Quick reply needed - how to get my pony to listen!

bex1984

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Hi,

I've had my pony for 3 weeks and we've spent the past week attempting to canter with some success. Having discovered that we can go fast, he now speeds up when we get half way round the school, and steams back towards the gate, particularly in trot.

So, today I'm riding in the school and want to work on making him listen and reminding him I'm in charge. He tries to nap back to the gate (I've not let him succeed though!) I'm planning to do lots of walk and a bit of trot but no fast stuff. I'm thinking of doing lots of circles, figures of eight etc.

Has anyone got any good ideas for exercises I can do to get him listening to me? Bear in mind I'm a novice!!

Also, ideas for groundwork I can do with him would be good? Things to build trust and respect, and just to work on our relationship in general as I haven't had him long?

Thank you!
 
when i got my horse, she needed lots of work in her canter also! u must make sure that u have good solid trot first! always work on that, but i found that the best way to sort the canter was to just do it!! if you put him into canter on a 20m circle and just let him go!! sounds mad i no but they run out of steam quickly as they find it hard!! i would also sugest getting sum regular lessons on him! it may take time but u will see an improvement!! trust me!
 
Thanks, I should have also mentioned that he was ridden in a rubber pelham (without a chain) before I had him, I've now switched him to a full cheek snaffle and need to work on getting him to listen to that too!
 
spend time with him on the ground take him for walks ,talk to him mess with him, pliating him up for fun .lots fof stoping and starting in the school dont try everything in one day ,and end on a good note enjoy
 
i would just start the ride walking and doing gentle transitions to get him to listen to you and gradually introduce more exciting maybe faster transitions into it as you can so the horse actually enjoys it because i find with my horse that if you just do walk and trot transitions he just switches of and is intent on not listening to you! He,also when he is bored tries to nap, so just work on occupying him. And as Oliversfriend said spend time with him so he gets used to you and enjoys having your company, dont rush him when your turning him out etc take your time and build a frienship there.
Good luck!
c x
 
What about doing some ground work to include walking over poles, stopping, walking on, trotting on, backing up, moving over sideways, cones to weave in and out of. Then, to build trust you could put scary things in the school and lead him past them...flappy bags, umbrellas, pallets, log etc. Then you could move onto walking him over tarpulin.
In the stable you could get him used to you touching him all over with your hands, then move onto running plastic, sacks, cloth or bags all over him and when he is happy with that, you could introduce other objects to run all over his body...lunge lines, whips, balloons etc.
May sound daft but I did all this with my boy and it worked wonders for him and built up his trust and general usefulness out on the roads etc.
 
Thank you for your replies, keep them coming, it all sounds really fun, and I really want to build a good relationship with my pony.

I might try and get some poles and cones out tonight and have a play with those.

I think we've got the beginnings of a good bond at the moment so I'm hoping to build on that.
 
think about how you handle your horse, to biuld trust, get used to leading on a longish rope and walking ahead..just expect your horse to follow you. You can do your circles and straight lines and halt (halt by stopping and blocking your horse so it respects you)

Don't even think about canter until you horse is strong and balanced in walk and trot, and listening to you in those paces.
 
i'd do lots of transitions between walk, stop and trot. I spent weeks doing that with my horse who'd done very little schooling before i'd got her and she was soon going lovely.

have fun.
 
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