Help-Youngster being naughty!!!!!!!!!!!

Jojo_Pea4

Jojo_Pea4

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A friend has brought a youngster been broken and ridden for a month before brought by friend. A 14.1hh Connie. She didn't have a saddle for the first few months and recently started lunging him then started riding. She is very bargy has no respect for personal space. If tied up, scratches, throws things around and will not settle. Leading to the field she either walks lazy and refusing to move or marching off, rearing and barging.

Since being ridden she has got better to lead but the riding is becoming difficult.

Sometimes she will be perfect others she will bolt round the school, barges owner and jumps on her feet.

The biggest problem has become with ridden work, pony refuses to move in the school, nappys then when going speeds up and runs off. Owner got bucked off the other day and starting to get nervous of the pony.

Any advice or experience of a stubborn youngster?

Hot choco with marshmallows
 
How experienced is your friend? If the pony was only backed and ridden away it may be that she is not as established as your friend is used to, maybe finding a sympathetic instructor and having a few lessons would be a good idea :)
 
The pony has no manners at all. The owner has lessons but there's only so much they can fit into an hour once a week.
 
Sounds like the pony needs her owner to become the leader in this relationship. Pony has no confidence in the owner, so she's trying to take charge..I totally recommend the owner gets hold of a copy of Kelly Marks' book 'Perfect Manners'. Right now. Well OK, this week then...but as soon as possible, and for her to read it cover to cover, and get out there and start putting the whole thing into practice. Honestly, she won't regret it.

Hope this helps!
 
It would be worth getting a Monty Roberts Recommended Associate out to help with the groundwork issues. I have used Lyn Dixon before, who is absolutely lovely and gets results so easily that you wonder why you couldn't work it out for yourself :) She really is fabulous.

They are RA's all over the country, look on the Intelligent Horsemanship website to find one near you. Also remember that the horse is still young, and maybe has not been taught things correctly or at all before your friend got her. Just because she has been backed doesn't mean all the manners are in place, and she needs to be taught these things correctly and kindly to make sure she is a nice "person" :)
 
Jojo_Pea4 said:
The pony has no manners at all. The owner has lessons but there's only so much they can fit into an hour once a week.
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The pony has barely been broken and possibly this has all been forgotten in the time your friend has owned it, one month of being lightly ridden is only the start of its education.
It needs help to learn how to behave well, an experienced handler and rider that can bring it on correctly, with help as required, ponies are known for pushing the boundaries and need firm, fair, consistent handling to bring on, a lesson for one hour a week is not enough if the owner is not experienced.
 
Welcome to the world of challenging youngster behaviour, but its what you do about it that counts before they turn into a bolshy dangerous beggar, and im sorry but the fact your friend doesnt seem to know what to do with it makes me wonder if she will be experienced enough to deal with it.
My worry is that youve not identified 1 or 2 issues here but a shedload of them and a nervous owner.
She would be well advised to get a good instructer or experienced person who has worked with youngsters to help her sort out this bolshy behaviour teaching both your friend what to do, and the horse some manners :)
 
Thank you everyone. I'm going to pass this on to her.

I've had youngsters and got a new one at the moment I tend to nip the problems before they become a big issue.
 
It sounds like the pony has no idea about boundaries or what is expected of her. Young. green & less established ponies easily resort to undesirable behaviour because they become easily bored and confused. Patient, short (20-30 mins max) training sessions dealing with one issue at a time will give her plenty to think about and discourage unwanted behaviour. It's easy to label a horse like this as 'naughty' when the real problem is a lack of education/training and weak, confusing or inconsistent handling. If her rider tries too much too quickly to try to change the pony's behaviour, or if s/he resorts to punishment, stronger aids (bits, whips, 'booting' etc) and 'being the boss' then her behaviour will only worsen and she'll learn very quickly how to evade. It's really important to teach her what the desirable behaviour is and to ignore blips. Make it as easy as possible for her to learn what you want and always reward her when she offers the desired behaviour. Behaving in a confrontational, aggressive and negative way is likely to make her put up a fight and exacerbate her behaviour, because she sitll won't necessarily understand and still won't be learning because she'll be too full of jinxes to think about anything. You may well find that as she is mentally stimulated in a more sensitive and appropriate way, the unwanted behaviours will start to subside. On the ground it is important to be calm, black-and-white and consistent. The pony will only be as disciplined and well mannered as her handler/rider is! On the ground, correct (note, not punish) unwanted behaviour: if she barges into your space uninvited, then calmly and firmly back her up. When grooming her, ask her to move around you rather than vice versa. When leading, expect her to walk at your pace and stop when you stop.
This pony has learned to beave this way because she has inadvertantly and probably unintentionally been taught this way - a horse will only walk over you if you allow it! So make sure that your own actions and behaviours are calm deliberate and consistent, and be self aware.
And make sure the training sessions are fun! That's the best way to motivate the pony :)
 
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Puzzles said:
It sounds like the pony has no idea about boundaries or what is expected of her. Young. green & less established ponies easily resort to undesirable behaviour because they become easily bored and confused. Patient, short (20-30 mins max) training sessions dealing with one issue at a time will give her plenty to think about and discourage unwanted behaviour. It's easy to label a horse like this as 'naughty' when the real problem is a lack of education/training and weak, confusing or inconsistent handling. If her rider tries too much too quickly to try to change the pony's behaviour, or if s/he resorts to punishment, stronger aids (bits, whips, 'booting' etc) and 'being the boss' then her behaviour will only worsen and she'll learn very quickly how to evade. It's really important to teach her what the desirable behaviour is and to ignore blips. Make it as easy as possible for her to learn what you want and always reward her when she offers the desired behaviour. Behaving in a confrontational, aggressive and negative way is likely to make her put up a fight and exacerbate her behaviour, because she sitll won't necessarily understand and still won't be learning because she'll be too full of jinxes to think about anything. You may well find that as she is mentally stimulated in a more sensitive and appropriate way, the unwanted behaviours will start to subside. On the ground it is important to be calm, black-and-white and consistent. The pony will only be as disciplined and well mannered as her handler/rider is! On the ground, correct (note, not punish) unwanted behaviour: if she barges into your space uninvited, then calmly and firmly back her up. When grooming her, ask her to move around you rather than vice versa. When leading, expect her to walk at your pace and stop when you stop.
This pony has learned to beave this way because she has inadvertantly and probably unintentionally been taught this way - a horse will only walk over you if you allow it! So make sure that your own actions and behaviours are calm deliberate and consistent, and be self aware.
And make sure the training sessions are fun! That's the best way to motivate the pony :)
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This is good advice
 
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