problem horse question!

wonderhorse11

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i have a beutiful chestnut mare but she has ringbone so she wouldnt pass any vetting she getts sweet itch and laminitus wont load wont be caught walks off when you try to board the second you get on she just gallops and wont stop even with a pelham! ive had her back teath feet everything checked vet said she can still jump but cant do tight circles and she is amazing at it (see my albums for pics) she also responds to every little tiny movement you make!

do you have any tips to help her? she has a really sweet nature and the galloping isnt out of nastiness shes always got her ears fawed and seems happy! i think that she thinks that what shes doing is right how do i re train her? ive tried normal riding, the whole barefoot treeless bitless thing and parelli so i dont know what else to do! she was no better which ever i tried!

unfortunatley i dont know much about her past as she was brought as a surprise for my birthday 3/4 years a go! i belive she is ex polo becuase her passport is from an argentinan polo yard!

sorry for such a long post!!! any help/advice very much appreicated here's a vid if it helps to see what shes like! please excuse the riding but she was being really mad and after 2 hours of trying to catch her i was pretty tierd! :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOpaILn2yqw
 
How about doing lots of groundwork? Work on the bond you have with her and you should reap the benefits with the ridden stuff.
She sounds like she's running her own show (won't be caught or load etc..) which could be because she lacks a few manners OR it could be because she's in self preservation mode i.e. no ones ever made her feel safe so she has to look out for herself.
The ground work should help establish a few boundaries and build up some trust... if you've already tried a few things without success how about clicker training?
 
I can't view the video but it sounds like you need some experienced help.
Maybe send her for schooling at a yard with a good reputation then carry on the training with lessons.
Then bring her home and have regular lessons.

Or get someone to come to your yard to help.

A good trainer can help with tack and bit issues too.

Also some ground work would help.
 
How about doing lots of groundwork? Work on the bond you have with her and you should reap the benefits with the ridden stuff.
She sounds like she's running her own show (won't be caught or load etc..) which could be because she lacks a few manners OR it could be because she's in self preservation mode i.e. no ones ever made her feel safe so she has to look out for herself.
The ground work should help establish a few boundaries and build up some trust... if you've already tried a few things without success how about clicker training?

this is a good idea but how can i do this with out lunging? because of the tight circles? i also can free school becuase of my YO
 
I can't view the video but it sounds like you need some experienced help.
Maybe send her for schooling at a yard with a good reputation then carry on the training with lessons.
Then bring her home and have regular lessons.

Or get someone to come to your yard to help.

A good trainer can help with tack and bit issues too.

Also some ground work would help.

i have thought of this but they are likley to do circles with her to stop her galloping and/or it will be far too expensive!!!
 
I can't get the video to work, but she must be considered NOT to hve been a succesful polo pony.
I would ask around for a very experienced instructor who has her own yard and get some lessons, let your instructor ride her.
 
When was this video taken? Was it before she was diagnosed with ringbone?

yes, she was given 6 months off and was put on bute i then was told to bring her slowly back in to work 2 years later lots of money and the vet out every 3/4 months for check ups she is still the same (my vet told me i can jump her have folled vets advice to a T)
 
yes, she was given 6 months off and was put on bute i then was told to bring her slowly back in to work 2 years later lots of money and the vet out every 3/4 months for check ups she is still the same (my vet told me i can jump her have folled vets advice to a T)

Ok, that's a bit clearer now as there were an awful lot of tight turns, never mind the jumps. Agree with trying groundwork exercises to try and improve her behaviour. Would you be able to lead her round the school in walk and trot before riding her to try and take the edge off her a bit? What is she like to hack?
 
