new horse problems?

[ryan]

Hi after searching for a long time for a safe, sane reliable 14.2 I found a connemara 6 years old about 10 weeks ago. My old connemara is retired and was very safe and reliable.

The new boy is completely different, quite forward but I feel fairly safe and we are learning together with my instructor's help. My problem is his temperament is completely different - he is a "busy" nosy character, picking up buckets, brushes etc and throwing them on the ground to get attention. Hes quite pushy and nippy but I am managing to teach him better manners. I am trying to convince myself that I am not beginning to lose confidence because of his attitude - to me I think of him as big headed and cocky with me, which I feel I have to assert myself. At the moment he is out at night and comes in in the morning but absolutely plastered in mud and I will have to swop him over but wonder if this will make him all the more lively being in all night?

I lunged him this morning in the wind and rain and he went berserk kicking and bucking. I don't want to make him too fit by lunging everytime.

Do you think with age he will become more mellow and gentler. I keep him at home so when I begin to get despondent no-one is there to tell me not to be silly.

 

[Jenny Wrenny]

Sorry to hear you are having a few teething problems. Your new horse is young and it sounds like he is testing the boundaries, which is natural - we as humans do this too. Be firm with him, but fair and consistent and he will get the message. He also sounds like he is quite a character but don't mistake his character for naughty behaviour just because he is nosey and different to your old horse. He is an individual, young, in a new environment and is being inquisitive. My mare is very nosey and it makes me laugh, it is her character and I imagine if she were a human she would be a nosey neighbour, a bit of a busy body, but I love her to bits for it and wouldn't want her any other way!

You say that you feel safe on him which is good and you have the help of your instructor at hand. Does your instructor feel that you are getting on well together and making progress?

To be fair, lunging in the wind and rain could upskittle the quietest of horses. If he is on hard feed, cut it out - just leave him on grass and hay. I'm sure he will adapt to being in at night and I assume you will turn him out in the day. I would get him out and take him on good long hacks, plenty of trotting to keep him thinking, ride positive and stay calm. I think horses, especially young ones, can get so bored being lunged and ridden in an arena so I would concentrate on plenty of hacking (combined with your schooling and lessons) but keep it fun.

I'm sure you will both be absolutely fine together - stay positive, be assertive but fair, don't flap and most of all have fun! Good luck.

 

[oldie48]

It's early days and he is still quite young. We've had a couple of connies and they can be a bit of a handful when young but both of ours turned into complete schoolmasters. I'd ask your instructor over to help you with the handling issues as sometimes it's good to see how a more experienced person deals with bad manners. Also, do you have someone with a nice quiet horse that you can hack out with who will help you to boost your confidence. My new horse is very forward on a hack and can be a bit rude when we turn towards home (although I only do circular routes) I've found it really helpful to have a sensible horse with me and quickly realised I was winding my boy up by getting tense myself, once I started to trust him and let my body relax, he became as lot easier to ride, although he's still a lovely forward horse. Some Connies can be quite sensitive and will pick up on any sign of rider nervousness and react to it, why not ask your instructor if they think this is happening with you. My motto has always been get as much support and help as you can in the early days and if necessary pay for a good experienced rider to school your pony on for you and iron out any problems. Trust me, it's money well spent.

 

[twiggy2]

can you just put a rain sheet on him to keep him clean enough to ride and leave him out at night?

does he have company? are you giving any feed from a bucket?

he is young and is likely to settle with age, however we have a 12yr old connie at work who took a good 3months to settle where he is now, he came from a place where he was turned out in a mixed herd of 12-16 in fields of 8-20 acres, he was out 24/7 all year round, with us he is in one acre individual turnout on a yard of three-he is out 24/7 but cannot play and has a busy brain-he became very pushy when his feed was increased (as advised by instructor-to increase stamina!) nippy and kicked, feed has reduced to speedi beet and hi fi nuts and work has increased and he is much happier-he still has abusy brain though and I don't think that will ever change.

this one is very polite under saddle and as honest as they come, previous one at the yard was honest but quirky never nasty but spooky on the ground to handle-TBH the busy brain is something I like and is why I like connies and I don't think I am alone in that

 

[Rhodders]

I have 4 geldings, they are all totally different characters, one would be considered a bolshy sort but actually after 7 years together, I trust him completely, I think he's just got a big personality, he's cheeky as hell and I think some of it is a sense of humour. He's top horse with the others, but when all's said and done, his manners with me are ok, I growl at him a bit and he'd never hurt me, he's all hot air really. I have one that's a total people horse, loves loves loves fuss and attention and is gentle as a lamb, one that is really shy and just hangs out at the back of things, and one that thinks he's dora the explorer. What I'm trying to say is every horse is so so different, give yourself time to learn about your new guys personality and you'll find a way together