Horse very strong when I ride.

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Rolocookiepepsi said:
Until you've come to the yard, and actually seen me ride, please keep your opinions on whether I'm a novice or not to yourselves. Some aren't the best at wording things online, yet that doesn't make them any less experienced at what they do?
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OP, in the nicest possible way, chill out. You've told us very little about your experience (when I got my first horse I had 7 years experience of riding school lessons once a week, and I couldn't ride one side of him), what the horse has done with his life up to this point, what he actually does. Getting defensive won't help you be taken seriously and will cause people to make assumptions. Some of the replies have been out of line, but so have some of yours.

So. What is he actually doing when he takes off? How do you respond? Has he had his back, teeth and saddle checked recently?
 
Rolocookiepepsi said:
Until you've come to the yard, and actually seen me ride, please keep your opinions on whether I'm a novice or not to yourselves. Some aren't the best at wording things online, yet that doesn't make them any less experienced at what they do?
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It would be helpful if you kept to the point of your OP and ignored the distractions. I say this because there are posters trying to give advice and others who, like me, would like to try to help. So going back to your OP, you said that if you give him his head at all in the outdoor school that he bolts with you. This doesn't mean much so perhaps you can explain in detail one typical event when you gave him his head and he bolted. For example, were you in halt or moving and if so at what pace? Were you riding large or on a circle? Were you on a diagonal line? Were you jumping or intending to jump? Were there jumps up in the school? What do you mean by giving him his head eg a couple of extra inches of rein or going from hanging on to his mouth to holding the buckle? Does he immediately take off etc etc etc Maybe with alot more detail posters can offer you a bit more bespoke advice.
 
He is ridden in a gp saddle and grackle bridle.

I try to pull him up, sit deep in the saddle, and use both reins quite hard if I'm desperate and if there's a possibility of either me or the horse getting injured.
Sometimes I can feel when he's about to take off in trot/canter so I slow him back down to the previous gait and start again.

Went out hacking with him a few weeks ago and it was terrible I'm afraid to say. He was extremely spooky (very unusual for him), he started rearing in the road and got very nappy. I've taken him hacking before and he's been perfect, not strong at all, but I'm thinking this may have been because it was his first time hacking alone at the new yard so I don't really blame him for that. (Plus, there was work going on at the house we were riding next to that was creating a lot of noise that was spooking him)
 
What bit is he in?

When was his saddle last professionally checked?

How long has he been at new yard and how much turnout does he get?

What was his behaviour like at previous yard?
 
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Trying to pull up=you're yanking on his mouth, he's taking the pee, you aren't trying to ride him into the bridle to stop him, or using your seat to support what you want him to do.

I suggest some lessons on the lunge so you can concentrate on perfecting leg and seat aids while someone else controls his speed. This could be done with the owner.

If I let someone on my horse and the horse was tanking off, my first thought would be that the rider was giving the wrong aids and the horse was confused, happened last time a potential sharer came up. She wasn't invited back. I would also be getting out the saddle fitter twice a year and checking the usual, back, teeth etc.

Does the owner spend time with you when you ride? She knows the pony best and should be staying with you to advise how to ride him. Why is he in a grackle? Does he need it?

You're asking for advice, so take it and stop rejecting everything that's said. There are some brilliant people on here giving up their precious time to help. IRL, you'd be charged a fortune.
 
Example of when he last 'took off'

I was riding round the school and he was actually behaving unusually well. He was trotting very nicely so after a while I asked to canter on a corner, after a few strides he sped up and completely ignored anything I was doing, I tried to pull him up ASAP as there was another horse in the school and it was making it dangerous for everyone. We weren't planning to jump at all, just flatwork. One emergency dismount later he slowed and came to a halt next to the other horse. I got on again, with the reins tighter this time, did some circles and picked up canter and he was much better. Next time I rode I kept the reins much tighter and to see if the cause of the previous week really was just by giving him his head, I let the reins slip a couple of inches through my fingers when in trot and he yanked off into canter across the school, luckily this time I was able to pull him up as he didn't get too far
 
Arzada said:
It would be helpful if you kept to the point of your OP and ignored the distractions. I say this because there are posters trying to give advice and others who, like me, would like to try to help. So going back to your OP, you said that if you give him his head at all in the outdoor school that he bolts with you. This doesn't mean much so perhaps you can explain in detail one typical event when you gave him his head and he bolted. For example, were you in halt or moving and if so at what pace? Were you riding large or on a circle? Were you on a diagonal line? Were you jumping or intending to jump? Were there jumps up in the school? What do you mean by giving him his head eg a couple of extra inches of rein or going from hanging on to his mouth to holding the buckle? Does he immediately take off etc etc etc Maybe with alot more detail posters can offer you a bit more bespoke advice.
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This. People are trying to give you constructive advice and learn more about how you are handling him but you are ignoring them. Don't focus on the posts that are upsetting you.

