Nappy pony in Arena.

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Hi I have posted on here before about my daughters whos 9 , nappy pony (Age 14 )in Arena. He is amazing hacking !
He was the worst ever at planting on the Arena and refusing to move.
Any way she has been having lessons every couple of weeks in the Arena and I now have a teenager riding him a day in the week.
The planting has finally stopped in the Arena ! Which is great she has been managing to walk and trot round on her own. Anyway today he did a new trick we went to Arena to get some practice before her next lesson. And he was perfect for 10 mins. Walking and trotting. Then he stopped and starting pawing at the ground and doing like tiny mini rears. She was really unnerved by this. I got on him. And he didn't do it. I really don't want that becoming a habit ! Any advice welcome.
He is still amazing out hacking and most times he's great in the Arena lately. But today has really knocked her confidence .
Thankyou for reading x

 

[twiggy2]

Has he had a vet check?

 

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Has he had a vet check?

Yes he has. And also had physio and tack checked too x

 

[dixie]

I would also suggest a vet check.
Soft tissue damage such as suspensory can sometimes only show up on a surface and they’re not necessarily lame especially if it’s just a niggle.

 

[ycbm]

Yes he has. And also had physio and tack checked too x

What did the vet check?
.

 

[lynz88]

This is a vet issue IMO. Mine will do similar if something is wrong.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

This was my Connie. Perfect hacking but put him in the arena and he suddenly started rolling. Looked sound on hard ground but he was obviously not happy being in the school. Turned out he had tweaked a suspensory and was trying to tell me he was hurting. I could have ridden him through it by thinking he was being naughty but he’s a genuine pony so I knew something was wrong and it was my job to find out what it was. It was such a subtle injury even the vet wasn’t sure until she scanned both legs and found the thickening in the near fore tendon.

 

[Wizpop]

From my experience, I would agree with the others. He is definitely trying to tell you something is wrong. If you continue to ride him in the arena, and ‘ride him through it’, you could risk making the problem worse.

 

[Jenko109]

They do not come up with 'new tricks'

He has found a new way of communicating that something is wrong.

 

[HopOnTrot]

If it’s not pain, it’s pain and if it’s not pain, it’s pain.

My mare was 100% hacking, hunting, fun rides, could tack her up loose in a field but in the school she would spook, shoot off and buck a couple of times and then be totally fine… she had 4x kissing spines on x-ray.

 

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I would also suggest a vet check.
Soft tissue damage such as suspensory can sometimes only show up on a surface and they’re not necessarily lame especially if it’s just

 

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Thanks all. I have the vet coming to do his injections so will have a chat with them. Just ro clarify though he has never done any schooling before coming to us. And is quite a nappy pony x

 

[maya2008]

Does he follow out hacking, or is he in front or on his own? Having a child onboard is different from an adult or a teenager, they cannot give confidence and direction in the same way. Many ponies will baulk at going first with a child, where they might be just fine with a teen or adult. Equally, how is your child’s riding? Are they giving mixed signals? Are their hands steady? When was the dentist last out?

 

[mustardsmum]

Def look into this - had similar and turned out to be ulcers. Pony mainly fine hacking but put him on a circle in the school and he would stop and refuse to move. Not sure if the ulcers were because he was moved from the home he’d always been in to me, a saddle issue now resolved, or if we have something else going on (like others, I am a bit worried about suspensories which will be my next line of investigation) we’ve just finished ulcer treatment so the next few weeks we will see…. I absolutely think think this sort of behaviour is for a reason and we have to work out what’s going on. I get so frustrated when people say ride them through it.

 

[Wizpop]

Interesting that he is described as ‘ a nappy pony’ Could he have a long standing issue and it’s been assumed ‘ Oh that’s just him. It’s what he does?’
My vet told me about a horse he went to see that would hack out just fine but, if turned towards the school on leaving the stable, he would buck till the rider came off!
I think he was diagnosed with ulcers although he didn’t display any other ‘ typical’ signs.
Hope you manage to get to the bottom of it with your vet

 

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Does he follow out hacking, or is he in front or on his own? Having a child onboard is different from an adult or a teenager, they cannot give confidence and direction in the same way. Many ponies will baulk at going first with a child, where they might be just fine with a teen or adult. Equally, how is your child’s riding? Are they giving mixed signals? Are their hands steady? When was the dentist last out?

Hi sorry only just seen this. Yes he mainly follows on hacks and if he's on his own he he has me walking at the side of him. He hates going up front.
She probably is giving him mixed signals. When I get on him in the arena he's fine x

 

[maya2008]

I would long rein him to get him more confident going forwards on his own, then get him going first for small periods of time out hacking with the child on board. Support from behind as needed. In walk at first, then slowly increase time and speed until your daughter can happily hack in front for a whole ride. Your arena issues should disappear at that point.

That’s what has always worked for us!

 

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I would long rein him to get him more confident going forwards on his own, then get him going first for small periods of time out hacking with the child on board. Support from behind as needed. In walk at first, then slowly increase time and speed until your daughter can happily hack in front for a whole ride. Your arena issues should disappear at that point.

That’s what has always worked for us!

I think your absolutely right. We had an older child riding him for a few week and we just walked behind she got him going up front and he was much better in the arena at that time. So will definitely work on that while out hacking. Have you had similer issues ? xx

 

[maya2008]

I think your absolutely right. We had an older child riding him for a few week and we just walked behind she got him going up front and he was much better in the arena at that time. So will definitely work on that while out hacking. Have you had similer issues ? xx

Yes - particularly with geldings. Mares are more likely to just shrug and go first without issue. With an adult on board, a gelding will fuss and maybe nap a bit, but will soon learn to go forwards nicely because they can take confidence from their rider. With a child? Nope. Then they get away with it and don’t work through it because the child cannot give them confidence and push them through. We have backed two geldings for the kids so far, and both had to have help going forwards out hacking (and argued about it) before they would happily go first in an arena. All ponies who have become used to lead rein also need the same refresher. Taking our LR Shetland off when the kids were young was a trial and a half!

Send him first hacking and long rein him yourself - if you don’t know how, YouTube is your friend!!

 

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Yes - particularly with geldings. Mares are more likely to just shrug and go first without issue. With an adult on board, a gelding will fuss and maybe nap a bit, but will soon learn to go forwards nicely because they can take confidence from their rider. With a child? Nope. Then they get away with it and don’t work through it because the child cannot give them confidence and push them through. We have backed two geldings for the kids so far, and both had to have help going forwards out hacking (and argued about it) before they would happily go first in an arena. All ponies who have become used to lead rein also need the same refresher. Taking our LR Shetland off when the kids were young was a trial and a half!

Send him first hacking and long rein him yourself - if you don’t know how, YouTube is your friend!!

This is what I am going to do go back to hacking and long reining him. My mare is so easy going compared to him. So if my daughter wants to do some arena work she cam just take her in for now.
Thanks for your advice xx