Help please

[Timelyattraction]

My 5 year old daughter has started to come off lead rein. We are really struggling with her being able to get the pony in to trot while also stopping the pony cutting back into the middle of the arena. She can most the time get a one good
First trot (a lap out of her ) but then thats it cant het a decent second trot, the pony would rather just walk round than trot. I think shes finding it difficult to keep the pony to the outside track and trying to get her going at the same tine and its just gettinf a bit over whelming and then ends up her not wanting to do it

Just looking for advice on how to get through this. I was thinking a lunge whip i can help her get her in to trot and then once theyre off they are usually fine?

 

[Melody Grey]

Have you tried putting cones out in the corners to give a target to aim for? Can help little ones be a bit more decisive in the steering department.

If your little one is struggling to establish trot/ keep it going, might some riding on the lunge help to build some stamina?

 

[Timelyattraction]

Have you tried putting cones out in the corners to give a target to aim for? Can help little ones be a bit more decisive in the steering department.

If your little one is struggling to establish trot/ keep it going, might some riding on the lunge help to build some stamina?

Thank you! Looking for help as I literally have no idea how they teach them at riding schools or anything! I think its harder too as we are riding in a grass field so havent got the arena fence as a guide to follow either. Will try cones and also we did say about popping her on the lunge to see if that might help

 

[Britestar]

Does she have balance reins on?
Often helps the little ones.

 

[Timelyattraction]

Does she have balance reins on?
Often helps the little ones.

Yes we have balance support reins

 

[Identityincrisis]

Can you set up a’track’? When I was teaching my young horse to lunge he would always cut corners and fall in etc so I created a circle using 4 poles which gave a visual barrier, that he had to go around (he was on the outside of it) it was very effective

 

[Timelyattraction]

Can you set up a’track’? When I was teaching my young horse to lunge he would always cut corners and fall in etc so I created a circle using 4 poles which gave a visual barrier, that he had to go around (he was on the outside of it) it was very effective

I think i might try that too but as jumps rather than poles as pony will just come over the poles pony is only 6 so probably doesnt help but she has been ridden off lead rein by older children

 

[Highmileagecob]

Can you borrow a local menage for half an hour or so?

 

[3OldPonies]

Could you get another older more experienced rider to school the pony in between lessons? At 6 she's still learning her job herself so might benefit from a stronger rider for a while before she really learns how to 'get away with it'. It might help your daughter too if she can see another child being bossy with the pony and it not doing what it wants.

Maybe a couple of confidence building lessons on another pony that will trot properly could help her strengthen her riding muscles too without becoming panicked at not being able to do something.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I would pop her on a lunge line just for a few rounds and do as someone above said about cones, it can be any object, ive used jackets and l buckets, to be fair. Just to give her a little guideline to aim for. Then once she has the hang of where she is going you can let her off. Tell her to look ahead where she is going, chin up and pony should hopefully head that way.

 

[Timelyattraction]

Could you get another older more experienced rider to school the pony in between lessons? At 6 she's still learning her job herself so might benefit from a stronger rider for a while before she really learns how to 'get away with it'. It might help your daughter too if she can see another child being bossy with the pony and it not doing what it wants.

Maybe a couple of confidence building lessons on another pony that will trot properly could help her strengthen her riding muscles too without becoming panicked at not being able to do something.

we have an older rider that rides her twice a week and she sees her being ridden by her
. I was thinking maybe popping her in a riding school for a couple months but there is only a few around here and they are on waiting lists

 

[Timelyattraction]

I would pop her on a lunge line just for a few rounds and do as someone above said about cones, it can be any object, ive used jackets and l buckets, to be fair. Just to give her a little guideline to aim for. Then once she has the hang of where she is going you can let her off. Tell her to look ahead where she is going, chin up and pony should hopefully head that way.

The pony is young but so well behaved, we had her since she was 4 and came to us unbroken and one thing i was adamant on was that she is not to be ridden on lead rein all the time because i didnt want one of them ponies that just goes on lead rein and wont come off it. So since i backed and rode her away we have had older (still children) riders on her most weeks twice a week riding her off lead rein.

It doesnt help that my daughter lacks confidence and in always telling her to sit up and look where she wants to go but she tilts forwards when she starts getting nervous and cant get her going. Going to try all these suggestions within the next week and see how we get on

 

[Timelyattraction]

I suppose i could have her on a long lunge line just as a guideline but shes still riding and steering pony independently and when we try for trot as soon as the pony doesnt go or tries to cut in i have the ability to push her back out or use the end of the lunge line to push her forwards. I Will try small jumps /cones making a bit of an alley way around the track first though

 

[anglo]

Have you considered getting some lessons for your daughter at a riding school or on your pony at home with a qualified instructor ? Children tend to take more notice of someone else teaching them than they do a parent .

 

[Timelyattraction]

Have you considered getting some lessons for your daughter at a riding school or on your pony at home with a qualified instructor ? Children tend to take more notice of someone else teaching them than they do a parent .

We have been having weekly lessons with a qualified instructor at home, I also thought she would take more notice of someone else othee than me but apparently only when it suits her . Shes quite stubborn

 

[3OldPonies]

Do you do much work without stirrups? Maybe a few short sessions on the lunge without them will help with the sitting up? I know it has certainly helped me.

 

[Barton Bounty]

The pony is young but so well behaved, we had her since she was 4 and came to us unbroken and one thing i was adamant on was that she is not to be ridden on lead rein all the time because i didnt want one of them ponies that just goes on lead rein and wont come off it. So since i backed and rode her away we have had older (still children) riders on her most weeks twice a week riding her off lead rein.

It doesnt help that my daughter lacks confidence and in always telling her to sit up and look where she wants to go but she tilts forwards when she starts getting nervous and cant get her going. Going to try all these suggestions within the next week and see how we get on

Her confidence will grow , she will get there with practice