I've done my best but I haven't seen the video.

i have a beutiful chestnut mare but she has ringbone so she wouldnt pass any vetting unless you want to sell her, don't worry about it, or if you do want to sell her, you might have to settle for loaning instead she getts sweet itch sweet itch rug, brewers yeast, bring in at dawn and dusk and laminitus low sugar diet, restricted grazing, exercise, monitor digital pulses wont load practice, practice, practice wont be caught small paddock, I keep them moving until they will let me catch them and it usually only takes a couple of sessions, but there are loads of alternative approaches walks off when you try to board mount facing into a corner between two walls the second you get on she just gallops again, walls! and wont stop even with a pelham! I can't help you with this one, you need a good instructor and re-schooling ive had her back teath feet everything checked vet said she can still jump but cant do tight circles and she is amazing at it (see my albums for pics) she also responds to every little tiny movement you make! well that's great. :)
 
Ok, that's a bit clearer now as there were an awful lot of tight turns, never mind the jumps. Agree with trying groundwork exercises to try and improve her behaviour. Would you be able to lead her round the school in walk and trot before riding her to try and take the edge off her a bit? What is she like to hack?

shes mad to hack spooks at everything rears and bolts so i very rarley hack her, never been a tight turn person really so ive never done THIGHT turns although she probs did in polo (if she did polo) and i cant because the yard owner wont allow a horse with out a rider (being ridden) in the school sje just says she built a lundge pen for a reason!
 
In the video I see an uncomfortable, unhappy horse who's trying to do what you want. It would help to see how she is now.

Where it could be remembered pain, you might be best finding a really experienced instructor who has rehabbed horses like this before, and just starting again from the beginning with your mare. So start with leading in hand, long-reining, gently putting tack back on and long-reining with that, then leaning over with someone holding and so on. At each stage, you reinforce the expectations, and don't move on until she is calm, settled and obedient at the stage before. Everything is something she easily knows how to do, but you start at the 'no-pressure' stage, and progress slowly so she has time to realize there is no pain now. She also re-learns how she should behave, a little at a time. If there is still pain, you'll hit that barrier and it will be fairly obvious that this 'new' thing is the problem.
 
shes mad to hack spooks at everything rears and bolts so i very rarley hack her, never been a tight turn person really so ive never done THIGHT turns although she probs did in polo (if she did polo) and i cant because the yard owner wont allow a horse with out a rider (being ridden) in the school sje just says she built a lundge pen for a reason!

I think your only option then really is as others have suggested and get an instructor and have the instructor ride her. Even though it will cost money, if you don't get her 'problems' ironed out you will just end up with a very expensive ornament or a horse that is going to hurt you.
 
In the video I see an uncomfortable, unhappy horse who's trying to do what you want. It would help to see how she is now.

Where it could be remembered pain, you might be best finding a really experienced instructor who has rehabbed horses like this before, and just starting again from the beginning with your mare. So start with leading in hand, long-reining, gently putting tack back on and long-reining with that, then leaning over with someone holding and so on. At each stage, you reinforce the expectations, and don't move on until she is calm, settled and obedient at the stage before. Everything is something she easily knows how to do, but you start at the 'no-pressure' stage, and progress slowly so she has time to realize there is no pain now. She also re-learns how she should behave, a little at a time. If there is still pain, you'll hit that barrier and it will be fairly obvious that this 'new' thing is the problem.

thankyou will give this a go!
 
Have you ever ridden a polo pony? They are nothing like an English schooled horse - they are SO light to the aids - seat and weight more than anything. If you've only ever ridden English type horses, it's incredibly hard not to use English aids - which an Argentinian schooled polo pony would not understand. She may be going forward from your seat/weight without you even realising it.

What do you know of her history? Was she reschooled from polo before you got her?

It would be interesting if you could get a polo player to have a go with her - see if she's still behaving the same way.....

Also, when you say she won't stop "even with a pelham" remember that polo bits are generally way more severe than an ordinary English pelham - they are designed to encourage a light mouth and an instant brake, not the contact we are used to.

