Pony sticking his head in the air, rushing and evading aids in trot

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vivhewe

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When I ride my neddie he is awfully sluggish in walk (normally forward going) but in trot he has decided when I ask for trot to stick his head in the air, rush at any old speed he chooses (he has one hell of a fast trot when he decides to, his canter is slower) and not listening to my aids.

I'm not too confident on him anyway, and he took off with me in November and broke my ankle, and because I couldn't get back on I'm worried it may stem from that. He likes his own way a lot anyway, but I haven't the balls to boss it out of him anymore.

He rushed in trot when I got him last June, and somehow he settled down but I don't know what I did with him then to do it again, it just happened, but he seems worse now. My riding is worse too
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and it's really getting me down.

Any advice appreciated, I'm so fed up tonight that I'm ready for selling the bugger
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1) back, teeth, tack check

2) does the pony rush on the lunge? If not, it might sense that you are tense and be reacting to that (apart from being on a mission to go fast)

3) does the pony rush with another rider, your instructor (if you have one)?

I would be schooling in an enclosed area, using lots of transitions and turns to keep him thinking before I even considered a stronger bit or more rigging
 
He's currently in a running martingale. He doesn't rush on the lunge some days then others he seems to rush. I'm riding him in a 30 x 45 school at the moment (When I was riding in my field and trotting up the hill he was fine which is the irritating part, he's been trotting nicely for me since I broke my ankle).

I haven't tried anyone else on him, and I'm not wanting to put a stronger bit in him or any more gadgets (he's in a worcester noseband too) and hope it is my riding rather than him that is the problem so I can sort it out easily
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the fact that he was forward going and is now sluggish in walk and rushing in trot suggests to me he is getting pain somewhere and most likely either his saddle is pinching or he is sore elsewhere in his back. My horse reacted the exact same way last year when he hurt himself in the field(unknown to us at the time).We had a physio and a chiropractor out to look at him and he had put his poll,back and hip out.They said that there are only 2 ways he had done the damage and that was either getting in to deep to a jump or a fall in the field.We knew he hadn't gotten in too deep to a fence so he had to have fallen in the field.It may pay you to get someone out to check your horse over and either put your mind at rest or else find out what is wrong.
 
I would do as the others suggest, make sure that there is no pain, i.e, get teeth, back, saddle checked etc and even a once over by the vet. If all is ok, I would put a standing Matingale on him, tight enough that he cannot get his right up but slack enough that he can come slightly above the bridle and lunge him in it. Once he is used to having it on, I would then ride in it. You dont want to ride in it if you are nervous before the horse is used to it on the lunge, because you dont know how he will react until it needs to do its job and it comes into force when he puts his head up. Good luck and let us know how you get on!!
 
Agree with Spike 123, if this were my pony, I wouldn't ride/lunge etc until all things have been checked out as mentioned above.

Sounds very much like the pony is in pain.

Good luck, hope you get this sorted.
 
Will be making sure he isn't in pain. I'm not a subscriber to the it bucks so smack it until it gives in club although he normally does enjoy being cheeky which is why I didn't immediately think he was in pain
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but I will see how he is tomorrow as he could be different again and let you know how I get on
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i have to say i completely agree with you vivhewe! i hate to see people smacking horses cos they think the horse is misbehaving - most of the time the rider is at fault or the horse is in pain!
 
With Dan if he is being a sod I do tend to tell him to get on with it (he was quite nappy when I got him but a few boots in the ribs and some longreining later and he was fine)

I'm thinking this morning he may be a bit stiff as I took him to my cousins yard and he is a bit unfit. I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner
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but I will still be making sure he isn't in pain anyway just in case.

viv x
 
Try lungeing him before riding if he has a bit of spunk. Try to be confident =] I know it's hard as I found it hard but be firm and strong. Try doing walk to trot, trot to walk transistions as soon as he starts to rush off. He'll soon realise that if i rush i'm made to walk. Or even halt, that's a good one. Do plenty of half-halts. Pull and realese on the outter rein. Do plently of slow things with him to get him calm again when being ridden.
Check his saddle fits him well. My young cob would chuck her ehad up in the air whenever I asked for trot, and would run like the wind, when i looked at her saddle I realised, it was to narrow and putting all my weight on one part of her back, so I got a fitting saddle for her.

Hope I've helped

Kat xx
 
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