please advise. lead rein pony threw total hissy fit today.

[JLD]

Ok. I am probably totally over reacting but safety of small daughter is at stake. We have had my daughter's lead rein pony for 4 months and he hasn't put a foot wrong under saddle,in hand or in field. He came to us poor, put on weight faster than any pony I have ever seen and been on track system and in for 6 hrs a day with soaked hay to manage his weight which has been coming down. While she does very little - is 3, I have been working in hand, lunging and long reining to keep him interested but not really enough to have got him fit. He is on a small handful of unmollassed chaff to mix his multivitamin otherwise no hard feed. Today she didn't want to ride so I did some in hand stuff just in headcollar. Just walking and trotting round field. He had been quite lazy and a bit nappy at gate so I was pretty firm with him ( nothing strong just not letting him take the p ), just trotting up when he suddenly launched into mini bronc kicking out sideways. Gave him benefit of doubt in case had been bitten or something, but he then did it 3 more times in fairly quick succession every time I asked for trot. Told him off and kept him moving , did another lap of field walk and trot and was fine. Did a short session this evening to reinforce that I am in charge and he was great. Nothing has changed except field has greener up a bit with recent rain and I was firmer with him. Terrified he is going to do this with mini daughter on board. Obviously he is a pony and all ponies can have their moments but was so out of character fir the last few months. Is he just finding his feet and possibly objecting to being told what to do ( he has pretty much stood in a field for 3 years till we got him ) and if so if I stay consistent and firm is he likely to settle down ? This is my first go with the lead rein pony thing and it is a whole new ball game !! Thank you

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

I would cut out anything in a bucket, and reduce /stop his hay when he is stabled. the autumnal flush is here for the next 8 weeks. I would also lunge him hard once a week til he is sweating and puffing and empty his petrol tank out! does he have friends he goes out with and interacts with?

 

[Lambkins]

How big is he? Could u find a bigger kid /teen/ light adult so have a sit on him ? Maybe school him ?

 

[Honey08]

I don't think he is being fed anything that should cause him to buck with a handful of un molassed chaff and vits. It could be the grass, or it could just be him being a pony!!

When my stepson was on his leadrein welsh section A dragon we were lucky in that my friend's daughter, who was four years older than him, was still small enough to ride him a couple of times a week, which meant that the pony was doing some rides with an older, bigger, confident and experienced rider. It made a huge difference in the attitude of the pony - she realised that riders actually tell you what to do sometimes, rather than thinking they were just a hinderance! If you can find an older child to share the pony it would be fantastic.

Otherwise, don't worry too much. Hopefully its just a one off thing. I would really growl at him and give him a slap, then keep him moving on when he does it though.

 

[JLD]

Unfortunately I can't find anyone to ride him - I have tried. We are pretty isolated with no school and have to hack up main road to get to bridlepath. We have a good few fields to ride in but nothing that would really keep a more experienced child interested ! Is perfect for pottering on lead rein but not great for much else. I am trying to lose weight as he is 13.2 ( big for LR I know but long story and usually safe as houses !) and I am only 5'3 so is perfectly do able when I shift a stone. Then I can do some on board discipline. To be fair it was only in a headcollar he did it today not under saddle, and he has been perfect since he didn't get away with it ! Think will lunge him a bit more so he can get any high jinks out his system ! His hay is soaked for 12 hours and is a small double net. Trying to stop him feeling hungry without many calories !

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

This is just the sort of thing my Traddie Cob would do; he always acts like a total t!t if anyone ever tries to lunge him and launches into his face-pulling, ears back warning tirade, then after about a minute does his Rodeo Star Special big-time, broncing and farting all over the place. But under saddle he's a sweetie pie...... most of the time He just hates being on the lunge.

IMO some horses/ponies just can't stand being lunged and will do this; and perhaps this pony is one of them.

However I think he's a crafty little monkey and has realised that his tiny jockey isn't challenging his will very much, and ponies being ponies will take advantage of that. He's napping going past the gateway which is basically saying "I don't want to do this"!!! - what is needed, if you could arrange it somehow, is for an able child to hop up and give it a blimmin good hiding.

How high is the pony? Coz there ARE small/petite adults around; and (horror of horrors, expect to be shot down for this) the extra weight on board might well be a salutary lesson and a good galloping might not do any harm; however you need to beware of getting the pony TOO fit coz this won't help the situation either!

