How to teach young pony to move over to pressure?

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titchy

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Hello,

How do you teach a young pony to move over to pressure, when pony seems to want to do the exact opposite and lean against you. The more pressure I put on her to move over, the more she leans into it. Pony is New Forest and unflappable.

Any pearls of wisdom?

Thanks
 
Place your palm flat on her and gently push, don't increase the pressure just hold it there, be very patient and she will eventually move in the correct direction, she may try lots of other directions first but eventually she will get it right. Once she does immediately remove your hand and praise her, a scratch on the withers and/or a small treat, whatever your girl enjoys most.
 
I do as Team Barney says, but also, to begin with, pull the head around towards me a little at the same time.

Once they are shifting just a step over and getting the hang of it then I phase out moving the head.

Lots of ways to get the same result.

A friend of mine who is seriously into clicker training uses a schooling whip and just taps away on the hindquarter until the pony moves over.
 
Its infuriating when they're like that isn't it, we have one who was like that on the ground but has proved to be a brilliant bomb proof ride as he is unflapable. I found that pushing with a knuckle and making myself uncomfortable to lean against worked brill, on two points if need be so one knuckle by his girth area and one further back. If he carrys on leaning id give and take the pressure til he moves and masses of praise when he does.
 
Thank you for your advice.

I have been just increasing the pressure until she moves a step away, then releasing it and praising her. A few times this has worked. If she is in a 'stubborn' mood she just pushes more into the pressure and refuses to move. Never had a horse do this before.

I will try pressure and release with my hands and/or knuckles as suggested without actually pushing against her, to see if I have more consistent results without her digging her heals in and pushing back.

Love her to bits, but feel she can be stubborn at times. However, she is a dream to take out as she is bombproof and excellent companion for my horse.

xx
 
Someone on here told me that if you push their dock over it works when I was having similar problems :) As it is, the next day I pushed his quarters over and as if he had read the thread himself he moved over! Ditto the moving the head as well, just be patiente and firm and offer lots of praise when they get it right xx
 
I find a good poke works :p If i want my horse to move over i poke her on the side, she moves away instantly without me having to 'push' her. Also works if i want her to back up or move her quarters over etc. When we first got her you could have pushed and pushed at her with the palm of your hand and she wouldnt move an inch!! So i start with a small poke and if no response then add more pressure until the horse moves over, then give the horse a pat. Iv used this for years and its always worked.
 
NicoleS_007 said:
I find a good poke works :p .
Click to expand...

Yep, that works too!:D

Although I did it to Ohsofatso in my avatar and he almost had a meltdown, reduced to a quivering wreck because he thought he'd done something bad. Silly sod, and I wouldn't entertain doing the stick tapping method on him either.
 
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Haha, enfys, we have a horse who does that, touch him to move him and he shoots over shaking as tho you shot him. Heavy cobs are sensitive souls apparently *rolls eyes*
 
A good poke sounds a good idea too.

I did, embarrassingly, resort to a sweeping brush against her side in an attempt to get a reaction from her, but that didn't work - think I just confused poor pony. Schooling whip has no effect either. I am sure the BHS manual does not take bombproof ponies into account with its handling recommendations.

Don't know how I can sleep at night knowing what I have done to my much loved pony :)
 
Horses will naturally move towards pressure, so to make the horse respect that pressure, make it a prod, or sharp, like your elbow. I don't mean in an aggressive way, just make it known that you want them to move over. Back it up with a voice command, and reward when they do it correctly. Soon they learn that moving over on command means no sharp elbow!
 
Thank you lhotse. I did wonder if it was a natural reaction she is showing to pressure, like some primitive survival instinct. Just not read that it any of my books.

She is a lovely pony without an ounce of nastiness in her and I would hate to think I have hurt her in any way.

Thank you.
 
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