My little psycho pony

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Fionafaye

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My 14.2hh mare is a complete psycho. Every time I trot her she sticks her nose in the air ( her face is almost horizontal), rushes and jumps into canter every second stride. She does not have a back problem (I got it checked), her saddle fits perfectly (I got it checked too) and the dentist has just been so there is no problem there either. I am 10 stone and she is quite big boned(she is welsh cob x tb) so I dont think there is a problem there. It is getting to the stage now where I actually dread riding her. My muscles are always aching within the first 10 mins of getting on. She loves jumping and can jump over a meter with ease but in between jumps she goes into a gallop and wont turn. I have tried an stronger bit, a martingale, calming powder but nothing seems to work. I have also tried cantering round the feild heaps of times to try and get the urge to canter out of her but it makes no difference. I ride her about 2-3 times a week, sometimes more. Does anyone know what I could do? Should I go back to basics and start lunging her and work my way up or what? Has anyone have a horse/pony that acts like this?
 
What turn out does she have? Have you had a vet to give her the once over ? And if you can, it might help to ride her more? If time allows x
 
She is out from 9am to around 4pm and she has plenty of room to run around should she wish to do so. The vet was just here about two weeks ago for vaccinations and I always get them checked over just to make sure but she didn't pick up on anything then. Well I try to ride her as much as I can but I am still at school so have lots of homework to do so I try and ride my horses on alternate days (my youngster one day and this one the next) but the summer hols is coming up so I will have more time then. It is jumping and schooling, she is fine on hack but I normally just walk then so I don't know how she is when trotting.
 
My OH has been helping someone who has just these issues with her NF gelding. From watching and listening to the sessions I would say take a look at your riding style, pay particular attention to how much leg you are applying and where, also try to see if you are gripping with your lower leg / ankles when your pony gallops. Last are you sitting DOWN while all this is going on.

I am not for an instant saying you are a bad rider, the girl my OH has been helping is a super rider, tons of ability and confidence, it is just that as her pony has got stronger she has developed some 'self preservation' techniques, which in turn have made her pony stronger and faster still.

The backup plan to these sessions was to get me to ride the NF. I weight 12 stone and they figured half and hour tearing around with me on his back would wear the poor fella out.
 
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