go over beautifully, loose. somewhere in our local woods is a clearing that has natural banks and logs etc so Twizzel and I are taking naughty pony on Tues to see if it makes a difference along with my big ginger cob who does jump lovely now.
Will keep you posted and will also take phone camera action shots of me tickling (love that word!) his little bottom.
xx

LMAO! Good luck. x

 

[killikyle]

LMAO! Good luck. x

Ditto to the Good Luck (and the LMAO!).

Your tale did take me back to my one (and only) forray into the world of the Highland Pony.

She came to me at 8 yrs old, burnished mane gleaming in the sunshine, as if butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.

We trotted around the farm with not a care in the world, through stream, over small sticks in woods and trot poles in school.

We had a gentle canter in the fields.

We put up a small jump AND STOPPED DEAD - GREW ROOTS - WOULDN'T MOVE. Hmmm, thinks me, obviously needs a bit more leg, so turned away, cantered around school and was more assertive - SAME AGAIN! So gave her a "tickle" & tried again - nope, got the big twos up once more. (Bear in mind was eventing at decent level at the time so in theory knew what I was doing!).
Let's try at trot methinks (not one to give up!) - Nah, didn't fancy that either. Cross pole now so low that almost on floor so decided to WALK to it - she literally kicked it over and then (b***h) jumped the poles on the ground! Aaah, thinks I (after muttering every swear word known to man), you CAN leave the ground, patted her as we cantered away and left it at that for the day.

Next day she comes out and skips around several little fences as if a veteran jumper - cracked it I think to myself (rather smugly), lightbulb just needed switching on!

Day after that, rooted to the effing spot again. I, of course, think have overdone it previous day so take her into woods for some fun where she tows me towards fallen tree & balloons it at speed! Imagine all sweary words known to man, woman & some invented!

Graciously, I decided that she probably just needed variety in her life but the pattern continued - some days she would only deign to walk & trot (in sufferance I felt).

Was at a show a couple of months later where there were some Highland showing classes so decided to collar an experienced pony man - you know the type, a thousand years old, leaning on stalking stick. After I explained my frustrations, he looked at me, chuckled, and gave me these words of wisdom:

"Aye, they have character!" and WALKED OFF.

Fortunately, someone else took pity on me! They reminded me that the Highland Pony is essentially designed to keep putting one foot in front of the other (at walk), all day, in filthy weather, carrying a dead weight. This essentially means that they can take bloody-mindedness to a higher level than anything imaginable! Beating them doesn't work - they will just look at you disgust (as you've found), but when they decide to do something, they will put their heart and soul into it.

In my mare's defence, we did discover that she had ovarian cysts which, once dealt with made her life (and mine) rather easier and she ended up jumping up to about 3'3" happily (most of the time).

Keep plugging away cos, even though I'm mostly a TB/Warmblood girl, that little hairy mare had pretty much the biggest heart of anything I've had on my yard (and gave me hours of "entertainment!").

 

[TangoCurly]

I know that I may be able to go around jumps whilst hunting but I am going to be a bit buggered if there is no option.

Do bear in mind that most farmers have at least one gate in every field so you will be able to get out of most places!

 

[Simsar]

Yeah but Polo ponies don't jump either and I have had one over a good 3ft something hedge, it was a point and shoot job, little tiny bit ported up (the drink not the bit!!!) Can I say that. xx

 

[mastermax]

Killikyle, your tale made me smile, I love your story with little highland pony or LHP as we like to call ours. I too have only really had WB & TBs and its only due to the loss of my beautiful mare a few weeks ago oh and also a rather neurotic TB that we have loaned LHP. I totally love him and he has won such a special place in mine and my husbands hearts!!
Simsar... We have been "tickling" and have maybe, just maybe seen a small glimer of light! LHP is going cubbing for the first time tomorrow, should have been Sat but the battery on the lorry decided at the last minute to not work, how bizare! Husband says its because I didnt start the "dam" (not sure he used that exact word) thing. Better luck tomorrow.
Will post report tomorrow.
xx

 

[Simsar]

Oh cannot wait for the report.............. LHP oh can think of some app words for that!!!.

 

[Twizzel]

LHP is going cubbing for the first time tomorrow, should have been Sat but the battery on the lorry decided at the last minute to not work, how bizare! Husband says its because I didnt start the "dam" (not sure he used that exact word) thing. Better luck tomorrow.
Will post report tomorrow.
xx

AAAAAAAHhhhhhhh I'm soooooo excited!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is all

 

[JenHunt]

AAAAAAAHhhhhhhh I'm soooooo excited!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is all

well get a nice early night and don't forget to take pics and report back!!

 

[grackyb123]

haha i love killikyle 's post this is my life experience repeated near exactly... only mine would happily jump hedges dykes walls trailers you name it out hunting even walk across chicken wire based bridges, the hunt master even used her once after he lost his own horse. But put a course of WHP fences in front of her and ud be lucky to get to fence 3 without her lovely working canter coming to a steady walk about 4 strides off a fence, i admit i have seriously *tickled* it, sworn at it, got off and pushed it from behind and at times just walked off and left it stood in the arena, yet still she would look at me with a blank and yet VERY glum expression, One day she would happily jump a 1m10/20cm course the next youd be left angrily stood in front of a simple cross pole. Im afraid there's no way to change them if they dont fancy doing it they just simply wont do it!! BUT I WOULDN'T CHANGE IT FOR THE WORLD, They love and look at you like a child does its mother. The most amazing ponies with the biggest hearts!

 

[mastermax]

haha i love killikyle 's post this is my life experience repeated near exactly... only mine would happily jump hedges dykes walls trailers you name it out hunting even walk across chicken wire based bridges, the hunt master even used her once after he lost his own horse. But put a course of WHP fences in front of her and ud be lucky to get to fence 3 without her lovely working canter coming to a steady walk about 4 strides off a fence, i admit i have seriously *tickled* it, sworn at it, got off and pushed it from behind and at times just walked off and left it stood in the arena, yet still she would look at me with a blank and yet VERY glum expression, One day she would happily jump a 1m10/20cm course the next youd be left angrily stood in front of a simple cross pole. Im afraid there's no way to change them if they dont fancy doing it they just simply wont do it!! BUT I WOULDN'T CHANGE IT FOR THE WORLD, They love and look at you like a child does its mother. The most amazing ponies with the biggest hearts!

Oh I couldn't agree more!!! Still havent tackled the jumping issue yet. I was waiting to see if I could just aim him at something out hunting. BUT... of all the equine I have had in my life andthere have been some beauties, LHP is quite simply the best. He is stubborn, awkward and unfathomable sometimes and then BAM... out of the blue you think, this little pony would cross hot coals if I asked him to. I love him, simple as that.