Pony threatening to bite and kick daughter

In the last yard was she handled regularly by experienced people (even just leading to field etc)?

She might be taking advantage now if you and your daughter aren't as strong or confident handling her. Might be interesting and a good learning experience to get a good groundwork person up to have a look at how she is handled. It's amazing with ponies how if you give them an inch they will take a mile!
 
Yes she was brought in and turned out by the yard manager. Which is one of the reasons we fell out - I saw her smack the pony when she was leading it one day.
 
Think next being the difference between being in the house completely alone or being in the house with someone asleep upstairs. The latter doesn't feel as unsafe even though you can't see anyone.
 
DottEE said:
Yes she was brought in and turned out by the yard manager. Which is one of the reasons we fell out - I saw her smack the pony when she was leading it one day.
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You may find that she smacked your pony due to his/her poor manners. Did the YO offer no explanation for smacking the pony?
 
When you spoke to the Yard Manager, did she/he explain why they smacked the pony? Did the pony do anything naughty ie nip the YM?

I don't understand why you would think that the hunter would not like being in the field?
 
Oh dear what?

She said she smacked her because she stood on her toe. I don't agree with hitting animals, what's wrong with that?
 
Barging is unacceptable too. I'd smack my horse if he was deliberately barging to the point he stood on my toe. My horses have manners and are not allowed to get away with things like that. If you give them an inch they'll take a mile. I suppose you dont tell her off either because it's mean?

You sound too novicey to have your pony at home. Take her back to a livery asap.
 
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So when she barges I should smack her? I don't think so.

I'm not taking her back to a yard manager who hits horses. She's staying at home where I can make sure she is properly cared for.
 
Antw23uk said:
I will probably get shot down in flames for saying what most others are probably thinking but are you experienced enough to keep a pony at home without the advice and supervision that a livery yard/ riding school can offer?

Its very much the exception than the norm for a horse or pony to be fine kept in solitary confinement because they are herd animals and can become very stressed with no company, even if that company was 'ignored' when they were in a multi horse enviroment the subtle signs from a horses point of view would have been the safety and knowledge that another horse was close by rather than them grooming each other and 'blatently' being friends.
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DottEE said:
Thanks Antw23uk but I think we can look after a small pony!

No can't take it back, we had a falling out with the yard manager when we left so we are not on speaking terms at the moment.
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Ant does have point though, it is jumping in at the deep end if you are reasonably new to horses and don't have on hand support. It's not impossible of course, but it will be harder. If you are willing to learn, then you will get there.

Even a small pony can be very difficult.

Do you have an experienced horsey friend who could come and see your daughter handle the pony and then give you some tips/help?
 
My horse stood on my toe and trust me i smacked her chest to back her up ... With something that size stood crushing your toes it's the quickest way. But again that may suggest boundarie issues we worked with Tess on these , they are easily done but you need help from someone with knowledge OP :)
 
There's a difference in giving a horse a small sharp slap and beating thought isn't there....?? Think how horses communicate and put each other in a pecking order.

Out of interesting what is the pony doing when he/she threatens to bite/kick? and in what situation is this happening (ie loose in the field/ trying to catch / tied up in yard) and what consequences are you giving the pony when she does this? Do you think she is becoming boss over you?

Have you got an instructor that could come out and give you advise?
 
DottEE said:
I'm not taking her back to a yard manager who hits horses. She's staying at home where I can make sure she is properly cared for.
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so keep her where she is so, it seems to be working out great for you...

Not being bad, but can you not see the pattern?

strict handling=happy, well mannered pony who your daughter enjoys
spoiled pony= badly behaved pony who your daughter is scared of

No one is suggesting the pony should be beaten, but it's no harm to reprimand it for bad manners. The best thing you could do is get some handling classes, otherwise the behaviour will get worse.
 
When she tries to bite I just ignore her, and then give her lots of treats when she is being good.

We have an instructor coming to us at the weekend, I will ask her what she thinks.
 
paddi22 said:
so keep her where she is so, it seems to be working out great for you...

