Laid back pony

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titchy

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Hi

I am having problems with my rising 4 New Forest Pony - she is just so laid back. How do you encourage a pony to move forward (leading or lunging) when she just doesn't want to go any faster. She is also unfazed by schooling whips and lunge whips. When she is excited and having canter round in the big field she looks beautifil, so I don't think she has any medical issues.

She is not stupid and knows voice commands for walk, trot and halt. With past horses a tickle with the schooling whip did the trick - this one just seems to laid back. Any advice.

Thanks
 
i think i've got the same problem! got a nf x dartmoor rising four and possible the most laid back 4 yr old i've seen for a long time nothing seems to excite him! he was broken been turned away and been back in work for a couple of weeks had a jump on him being his first time thought he'd get a bit exited but didn't, he will eventually get into canter (with schooling whip and someone on the floor with lunge whip does't faze him!)
im thinking of maybe giving some oats or carry on with shcooling exercises but its difficult when he's more happy just mooching along! he happy hacking out so also thought about taking him for a beach ride or something to help him along with going off my leg better, i think he just doesn't understand properly!
 
Mine was very laid back when I first got - the first few gallops I attempted were hilarious. I tried to stretch him out across a massive field when I first tried him and he didn't move out of his steady lumbering canter
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now he has grown up though, and understands life and gets that things are exiciting I don't have this problem so much! he is still pretty laid back, but responsive and much more forwards thinking. I think it just takes time, don't go all out wiht whips etc, just go steady and I'm sure it'll come with time
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lol
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it must be the breed, daughter has 14h newforest x dartmoor & if he was any more laid back he'd be horizontal. At pc the instructor advised blunt spurs for schooling & this did help him move away from her legs. Good points he never gets fizzy at shows & competitions, we have changed his hard feed to give him more energy for when he is competing. This helps him stop snoozing between classes. Also recommend you take him hunting cos our boy justs loves this & now more forward at cc. Good luck. x
 
This is the reason, IMO, why NF ponies should be the first choice as kids ponies.

Forget the Welsh......stick your kid on a steady Newfie.
 
Leading / Lunging - plastic bag on the end of a stick? or

have you tried a giddy up rope or wip wop from www.intelligenthorsemanship.co.uk. I will explain more about how you would encourage movement as if you were riding - so hopefully you could adapt this to use the methods from on the ground.

The aim is to 'shock' the pony into going without the need for pain or loads of booting. The trouble is a pony can be become desensitized to your legs/whip, and soon won't distinguish walk from trot etc... and you can get them into a habit of each squeze means just take one stride as you just keep asking stride after stride after stride.

Instead what you can do is ask once with a nice squeze and give your horse a chance to respond - it is a request you ask of them, their choice to move, but they also have to live by the consequences of their actions. Ie: if they move brilliant (make sure hands are soft) and don't ask with leg anymore - think just want one command for walk, one for trot, and I expect pony to keep going - i shouldn't have to nag.

But if don't move, may want to hold onto saddle, get wip wop and sometimes just sight of this is enough to shock them into canter, altough you can shake it, hit it against you coat, twirl it like a windmill - vary it so they don't get used to it - you want to shock them into moving. As soon as they shoot forward you remove the wip wop and don't hold them back - if they have gone into canter, wait a few seconds before asking them to come back to you. Now stop, and give one squeeze again and see if your horse gets the idea - only bring out the wip wop if your horse hasn't listened to your squeze - the aim is to 'sensitize' them to your legs.

Also important before trying this method to ensure no physical reasons witholding this pony - vet check and saddle etc.

Sorry answered your question mainly from riding viewpoint, but may be helpful when you come to that - plastic bag on end of a stick might work (in a controlled, safe area) and lunging can sometimes be tricky for forward movement I find as the position your taught to be in acts as a natural block to the horse - just try standing at more of a 45' angle to their shoulder (if that makes sense) as if driving from behind and might feel able to move away more. The wip wop could be could in this situation though.
 
We have had two natives like this, they were both ridden and driven and were hardwork, then suddenly when they got to around 5 or 6 they altered and were very foward going. Personally I would rather have a youngster like this than one who you are always having to slow down.
 
[ QUOTE ]
This is the reason, IMO, why NF ponies should be the first choice as kids ponies.

Forget the Welsh......stick your kid on a steady Newfie.

[/ QUOTE ]
I couldn't agree more jm.We have a new forest ,he is rising 5.Has done all pc activities .Has proven to be steady and safe.Infact we went to an indoor rally today and he was a little star ,jumping grids and generally behaving ten times better than some of his older peers.Wish i could clone him!
 
I think this is something you should not be worried about. Forward-going-ness will come with time and personally I believe it is sooo much easier to encourage a horse to develop more 'oomph' than it is to try and steady up and calm an over-excited one.

My horse was v v laid back when I got him (he's 18 now) and was not fazed by anything. But as life goes on they develop their own 'personality' and generally with this sort of temperament they are willing to turn their hoof to anything. Mine had already done some BSJA successfully after a few outings as a 4 yo and in all the time I've had him he's done tonnes of BSJA/PC team SJ/X-Country both unaff and aff and has always been consistently good.

I don't see being laid back as a hinderence at all - keep them that way! As Stencilface said her horse did not get about galloping when we got him, I don't think he saw any reason to run faster! However, once it 'clicked' and he found he had a turn of speed he certainly enjoys showing it and he has turned into a very confident SJ/x-country horse. He is still a very laid back chap though.
 
Many thanks for all your comments and I'm glad I am not alone. My NF is actually a companion for my Welsh Section D who panics very easily, so in that respect is perfect for him. The difference in the breed is astounding. I agree NF are excellent childrens ponies.

Looking to start riding NF pony this summer and don't want to end up nagging to get her going forward. Will try the wip wop idea and possibly blunt spurs. Maybe, as Gypsycob suggested, as she gets older she might get the idea and speed up, especially in company. I suppose I should think myself lucky to have such a calm companion for my horse. I can leave NF in field on her own when out riding and she is quite happy, lead her on the roads without spooking (sometime feel embarrassed at how bored she looks!), and my 6 yr old neice should be able to ride her. Wish I had such a calm view on life! Thanks again for comments.
 
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