Pony doesn't want to trot in school

[Annagain]

A friend has bought a little pony for her kids who are very novicey. He's about 13hh, 13 yrs old and an absolute poppet, perfect for the kids. He stops goes and turns when he's asked and doesn't bat an eyelid at traffic or anything other horses do around him.

He just has one issue which we're perplexed by. He doesn't want to trot in the school. He'll go straight from a really fast walk to a really slow canter. He'll trot quite happily out hacking and trots around the field but it's a real battle to get him to trot in the school. Sometimes he'll walk in front and trot behind and sometimes he'll trot in front and canter behind. Once you get him to trot (usually by getting him into canter and then back to trot) he looks absolutely fine, totally sound. He's generally a little bit stiff laterally but I think that's more that he's never been ridden by anything other than total novices so doesn't understand bend.

She bought him from a small riding school and the owner was very proud that she could get any child cantering in one session on him because his stride is so dinky and he therefore moves so slowly in canter. The riding school was selling him as they needed a larger pony (they were all about 12.2 - 13hh) and he was the only one without issues which meant he was the only option for sale (one was laminitis-prone and needed careful management, two were inseparable, one couldn't be ridden in traffic but was fine in a school environment and the others were only on loan). We're wondering if he's so used to cantering, he thinks that's what's expected?

He wasn't vetted due to low purchase price and light work load, but vet cast an eye over him and watched him trot up when he came to do his jabs and said he looked fine.

Any thoughts?

 

[DiNozzo]

Whats the school surface like? If its much deeper or harder than your ground it might be that he's pulled something thats a bit sore, or if its harder than his field might be slightly arthritic?

 

[AmyMay]

I second DiNozzo's post.

 

[Annagain]

Worth bearing in mind, I hadn't thought of that. It's a fairly decent surface, none of the other horses at the yard seem to have any problems with it, but obviously I know it's an individual thing.

 

[be positive]

It sounds like a combination of "training" and stiffness, the pony probably finds it easier to pop into a slow canter than to trot properly especially if he has been ridden by novices that cannot rise easily, the RS then used it to their advantage by encouraging him to canter from walk, much easier for kids than them trying to get canter from trot.
I would look at the saddle, if it came with him do not assume it fits well, a physio check would be worthwhile then some time working with him getting him trotting on the lead/ lunge or long reins, once he learns to lift his back and becomes a bit more supple it should be more comfy for him, just because he is a small pony does not mean he should miss out on the basic care given to a horse, he probably has had to put up with some discomfort while working in the RS and learned how to cope with it by avoiding trotting normally in the school, hacking is likely to be easier as it is straight lines and may be new to him, or at least more interesting after a life mainly in a school.

 

[Annagain]

Thanks - we tried lunging him, he didn't have a clue bless him. I was lunging and my friend had to run round with him, the second she stopped he did! (again I think he's probably learned this from being led at the riding school).

Saddle has been fitted in the last fortnight - but is slipping to one side which we're not entirely happy with. Our chiro friend is coming to look at him at the weekend too.

He really is such a sweetie, he's certainly not going to miss out on any of the care - basic or otherwise - that he deserves.

 

[3OldPonies]

I agree with be positive. He probably thinks that walk to canter is what's required because that's what he's been taught to do by the RS and he's been 'institutionalised' into just following the leader rather than listening to his rider's commands. He does sound a lovely pony though so it's good to hear that you're doing your best for him, slow and patient re-training could work wonders, he's obviously willing to try and get things right just mis-interpreting a bit at present!

 

[catkin]

What a dear little soul - he's just doing what he thinks you want.

After you've sorted out his checks then have a real think on how to use what he's giving you and the kids and ways to add in the extra bits of training needed. May be worth having a brainstorming session with a good instructor who will think 'outside-the-box' and can show you some exercises to help even if they appear a bit 'unconventional'. Sometimes changing something can result in a different mind-set - trotting work outside rather than the school at present sounds a great idea. He sounds lovely,have some fun, play to his strengths and teach him some new tricks too

 

[be positive]

Thanks - we tried lunging him, he didn't have a clue bless him. I was lunging and my friend had to run round with him, the second she stopped he did! (again I think he's probably learned this from being led at the riding school).

Saddle has been fitted in the last fortnight - but is slipping to one side which we're not entirely happy with. Our chiro friend is coming to look at him at the weekend too.

He really is such a sweetie, he's certainly not going to miss out on any of the care - basic or otherwise - that he deserves.

Try using 2 reins to lunge him, it should help if he keeps stopping and turning in a couple of sessions may be enough to get the idea into his head.
The saddle slipping is probably due to him being stiff, the chiro visit should make a difference, lucky pony he sounds as if he has landed on his feet with you and your friend.

