Napping pony - what to do

Ginger Bear

Ginger Bear

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We've had our little sanctuary fostered pony for about 4 weeks & the last 2 days she has become nappy in the ménage.. Prior to this she hasn't really put a foot wrong. . The problem is that she is ridden by my 10 yr old cousin & If she taps her with her whip she bucks.. Nothing major, but still.. Enough that a child wouldn't like it.. There's no particular time or place that she does it.. She could be working beautifully for about 15 mins then start napping, refuse to go forward, walk backwards or just stop altogether. .. Then after she's had her little episode she'll work lovely again.. Me standing in the middle of the school with a lunge line makes no difference at all., that just makes her more stubborn. Any advise much appreciated.. Have her old owner coming over Tomorroe to help.
 
Forgot to add she has only done it a couple of times but really want to nip it in the bud. We have been pushing her thru it & not letting her finish work until she does what we ask.
 
sounds exactly like my boy who I have had a year now.

I was just coming back from a back injury so I did all my argueing on the lunge. Think it would need to be the rider doing it though. I was very brave on the ground and insisted he went forward when asked, using a growl of my voice and running and charging him at him at times with the lunge whip. He did get a few hard smacks with the lunge line.

Then once I had his respect on the ground the voice would be enough to get him moving his feet. This transferred to the ridden work and I never have had to have the big bucking arguement whilst on his back.

He hasn't bucked now for months and if he does get a little stuck, the growl voice comes back and I think he expects a mad woman charging him swinging the lunge whip so he does move.

Maybe something you can try.

Just to add, he was never frightened or in pain, just a very cheeky boy who had gotten away with napping with previous owner.
 
Most new ponies try it on at some point and it sounds like this might be what is happening. But do follow first steps and rule out pain as any cause to check tack, teeth and back.

Once you know it isn't pain (and to be honest it doesn't sound like it as she works again after her strop - but do check.) then it is really a matter of knowing how to work around it. Once she realises she can't get away with it she'll stop.

My daughter's first pony did this with her too (she was 8 I think - a while ago now!) and it can be very scary for the child. If the whip is the problem you could try swapping a short whip for a longer one so she can keep her hands on the reins and still tickle with the whip. (But be careful she doesn't catch the pony in the mouth as she does it - and don't hit.) Or swap the whip all together for one of those "Wip-***" or "Giddy up" ropes that you just flap about rather than hit with. (Or use the reins the same way I guess.)

Really it is about giving the child enough tools and confidennce to cope whilst Pone figures out that she can't get away with it and she'll stop.
 
My NF does this although the bucking is disappearing. He'll plant or reverse or walk away from what I'm asking him to do. When he goes backwards I tend to just sit it out and then ask to go forwards again which he'll do. When he plants or turns away I just keep asking him to circle which again he'll grudgingly do and then he'll be ok again.
We did have a session a week ago where it took me 90 minutes just to get him to do one circuit of my arena in walk on both reins.
With him its definitely an avoidance tactic and a tantrum about being made to work. He thinks he should be a pet!
No real help for you other than to say I carry a schooling whip and am hoping he grows out of it!
 
I'd check firstly that she is in no pain so get a good physio to see her, or a chiro. Check her teeth, make sure her feet are okay and her saddle fits her properly.

If she still continues to nap turn her around so her bum is facing the direction you want to go and rein back. She will soon get bored of walking backwards. You may have to try this for a few times. Its the only thing that works for my horse when he plants on the road. Make sure that when you ask for her to go backwards you release the pressure on the reins a little so she doesn't rear. She will soon get the message but perseverance is the answer I'f afraid.
 
I'd see what the old owner says. Sometimes methods that work on a gelding don't on a mare as they just get more determined to have their own way. It is a case of not giving in but you have to be prepared to go the full way. Daughters decided at 4&1/2 she would be in charge of any riding. Wasn't napping as such & no pattern, just wanting to dictate speed & direction. With her it was a case of just sitting it out. It did come to a head one day in the field, pony wanting to canter left & daughter was asking her to trot right. It took an hour of sitting tight & since then she's been fine. But whilst pony wasn't going the whole hog to dump daughter, there were some pretty impressive bucks, broncs, tanking off then doing a 180 spin suddenly etc. So unless rider is happy to battle it out I'd see if owner has other suggestions first.
 
If you can I'd try get an older rider on her when she does it and get them to ride her through it. Then once she has got the message that it doesnt work put your cousin back on and get her to ride her through it.
 
Is the pony getting out on hacks? A lot become quite school sour if that is most of the work they do, a few trundles round the district may help to overcome this.
 
Yes been out on a few but has mostly been in the school.. Am going to get on her & hack For the next few days & do some stuff she enjoys like jumping & go from there.
 
I would suggest that you take the child rider out on her for a lead rein hack, so that the pony doesn't just associate that rider with boring school work
 
I'd get the long reins out. If the rider backs off when she bucks then this will encourage the behaviour if you use long reins you can 'ride' into the areas with less fear of behaviour thus win the battle on the ground before putting a child on board...
 
blitznbobs said:
I'd get the long reins out. If the rider backs off when she bucks then this will encourage the behaviour if you use long reins you can 'ride' into the areas with less fear of behaviour thus win the battle on the ground before putting a child on board...
Click to expand...

Oh wow, you have resurrected a very old post.. pomy went back to the sanctuary a year ago.. thanks anyway.
 
You have been given some good advice
I just had a thought tho, is pony used to be a lead rein? If she is she may lack a bit of confidence too. Probay wouldn't change what needs doing either :)
 
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