Best of luck with her - if you were nearer, I'd love to give you a hand - I worked with polo ponies in NZ and they are such fun :)
 
I don't know why you called the vid pj going mad. All I saw was a really unhappy wee horse being jumped and jumped and her mouth being hauled on and being pulled in tight circles when she ran out.
If it were me, I would be doing lots of groundwork and quiet riding in straight lines to keep her calm and show her that she doesn't need to run off. If necessary I would even have someone on the ground whilst you are riding to give her confidence and keep her calm. I think you need to sloooww everything down.
I think a lot of the problems with her running off and mounting issues etc is her worrying about what is coming next. Not a happy bunny i'm afraid.
It's a shame you can't trace a bit of her history, have you googled her name on her passport? You might come up with something. or whoever she was purchased from might have an idea. It helps if you know what you issues from the past you are dealing with. Polo ponies are ridden very differently from other horses, is there a polo club nearby that maybe has someone who can help you.
I am not being nasty to you, i am just saying what I see. She is a very pretty wee thing though, I hope you can sort things out. Have you a good instructor?
 
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I don't know why you called the vid pj going mad. All I saw was a really unhappy wee horse being jumped and jumped and her mouth being hauled on and being pulled in tight circles when she ran out.
If it were me, I would be doing lots of groundwork and quiet riding in straight lines to keep her calm and show her that she doesn't need to run off. If necessary I would even have someone on the ground whilst you are riding to give her confidence and keep her calm. I think you need to sloooww everything down.
I think a lot of the problems with her running off and mounting issues etc is her worrying about what is coming next. Not a happy bunny i'm afraid.

i understand what your saying but tbh at the time i couldn't stop she was in a snaffle i know shes not happy and thats why i wanted advice! i know my riding was appuling in that vid but if u rode her u'd understand how bouncy she is and how hard she is to sit! but thanks for your advice anyways :)
 
Have you ever ridden a polo pony? They are nothing like an English schooled horse - they are SO light to the aids - seat and weight more than anything. If you've only ever ridden English type horses, it's incredibly hard not to use English aids - which an Argentinian schooled polo pony would not understand. She may be going forward from your seat/weight without you even realising it.

What do you know of her history? Was she reschooled from polo before you got her?

It would be interesting if you could get a polo player to have a go with her - see if she's still behaving the same way.....

Also, when you say she won't stop "even with a pelham" remember that polo bits are generally way more severe than an ordinary English pelham - they are designed to encourage a light mouth and an instant brake, not the contact we are used to.

Best of luck with her - if you were nearer, I'd love to give you a hand - I worked with polo ponies in NZ and they are such fun :)

thankyou so much for your advice i never relised how diffrent it was and unfortunatley i dont know anything about her past apart from the fact that her parssport says polo arganinan something! i've never ridden polo and never learn't it i hadnt relised they used stronger bits or there weight and i didnt try her because she was a surprise! i belive my dad did not have her vetted either!!!!! yes i wished you lived nearer tooo!!!!!! :)
 
I really hope you don't take offence at this (it certainly isn't meant to offend), but looking at the video, she looks very uncomfortable with you, and you do seem to be very heavy-seated and heavy-handed and it looks to me as if she is reacting to that.

I am not criticizing your riding; I suspect that previous behaviour from her, has made you feel that you need to hang on her mouth and lean back with a heavy seat to try and compensate for her behaviour and make yourself feel safer, and this has led to a vicious circle of you both resisting each other, if you see what I mean! On the occassions in the video when she tried to drop her head, she got no relief, so probably thinks 'what's the point?'. It looks as though you have both got into a battle of wills really that neither of you are going to win!

I would really recommend you getting some professional help from maybe a riding instructor otherwise this sort of situation will only ever get worse.

