Broncing pony

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toffeesmarty

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We have a four year old Section B pony who we started very slowly last autumn. Once he had walked and trotted we turned himaway until March. He has been long reined, lunged and ridden at walk and trot. No canter work yet. As I work away he does 4-5 days of work then has another week off before starting again.
99% of the ridden work has been done under my supervision by my 10 year old daughter. I have done all of the flat work. We have done evrything REALLY slowly and we know his history and there is nothing which would have caused his problem.
He is a lovely pony, very showable with look at me paces. They were both getting on really well until he started to bronc for apparently no reason. Worried it was his teeth or back - I've had both looked at. He had small problem with his teeth but no more than any other 4 year old.

There is no apparent reason why he does what he does, but since we restarting him in March he has bronced three times. Twice with my daughter and another when a friend who is a very small adult rode him. The first time, my daughter fell off as he went very high and I got on and settled him down, then we turned him out for 6 weeks before starting him all over again. Today he did it again. This time my daughter stayed on - I have no idea how and all credit to her, but I'm really worried she will loose her confidence. The first time he bronced he looked really scared afterwards but tonight he didn't look any different before or afterwards. She asked him to go forwards and instead he shot off broncing till he stopped. He is lunged before every session to give him chance to settle and get rid of any excess energy and he has bronced on the lunge a couple of time too- but I tell him NO and he stops straight away.
Whilst like every other 4 year old he still has some growing to do, he looks really well. We have tried him in a happy mouth, straight bar and jointed eggbut. He goes best in the latter. He has a caveson noseband. My daughter has very light hands and puts no pressure or contact on his mouth.
He does have a habit of walking backwards and it was as she asked him to go forward he started broncing tonight.
I'd like your opinions on:
1 - turning him out in the field for another 6 months to let him mature and leaving him alone
2 - working him everyday and treating him more like an adult
3 - Your ideas?
Please do not criticise me for letting my daughter start him. This is the 4th pony that she has started (including three for other owners) but I 'd be interested in hearing if anyone else has had the same problem and how you have worked through them. I don't want to sell him but I have to look after her too.
 
I don't really know what the best thing to do is...maybe a lot more lunging needs doing to get through the broncing or he could just need working on daily for a while to get him going right. I know it can be very hard and tiring when having to work aswell but if it meant he was safer for your daughter to ride then maybe it would be work trying to work him daily for a while.
 
Don't know a lot about little ponies but it does sound a little like he's maybe trying it on a bit - it's got her off once, maybe he can do it again! Maybe persistance is the key. Sounds like he's had plenty of time on a 'break' so now he needs to learn some manners. Maybe continue with a slightly heavier, more competent rider on as he cannot physically buck so easily maybe and then alternate this and your daughter.

Some ponies are just plain naughty and cheeky and realise quickly this gets them their own way. Also has probably had a good lot of grass and is feeling good! I had to ride a 12hh welshie type once when working at a riding school for a few weeks. It was bucking the children off. I was horrified when the manager suggested I ride it to try and get the bucking sorted (I must (have been about 10stone!) Still, it didn't buck with me once! Needs to be nipped in the bud at this age as this is generally when they go through the 'phase' of testing their abilities I think.
 
As you have checked everything and he has no pain, have you told him off? My secation A did this and I told the rider to give him one sharp smack with the stick, the pony stopped looked surprised that he had been told off but never did it again...
 
When did you get the saddle, is it possible that he has changed shape as he has grown and that the saddle is now pinching? It is possible that when you rode him the saddle spread a little more and the pinching stopped. I do think that this is a route to look at. (We had a section DxTb who did this as she grew, we were lucky as another horse on the yard was doing the same, we swopped saddles and they both went well!)
 
Thanks so much for your thoughts so far. He's had two saddles which have got wider as he have grown. It could be a 'moving forward' issue as it was as she put her legs on that he started going up instead. I have put small adults on him however I think the time is coming when I need to do it as I'm worried he might hurt them!
Ponies can be little g..s!
 
After checking the saddle fit's and that he has no health problems I would take him to a big enclosed area that has a hill and let him canter up it (trot him a little first so he isn't too fresh) It sounds like he isn't quite used to the feel of his rider whilst cantering yet and the uphill gradient will discourage bucking.
This may seem a bit harsh but it's better than telling him off and making a big issue out of it. And also better than ending up with a pony that cannot be cantered. At four years old he should be strong enough for a little canter. Also it might may help for him to go up the hill behind a reliable school master, he will enjoy the ride more and be more inclined to follow his companion than buck his jockey off.
smile.gif
 
The only thing I could offer as a suggestion is that the cut of the saddle is restricting him. We had this with a very green pony we bought who we started in a borrowed Wintec until I had saved up enough for his own saddle. I bought him an Ideal WH and where it was very straight cut, the trouble stopped.
 
i agree with ladyT, having working with quite a few daft ponies it seems to help when you get someone bigger on them and give them a telling off for the nonsense, sounds harsh when he's only 4 but my pony went through a stage of throwing off younger riders but behaves himself with an adult on board, he has more respect for someone who doesnt let him away with nonsense, he's only a 5 yr old.
 
I rode him today to and found that he does have a problem going off the leg. I wrapped my legs round him which really helped and he was much more settled. Everytime he tried it on I growled at him and 'encouraged him to listen!' 've decided to keep riding him for the next couple of weeks before letting my daughter back on and she can watch to get her confidence back. Thanks for all your suggestions - you confirmed that I needed to get on so thanks! I'l report back later.
 
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