new forest traits

[waterfront]

anybody else have a new forest that can be rude and bolshy, lively(when he feels like it) but dead on his feet in the school. He manages to make a lot of things hard work, but we still love him oh and he may be part crossed with a mule as his stubborness has to be seen to be believed. Do any of these traits ring any bells with other NF owners? Seriously though I would appreciate some simple schooling tips . He's rising 5 and is lunged and longreigned reguarly but I struggle to find a simple but effective fittening schooling routine as he's constantly trying new tricks to evade going forward unless he decides he wants to for his own reasons. He does get hacked out and is generally very good but not 100% in heavy traffic so I have to choose times carefully. any advice much appreciated,thanks

 

[loulabelle]

definately agree with the bolshiness but mines only rising 3 so cant coment on how he is when ridden....all though he has a fab character and is great around the kids its just adults he thinks he can push around!

 

[Tilda]

My mare is suspected to be TB x NF by both my yard manager and my vet. She is also the most opinionated, argumentative, stubborn horse most people have ever come across! She is lively out hacking and will buck if she doesn't get her own way (not big bucks just like she is having a tantrum!) and in the school she has tried everything to get out of working hard including spooking, spinning and her current favourite running away in trot!

Despite this I have a real connection with the little madam and although I am debating selling her due to her antics out hacking (she's really not that bad it's my confidence that's the issue) I am finding it a very difficult decision because when she is good she is fabulous lol!

 

[MiCsarah]

My YO bought a 6yr old NF mare for her novice daughter.It hasnt turned out well as i find you have to make the mare think everything is her idea and telling her to do something doesnt work. YO and daughter dont get on at all so unfortunatly pony is for sale again

 

[be positive]

Mine is great to hack but only really goes forward in the school when jumping, he lives to jump[and eat] is the most genuine pony, never bolshy or rude.

 

[shadowboy]

Nope mine is the sweetest fun boy ever. Really easy to back and does everything like a pro. Hates being naughty.

 

[Jesstickle]

There are several on my yard and all bar one of them are fabby, forward thinking fun little things

 

[Fii]

NF ponies are very quick to learn, they pick up thing really easily, they can think for themselves and get themselves out of trouble.
Unfortunatly this can work against us mere humans, as if you arent carefull they also learn bad habits quickly as well!!
I have five of them(one out on loan) and they are all different.
A quiet but firm aproach to all activities is best. And dont over feed, unless you are doing really hard work, i dont feed hard food at all.

 

[BillyBob-Sleigh]

My first pony was a New Forest, he was the best pony ever! Sure, he would be a naughty little sod the majority of the time (used to do PC games and he would take great delight in putting on a rodeo show!) would only go in the trailer on his terms, he would always go in but had to decide when he was ready! Saying that though, he definitely taught me to have a sticky seat and he used to really look after me out hunting, would stand for hours to be groomed, always kept up with the bigger horses on hacks and had a go at everything! We had him from 5-11years and the people we sold him to still have him now! Had he been a few hands bigger I would never have parted with him.

 

[Cocorules]

No new forests I have come across have been sweet and sensitive and really lovely. Agree with the poster who said no hard feed as they live on fresh air.

 

[NeilM]

Mine is great to hack but only really goes forward in the school when jumping, he lives to jump[and eat] is the most genuine pony, never bolshy or rude.

^^^^^ This ^^^^^

My NF gelding can be stubborn, but usually when he does not understand what's wanted. The lady who broke him said he was the most stubborn pony she had ever broken

He does work in the school, but he does not really enjoy it (that makes two of us).

He LOVES to go to new places, and is always keen to 'see what's around the next corner', but ask him to do the same thing over and over (other than jump or eat) and he can get a bit grumpy, and we have been known to 'argue' (I always know when an argument is brewing ).

He is never rude or pushy, either ridden or in hand, but he won't tolerate weak riders and his wicked sense of humour kicks in big time. Give him an inch and he'll take a mile, thank you.

My OH's mare is an entirely different person. But the main thing they have in common is that if they don't trust you and /or they don't understand what you want, then you have to rephrase the question, or wait.....a looong time.

 

[Beatrice5]

My chap is rising 5 this summer and is a real dude. I adore him he is far far more intelligent than my 2 horses ;0)

He is sensitive and responsive to the aids, forwards going and very level headed. Cracking jump and very quick thinking. A real escape artist and comedian...!

He doesn't enjoy the sand school but is better in the rubber one.

One thing I would ask is what is your surface like in your school? My chap really dislike the deeper sand school as it is blinkin hard work. Also lunging and long lining can be a little less interesting for some ponies than hacking.

When I was backing my chap he soon lost impulsion in the school and started to switch off so I took him out on short schooling hacks instead. This made far more sense to him and we soon picked up pace and purpose and started to enjoy our sessions more.