Hope this helps. xx
 
It works now, she seems very sweet, but you don't ride very well, so this is upsetting her.

at this ponit i was pretty fed up! she hadnt stopped for about 20 mins and i spent 2 hours trying to catch this was also ageeeeessss ago and my lack of lessons didnt help! i ride much better now, lets face it i hadnt even tryed her when she was brought for me (thanks dad) and i know nothing about polo i didnt want crit i wanted advice on how to change it!!! my feet dont stick out now and my hands are much stiller!!!! :)
 
OK, Wonderhorse have seen the video. It is pretty obvious what is going on, and the following will save you time with an instructor, though that is by far and away the best way forward.
Here are some home truths: I am assuming she is a polo pony, by her way of going and what you say. They are ridden one handed and on a loose rein, mostly ridden with your seat and leg.
Your hanging on her mouth. Stop it! Give her her head and ride with seat & weight for now.
Deepen your seat!
Her heads going up due to excessive contact, and then your hands go up and you pitch forward. Vicious circle, and I can see why she has run off with you.
She is hollowing a lot which would make me wonder about her back. Since you say that has all been checked, then I think the hollowing is a response to your seat & hands.
Go on Utube & find some video of polo and watch how it is ridden. Imitate that if possible.
( I played polo for awhile - the absolute most fun you can have on a horse. Polo ponies work very differently, and with a light rein, you use your weight to turn, you sit pretty deep and keep your hands lose and low.) Good luck!
 
I really hope you don't take offence at this (it certainly isn't meant to offend), but looking at the video, she looks very uncomfortable with you, and you do seem to be very heavy-seated and heavy-handed and it looks to me as if she is reacting to that.

I am not criticizing your riding; I suspect that previous behaviour from her, has made you feel that you need to hang on her mouth and lean back with a heavy seat to try and compensate for her behaviour and make yourself feel safer, and this has led to a vicious circle of you both resisting each other, if you see what I mean! On the occassions in the video when she tried to drop her head, she got no relief, so probably thinks 'what's the point?'. It looks as though you have both got into a battle of wills really that neither of you are going to win!

I would really recommend you getting some professional help from maybe a riding instructor otherwise this sort of situation will only ever get worse.

Hope this helps. xx

thanks i undderstand this was way over a year ago to be fair and i now have regular lessons at the time i'd only ridden her 6/7 times and i didnt try her when we brought her am mabe gunna try to get her re broken or give her to my instructor for a year? :) thankls
 
OK, Wonderhorse have seen the video. It is pretty obvious what is going on, and the following will save you time with an instructor, though that is by far and away the best way forward.
Here are some home truths: I am assuming she is a polo pony, by her way of going and what you say. They are ridden one handed and on a loose rein, mostly ridden with your seat and leg.
Your hanging on her mouth. Stop it! Give her her head and ride with seat & weight for now.
Deepen your seat!
Her heads going up due to excessive contact, and then your hands go up and you pitch forward. Vicious circle, and I can see why she has run off with you.
She is hollowing a lot which would make me wonder about her back. Since you say that has all been checked, then I think the hollowing is a response to your seat & hands.
Go on Utube & find some video of polo and watch how it is ridden. Imitate that if possible.
( I played polo for awhile - the absolute most fun you can have on a horse. Polo ponies work very differently, and with a light rein, you use your weight to turn, you sit pretty deep and keep your hands lose and low.) Good luck!


thanks v. helpful will give this a go! :)
 
What else do you do with her?

I would be making sure I had help on the ground so that someone can hold her as you get on. I'd do a few sessions where all you do is get on, give her loads of praise when she stands then get off, repeat a few times, and call it a day. I would do lots of schooling in walk and halt, and short trots with lots of transitions, until she's calmer - I wouldn't do any cantering or jumping until you've got her calmer and happier for mounting and in walk and trot. When you jump (and I'm only going on the video) treat it more like a schooling session that happens to have a few jumps in - at the moment you're both focusing far too much on the fences and it's all stop/go/stop/go/tight turns with no fluidity or calmness. Lessons would be a very good idea, and they aren't expensive as part of the overall costs of owning a horse.

If you really can't stop her tanking off, get someone to help by leading you until she's calmer.
 
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