Pony runs straight at walls/fences to stop

S

Scot123

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 November 2011
Messages
367
Visit site
Could anybody advise please. My pony has been little ridden since I got him slightly over a year ago. I'm gradually bringing him back into work and he's coming on leaps and bounds!

However - one issue I'd like advice on. If, coming up to a corner, I ask for him to slow from trot to walk, trot to halt or canter to trot he will just aim himself at the fence or wall in front of him and not stop til he bumps into it.

It's something he's done since I got him - when I tried him initially it was an indoor school with bales round the sides and he did the same. We now use an outdoor school.

Is this just generally him not listening to me, is it our steering - or could it be something else I'm missing?

Thank you.
 
Is it just corners or he is ok on a half circle? Are you giving him plenty of time to engage his brain, i.e. are you giving the aids in the correct manner? Have you had lessons on him when he does this? You could try putting a pole or two in the across the corner so it gives a visual block to prevent him just going straight on? How old he is?

My son's pony can be a little biatch! She does it as an avoidance tactic, ex riding school pony heads straight for the end of the arena! She ducks to one side so child can end up on floor if not sitting in the saddle correctly. I had to stand in the corners with a lunge whip on his last lesson inside as the monkey tried it a couple of times. She soon realised she couldn't get away with it!
 
You seem to have had quite a lot of problems with this boy. From this and your other posts I would wonder what his background was - poor lad.

For this specifically - a good instructor is probably the way to go. My first thought would be that this is an evasion he has learned and he is going to have to be taught that it doesn't work. But it could also have its roots in a physical problem or even a loss of eyesight. Given all the other issues as well (Assuming its the same horse of course!) a good sympathetic instructor would be of immense help.
 
Hi. Yes it's the same pony! And yes we've had our fair share of issues! People more knowledgeable than me have previously speculated he'd been in a cart (issues with being touched where shafts would run) or been started by travellers (jump up and go). We've been taking it slowly and he's doing really well but this is a bit of an issue! All been passed fine physically. Unfortunately I've searched and searched but cannot get any instructor out (nobody close to share the lesson so it would have been over £200 for an hour!). He's fine on circles etc, and fine slowing paces on the long side, it's only when slowing down coming up to a corner - I was wondering if in the past that's how he used to be stopped??!
 
Scot123 said:
Hi. Yes it's the same pony! And yes we've had our fair share of issues! People more knowledgeable than me have previously speculated he'd been in a cart (issues with being touched where shafts would run) or been started by travellers (jump up and go). We've been taking it slowly and he's doing really well but this is a bit of an issue! All been passed fine physically. Unfortunately I've searched and searched but cannot get any instructor out (nobody close to share the lesson so it would have been over £200 for an hour!). He's fine on circles etc, and fine slowing paces on the long side, it's only when slowing down coming up to a corner - I was wondering if in the past that's how he used to be stopped??!
Click to expand...

Where do you live that has no instructors within a reasonable distance, you don't need Carl Hester to help get the basics in place, even he wouldn't be that expensive..
For now go back a step or two, establish walk to halt on a 20m circle, don't use the whole school or the corners until you can stop at any point on the circle then do the same in trot to walk, walk to halt, up to trot again, repeat numerous times until he is anticipating your signal to slow down and stop just from a half halt in preparation , use the voice as an aid both the slow and praise when he does.
When you do start to use the whole school keep him thinking and listening by never going round without doing several changes of pace, a circle or two and keep going back to what by then should be well established the transitions on the circle.
Only move on to canter once you have him really listening and again remember to mix things up to keep his attention on you, often we end up focusing on something and forget that you need to keep going back to the simple things until they truly understand, if he has been run into the walls he probably gets tense in anticipation and will not allow you to ride him correctly despite your best efforts so you need to try and remove the tension and go about things in a different way that a) he is not used to so cannot anticipate being worried b) is simple to understand c) allows you to be more in control, be totally consistent and he should soon start to learn life does not have to be so tricky.
 
Scot123 said:
He's fine on circles etc, and fine slowing paces on the long side, it's only when slowing down coming up to a corner - I was wondering if in the past that's how he used to be stopped??!
Click to expand...

Remember that a corner is simply quarter of a circle, which you can do together. Ensure that you actually ride him around the corner as if you're on a circle, don't assume that he will follow the track himself.
 
Not sure where you are to be unable to get an instructor, but from this and your other issues i think you need to try follow that up as struggling on your own is no fun. But if the issue is only corners then cut the corner off a couple of metres and treat it like half 20m circle near the end of school to get round ride it like a proper circle, if he's that responsive to the aids make sure your preparing him well in advance so he knows what he's doing don't give him the chance to use the fence at at a corner, again if he is responsive to aids then it must be a preparation issue that allows him to get to that point. Don't ride right towards your corner and try and achieve a square at each corner thats not needed untill higher up the dressage chain. Then once you progress from that try doing serpentines again aiming to turn in a nice half circle at each end not right up to fence.
 
Last edited:
I'm wondering why you aren't turning him so that he can't get right to the wall? I not sure I'm understanding completely, but if I was on him he wouldn't reach the wall. I would open the rein to get him round the corner whatever the pace he's in. Meanwhile, I would give up trying to slow down anywhere close to the corner and work him gradually closer to it over time.
 
Thank you all, there have been some amazingly constructive and helpful suggestions given.

I think there may be a bit of scepticism about my lack of instructor...?!! However, we are on the west coast of scotland and a ferry ride and approx 4 hours to where the nearest instructor is based - added to that it's a very small horse community here, so nobody wanting to join in on the lesson.

I am absolutely sure your're right, and if you were on him - or another experienced rider - he wouldn't do this. Basically on the long side of the arena if I ask for a downward transition near the corner he takes the bit and ignores my aides and doesn't slow but heads for the fence.

Steering has been something we've been working on a lot, opening the reins to encourage him etc etc. In general he is much improved apart from with this.

I'll do a lot of circle work and transitions away from the corners and see how we progress with that.

Thank you again for your suggestions.


ycbm said:
I'm wondering why you aren't turning him so that he can't get right to the wall? I not sure I'm understanding completely, but if I was on him he wouldn't reach the wall. I would open the rein to get him round the corner whatever the pace he's in. Meanwhile, I would give up trying to slow down anywhere close to the corner and work him gradually closer to it over time.
Click to expand...
 
Try working him on a 10m circle and asking for transitions on them. If he can't do that work up to a bigger circle but avoid corners in your circle. For instance, circle at C but miss the B (or E) corner and go out to X then miss the E (or B) corner so it turns into more of an oval.

To conquer it I would suggest an instructor or trainer :)

Best of luck!! x
 
Thank you! We have been circling like mad things for the last few days!! Will keep it up for the near future and see how we go. Thanks!


meandmyconnie said:
Try working him on a 10m circle and asking for transitions on them. If he can't do that work up to a bigger circle but avoid corners in your circle. For instance, circle at C but miss the B (or E) corner and go out to X then miss the E (or B) corner so it turns into more of an oval.

To conquer it I would suggest an instructor or trainer :)

Best of luck!! x
Click to expand...
 
how is he on long reins? It sounds like he needs some work on the basics of steering.
What does he do if you aren't asking him to make a downwards transition near the corner? Does he carry on sweetly round the corner in whatever pace then?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top