Getting my pony to work in an outline??

Try some stretching exercises from the ground to help get his neck a little more supple (will need lots of treats for this!!!!)
Do it twice a day, and get him to reach right around to his shoulders for a treat each side, then get him to get the treat from between his front legs.
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If all else fails I will be more than glad to take him off your hands
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*steals murphy*
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[ QUOTE ]
Try some stretching exercises from the ground to help get his neck a little more supple (will need lots of treats for this!!!!)
Do it twice a day, and get him to reach right around to his shoulders for a treat each side, then get him to get the treat from between his front legs.
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[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks - I'll try that (but with low-calorie treats because he's a big fat hippo-pony)
 
Also think of his back-end first rather then his front end. An outline starts from the haunches and ends up at the poll & head.

Lots of leg yielding, esp moving from a 10m to a 20m circle so that he engages behind and always try and think that you're riding up hill with poll at the highest point. Keep a steady contact and keep your legs on as well so pony keeps moving forward.

I'm only going by the pics in your sig but you've got encourage him to work in a low & long so getting him to extend his neck and back more. It will come, just takes a bit of time, especially if he's not normally or hasn't been ridden in that way of going
 
Personally I would begin by lunging on large circles with side reins attached. Make sure you direct the whip at the hind end to get him really moving forward to the bridle. Transitions should help. I did this with my horse and started with the side reins shortish (but not so he was overbent). I was able to let the side reins out 1 hole every couple of weeks so that he really STRETCHED over his back into the contact. I kept the side reins low on the girth/surcingle, a bit like using your hands low to encourage a stretch downwards in ridden work.

It may take a while for your horse to truly relax into this and get stronger but persevere. Warm up on each rein before hand with no S reins. Then attach side reins and lunge for 5 mins on one rein. Then release them, let your horse have a stretch before attaching them and lunging for 5 mins on the other rein. Remember to warm down without the side reins. Reward with your voice any good moments when he seeks the contact and stretches.

IMO this work will really help you. You need to aim when riding to get your horse going forward to the contact. Think 'back to front' not roping the head in ('front to back'). Keep a solid supporting contact with your outside rein, and encourage your horse to come down at the front by using the inside rein.
Flexions to either side should help suppleness too.

This can be a long process. I really do feel the lunge work is a great point to progress from.
 
It is possible!!

Just have a look at the cob in my avatar and siggy. After years of patient work he can now balance himself enough to lift himself off his forehand and work in an outline. He's doing Novice dressage now.


Mickey's suggestion of work on the lunge is good. That way he can learn to balance himself without worrying about balancing you too. Once he can really work through from behind he'll find it easier to start to work in an outline.

Stick with it and don't try to force it, slowly and gradually will get you there!
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Cobs naturally work on the forehand due to there confirmation, so it will be harder for your cob anyway, specially if your cob has grown to work like this, but its certainly achievable.

It just takes a lot of time to change the muscle and work on new ones, the process should be slow.

Forcing an outline with artificial aids, sides reins etc will cause your cob discomfit and will therefore avoid this type of going even more if your not careful how you go about using side reins etc.

If you have achieved a walk on a contact then you must be doing something right. If your cob is dropping on to a contact and there are no changes to his natural paces/speed then (in this case in walk) he is not leaning on your hands etc then this is correct and you are going in the right direction.

Please do not confuse contact with head and neck carriage which some people do. Your cob will let you know when he is ready to work on a contact as long as you are not doing anything to hinder this.

At this stage I would carry on as you are, once he is walking well in a contact I would use upwards and downwards transitions... walk to halt, walk to trot making sure your cob does this exactly when you ask, there is no point trying to teach a horse to go on a contact if the horse is not acting on your aids straight away. So this (may) be an issue that you need to address also which will help leaps and bounds.

Push into a slow sitting trot for a quarter of a 20 m circle (say about 4 paces) then push back into walk again. Keep doing this for a number of weeks, don't worry if you cob sticks his head in the air, also practice good square halts, engage his quarters. Your cob needs to be forward and coming back into a walk/halt with ease, like a push of the button. Once you have that to t, then do your sitting trot for a quarter of your 20m then lengthen (push on into a rising) for about 5 strides and back into sitting (slow right down again) on the quarter of the large circle again, keep doing this exercise for about 10 minutes each day, its a great exersise that encourages them to use themselves in 2 different ways in trot all through the back, not only that but your cob will be more engaged with his quarters, why? because he will learn that is a lot easier to do this type of exercise using his back end rather than pulling himself along with the front end.

Dont loose contact with your outside rein, va ery slight half halt with your outside rein will stop him falling in on corners but just the slightest flex with the inside will encourage a bend while keeping a leg on the inside. But this should come after, and not before you get him working obediently to from leg to hand, only then do you begin to ask for minor adjustment with the hand.
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Thanks teapot, Mickey, three and Kenzo...you have been v helpful
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I'll keep you updated on how we're getting on.

I might struggle with the lungeing tho, he's a bit of a monster on the lunge and I've sort of given up on it
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