Help problem pony ???

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mandy@zoo

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Hi please can anyone offer advice ??
I bought a pony for my daughter 8mths ago he was a great kick along confidence giver, safe non spooky and stable manners to die for (a dream)and spent last season doing all events brilliantly, but over the last few weeks he has started napping, refusing to jump, he galloped off with my 8yr old which ended in a trip too a&e, he tried to bolt on the lead rein with my 3 yr old and he is now spooking at everything. Nothing has changed at his yard or with his feed, he's had a full vet and teeth check and nothing is coming back ? I dont know what to do and dont feel safe putting my children on him, PLEASE has anyone any suggestions,

Thanks Mandy
 
mandy@zoo said:
Hi please can anyone offer advice ??
I bought a pony for my daughter 8mths ago he was a great kick along confidence giver, safe non spooky and stable manners to die for (a dream)and spent last season doing all events brilliantly, but over the last few weeks he has started napping, refusing to jump, he galloped off with my 8yr old which ended in a trip too a&e, he tried to bolt on the lead rein with my 3 yr old and he is now spooking at everything. Nothing has changed at his yard or with his feed, he's had a full vet and teeth check and nothing is coming back ? I dont know what to do and dont feel safe putting my children on him, PLEASE has anyone any suggestions,

Thanks Mandy
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Hi had his back also checked and his saddle no prob there, thanks
 
If there is definately no pain cause, could it be the spring grass starting to come through?
Mine is a even more spooky and fresh at the minute, could you try a calmer of some sort maybe? :/
 
Ok if you really have ruled out pain, could he have been frightened badly by something??
My Arab changed over night into a freaked nutter ( for want of better words) and it was onley a week later that i found out that kids had been letting off firworks in the field, and shooting the horses with a BB gun.
 
Could it be spring grass coming through? Mine are all on their toes and driving me mad at the moment. We used to call it "spring lamb syndrome" when I worked in a riding school, and you had to do really calm things in your lessons or they would be dumping their riders left right and centre! The first pc outdoor rally of the season can be the same.

Could you get a heavier, more experienced child to ride it now and again, just so it knows it can't get the upper hand? Don't worry too much - it will calm down if it is that... You just don't want your children getting scared, so keep them in situations where they are enclosed and to slower paces for a bit.
 
Hi, Thanks everyone for the advice the more views the better.
I have had a larger confident child get on him and he tried constantly to bolt with her. Pony is kept in our field at our house so i know nothing has badly happened there. Although if i didnt know better i would say that was what happened ?? Am trying to keep kids safe by short lead rein but hes still spinning and trying to bolt ??
 
Could he be getting sour? My 6 year olds pony you is usually a saint has been in the school loads recently kept bucking with my daughter, and was really out of charachter, gave a few days off and some nice hacks, i took him for a ride leading him another horse for a blast in the park then took my daughter for some good canters. And he was a right as rain, sometimes ponies do alot of repetitve stuff and they just get bored.
 
Hi, yeah thats what we thought so we hadnt used him in arena for a week and where just hacking and playing fun games, thats when he decided to bolt from cross country field and gallop away ?? xx
 
What is your grazing like?
By this i mean can you identify any weeds that are growing in the grass, also what tree's or hedging grows around, some types of poisening may affect his way and cause him pain. I would also check his hay/ haylage.
 
If you haven't changed anything in his feeding routine are you sure that the manufacturer has not changed anything? Having had a number of animals with intolerances over the years, I would try cutting everything down to nothing but forage and see how he goes from there.
 
As a fellow owner of a spooky neurotic ponio I sympathise,although at least in my case it's only my own neck I'm risking when I'm feeling either brave or stupid lol.

From what you say it sounds like a behavioural/anxiety issue rather than pain.I was wondering as you say he is kept in your field at home,does he have company,or has that company changed recently?? Any horses either arrived or left?? (I'm thinking arrived rather than left TBH).Sounds like he's worried or anxious about something,and trying to get away/home a lot of the time,and seperation anxiety sprang to mind.Can you be certain nothing has happened to him in the field?? I have an issue currently with dogs getting in from the neighbouring dog walking field,could something like this happen where you are??

Either that or he's decided he can call the shots,and is having a bit of a rebellious phase,but that doesn't really fit with what you've said he like before and how quickly he's changed,that more fit's with something having changed in his life/routine and/or something he's upset or had a fright about.

Sorry of that's as much help as a chocolate teapot:o
 
Regarding ulcers, your vet would not be able to tell just by looking, he would need to scope the pony. Alternatively you can try 7 days of the (really expenssive but very effective) treatment for ulcers (Gatroguard) and see whether there is any change in his behaviour.

I would still worry about a pain issue. The easiest way to discount this is to try a painkiller test. Talk to your vet and see if it would not be worth putting him on Danilon for two weeks again to see if there is any difference. When you say the vet looked him over, was this an equine specialist vet and did he do a full lameness work up, check back and neck muscles, check eyes and teeth, etc.?

If it's not a pain issue, the next question is a lifestyle issue. Cutting out all hard feed and turning the pony out 24/7 with hay is the first thing to try. Some people find calmers very helpful, but it's a matter of trying different ones to see if one works for you. Since the problem is bolting it might be worth looking into a different bit, although it would be odd that a pony that was settled in his bit suddenly responds so oddly to it (could he be getting his tongue over the bit though? That might explain part of the behaviour).

Finally it could be behavioural. Getting a more experienced rider (some professionals are small enough to ride childrens ponies) to give a full assessment of the situation is always a good idea. They can pin point the problem and tell you whether it's something they can work through for your children to then take over the pony or whether more drastic measures are required.

