Need help gaining brakes..

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Anneliese

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Hi, i hope someone can help, i need some help with stopping a pony im looking after!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am helping ride and train a pony for some children, that i personally see as a pretty dangerous pony! hes a lovely chubby thing, very friendly, but sometimes gets very excited when your on a hack and step foot into a field. When you do canter him out he is hard to stop but i can usually manage! But the main problem is when he gets nervous or too excited he will just barge out into oncoming traffic and wont stop at roads no matter how hard i pull so mainly have to result in doing a sharp circle to avoid cars! last night when schooling him (when hes always been fine with brakes) he bolted off after a buck and would have mowed down anyone in his way i had to circle him for a couple of minutes until he came back to a trot. I then used my stick on him to make him aware that that behaviour was a definite NO NO and he bolted again!! i have never come across a horse so unwilling to listen on the bit and would like some advice on how to gain some brakes as i think im more worried about the childrens safety with their pony.

He is riden in a pehlum bit. I thought it was definitely to do with his teeth, but they were checked today and were fine, just filled down a little. And his back has also been checked and theres nothing to suggest that would make him have no brakes!!! if changing the bit would be an idea-then what to?

Any ideas would be much appreciated, as i want this problem sorting for all our saftys, thanks guys x
 
What qualifications do you have to train a pony? I would get some help from an instructor as I would have thought anyone could work out that hitting a pony which had bolted and stopped might make it go again. Why hit him once he had done what you wanted? How is he to know that stopping was the right thing to do? It's a bit like people who hit horses that are hard to catch once they've caught them - what is that teaching the horse?
 
Completely agree with hoggedmane - crazy to hit the horse once he had stopped -this is the point he should have neen rewarded - i would also suggest you dont take him near traffic till he does learn to stop. How are you using the pelham? Does it have 2 reins or roundings and is the curb fitted correctly?
 
You say he is chubby - how much feed is he getting and how much turnout/grazing and how often is he worked? If he is getting too much grass/feed and not enough exercise it might be making your problems worse!

Agree with the others that it sounds like you really need a good instructor and perhaps might be also be a good idea to get hold of a book on horse psychology so you can understand how exactly how their minds work and how they learn to do what you want!
 
back to basics i think. and ifyou cant stop in a pelham god help you. needs to work from behind into his bridle and soften his neck .... hard to get in a pelham.
 
First of all rule out pain. Then make sure pony isnt being fed too much or the wrong type of food. Then the pony needs schooling and training so it understands aids and what you are asking of him. he may never have been schooled properly and may be running off because he doesnt understand. You should always try to use weight/seat aids first anyway, the bit is the last resort. If the pony doesnt know what weight aids are then he needs to be taught. It also sounds like he needs more traffic training, starting at the beginning with a good nanny and step by step.

You need to start at the beginning again, with help, and take it at the ponys pace not at what anyone thinks he should be doing. It takes time, kindness and patience. Until that is done the pony isnt safe. It is also not fair on the pony because it sounds like he is confused and hitting him will not help. The whip shouldnt be used as a substitute for training.
 
i say the same a s every one else but my mare could run out of a pelham so now in a french link hanging cheek with a drop nose band and touching wood it is helping
 
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