nose poking, help !!

[sueandtoto]

My two daughters both share their pony who thev'e owned for 2 yrs, he has just had his back and teeth done and had a new saddle fitted last year, but in trot he pokes his nose and wont go in a nice outline, walk and canter are fine but in trot he just pokes his nose ! he is ridden in a neue schule hanging cheek , I will book them some lessons but my money tree has run out at the mo!,so any suggestions on how to get him going nicely would be fab

 

[Paint it Lucky]

Hard to say without seeing the pony ridden but I would try to get him to stretch down as much as possible when trotting and only once he has his head low in a stretch would I ask him for outline. Lessons should definately help. Lunging in low side reins or a chambon might also help.

 

[oliviacharley]

I think just more and more school work should help, also are your daughters maybe bouncing in trot a little and it might be causing him to be a little uncomfortable..? You say he has had back and teeth done so that should be ok...what about his shoes..? Are his feet fairly flat to the ground..I know this can sometimes causes problems with back...bit like us walking in flat shoes when we are not used to it...
Otherwise it might just be his manner...? Maybe his bridle is causing problems...? Is it a little tight over the brow band or head piece..? Are your daughters pulling on the reins a little too much in trot..I know some ponies stretch their heads out in an attempt to loosen the reins...

 

[TarrSteps]

Do they know how to ride a horse on the hand? Can they do it on a schooled horse? Can the pony work correctly with a more skilled rider? If the answer to any/all of these is "no" then alas the solution is education. And not something someone can say "do this" about on the internet.

Can they ride the pony forward off the leg and over its back? If not, worrying about where its head is at will only lead to problems. (I have issues with outline/frame/etc. but that's neither here not there.) If they can and are working him consistently on contact then continuing as you are, doing strengthening and suppling exercises, should produce the desired result.

Is the pony large enough for you to ride? Can you ascertain whether or not he can be ridden properly to the hand? With a "tricky" horse I've found the best route to success is to ride the horse myself and then discuss my findings with the rider. Sometimes things feel different than they look and it takes a very experienced instructor to overcome that important missing piece of the puzzle.

 

[sueandtoto]

[ QUOTE ]
Hard to say without seeing the pony ridden but I would try to get him to stretch down as much as possible when trotting and only once he has his head low in a stretch would I ask him for outline. Lessons should definately help. Lunging in low side reins or a chambon might also help.

[/ QUOTE ] I think it's their riding thats faulty! how do you ask for an outline? he kind of sticks his head up so the reins go flappy for a few strides then he does put his head in nicely then sticks his head up again! , he hates being lunged unfortunatly, oh dear I think its raid OH for some money time!!

 

[sueandtoto]

[ QUOTE ]
Do they know how to ride a horse on the hand? Can they do it on a schooled horse? Can the pony work correctly with a more skilled rider? If the answer to any/all of these is "no" then alas the solution is education. And not something someone can say "do this" about on the internet.

Can they ride the pony forward off the leg and over its back? If not, worrying about where its head is at will only lead to problems. (I have issues with outline/frame/etc. but that's neither here not there.) If they can and are working him consistently on contact then continuing as you are, doing strengthening and suppling exercises, should produce the desired result.

Is the pony large enough for you to ride? Can you ascertain whether or not he can be ridden properly to the hand? With a "tricky" horse I've found the best route to success is to ride the horse myself and then discuss my findings with the rider. Sometimes things feel different than they look and it takes a very experienced instructor to overcome that important missing piece of the puzzle.

[/ QUOTE ] We know that he can work really nicely as he has been ridden by an instructor so its just something that my girls are doing wrong , I think he just finds it easy to poke his nose now almost like a habit, like I said he does go to put his head down for a few strides then just hollows his back and up his head goes again!! its very frustrating