Not being bad, but can you not see the pattern?

strict handling=happy, well mannered pony who your daughter enjoys
spoiled pony= badly behaved pony who your daughter is scared of

No one is suggesting the pony should be beaten, but it's no harm to reprimand it for bad manners. The best thing you could do is get some handling classes, otherwise the behaviour will get worse.
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Ditto this. I also didn't say you should take her back to that livery yard.. maybe another.
 
DottEE said:
So when she barges I should smack her? I don't think so.

I'm not taking her back to a yard manager who hits horses. She's staying at home where I can make sure she is properly cared for.
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There is a big difference between someone who mistreats horses by hitting and abusing them regularly, and someone using a quick smack for discipline. My last horse could be rude and bargy when I got him. I allowed him to get away with it because "I don't hit horses" and TBH, I was bit scared to really tell him. I ended up (in the space of a few weeks) with a downright dangerous horse who thought he could do what the hell he liked. Bargy, biting, kicking, spinning, running you over when leading, spinning and trying to boot you when you loosed him into the field... I ended up getting out a Kelly Marks RA to show me how to handle him because no one could do anything with him. Very quickly once he realised he couldn't, in fact, get away with it, his behaviour changed. But they are big, potentially dangerous animals and for your daughter's safety, you have to discipline them sometimes. Once I started to handle mine properly, he was a lamb but he did still occasionally pull faces and try it on. The odd time he was a bit nasty, he would get a smack. And he didn't do it again because he knew he'd been naughty. I suggest you watch a herd of horses, or a mother with her foal, and see how "naughty" horses in the herd are disciplined. Horses can be pretty brutal to each other sometimes and a short, sharp smack is better than your daughter ending up under that pony's feet or with a chunk out of her arm.

How do you discipline the pony when it barges?
 
Your choice if you don't like someone's handling but for me it would depend, if the horse was ambling along quietly, trod on her foot and she whacked it in the face aggressively, that to me would be unacceptable, if the horse was being bolshy, barging, dragging and not respecting her space despite being reminded, I could understand that would warrant a smack on the shoulder or similar. You do need to get tough sometimes or you end up with a pony that takes the pee and tries to flatten people, but there are ways of doing it.
 
When she tries to bite I just ignore her, and then give her lots of treats when she is being good.
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The very first thing I would do is stop feeding all treats.

If you really feel she needs a treat, feed it in a feed bucket in her normal feeding place.

Don't carry treats around in your pockets, or at the same time you are leading the pony.

Ponies are wiley, and often very food oriented. Getting into a very strict routine of when you feed will help reduce the propensity for your pony to look for treats (i.e. appearing to bite) at other times.
 
DottEE said:
When she tries to bite I just ignore her, and then give her lots of treats when she is being good.

We have an instructor coming to us at the weekend, I will ask her what she thinks.
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It's excellent that you have an instructor coming.

I would not hand feed treats to a pony that nips/bites or even just threatens to do so. If you want to give the occasional carrot as a treat, it should be fed from a bucket.
 
DottEE said:
When she tries to bite I just ignore her, and then give her lots of treats when she is being good.

We have an instructor coming to us at the weekend, I will ask her what she thinks.
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Be careful with giving treats to ponies like this. It can actually make the behaviour worse.

That's great you hve an instructor coming. They will be able to have a look at what is actually going on and advise you how to handle it. It isn't possible for people on a forum to advise you specifically as we cannot see what triggers the behaviour.

I would strongly recommend getting the pony company though. It is not natural for her to be kept alone and she will feel more secure and happy with another equine around. Whether turned out together or next to each other.
 
Have you ever had any stable management lessons? The fact that the pony is small is irrelevant to the level of care it needs and horses are specialised animals that take a lot of looking after. To be honest from what you say on this thread it sounds like you are in over your head.

Have you taught a 'leave it' command? It is really essential if you want to reward with treats and you have to always return to the 'leave it' command and strengthen it if the animal shows any unwanted behaviour, e.g. nudging you for food, pushing you for food, nipping you for food.
 
Yes I used to work at the stables when I was younger.

We only give her treats when she is being good and show her our empty hands when we have ran out.
 
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