Best of luck!
 
If your saying you ruled out any possibility of pain etc. and that nothing has changed then my first thinking would be the ponys way of thinking has changed.

You have only had him eight months so thats not really long enough to know the ins and outs of what hes going to do.
I know you said you've had a larger child get on him, but once or twice is not enough. He'll probably need to be schooled properly all of the time so that he is safe enough to put your youngster on top. If the pony isnt working very hard ( which with a small child he wouldnt be) and knows he can get away with being naughty ( again, he would be able to with a small child) then that is what he is going to do. Just sounds like he needs more work and more exercise, then I am sure he will be calm and content to carry your youngster.

Even if you lunge him, its not a case of running his legs off, but teaching him to lunge correctly, and listen to your voice and getting him to listen to commands etc. Then you wont have to find/pay someone to ride him all the time. x
 
Sounds to me like he is just being a naughty boy - get a larger kid or small adult on him and put him in his place. Take away all hard feed and give him more exercise. Have you tried lungeing him for 10/15 mins before the kids get on?

I doubt very much it is ulcers - but you need to give us more information on what conditions the pony is kept in ie. feed, stable, grass, hay, haylage, exercise routine?? You also did not specify what the pony is like? How big is it, what type is it ie arab cross, welsh, dartmoor etc etc - a picture might help.
 
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Hi, heres some more info - pony is 12.1 welshx a bit fat hes never been worked very hard by previous owners or us (hes the type that normally doesnt mind beeing used 4 times a week or twice a month ! lazy). He is turned out out in his field which has a pony/horse either side all day and is stabled in a block at night during winter then 24/7 out in summer.He is not given any food other than hay (as hes already fat!) he gets 2/3 sections for day and again at night.Field clear of bushes,trees and no obvious new plants. Hay is same hay that I bought from my hayman at end of summer so no changes there. Cant guarantee no one/thing got in field but unlikely hes used to dogs and normally loves any company.
He is happy to canter round following another horse and do jumping, but without another friend he is refusing everything and spooking.
He is in a snaffle bit.
Bigger kids have tried getting on him (about 4 times) and putting him in his place but this seems to be making him more spooky ?

Thankyou to everyone who is offering advice hopefully by questioning everything we might be able to help him x
 
Forgot to say that when i called the vet he put him on painkiller in case he had hurt himself and i rested him for 5 days but he acted the same, it was an equine vet and he spent a good hour checking everything and couldnt find any underlying cause. Thanks
 
So he is only playing up on his own, but is fine with another horse? That sounds like nappiness then, he is trying it on. Ideally you need an older, confident child or adult to give him intensive training to get him more confident on his own. 7 years old is not that old and he could be going through a slightly rebellious phase, combined with nervousness at doing things on his own which is something he has not perhaps done a lot of? The new rider would need to school and hack him alone as often as possible for a significant period of time which should teach him to be more confident.
 
Does your child have lessons? Do you have an experienced advisor who can assess the situation in person? People on the internet can give you all sorts of ideas and advice but it's impossible to really tell without seeing the whole picture and randomly trying this or that "solution" can actually end up getting you all more confused and in trouble.

To be honest, it doesn't sound all that unusual for a relatively "new" pony being ridden primarily by a small, inexperienced child. Getting someone on him once or twice might very well make the situation worse and the pony won't know why suddenly the rules have changed and he's "in trouble" nor will he necessarily relate that back to the other child riding him. Some ponies need a bit more "management" than that! If your vet has looked him over and is confident there are no discomfort issues my next port of call should be a professional experienced with kids/ponies/misbehaving horses to help sort out not only how to solve the current situation but how to go forward from there.
 
In the summer my daughters pony can be used once a week once a month or 6 days a week and hell act the same hes out 24/7 and the warm weather keeps him chilled. Hes not naughty in the winter and he goes out but i do have to work him more. I do lots with him aswell as my daughter riding him most evenings. I long line him in a bungee, lots of turns figures or 8 ect. and lunge him in a bungee or side reins. I also hack him with my daughter on top and leading off another horse. It keeps his mind ticking over and hes happier for it. If your horsey experienced enough try long lining and can be a great way of schooling them without having to ride. I would never be able to ride my daughters pony my bum is far to big!!!:)
 
Hi, thanks again for all the advice. I'm having a trainer come in and see what they think and to see if they can notice anything i've missed and help.Will also start lunging more and keep trying to build his confidence.
Will be a shame if I have to sell but kids safety has to come first , Thanks Mandy
 
Could be the grass. You haven't had him during Spring time and it does affect them. My horses are being absolute twits at the moment and can only put it down to the deeper shade of green in my fields. Put him on a calmer (Relax Me is very good!).
 
mandy@zoo said:
Hi, thanks again for all the advice. I'm having a trainer come in and see what they think and to see if they can notice anything i've missed and help.Will also start lunging more and keep trying to build his confidence.
Will be a shame if I have to sell but kids safety has to come first , Thanks Mandy
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Sounds like a good plan, dont give up hope ponies are cheeky and if they can push boundries they can get away with.
The lunging really did help my daughters pony hes just turned 7 and went through a cheeky phase recently. Do things that keep his mind occupied so lunge with lunge aids so he has to concentrate and work other wise it wont work aswell. And maybe turn out 24/7 for a while that way hell have no excess energy.
Let us know how you get on and if you ever want to PM. Have got quite alot of experience with cheely ponies and have taught lots of kiddies on alsorts of ponies.
Zoe:)
 
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