Getting a tied up pony to stand still!

[Zarkaz]

My pony is the best ever (well we all think that about our own ) hes brilliant to ride, drive, jump, hack blah blah blah but since been young he has never learnt to stand still while tied up! He gets very very impatient and starts to stamp at the ground even if he has been tied up for 2 mins and constantly moves from one side to the other which can be annoying when trying to tack up. I have tried standing out the way so he cant see me to see if he eventually gets bored and gives up, i have tried giving him a haynet which he just tosses in the air with his head, iv tried shouting and giving him a tap on the shoulder and he still carries on. You can tell its not anxiety. The only time he will stand is if he has had a good workout and rather tired. I want him to stop it because it is annoying at shows if hes tied upto the box (he destroyed my friends brand new grooming kit and trampled her brushes into the ground!) he just wont learn. Any sugestions would be great

 

[ThePony]

Mine was just the same - just v impatient and without the manners to stand still when asked! I just tied her up and totally ignored her - and tried to increase the time she was left. I made sure no one talked to her/gave her a haynet/fed her etc. It was time she just needed to be patient and wait. She is smashing now and will stand quietly while I muck out/pick feet/bath her etc. Much easier now rather than trying to wash a wriggly pony!

 

[Suziq77]

I ignore impatient ponies - just go about my business getting them ready, leave them to bang and stamp without shouting at them when they're untacked and so on. They all seem to get the message sooner or later.

The ones which don't learn (in my experience) seem to be the ones whose owners are constantly going "stop it, stand, shut up etc etc" and always chuntering on at them. Horses don't distinguish between "good" attention and "bad" attention.

It's hard not to let it wind you up but if you can manage it then it should pay off....