 

[SpruceRI]

No new forests I have come across have been sweet and sensitive and really lovely. Agree with the poster who said no hard feed as they live on fresh air.

Is this one of the 'Eats shoots and leaves' quotes??

"No new forests I have come across have been sweet and sensitive and really lovely"... meaning they're all horrible or,

"No, new forests I have come across have been sweet and sensitive and really lovely".... meaning all the New Forests are sweet, sensitive and really lovely!!!

Sorry... just made me chuckle!!

 

[TelH]

Mine is the proverbrial chestnut mare She can be utterly unpleasant at times, she has pinned a vet to the wall twice and she once spun her backside round on the farrier and sent him flying into the back of his van Often when she is working she gets very easily bored and shuffles round like she cba But then there is the flip side, where, if she feels like it, she will out perform any of my other ponies by a mile. She will fly and be absolutely foot perfect at a show, almost all of my biggest successes at shows have been with her I think her attitude is part of her appeal for me, you can never rest on your laurels with her cos she will have you for breakfast

 

[Holly Hocks]

I got a NF cross a few weeks ago - two and a half years old. She's such a gorgeous person. However she is very bargey (could be her age and history though - nothing to say that it's her breeding) and I am being very firm with her. Yesterday three of the other girls were going out for a hack and I led my little mare along with them. I started out with her on the inside of my friend's arab and she was great, but then started to get a bit tired and impatient. When they stopped for something, my little mare went to the front and led for the last 10 minutes of the hack - no messing, no shying - she is ultra confident and doesn't seem to have fear of much - just a bit bargey. But I think she is going to make a fabulous, if opinionated pony.

 

[team barney]

I've found them to be super little ponies, never met one with a bad attitude and certainly never come across a bolshy one - they have all been exceptionally well mannered.

 

[Beatrice5]

Willow is very polite the only time he can be bargey is when he is worried and frightened such as when he had colic and the vet wanted to give him an injection and for that we forgive him.

The vet and I had a good dose from the first attempt of the anti spas and reassured him it really wasn't that bad and with the help of a bucket of nuts we got the job done and he settled down ;0)

This is my first Newfie and only bought as a cheap companion for T and I must say I am really impressed. A lot more level headed than the welshies I have owned and generally a really nice sensible chap who still has a bit about him.

 

[Swift08]

All the ones I have come across have been highly intelligent and sensitive with people, not in a dangerous way, just they react differently depending on the person. Pharaoh was 1/2 TB 1/2 NF, he was willful and quirky but a saint with me and I could read him like a book. Sadly, those who thought they knew better (he HAD to be led in a bridle!) ALWAYS suffered....
Sasha is a 1/4 TB 3/4 NF, with me she is wonderful and very affectionate. It took a few weeks for us to get used to each other but now the boundaries are firmly in place we are fine. She does mess about with others though, she knows exactly which buttons to push and can barge them if she thinks she can get away with it. She's only 2 though and is improving with everyone so much.
Newfies are awesome little ponies though once you get a good relationship they are brilliant and full of character!

 

[PennyJ]

anybody else have a new forest that can be rude and bolshy, lively(when he feels like it) but dead on his feet in the school. He manages to make a lot of things hard work, but we still love him oh and he may be part crossed with a mule as his stubborness has to be seen to be believed. Do any of these traits ring any bells with other NF owners? Seriously though I would appreciate some simple schooling tips . He's rising 5 and is lunged and longreigned reguarly but I struggle to find a simple but effective fittening schooling routine as he's constantly trying new tricks to evade going forward unless he decides he wants to for his own reasons. He does get hacked out and is generally very good but not 100% in heavy traffic so I have to choose times carefully. any advice much appreciated,thanks

I would suspect he is telling you he finds schooling boring, can you blame him? I would try to do as much as you can out hacking, you can be very strict that he does it all "properly" The more you do it, the better he will become with the traffic. Practice makes perfect as they say. Assuming that he's forest bred, remember that he was brought up with traffic until he came off the forest, so probably just needs you to keep telling him he's being a brave soldier when he gets a bit twitchy.

It's getting silly, I now have 7 of them, the eldest is 12. He is absolutely wonderful, but oh so clever and it is a battle of wits with him, he likes to work in a partnership, and will put in the odd spook or grunt, then try to run off with you to check you are still paying attention if you haven't told him how wonderful he is for the last 10 minutes... You need constantly to be one step ahead of him. Then when he wants to make me laugh, he does this slooooow jog that sets up a bow wave motion with my bust, he kind of piaffes along, neck arched, ears pricked, so I know this is a deliberate act on his part. Can you tell I love him to bits?