 

[Annagain]

Try using 2 reins to lunge him, it should help if he keeps stopping and turning in a couple of sessions may be enough to get the idea into his head.
The saddle slipping is probably due to him being stiff, the chiro visit should make a difference, lucky pony he sounds as if he has landed on his feet with you and your friend.

No turning in, just stopping bless him! Stands there as if to say "well now what do you want me to do?" I think he's so used to being led, or at least having someone near him on the ground he's not sure what to do without someone there. He's a different horse out hacking or in the field.

 

[Ladyinred]

Ruling out physical or tack problems I think your best answer might be to find a more experienced child or lightweight adult to do a bit of schooling. He sounds a lovely boy and is only doing what he thinks you want from him so try to find someone who understands that and doesn't 'get after' him unfairly.

 

[Ella19]

Are you using your voice in the middle. Our best riding school ponies are all voice activated by the person in the middle. The rider could have no reins and sit backwards or be flapping like crazy and our older ponies will still listen to the instructor.try "whole rode prepare to trot on and TROT on. See what happens! He sounds lovely!

 

[alainax]

Ruling out physical or tack problems I think your best answer might be to find a more experienced child or lightweight adult to do a bit of schooling. He sounds a lovely boy and is only doing what he thinks you want from him so try to find someone who understands that and doesn't 'get after' him unfairly.

This

My gelding was green in canter, I foolishly focused on it quite regularly for a few sessions, he then lost the trot! We had to have a few sessions of no cantering to get him back to not trying to predict me.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

I'd get a different saddler. If the saddle is slipping, it doesn't sound like it's been properly re-flocked.

For an inhand show, I practised trotting up to death! It's excellent fittening work for the handler :rolleyes3: especially in a fairly deep school. If he's fine physically, I would get an adult to practise trotting him inhand in the school, use voice to encourage so when a little rider is on board, he'll go to voice.

I disagree with him being used to walk to canter in a riding school, all the ponies at my yard who are led will walk, trot, then canter quite happily. I can't imagine an RS teaching a pony to do walk to canter and miss out the trot. Yes, they are taught walk to canter, but most RS ponies will be taught upward transitions and go through the transitions step by step to teach riders.

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

It sounds like a combination of "training" and stiffness, the pony probably finds it easier to pop into a slow canter than to trot properly especially if he has been ridden by novices that cannot rise easily, the RS then used it to their advantage by encouraging him to canter from walk, much easier for kids than them trying to get canter from trot.
I would look at the saddle, if it came with him do not assume it fits well, a physio check would be worthwhile then some time working with him getting him trotting on the lead/ lunge or long reins, once he learns to lift his back and becomes a bit more supple it should be more comfy for him, just because he is a small pony does not mean he should miss out on the basic care given to a horse, he probably has had to put up with some discomfort while working in the RS and learned how to cope with it by avoiding trotting normally in the school, hacking is likely to be easier as it is straight lines and may be new to him, or at least more interesting after a life mainly in a school.

Yes, I would long rein him and use verbal commands which he will know, maybe he does not know terrrrrrroooottttt!

 

[9tails]

Small ponies tend not to have been taught to lunge I've found. I've just retrained a very nice pony with a lot of attitude to lunge by running around with him then letting out the rope slightly with each circle. Took a while and it nearly killed me, I'm starting him each time with me going around with him and it's taking him less circles to get the gist.

 

[Leo Walker]

As someone who taught a LOT of small kids to ride in various riding schools the ponies are almost always voice activated and will listen to the instructor over any aids the kids give, and we would have had no use for a pony that didn't trot. Trot is the hardest thing to teach.

Have you tried using your very best instructor voice and saying "prepare to trot, and T ROOOTTT ON!" Theres a knack to the voice, but once you've got it its easy to use

 

[fatpiggy]

Tee hee, that reminds me of a wicked old gelding in the local RS where I did a bit of weekend instructing. I only had to say "and the whole ride prepare" and the bad lad would instantly want to have a wee. His reputation preceded him where stopping for a wee was concerned but ironically he was a very well schooled, obedient horse. He just couldn't see why he had to repeat something he had already done fine already. He used to get down and roll if he didn't want to work too. Everyone loved him!

 

[Sparkles]

Only ones I've come across with trotting difficulties have had some kind of varying physical reason behind it. I know two arthritic hocked ones in riding school who just found it easier to pop to a slow canter than trot, especially with less balanced riders. (prior to being diagnosed with arthritis anyway). Now on a joint supplement, it has stopped but that's my only personal experience with riding school horses and lack of trotting.

Hope you find a cause.

 

[Annagain]

Thanks all, haven't tried the TEEERRRRROOOOOOTTT yet, might well work. We have a friend whose daughter could ride him - she's more experienced but only wants to hare about jumping everything rather than school but would probably be able to insist on trot in a way my friends' kids can't. I just feel once we establish that he should trot he'll be ok. Really hope so anyway, for his sake more than anything. Considering he's my friend's and not actually mine I've got very fond of him very quickly!