At my wit's end with pony

[LAR14]

Hiya,
Just looking for some advice, so I bought a 4yr sec A when my son was 4. Not necessarily for my son at the time. However he never put a foot wrong on the lead rein so my son started riding him. At the time my son was having 2 lessons a week at a local RS on the RS ponies and by 5 and a half he was off the lead rein in all walk, trot and canter. So after a few months we then took him off the lead rein on our sec A. Everything was going brilliant and he was more of a plodder then anything else both hacking and in the school. The only problem we had was my son wasn't able to get him to canter, but son wasn't bothered by this until June this year when he wanted to do more until then I didn't put any pressure on him and he was cantering the RS ponies. Pony is now 6, son is 6.5. After seeking some advice from some local horsey people they said maybe he should go for a few week schooling to practice the canter as he hadn't really practised that since breaking. So this is what we did for 2wks. Lady who schooled him said he was riding well, cantering etc and overall a lovely pony but did not settle well in the yard, barely eating the nets of hay she put out for him. I went up to see him each day for the final 4 days and saw her riding him and yes overall he was very welled behaved. However I can only say he came back what seems to be a different pony.
Not listening to aids, throwing in a few random bucks that my son seems to manage to sit altho in the beginning did have a few falls ? and suddenly we have a problem with other horses/ponies grazing or working in the neighbouring paddocks to the school. He gets het up starts swishing his tail, throwing his head around and not doing a thing he is told. This never bothered him before and he was what seemed oblivious to them. We have had some really good days, but we then get these really bad days that are really beginning to stress me out. So I find myself at the cross roads of this is fixable and we ride it out with work or give in and say this pony is just too much for my son since his return. But it just seems such a shame as he really is lovely in all other ways and him and son were doing well together until he went to be schooled a little. We've had a small adult on him since and he does try it on but eventually gives up and rides around beautifully. Also he is fine with my son on hacks in walk and trot (nowhere to canter on hack) it's just in the school he is proven difficult. Son cries at the thought of him being sold or even going on loan and coming back in a few years and says he does not want to loan or own another pony that isn't him Any help would be appreciated. As I've grown up with horses but have never ridden or shown a interest other then mucking out and grooming. So I feel a little lost. Sorry for the essay. But thought it would be better if you had a bit of background.

 

[LAR14]

Adding to say he has been back home about 5weeks ISH now.

 

[Flicker]

If he wasn’t eating or settled at the training yard, I’d probably be considering ulcers.

Any marked change in behaviour will almost certainly have a physical cause.

My suggestion would be to work with your vet to find or rule out a pain response and go from there.

 

[paddi22]

any chance the saddle could be pinching if he's muscled up or lost weight?

 

[LAR14]

If he wasn’t eating or settled at the training yard, I’d probably be considering ulcers.

Any marked change in behaviour will almost certainly have a physical cause.

My suggestion would be to work with your vet to find or rule out a pain response and go from there.

Yes, this will be my next step getting a vet to check him over, he is eating fine now and his behaviour when not being ridden hasn't changed. Thank you.

 

[LAR14]

any chance the saddle could be pinching if he's muscled up or lost weight?

We had it checked mid July, I can't see much change in him but do you think I would need to have it re checked so soon?

 

[honetpot]

When my daughter was about nine I sent two ponies away to learn things she couldn't teach them, they were not naughty but they were young ponies, both had done PC with no problems off lead rein. They both came back a lot sharper, the risk is when you put an adult or more experienced rider on them they become far more off the leg, the leg is actually further down the ponies body, and the ponies are really clever at working out by the riders weight and weight aids so when you put a bobbler on it's a light bulb moment. The pony probably didn't canter with the child on because of the childs lack of balance, they tend just to keep rising faster, so it's now learned to canter but with the back bobbling child on it, it now is coping with an unstable load and it's protesting. For a novice child is also so easy to unconsciously apply the brake while at the same time kicking it on to go forward, which is another reason for the pony to want to protest.
I think you need to forget the cantering for now and work of the child's stability, and give the pony time to move down a gear and get used to a shifting load. It takes a lot of supervision, and controlling the situation so the pony has the least chance of getting the upper hand and most of this is done hacking in my experience, so the pony and the child do not become bored. My friends daughter is doing a sponsored hacking over the summer for charity, and from the pictures its amazing how much her position has improved and how much more confident she has become, even when the pony who is a wily teenager has thrown some shapes.

