Any suggestions on calming my loony pony!?? :)

[Suzie86]

Hi everyone

My project pony is doing very well he has made lots of progress, here he is a few weeks ago (shortly after chucking me off, but that's another story!!!)

He is sooooo chilled out hacking but gets really excitable in the school. I have taught him to go forward as that was our initial problem, but now he is just too forward!

He is gradually accepting the leg as not just meaning to go faster, but he just rushes the whole time! Trot is deranged!! He kind of puts his head in and charges off!! He leans on me and I get arm ache. He can be really strong and as I want him to be a lovely childs PC pony this is not ideal!!

Any suggestions? He is not uncomfortable in any way, very relaxed out hacking, normally lives out but has been in overnight through the bad weather (this has made no difference to behaviour) has a bit of haylage and a sprinkle of hi-fi.

Any schooling or management tips would be great! I really want him to go off and be a PC allrounder in the not TOOOOO distant future!!

Here he is looking cute and innocent (and summery just because I am depressed about fluffy muddy ponies!!)

Thanks

 

[Suzie86]

Wow thanks for all the help guys

 

[soulfull]

you could try mag ox it is cheap and calming. however you say he is only like this in the school and not hacking. that may suggest its something in the past that has scared him in an arena

try walking him around in hand in there for a while first to see how he reacts then.

Also double check your saddle as often it is fine out hacking in straight line but the bend causes problems/same with teeth.

what is he like if another horse is in there with him??

 

[mystiandsunny]

From the perspective of my youngsters - hacking is chill-out time, school=jumps and cantering and FUN! Rosie would (and has) take a novice out hacking, yet can be strong and is definitely whizzy in the school. It's the change of footing and expectations. Lilly is the same, and both of them will canter and canter and canter at high speed without stopping for ridiculously long periods of time in the school (if allowed), just loving the speed and being able to do it. Out on tracks and fields, the footing just isn't that good, there are slopes to make things harder and the ground to watch out for - so less abandon and fun.

To calm, first of all if he leans on your hands, raise them up so he can't, and/or halt or walk each time you feel him start to lean/pull to go faster. You also need to both change his expectations of what the school means (i.e. work, relaxing, sometimes walk only), and make sure he does get enough 'run and jump' fun that he's not gagging for it all the time. Freeschooling with jumps can be good for that, then when you're on board in the school, it's work time and he has to chill and behave.

 

[zoelouisem]

Hi, if hes leaning on you and its giving you arm ache it sounds like you need to relax your hands a bit more in the pic they look a bit low and set in the contact, i always like to say when im teaching cotten wool hands. If a horse has nothing to lean on they cant fight. Half halt instead to slow down and use your bum muscles. I know easier said than done but it will help.