What do you do when he goes to take off? Sit up straight and wrap your legs around without gripping? Gather your reins and try half halts? Think slow and heavy and control your own body to slow his?

Or panic and lose balance a bit? Tip forward and grip with your legs and feel wobbly?

Is the pony schooled at all or does he need to learn to listen now because you want to ride him in a different way to the owner?

If you want to learn how to school him then I'm sure someone here can recommend a good book for beginners (I would be interested myself!).
 
Some of these comments are unnecessarily harsh. Wasn't there a thread the other day about manners?

OP, what is he being fed? feed can have a massive impact on a horses behaviour. Also, talk to his owner again and have them give you advice on how to deal with him. He could be doing it for a number of reasons; pain, too much energy, boredom, naughtiness/lack of schooling. You need to get to the root of the problem before you can start fixing it.
 
Amymay-

Twisted snaffle when he last took off

Unsure but I think it was at the previous yard 5/6 months ago

About 4/5 months, he lives in as the owner of the yard threatened to kick us out as the pony is aggressive to other horses in the field and individual turn out isn't available.

He was much worse at the previous yard, tanking off as soon as I got on, galloping out of the yard and into the neighbouring private flats gardens. When he was moved to 24/7 turnout he planted when I tried to bring him in (every time).
 
And by the way to anyone who says it's because he lives in-he was MUCH worse when he had turn out available. We are getting him into a routine at the moment. He is fed pony nuts and chaff.
 
Thank you for all helpful advise. I won't reply to you individuality if you e given advise as there's a few and it could take a while lol. I will try and answer all questions about him though. When he yanked off at the old yard into the gardens a was wobbly and probably gripped with my legs, but in a school I feel much more secure and I sit up etc..
 
Rolocookiepepsi said:
Amymay-

Twisted snaffle when he last took off

Unsure but I think it was at the previous yard 5/6 months ago

About 4/5 months, he lives in as the owner of the yard threatened to kick us out as the pony is aggressive to other horses in the field and individual turn out isn't available.

He was much worse at the previous yard, tanking off as soon as I got on, galloping out of the yard and into the neighbouring private flats gardens. When he was moved to 24/7 turnout he planted when I tried to bring him in (every time).
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Ooookkkkaaaayyyyy, gonna give you the benefit of the doubt here.

This is one seriously unhappy and dangerous (possibly) animal. The owner needs to step up and make some serious changes, and help this poor animal. I would step away before you get badly hurt.


(Or this is simply megga wind up, as it ticks all the boxes).
 
amymay said:
Ooookkkkaaaayyyyy, gonna give you the benefit of the doubt here.

This is one seriously unhappy and dangerous (possibly) animal. The owner needs to step up and make some serious changes, and help this poor animal. I would step away before you get badly hurt.


(Or this is simply megga wind up, as it ticks all the boxes).
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AGreed.

You really need to take a look at the whole picture, yourself included. The whole colic thing screams that a stepchange in management is overdue...

Please do look at the plethora of classical vs modern management thats out there and just enjoy being in the company of such a beautiful beast... if you can't be kind, be off.
 
Rolocookiepepsi said:
Whinney- he is either lounged, let loose in the indoor school, or ridden each day
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And now that he is recovering from the colic? Is he being walked out in hand at all?

How long is he going to be off work for?

To be honest it sounds like the life he has is not too good for him. If the owner is unable to make any changes so that he can have turnout then I suggest you walk away.

Why did he leave the last yard?
 
I agree with what you've said whinney. I'm guessing he is being walked in hand, but I haven't been down the past week as every thing he does needs to be monitored. We left the last yard as there was no where to ride and he was behaving terrible when ridden in field so he wasn't being worked.
 
Have you tried lungeing him before getting on? I think even my boy would be a bit nutty if he lived in. Three days is the max he stays in.

I'd be extremely concerned about the pony's welfare if he doesn't have social interaction with other equines. There are yards with individual/paired turnout. No wonder he's taking off if he never has a chance to run round.
 
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