Back to square 1 with Hollly the giraffe

[Lill]

Rode Holly yesterday and my friend E who rides her has been having a few problems with her lately and said she is becoming more and more difficult to get to work properly.

She wasn't wrong!

I had my giraffe star gazer pony back. In canter she had her head so stuck up in my face her face/nose was horizontal to the sky and i could see the blaze all the way down her face.

Stuck some side reins between her legs (couldn't find the harbridge) as i was in quite some danger of getting my nose broken by her flinging her head around, this however didn't help matters much and instead of flinging her head in my face she then bounced on the spot instead of cantering.

Finally managed to get some nice trot work out of her and on that note i gave up.

I just despair with her sometimes.

We've stopped our liverie's son riding her but i fear it's done a bit more lasting damage than i first thought, its like she got away with everything with him and when she tries it with us we say no you will work properly she gets in a strop because she doesn't want to and thinks she should get away with it all the time.

Just wanted a moan, sorry!

 

[OrangeEmpire]

are you quite confident that she isn't sore in her back? I can't remember what you've said previously but her response seems a bit excessive.

If she is truly stropping then I'd suggest having a mini refresher course of the basics with her as perhaps she has got confused. I find with my mare that she only throws a full-on strop when she hasn't understood my request and panics.

I'm sure with a bit of time you can turn her round.

 

[Lill]

Fairly sure, she is due to see the back person though.

She has always had a habit since she was young of flinging her head in your face though, which becomes worse than you'd ever imagine in canter (especially when jumping) its a wonder she can see where she is going.

Just feel like its one step forwards and 10 back at the moment!

 

[Sugarplum Furry]

I'm agreeing with OrangeEmpire here, re, your mare's back.
There must be some soreness/discomfort/pain going on somewhere for her to be throwing her head up so far, after all it must be uncomfortable for her TO be throwing her head like that. She's trying to tell you something!!