Otherwise perfect pony but nightmare to lead!

seoirse

seoirse

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We've got a super 14hh pony who is wonderful to ride but a complete boot to lead. We've not had him long and he's tanked off countless times to eat grass and once he's gone getting him back is a nightmare as he kicks out nastily when you approach him. Unfortunatly he has had laminitis so is kept on rations, though he is getting plenty to eat and often leaves hay, so I am sure he's not starving! I do feel for him as he obviously is desperate for some of the green stuff, but unfortunately he just can't have as much of it as he'd like! He is otherwise a lovely boy and we are at our wits end a bit. Has anyone overcome this problem and how?! At the moment we are having to tack him up and ride him in from the field as its the only way to remain in control, he doesnt seem to think he can do it when he's got someone on his back! Any ideas would be great! Thanks. :confused:
 
Lead him in a bridle or with a leadrope over his nose. If he's allowed a small amount of grass, I'd also incorporate a set time for a short handgraze each day. Will keep him happy & leaves you in control.
 
Tried the bridle and leadrope over the nose - makes no difference! When he decides he's going - he's gone! Good idea re the handgraze though, but at the moment I'd be wary of doing that as he'd be off before you got the chance to get him to settle and stand and eat. It's definitely something to aim for though! He is being strip grazed so he does have access to some new grass each day and that is topped up with hay so we can control how much food he is getting.
We've got a couple of really good natural horsemanship people local to us so I'm beginning to wonder if we perhaps need to get one of them to come and help with this. It's obviously a very established behaviour unfortunately. :(
 
I had one of them :L Lolo's posted about him... He was a little sod!!! Lead him in a bridle eventually cos I was being tanked all over the countryside behind him! It worked :D Couldn't open his door either. He as awful- little man syndrome!
 
Mine can be led by a 2yr old toddling along side but on box rest used to cart me to the grass banking opposite her box, being usually a sweetheart I just started heading there myself first till the need to drag me vanished. If you've used them before try a stallion chain or a chifney if a bridle doesn't work.
 
Lead in a bridle (with reins removed) or headpiece with bit attached.

lead with a lungeline rather than short rope and, if you have to let go, you have 9 metres of rope to told onto rather than 1.5... if he does go, let him go and then give a bloomin good yank at an appropriate moment... I have pretty much stopped my 17hh doing this by using this method so I'm sure you can stop a 14hh.

Wear hat, boots and gloves too ;)
 
I'd recommend a chifeny, I used to work wtih a tank of a horse that could oull me anywhere but as soon as you put her in a chifeny, she was calm as anything! I didnt even need to use it when it was in her mouth, the idea that it was just there stopped her :rolleyes:
 
Try a chiffney. Worked a treat for me, however now i thread the lead rope through the side rings on the head collar and over his nose, as soon as he pulls it tightens
 
I personally wouldn't graze in hand for a horse with no manners unless it was in a set place routinely where he was allowed to graze with your say so.

Pan
 
cheeryplatypus said:
What about putting a grazing muzzle on when he's being let about? That way he may learn that there is no benefit to getting away from you?
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I'd thought about trying this as I do have a muzzle which is practically impossible to eat through! Not sure how many times he'd have to get away from us and bog off around the field though before he sussed out he can't eat? Plus it would be difficult to lead him in a bridle with a muzzle too would it not? I might have to try it!!!
 
Well we got him in last night in a bridle with a lunge line with no dramas. He was pretty pushy and I think if he'd seen an opportunity he'd have been off. He was then a complete treasure in the school to ride though! Going back out was the same, bridle/lunge line and we made it again with no drama. Will have to keep going like this and see how he goes. It's not really ideal that an adult has to get him in, with all the gubbins on, as the pony is for a child who is competent enough to be doing it all herself with a quieter pony. If he wasn't so good to ride he'd have gone back! We'll just have to see how it pans out.
Thanks everyone.
 
Glad to hear you have conttol back! You might find reading kelly marks' perfect partners useful, or trying to borrow monty roberts dually training dvd to see the principals. Sounds to me like you need to stay aware of when he might go, and to have one or two moves in your toolkit to use if he does. I am a fan of allowing them their head, but if they start pratting around an elbow ready to dig in their neck and keeping their head slightly turned towards you (use elbow if pony tries to force turn his head away) so that they can't set their neck and go in a straight line. If it gets to the point where pony has started the tank get him to go in a circle around you, rathrr than battle with him to stop. This would allow him to express the behaviour, its just being shaped so that its pointless and you remain in control. If you are in a position to be a bit like an army drill sargent at that point and lunge him hard there and then for 5 minutes, you are making the connection in his brain that bolting isn't worth it because its hard work. Otherwise, disengage the hindquarters (google it, pull head towards you and smack bum with spare end of your lunge line if close enough, don't throw it at him). That will stop him, and again immediately make him do something for you, such as back up, walk forward, go left and right, whatever it takes to engage his brain on you

As you have experienced, if it is a battle of strength against strength - a pull with his body in a straight line, you have lost before you begin. The biomechanics of the horse's muscle and skeleton have evolved for the horse to be able to go in a straight line, fast. By pushing his hindquarters over or turning his head, you are breaking that straight line power house and you have some chancebof regaining control.

Hope that helps, and wasnt patronising if you already know it; its just that you mentioned getting a natural horsemanship trainer in, so I thought I would share some possible handling methods. They are not all natural horsemanship, though some are. The way I see it use what works as long as it is humane. And if a horse is prepared to use his strength against you, I consider it reasonable to use as much force as you need - applied smartly and effectively - right back.
 
Naturally, I have found your reply really informative, thank you, I will also be trying a few of those methods!
 
Thanks naturally, we've got another session with him tonight so I'll try some of the things you are recommending. I have done a fair bit of groundwork myself with my own horse, but he isn't the pushy bargy type, with him it was more to settle him and get him calm and focussed on me. I'm finding it difficult dealing with a pony that is the complete opposite and wants to trample all over us! I will let you know how we go this evening.
 
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