New pony is extremely fast, help!

[flying solo]

My 8yr old has just got a new pony who compared to her steady but spooky sec B is very fast. Pony is 17 and knows her job inside out and has brought my daughter on loads in the 3 weeks we have had her. They are out jumping around 80cm full up courses and has hopes to join BS Junior Academy. The problem is the first round is lovely then pony gets faster and faster the more they do. She's currently in a flash bridle and 3 ring gag with a leather back strap on it. However she doesn't lean or pull, once she has done a course once it's as if she knows exactly where she's going and tanks off in auto pilot! Once my daughter is a little bigger (pony is 13.2) she will obviously be stronger and able to hold her together but in the mean time can anyone suggest any ideas that might help me through the next few months? I don't want to over bit her as she isn't actually strong just very fast, we are training at home (on the flat she is fine) and she has a fantastic instructor but her kids are out jumping 1.20 and she thinks they're fine. I feel a bit sick watching them in action 😷

 

[Shay]

Sounds like you've got your first competition pony?

The first time my daughter got something aiming for BS I was just like you - quite taken aback and a bit scared for her. (Didn't help that she had a crashing fall from that one and ended up in a hand splint for 6 months) But several competition ponies and almost a decade later - good affiliated junior competition ponies are like that.

The best thing to do is talk to someone experienced with BS Junior competition. The first competition pony is always shock coming of a more "normal" childs pony. She needs to learn to sit with her and not hold her up or throw her balance.

If she is anticipating courses don't do the same course more than once - its a recepie for disaster in jump off anyway if a strong pony thinks it knows which jump comes next. Set courses which have several options without moving the jumps. If she gets over keen when there are jumps around (some do) then school around jumps rather than in an empty arena - throwing in the odd fence or two in the middle on flatwork.

When you get over the fright as parent they're quite fun!