Naughty Pony, please help me

[muddipony]

Hi all,

I need some advice on riding my horse!

I bought him about 3 months ago. He hadn't hunted previously, and I have now taken him about a few times, but his behaviour is starting to put me off.

The first time, he was an angel for the whole time we were stood still, had one bucking fit halfway through the day when we were walking, but soon settled once he'd had a good trot.

The second time he was very fidgetty when stood still and very strong (not very stoppable) when on the move (only in a french link loose ring snaffle). He also started rearing when others started to move from standing still, but he could not - i.e. others still stood still infront of him.

3rd time I rode in a hanging cheek snaffle, which though not massivly strong, has solved the stopping problem. But his fidgetting continued, and what was small rears has progressed to a couple of full blown vertical ones.

4th and 5th time same as above, and this weekend he just turned awful. Massive fly bucks on the road when walking, rearing as soon as another horse looks to walk when we're stood still and not really standing still at all - just jigging around looking to run off at any given opportunity.

I'm quite an experienced rider (hence new details as a bit embarrased at this mess) so I have dealt with rearing/bucking before, but never quite like him.
He's absolutely fine as long as he's moving forward in either trot/canter/gallop and is fine out hacking at home either on his own/in company. He has had his back/teeth and saddle checked and although his teeth were very bad before, they are now fine.

Tea and biscuits to all who made it this far - that's certainly what i need after hunting on him!!

 

[be positive]

If he was mine ans getting progressively worse I would either get someone else to take him out and see if they can instill some manners into him or, more likely, I would stop before it gets worse, spend the next few months getting down to some basic work do plenty of hacking in company, pleasure rides, where you can dictate the pace you go at, then start again Autumn hunting which will give you a chance to really establish everything.
It may be he will not be the hunter you need and never settles to it, I had one that reared and was never going to do the job, he went to a SJ home.

 

[Tickles]

I take it that you school/hack/jump/xc-school etc at other times and he is fine in those circumstances? If it is only hunting that there are issues with perhaps post in that section of the forum? I'm too scared to go in there yet but I'm sure you'll be fine!

 

[Tinsel Trouble]

My Welsh does this- we used to get sent home regularly for taking out the lead rein ponies and sitting on car bonnets (one memorable time the car belonged to a photographer from the Shooting Times and he was photographing his gf at the time!)

They do settle- finish this season now, do lots of riding club, local shows... anything that involves being around other horses and them doing their own thing- and then start with Autumn hunting next year.

 

[muddipony]

Thank you for your replies!

I am a keen hunter, and bought him for that main purpose so i would like to solve the problem, but i appreciate that this may not be the career for him, and i may have to find him another job.

He is a little nappy when hacking out on his own, but i'm quite a positive rider, and can push him through this with no problem.

I'm not sure i'f i'm making it worse by riding him forwards positively when he's being a d*$k because i think this is what he wants, so he's getting his own way, but not really sure how to stop him standing up / fidgetting beyond what is ignorable.

He is very good when he is going faster than a walk and thinking forwards.

 

[angelish]

Hi
Only thing I have to offer is don't try to make him stand still when your waiting , just quietly walk in circles or even take him to one side when there is a wait and walk & trot , do a little schooling

If you try to force him to stand still it will only mke him worse , I'd also try and stay up front and be quick to move off and stay up there rather than let him feel left behind

This help a little with mine as he would throw himself in the air at any opportunity , even out hacking if there was a horse in the distance

I also found havin a friend on a sensible horse helped as id glue mine to that and get her to stay behind so he'd wait for her rather than being to keen to rush off

Good luck

 

[LiveryList]

Yes i would agree with above. If he doesn't get to stand still he cant rear and prat about but this is not always feasible or practical. It seems to m,e like the excitement and eagerness is a bit too much for him. What is he like if you go anywhere else crowded or have you not tried. If you want to use him solely for hunting and therefore need to solve this problem how about trying to introduce him to groups of rider where there is not the pressure or excitementof hunting- i.e warm up rings at events (even if you go there only for that purpose and do not compete) as if he learns in situations like that where it is busy that there is no mind blowing outcome to it he may settle in the hunting field as he will learn to cope with the busy-ness. Just an idea. Perhaps you could take him XC schooling in a group see how he is then on the same basis as suggested? It is a very difficult situation though as if he is getting worse and you persevere you dont quite know where it will lead :s

 

[lcharles]

What about having him on the contact when stood still and asking him to walk backwards, forwards a couple of steps then back again and keep him listening and keep his mind busy rather than just standing there? Have you tried this? x When mine is a fidget, he is similar and will walk backwards, rear, buck etc but i try to keep him thinking before he starts it as once he has started i have to ride him forwards and then make him stand. My horse only tends to prat about when he isn't being asked to do something so keeping him on the contact, steps back, steps forwards, push him across to either side etc. seems to work. xx

 

[muddipony]

*******, that's a fantastic idea- can't believe i've not considered it as there's a competition centre quite local to me - I only really 'do' hunting/hacking so it hadn't entered my mind - will take him there this weekend just for a look-see. Thank you!

ICharles, yes I will try this too, I have been trying to keep the contact as relaxed as possible so that i'm not giving him reason to rear, but as this clearly isn't working, I think your suggestion is definitely worth a try. Thank you