 

[Not_so_brave_anymore]

I know I'm.going to be shot down here by people who insist a sec A can carry a 12 stone farmer hunting all day, but do you think there's a chance the adult riding him was too heavy, and he's a bit sore and generally confused? If he's happy hacking out then I'd stick with that for the moment, and just try and get him back into his old routine.

(i have a similar situation here, where we have a pony at home for me to fuss over and the kids to bumble about on, but my kids do their "proper" riding at the riding school. It seems to work well for us!)

 

[Pinkvboots]

Could be ulcers brought on by the unsettling yard? I would get saddle and teeth checked and get a physio to have a look at him first to rule those out, then might be an idea to get a vet and mention ulcers.

 

[Gingerwitch]

I know I'm.going to be shot down here by people who insist a sec A can carry a 12 stone farmer hunting all day, but do you think there's a chance the adult riding him was too heavy, and he's a bit sore and generally confused? If he's happy hacking out then I'd stick with that for the moment, and just try and get him back into his old routine.

(i have a similar situation here, where we have a pony at home for me to fuss over and the kids to bumble about on, but my kids do their "proper" riding at the riding school. It seems to work well for us!)

Totally this and he has prob been whipped behind on the lunge making him feel chased so just knows something around him means pain, he has not worked out yet that a pony on the surrounding paddock is not going to hurt, I also think he is sore and it can take a long time for muscle, ligament pain to go. I know cause I have an arm issue currently and that is affecting my back neck and arm. Add a larger person on his wee back and give him a hay net which he has not eaten is screaming this in buckets.

Not your fault by the way do hugs, try him on the lunge just for interest to see his reactions.

 

[Carrottom]

I agree with others suggesting to get physical checks done but also bear in mind that the pony is probably a lot fitter now if he was worked every day. I would give him a couple of months to settle back in with you and just keep hacking out in this time.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I had a horse up for sale a long time ago now. Prospective purchaser wanted him to go to the woman she had lessons from for a week's training/assessment at her expense. We duly dropped him off there, woman was known to us and had a good reputation. Because he was mainly white (leopard) and very dirty I bathed him before taking him. I don't think he had dried fully before travelling, I should have rugged him but it was summer so it didn't occur to me. Anyway in a day or two I got a report that he had been extremely difficult and had reared full height with the trainer's assistant. Obviously I went straight away to collect him. I met the girl that had been riding him and she was a big lass. He was a 4 yr old 14.3. I saw him ridden and he was not happy at all. They had used a lot of padding under the saddle, no explanation as to why. Before I left they commented that the first night he was there he had only done one dropping. This was a horse that normally did about a dozen over night, filthy boy. My suspicion was that the bath I had given him had chilled his back, whether that had caused him not to pass droppings I don't know but adding a big rider to an uncomfortable horse was asking for trouble.
After we got him home and gave him time to settle in a light friend of mine got on him. She said his back felt rigid and he felt as though he could explode at any minute. One of the vets in the practice I used checked him over, basically said he was in serious trouble with his back and should be put down. Can't remember exactly what he said as I was in too much shock. I turned him away for several months and he came back alright and eventually sold with no further problems.
Something has obviously really upset your pony, get him checked out, give him time and just don't ask too much of him till he is over whatever it is. He sounds a lovely pony so should come right.

 

[sharni]

I know I'm.going to be shot down here by people who insist a sec A can carry a 12 stone farmer hunting all day, but do you think there's a chance the adult riding him was too heavy, and he's a bit sore and generally confused? If he's happy hacking out then I'd stick with that for the moment, and just try and get him back into his old routine.

