Pony puzzle

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smiggy

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I bought my very nervous daughter a lovely fell pony a few months ago. He has been a complete star and been foot perfect. Last week however, in the school, she was trotting over poles on the ground when he suddenly stopped at a pole and refused to walk over it. I led her over but then several more times he did the same thing. I hopped on and he tried it a few times !not every pole but always the same one! But was fine with leg and voice. I rode him on my own in the school on Friday and he was perfect. Daughter rode him again today and he started doing it again with her, not even about poles. It's really odd, he always starts it going across a diagonal, about two thirds across school, just suddenly stops and takes a little step back or sideways then stands, if encouraged to walk on, will go backwards, sometimes daughter can move him forwards, sometimes I have to lead him. It's just really a really strange behaviour and I can't figure it out! He never does it towards or near the gate and he doesn't look grumpy or get cross so It really isn't him being nappy I think. daughter though nervous is a kind little rider and not hanging onto his mouth or anything. It's just really odd. Had his saddle ref locked when we got him, am going to get teeth checked but looking for inspiration. He doesn't look spooked when he stops either ie not scared of pole or whatever he. Can see ahead of him on the diagonal. Ideas on a postcard please! I know it's a smudgy little problem but it's odd and I don't want to be missing something that's hurting him plus it's enough to knock daughters fragile confidence
 
If he's stopping and refusing to go forwards, he is napping, even if it isn't by the gate. Do all the usual health and tack checks. If he isn't in pain, he is probably testing your daughter to see what he can get away with now that he is settled into his new home. Find a good instructor and get your daughter to have some lessons on the pony. :)
 
Probably really obvious and not at all useful, but does your daughter always stop in the same place to dismount when she's finished riding? I work at a riding school where we always bring the ponies in to the centre line to halt and dismount, and it can be a right pain when you're trying to get them to change the rein or do a serpentine because every time they hit the centre line they slam on the brakes and look at you as if to say "okay, we're done now!". I now try to vary where I ask the ride to halt, to try and stop the ponies from second-guessing me and deciding to end the lesson on their own terms! Like I said, it's probably not the case with your situation, but sometimes it is something that simple.
 
I see what you mean faracat, it's just that I've seen lots of nappy ponies in my time and this is just somehow different. There's no malice to it if that makes any sense at all !
Unfortunately daughter won't have lessons at moment as she is worried they will take her out of her comfort zone, so it's down to me at the moment.am working on that though, as am running out of teaching inspiration!
 
Lurky thanks, usually gets off by gate and oddly this usually start going across the long diagonal from m to k which in our school is going away from the gate.good thought though
 
Is the pony only ridden in the school, or do you hack out as well? Maybe the pony is getting bored (if you do mainly ride in the school). Could you hack out with you walking next to the pony?

It's very difficult if your daughter doesn't want lessons, but if you find the right instuctor, they would be happy to do the whole lesson in walk if that was all that your daughter could cope with. Good instructors will always aim to improve the rider's confidence if they are nervous as well as improving their riding and the pony's schooling.
 
If he's fine with a bigger rider with "leg and voice" am I correct in assuming that your daughter doesn't carry a stick?

If she doesn't (and neither do you) may I suggest that the pony is just quietly taking the p and if your daughter can be persuaded to back up her initial ask for him to get on and stop being silly with a firm smack behind her leg the problem might be solved.

If neither of you carries a stick on him i suggest you try it first though!
 
Thanks guys. Yes he is hacked out and we have taken him to some shows, where he was such a superstar she even voluntarily did a group canter! He only gets ridden in the school for about half an hour twice a week.

We both always carry a stick but she needs great persuasion to use hers, other than a neck tickle! Am going to need to work on that as if it is just naughtiness don't want pony spoiled, which is why I jump on but that's not helping her.
 
My daughter went through a stage like this. Pony was taking the piss because he realised that she would never get cross with him but gave in immediately I got on board. It took a lot to persuade her that sitting there flapping or even tapping him with the stick was worse for him than one "I MEAN IT" and that having given him one good one he'd be less likely to try it in future.

Of course you know your pony but from the sounds of it he's not bothered about anything, he's just sussed out her gentle nature and is taking advantage. Ponies - you've got to love their naughty little ways.:D
 
just reviving this thread as bit puzzled now!

Managed to persuade daughter to ride more positively and pony back to his normal superstar self, never done it since
BUT also for various reasons changed his saddle at that point and swopped from his lovely checked by two different saddlers ideal saddle to a treeless (mainly as I hack him in the week and backside too big for the ideal :eek:)

Then this weekend daughter had first show of season so swopped back to the "normal" saddle for last week or so, foot perfect at show, couple of classes and a dressage test.
Today in school, put out a line of trotting poles and he refused to go over the first one.
I led him over and daughter rode positely and no more issues, just suddenly realised the saddle thing later

just a coincidence :confused:

if it is the saddle causing discomfort with poles, must be jolly clever pony to remember as hadnt even stepped over a pole at that point :eek:
 
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