Is the pony turned out with anything else? What are the field companions like? Is the pony the dominant one? Or is he bossed around by the others? I ask this because often if something is dominant in the field, it will think its invincible in every other situation, and these little ponies are very good at getting themselves to No 1 in the herd dominion stakes, and will carry that dominance into their inter-action with humans. My traddie boy was a stroppy little git, always had to be dominant and took the Pee no end - until my trainer let me have a mare of hers on loan and we turned him out with the mare, then by god he had to learn some manners PDQ. I just say this because it just might be this pony needs to be taught a lesson - and using another horse to do it would save a helluva lot of time and do the job much better

PS I don't think you are "over-reacting" - the child is precious and understandably, you are concerned. And quite rightly so.

 

[JLD]

Hmm. He is Welsh x trad cob !!! Am hoping he tried it on. Lost. And thought better of it ! He did the same with hind feet picking out when he arrived - for one day, been perfect with them since ! Suspect is just being a pony.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

If I've read this right (and apologies if I haven't), the pony wasn't being ridden when he had his 'hissy fit'. I don't think you need to worry about him doing it when the child is onboard. he knows his job, he just doesn't think that you do! Which isn't to say that you should stop working him but that you need to be aware that the two types of work are completely different. There are many ponies who are super lead-reiners but absolutely no good as first ridden because they completely understand the concept of lead-rein but don't take kindly to being told what to do. I've known many horses and ponies over the years who were very opinionated but very careful to look after their tiny riders, I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[twiggy2]

this is the same pony that was stopping (napping) at the field gate?

is he still being worked in the field?

 

[[100323]]

When my 4 year old granddaughter is riding her Welsh A he is very good and looks after her, on or off the lead rein. When somebody bigger gets on he is very forward going. He can be a bit silly led in hand riderless but calm down when Granddaughter gets on.

 

[Lambkins]

Really sorry .. For me a 13.2 welsh x trad .. Is ok for a 3 year kid to have the odd sit on / walk around etc .. But needs a proper rider on board ..best thing to do is like u say ride him yourself

 

[JLD]

Hi. Yes is the one that was napping at the gate - he stopped that really quickly when I was firm and did more stuff, he is still working on fields- we don't have anywhere else to work him. Agree he isn't ideal LR pony. We didn't get him for her - he urgently needed a home. But she wants to ride him now he is here. We can't get another smaller one at the moment - I know that would be better but it isn't a perfect world ! I will start riding him as soon as I can weight wise. Already lost one stone bit more to go.

 

[Pigeon]

Sorry but knew a pony who started doing this and he turned out to have lami damage. He wasn't visibly lame (because it was in all four feet) but the behaviour sounds similar.

Might be worth getting him checked?

 

[_HP_]

I would definitely check for any pain first...napping and tantrums could indicate that, especially laminitis if he has a weight problem (and even if he doesn't). Find his digital pulse, work out what is normal (usually nothing to be felt) and check it daily, especially at this time of year. Low grade lami can be hard to detect but can cause a pony to act up. Otherwise, I'd get on and have some fun on him yourself.

 

[JLD]

That did cross my mind - I was really worried about laminitis a few weeks ago with his weight gain which we have really really worked on. No digital pulses and no heat in feet, but will keep in walk for a while and maintain the weight management plan.his and mine ! Vet coming in a week for jabs so will get him to check him. Definitely not lame or even footy at the moment but I know it can be subtle.

 

[twiggy2]

i think you have a pony that is telling you he is bored witless and if you do not make life more interesting you may end up with a very sour pony

 

[JLD]

Ok a little harsh perhaps ! Are you saying that all horses living their lives as horses in a field grazing with shelter and company are bored witless ? He does a little light work 3-4 times a week the rest of the time he is being a pony. I wasn't aware horses had aspirations. I was looking from advice from people with experience of lead rein ponies. I doubt many of them do much different to mine. Other than I long rein him lunge him and take him for walks in hand in surrounding fields to stop him getting bored.

 

[Booboos]

Loads of ponies (and horses) behave differently in hand than they do ridden and it's not a problem (as long as you keep your distance from flying hooves when handling/lunging). Also, he only did it once, which I would be tempted to completely ignore.

However, I can see why you are worried but the problem is not what he did, I think the problem is that a 13.2hh pony is far too big for a 3 year old child and he would need to be more than foot perfect to be safe for her. If he does a miniscule buck he will have her off and she will fall from a great height for such a small child.

Why not ride the pony yourself and take your daughter to an RS where she can have the odd lead rein ride with a suitable pony until she is old enough to really get the most out of having a pony of her own?

 

[JLD]

Totally fair and is my plan to take her to RS when she is 4 ( next month ). I don't expect her to be able to ride a 13.2 and she only rides him with someone walking next to her with a hand on her in case any one thinks I am off at the front end out of reach with a tiny thing perched up behind me !

