Lead rein pony moving off the lead rein - leaning problem

[Orchardbeck]

We are schooling our lead rein pony to go off the lead rein -she has a quiet temperament and is responding to leg aids now after having been long reined - she is very responsive to voice commands. Only thing is she is leaning on my daughter's hands quite a bit and my daughter gets tired. We use Balance Support reins most of the time, but I've been advised (by different people) to put side reins on her when ridden, and try a Pelham for a few sessions.

My worry with the Pelham is that she will lower her head even more - the bit she seem to get on with best is a Bevel with a flat french link - lozenge bits are too thick for her mouth. We have also tried her in a Mullen mouth eggbutt and Cambridge mouth magic bit - she seems to like the straightness of these but it doesn't stop her leaning. I haven't tried a standard single jointed snaffle yet - I don't know if I should?

Can anyone give me any advise me? I have a small older child lined up to school her a bit but not for a little while, and I don't want to damage her.

 

[be positive]

Just like any green horse they will go through a leaning stage until they find their own balance and push more from behind, many little ponies don't have enough room for a double joint and prefer single or straight bits, the double joints can end up on the bars if they have a narrow lower jaw so worth trying a single jointed one.
I do sometimes use side reins, with care, I would not use a pelham unless the child can use two reins as a split rein or rounding will probably make it lean more although initially it may seem to help long term it probably wont, my go to is to lunge the child and get the pony really actively coming through from behind ideally with no reins or a long rein so there is no possibility of leaning and encourage self carriage, working on a long rein regularly when loose is a stage often missed out and even if the pony really reaches down it will encourage the back to lift and give your daughter a break, remember the pony can only lean if there is something to lean on so give and takes are also useful as are loads of transitions, polework and trotting uphill out hacking, think of it as a horse and you won't go far wrong, the main priority is that the pony is kind and safe.

 

[Orchardbeck]

Thank you so much, this is really helpful advice! I'd avoided single jointed bits but I genuinely think her mouth is too narrow for a lozenge/ french link. It's good to know we are just in a phase too - the pony is kind, but because she is schooled to the voice and nose pressure from the lead rein we are still working on brakes and steering - she seems to be understanding the leg anyway. I've never done this transition (lead rein to ridden) before so we're just taking it slowly.