Yes they can be stubborn or bolshy, but there is usually a reason for it, you just need to work out what their problem is. I do try and distract him rather like you would a toddler before he gets really stroppy, it does work, as does jollying him along when he's making it clear he doesn't want to do something. Bottom line is he's cheeky, artful, crafty but fab in traffic, honest and genuine, loves his jumping, turns his hoof to anything and is a real family pony as well. There isn't a malicious bone in his body. He can also count to ten which is a real pain actually. Too much halt, count to five then me choose a movement like rein back, turn a circle etc to get him listening to me rather than trying to anticipate all the time, but it has rather backfired... He now counts himself then anticipates the moving off... Little tinker.

Mine are a very mannerly bunch, they really are very good particularly my colt foals (well yearlings now I suppose), I try to be firm but fair with them all and stick to a routine which they seem to like.

 

[LiffWee93]

Mine are all fab used to have attitudes but have since learnt respect my 5yo used to refuse to move In the school but learnt it all out hacking now he's an absolute saint, and all have a cracking jump xx

 

[NeilM]

I would suspect he is telling you he finds schooling boring, can you blame him? I would try to do as much as you can out hacking, you can be very strict that he does it all "properly" The more you do it, the better he will become with the traffic. Practice makes perfect as they say. Assuming that he's forest bred, remember that he was brought up with traffic until he came off the forest, so probably just needs you to keep telling him he's being a brave soldier when he gets a bit twitchy.

It's getting silly, I now have 7 of them, the eldest is 12. He is absolutely wonderful, but oh so clever and it is a battle of wits with him, he likes to work in a partnership, and will put in the odd spook or grunt, then try to run off with you to check you are still paying attention if you haven't told him how wonderful he is for the last 10 minutes... You need constantly to be one step ahead of him. Then when he wants to make me laugh, he does this slooooow jog that sets up a bow wave motion with my bust, he kind of piaffes along, neck arched, ears pricked, so I know this is a deliberate act on his part. Can you tell I love him to bits?

Yes they can be stubborn or bolshy, but there is usually a reason for it, you just need to work out what their problem is. I do try and distract him rather like you would a toddler before he gets really stroppy, it does work, as does jollying him along when he's making it clear he doesn't want to do something. Bottom line is he's cheeky, artful, crafty but fab in traffic, honest and genuine, loves his jumping, turns his hoof to anything and is a real family pony as well. There isn't a malicious bone in his body. He can also count to ten which is a real pain actually. Too much halt, count to five then me choose a movement like rein back, turn a circle etc to get him listening to me rather than trying to anticipate all the time, but it has rather backfired... He now counts himself then anticipates the moving off... Little tinker.

Mine are a very mannerly bunch, they really are very good particularly my colt foals (well yearlings now I suppose), I try to be firm but fair with them all and stick to a routine which they seem to like.

What a great post. I think you describe Foresters to a T.

I am sure the reason my lad is so bold, when going somewhere new, is down to his being born and raised in the forest. I am sure his lust for food...any food, anywhere, anytime, has the same root cause.

One thing that did surprise me with H; he is petrified of foals I can only assume that when he was a foal, all the other mares had foals too, and that they all grew up, were weaned and sold at the same time, so he never got to spend time with youngsters, other than those his age.

I also think that Foresters have a little bit of Arab in there, as they do like one lynchpin person who they can bond with. They don't mind working or being ridden by others, but they like to have that one special connection that they can rely on. Again, forest upbringing I suppose.

 

[Kyo's Mum]

Made me chuckle reading this. I have a New Forest Mare, she ran as part of a semi-ferral herd on the forest. I backed her at 6 and she's now 18! She was easy to back, day one put saddle on and see how she did, ended up mounting and trotting in the school, I only expected saddle on! Day two out for hack with a friend walk and trot, day three same friend out for hack w,t,c, day four our by ourselves (all of this on the open forest) w,t,c. Day five popped coloured cross poles for fun. Took years for her to get lunging, and she hates schooling but will do everything out hacking. Was the same when broke her to drive, judge was alittle surprised when we went to a show and came first in the private driving. She asked how many years we had been driving my pony, the answer 'since Wednesday' came as a shock as it was Saturday.

The first summer she was backed bucking was her thing 38+ on one hack, but all I could sit. The second summer it was drop shoulder spin, lots of de-bunking on hacks until I learned to sit. One summer pink flowers were horse killers too.

But, I wouldn't swap her for the world. She will hack anywhere, and is fab in heavy traffic. New hacks are her favourite, if you do the same hack too regularly she will invent monsters even now! Everything with her is a negotiation, you ask don't tell!! And there should be a photo of her in the dictionary next to stubborn. But I love her to bits and she has saved my life on a few occasions!

She has a 3 years old, who so far has all the best qualities of his mum, he's 50% NF.

My girl rides like a horse(stride) but thinks like a pony, best of both xx