Any ideas naughty or troubled?

[JessPickle]

A fellow livery at my yard is having huge problems with her pony. Every time she rides him in he refuses to go onto the outside track and just turns in the middle then stops dead. Then if you try and make him move he rears and bucks! Also when you do get him to trot (only when he is following another horse) he leans on your hands so much you have no stearing. He is a rescue horse and she has worked so hard on him and a couple of months he was great he has just recently started returning to old habits. he is 14 years old and is ridden in a snaffle bridle. he has had his teeth done a month ago and tack checked. Could a bit change help? she is really stuck on what to do she has tried lunging him and he is fine on the lunge. She tried hacking him more in case he was bored. IDEAS NEEDED DESPERATELY

 

[Dotilas]

Has she tried leading him on the outside track?

If he was fine, try leading him with a person on the back. If he's not okay, the saddle might not suit him.

Just a couple of random ideas!

 

[JessPickle]

[ QUOTE ]
Has she tried leading him on the outside track?

If he was fine, try leading him with a person on the back. If he's not okay, the saddle might not suit him.

Just a couple of random ideas!

[/ QUOTE ]

tried leading him and its blumen scary he rears and pulls away. Saddle has been checked twice by diffrent people! and it said to be fine also have tried riding him with just a roller on to check if its the saddle he is exactly the same!

 

[Christmas_Kate]

is there a fence on the outside track? Maybe he's been hurt on a fence before? Is it naughtiness or is it fear? the two things need to be dealt with in totally different ways.

 

[JessPickle]

[ QUOTE ]
is there a fence on the outside track? Maybe he's been hurt on a fence before? Is it naughtiness or is it fear? the two things need to be dealt with in totally different ways.

[/ QUOTE ]

No fence just boards as its an indoor school. We are not totally sure if it is naughtyness or fear and dont want to try and do anything till be have achieved this

 

[Christmas_Kate]

I would say there is an association with the boards then. might seem obvious, but is it necessary for him to ride on the outside track? Unless she's planning to show him etc i can't see the urgency?

 

[JessPickle]

[ QUOTE ]
I would say there is an association with the boards then. might seem obvious, but is it necessary for him to ride on the outside track? Unless she's planning to show him etc i can't see the urgency?

[/ QUOTE ]

no its just because he wont do anything! he will literally plant himself in the middle on the school and wont trot until he is following something and thats only sometimes, he wont even trot when following sometimes

 

[Christmas_Kate]

personally I would spend the winter getting him used to this boarding. perhaps put his feed in the school next to the board and feed him there? If he can be turned out there tie his haynet near it so he has to go near it and associates it with nice things. It's amazing how much horses think with their stomachs.

 

[Bossanova]

He sounds exceptionally naughty to me!!
It's hard to judge without seeing the horse but if a physical causes have been ruled out, could she maybe get someone more used to dealing with this sort of thing to ride him? long reining could help and I'm sure a more varied routine would do no harm.

 

[0ldmare]

Defintely sounds like being naughty to me. Probably it was this kind of behaviour that led to him having to be rescued. I wish you lots of luck with him, but think it may be a difficult job to rehabilitate him given his age. My big worry is that someone is going to get hurt!

 

[jemima]

Is he bad hacking out?

Can he be turned into the school and loose schooled or just made to run round and play games with his owner - if so does he still have an issue with the boards? If he doesn't then have an issue then he's being naughty. If he still stands in the middle then put him in there at feed time and feed him as near to the boards as he will bear.

 

[Tempi]

she needs to be firm and positive with him and im sory to say it but give him a good smacking with a stick - once will probably cure him to be honest, hes having her on well and truely.

 

[AmyMay]

Sounds like a naughty ponio to me. How long has she had him?

Amymay was the most awful napper when I first got her. Your friend needs to be firm but tactful. Does she have someone who can help her??

 

[JessPickle]

He is good hacking out

Loose schools fine quite happily canters round on the track

she has had him for 7 years but a year of that was walking him in hand as he had awful laminitis. We all chip in and help her like I will go and lead her or sit on him when she is lunging him things like that. She does use her stick he just rears in circles then goes forward jumping around and bucking

I feel so sorry for her she worked so hard to get him good and he is getting worse again