lead rein pony 'planting' at gate - advice please

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my daughters lead rein pony who we have had about 3 months is very kind and safe but has recently started parking at the yard gate after one lap of the field ( no school ) and refusing to move. this ahs only recently started but my daughter has only just started wanting to do more than one lap. I do in hand work with him and keep him ticking over and obedient and long rein and lunging, he does move off after some persuasion some time involving a few taps with a schooling whip. do we just keep doing this is is there something else we should be doing ? he is only walking and a tiny bit of trot with her, has a cub saddle and she is a small 3 so I cant beleive he is uncomfortable ! I dont want to get into a fight with him with her on board. thanks !
 
Do you normally start and finish your laps at the gate? If so, he is probably just thinking the ride is over and why the hell do you want me to keep going. Stubborn little ponies are not uncommon :)

I would probably go up and tack him up, no daughter, just in hand tacked up and walk him a lap around the field. Go straight past the gate and don't stop. Without your daughter there, if he does stop and plant, you can get after him straight away.

Also, when your daughter is riding...either ask her before you get to the gate if she wants to go around again or stop in plenty of time before the gate to ask her so that if she does, you can just walk straight past the gate rather than stop and have to start again at that point.
 
How big is the pony? Can you get a bigger rider on to sort it, it probably won't take long if you can stop it before it becomes a real habit.
 
he is 13.2 welsh x cob. I could ride him height wise am just worried am too heavy for him but maybe a few short sit ons just to sort it out would be ok ? I dont want to flatten him ( am pushing 12 st ).
 
Try not doing laps for a while :) If he has learned that the gate is where rides end, then don't go there. Go half way around field, turn and go half way back. Ideally, don't let every ride finish at the gate, so once you've changed direction a few times, try passing the gate. As soon as he passes it, tell him he's a good boy and finish the ride. Next time, same - change directions a few times within the ride, and try passing the gate a couple of times before ending.

If he plants elsewhere, then you can think about why, but it does sound as though he's learned a routine and is just wanting to stick with it.
 
all good advice thank you. have been doing most of these things this weekend as issue only just started. prob my fault as was trying to encourage daughter that she couldnt just get off whenever and wherever she fancied ( especially without mentioning it to mummy !) so to avoid issues with her we got into having to finish the lap thereby inadvertantly causing issues with pony. stupid mummy !! ps - I know 13.2 is a bit big for a 3 yr olds lead rein pony but he was offered to us and we thought better a 13.2 we knew to be safe than a smaller unknown entity as she wont be riding independantly for a good few years yet.
 
no unfortunately he doesnt which I know isnt great but I dont know any adults that are small enough and interested and I am reluctant to put up someone elses child in case anything happened - he is good on lead rein but dont know what he is like off it ( nappy i would imagine if this weekend is anything to go by ! )
 
From what you said I'd get on him your self a few times a week. It won't do him any harm in the long term to be used to going off the lead rein. If any thing it will make it easier for when your daughter is ready.

You could try get a teenager or small adult to ride him for you, emailing the local pc might be a good place to start if you want to get some one other than your self on him.
 
maybe he is a little bored and if he was doing stuff with an older child now when your little one comes of lead rein he will be an old hand at stuff,get someone else to take him out and about get him doing something other than laps of the same field thats just like walking round your garden all day but never leaving-it would make me go mad
 
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