(i have a similar situation here, where we have a pony at home for me to fuss over and the kids to bumble about on, but my kids do their "proper" riding at the riding school. It seems to work well for us!)

I think this could be the case.

 

[ester]

Where is there evidence for this pony having been 'whipped behind on the lunge'?
Obviously only you OP know how happy you are about the person you sent him to/their riding/suitability etc.
Welshies can be a bit sensitive to change but at this point I would get a vet to check him over and consider ulcers as a possibility just as a result of his reduced forage intake while at the other yard.

 

[PeterNatt]

The pony appears to have been quite happy and laid back to be walked and trotted but did not wish to canter. In the event of the vet not finding any issues then maybe the pony is just happy doing what it has done and by forcing it to do more he becomes unsettled. It may be that if your son wishes to have a pony that does more you will have to find him a new pony as your present pony sounds absolutely ideal for a young child.

 

[Gingerwitch]

Where is there evidence for this pony having been 'whipped behind on the lunge'?
Obviously only you OP know how happy you are about the person you sent him to/their riding/suitability etc.
Welshies can be a bit sensitive to change but at this point I would get a vet to check him over and consider ulcers as a possibility just as a result of his reduced forage intake while at the other yard.

I was making a suggestion as this has been seen on several occasions when ponies refuse to canter with small child aboard, pony then associates something behind either human or otherwise and predicts a crack across the arse and bucks.

 

[sharni]

The pony appears to have been quite happy and laid back to be walked and trotted but did not wish to canter. In the event of the vet not finding any issues then maybe the pony is just happy doing what it has done and by forcing it to do more he becomes unsettled. It may be that if your son wishes to have a pony that does more you will have to find him a new pony as your present pony sounds absolutely ideal for a young child.

totally agree

 

[buddylove]

The problem is (and I know because I have just been through it), the pony's needs conflict with the rider's ambition. The child wants to crack on cantering and jumping and progressing their riding, but the pony needs more work/education than the child is able to provide. To be honest I think it is a rare child that is happy to bring on young ponies, and they normally have more than one, and are comitted to the job.
Our LR pony was fab on the lead and hacked happily off lead, but school work off lead with an inexperienced rider blew his mind, he was confused and unhappy, so we made the decision to sell him to a LR home and bought an experienced off lead pony.
It's a heart breaking decision when they love them so much, but they love their new ponies too, and will thank you further down the line.

 

[Pedantic]

Start with getting basics checked first, teeth, back, saddle/tack/bit and a physio person to check him over for sore areas.

 

[Equi]

He is a young pony who has technically never been asked to do much before and is now being asked to anticipate what the rider wants despite the rider probably not being strong enough to give those aids just yet. Its nothing against your sons riding, its just physical size and strength. RS ponies are well used to and trained to just do what they are supposed to without the rider actually having told them to do it (but the rider thinks they have)

After vet checks, id stick to some leading again and son will have to learn that all ponies don't just do what they are told and not all ponies suit.

 

[eahotson]

I know I'm.going to be shot down here by people who insist a sec A can carry a 12 stone farmer hunting all day, but do you think there's a chance the adult riding him was too heavy, and he's a bit sore and generally confused? If he's happy hacking out then I'd stick with that for the moment, and just try and get him back into his old routine.

(i have a similar situation here, where we have a pony at home for me to fuss over and the kids to bumble about on, but my kids do their "proper" riding at the riding school. It seems to work well for us!)

The old style section As were proper cobs,the modern ones are kiddies ponies.

 

[buddylove]

Please don't think there isn't a happy medium between RS ponies, and uneducated, green ponies, because there is. Well educated, responsive but safe ponies are out there, that will do your son's riding and confidence the world of good.
Yes, you have to be prepared to jump on them quickly, and pay what they are worth, but it is worth it to see your children progress and enjoy their riding rather than struggle with something that is beyond their capabilities........

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Does the pony canter on the lunge? If he is well established on the lunge, cantering to command with no problems would it be possible to put your son on him on the lunge so that they can learn together.