Riding issue with ex riding school pony

[rcm_73]

Just wondering if anyone had any thoughts/ideas. Recently acquired a 12.2 Welsh B 6y.o. gelding from a riding school, been used in the riding school for 2yrs since a 4y.o. but not done anything else. He's bombproof hack on and off lead-rein and is 100% lead-rein in the school. Problems start when you put a more capable rider on his back and ask him to do stuff other than follow at a walk/trot -he gets a bit nappy and stubborn and objects a bit with ears back, tail swishing that sort of thing but usually goes ok with a stick to back up the leg.
Anyway main problem seems to be in when you ask for canter behind another horse, he ends up ditching the rider by diving his head down one side and the other and seems to twist his body and 'hump' them off without actually bucking. It all happens very quick and it seems to be a trick that he's got off to a fine art and he usually sends the rider straight over his head! It only seems to happen though when he is behind another horse. I wonder if anyone has any ideas or is it just a case of riding him through it so that he (hopefully) doesn't ditch the rider. It's easy enough to avoid cantering behind another horse in the school but I'm worried that out on hacks it could be different as he isn't the most forward of ponies so and is quite lazy about going first and bigger horses would go before him. Would be a shame not to be able to sort it out as in every other way he is just what we wanted!

 

[horseandhound]

Hmmm, know exactly what you mean. A pony my daughter had used to to this, problem was it was only 10.2hh, absolutely fine on lead rein, but had learned this was the way to get children off. You need to get somebody who is a very good rider on the pony, at 12.2 hh a good teenager or small adult could be installed. Definately do not keep letting this happen, the more it happens the more the pony knows the trick.. I had to sell my daughters little pony for leadrein, as it was just too small a pony for me to sort out and ride. She was very upset by it, as was I, but cantering in company for a child on a pony like that. No way, fast way of having their confidence wrecked.

 

[spookypony]

Why would someone use a 4yo in a riding school??

Sounds like he's simply learned that the way you go is nose to tail in walk and trot, and who can blame him for not liking the programme changed all of a sudden?

How does he canter when away from the others? Do you have a smallish adult that can school him for a while until he's learned his new job?

 

[natalia]

put a small adult on him to school him up a bit and get your daughter to ride him in grass reins for a bit.

 

[gigs]

I bought a 12.2 pony for my daughter here in Spain (its very hard to find small ponies here ) he is rising 5 and does exactly the same as you describe only lazy lad wont canter !
Suggest lots of lunging and as others have said put an older child or lightweight adult on this does help -good luck

 

[AmyMay]

Have you tried cantering him upsides another pony - and then allowing your pony to move ahead slightly, and then the other move ahead slightly?

 

[rcm_73]

Grass reins I thought of but am a bit worried he will pull the saddle up his neck even with the girth tight. I have been on him (I'm 35 and 8 1/2 stone) My horse is a lively ex racer, I have 32 years riding experience & he still managed to drop me

He has dropped my 12 y.o. daughter more than once but he was meant for my 7 y.o. daughter, now I sort of know what he does I think I can ride him through it (I hope!) the odd thing is that he will canter around on his own but needs a lot of leg but just does this thing when cantering behind another horse and only seems to be in the school as we have cantered him on hacks and he was ok. Bit worried though as my daughter is getting to the stage of learning to canter and for obvious reasons I would prefer it to be in the school. The person I got him off uses a lot of youngsters in her riding school. I think I will have to take him back to teaching some basics with lungeing and long reining perhaps.
Thanks all for your helpful input.