 

[twiggy2]

Ok a little harsh perhaps ! Are you saying that all horses living their lives as horses in a field grazing with shelter and company are bored witless ? He does a little light work 3-4 times a week the rest of the time he is being a pony. I wasn't aware horses had aspirations. I was looking from advice from people with experience of lead rein ponies. I doubt many of them do much different to mine. Other than I long rein him lunge him and take him for walks in hand in surrounding fields to stop him getting bored.

no it is when they get bored in their work, walking him in different fields is a good start.

i have experience of lead rein ponies and they did a lot different to walking round in the same field, they were long reined around a farm and local countryside-in company and alone, were long reined on the roads. walked on the roads in hand. lunged at different places around the farm. jumped cross country and coloured jumps on long lines and the lunge. once in a blue moon they would get taken for a gallop bareback by an adult that was far too tall (me). i was not trying to be nasty but i honestly think that a kids pony that gets bored with its work is a real problem and they do become difficult/sour. if he only goes around the fields for the next few months he may well be silly when you take him out and about again.

many horse will play up when worked in their own field (or what they see as their own field/s) too there has been a recent post on it and lots of people have said they have found it an issue.

 

[JLD]

That's ok. I know there is a potential problem that's why I am worried and a bit sensitive !, I have bought some poles and blocks to long rein him over jumps when I am sure his feet are ok, and some cones to set up courses and have spoken to a neighbour about riding in his woods. I will do my best to give him a nice life. It wasn't a situation I really wanted but am trying to make the best of ! Thank you for your advice everybody.

 

[FfionWinnie]

As others have said, I wouldn't worry too much as they are totally different on the lead rein to in other situations. Hopefully you worked him through it and he didn't win so won't try it again. I wouldn't assume he would do it with a child on but just make sure you don't fall asleep leading him and be ready to check any bad behaviour.

 

[hayinamanger]

What a monkey, but probably it's just a case of just too much input and not enough output. You don't need to lose a stone, OP, just climb aboard and kick on, he'll soon be begging for mercy.

 

[Booboos]

If this pony is not aimed at your daughter I would stop popping her on him and think about him independent of her. You first described him as a LR, but a 13.2hh will never be a handy LR for anyone.

Will you keep him long term or are you looking to bring him on and sell/loan him? If you want him for yourself then bring him on to do the things you are interested in. If you want to sell/load then he needs to be a nice hack/PC type of pony that can safely do most things with an older child or small adult. To bring him on for this kind of work you need a rider on him sooner rather than later.

 

[FfionWinnie]

I hadn't appreciated its a 13.2. Presumably its not an experienced lead rein pony in that case, its a pony you are leading about with a child on. I agree with the folk who say ride it yourself. My daughter has sat on our 13.1 from the age of three however the 13.1 is in proper work otherwise and is of a completely bombproof temperament. When I replied I understood this pony to have been bought as a lead rein for your daughter, the further info changes my thoughts a bit.

 

[JLD]

although not bought as such ( not bought at all ) - as I said he came to us in need of a home, he is actually an experienced lead rein pony - that has mostly been what he has done and he is usually very good at it. but I never planned on having a 13.2 LR - I planned on her going to a RS at 4 which I will still do. I wouldn't from choice have a 13.2 for me either as i would go 14.2-15.2 but he is here and I wont move him on again as he has been passed around too much through no fault of his own so I need to make it work somehow. if it doesnt he will stay with us as a happy field ornament.

 

[Gloi]

Get on him yourself and get him doing some work.

 

[kp31]

Having had a 13.2 lead rein pony for my SD i have to say he did react in very similar ways. He was a fantastic lead rein pony but she was also 7 so bigger than your nearly 4 year old. I did get someone to ride him a couple of times a week, as well as lunge him and put him on the horse walker. Cut out his food, they live on nothing and any small thing can set them off. Getting the vet to look at him is a good idea just for peace of mind. The grass this time of year can set them off, i always made sure i lunged him or he was ridden before she was put on him as well. He taught her to ride fantastically well and for that i will always be grateful to him.

 

[JLD]

thank you kp31 ! he is kind, he is gentle and he is lovely to be around. she is developing fantastic balance ( and incidentally really doesnt like riding small ponies with short choppy strides ) and we have all the time in the world. after all your advice on here I am going to start riding him for short periods a bit of squashing wont hurt him for a gentle 10-15 mins a few times a week. also I have done in hand stuff with him 4 times since my original post and he has been a saint again. It had beein p'ing down with rain and windy when he was naughty and there had been changes to the herd of horses next door. I think I panicked ! but the advice has been great and needs implenting asap.

 

[ester]

If he is welshxtrad he has to be pretty chunky anyway I'd be hopping on myself!