Some advice & opinions please..(mega long & confusing)

[HayleyUK]

I've recently bought back my old pony (shes 15 now-I bought her at 6 then sold her 4 1/2 years ago) and had decided that I wanted to try to play at being a 'proper' dressage pony ie, going correctly not like a giraffe. I never had a problem with her before she came home, but shes come back with confidence issues being caught, being groomed (possibly being a P-taking little madam) jumping (similar to what we experience when she was 6 & 7 with stopping at fences. I absolutely can't carry a whip with her anymore as all she does is gets incredibly tense and stressed and tends to just run through my hands. Not bolting, or anything dangerous, just running through my hands as flat out trot or flat out walk etc. Shes slowly come to realise (over a few weeks) that I'm not scary & she can trust me a bit more (I can catch and mess with her and groom her- I suspect she was taking the P a bit), and the jumping is coming on well.

I ditched the whip and got myself a trainer in, who said she needed to learn to work in a shape with the correct muscles before I could start expecting her to do it when I gave the correct aids. She popped a bungee on her & made comments about how she was a lovely mare who really wants to please me, shes just got confused with different ways of riding & doesnt really know what I want from her so the bungee will show her and then I can start to ask her without the bungee once shes got the idea. She also mentioned she was a bit slack off my leg and said try some small spurs to sharpen her up a little. She turned out to be unreliable & after she started letting me down after 2 lessons I decided to call it a day with her and tried someone else.

This lady informs me that my mare is 'attitud-y', that when I put my leg on she just comes back at me and doesn't want to soften around my leg and into my hand. She says the pony's answer is to bring her head up & intimidate me into taking my leg off etc or to run through the bridle and not soften into it. Shes sat on her twice and was quite rough with her, seemed to do a lot of kicking & tugging at her mouth-softening when she gave in thou. She said shes got into the habit and needs to be ridden through it.. but I'm leaning towards the feeling its more bullying her into it than her accepting it.
She does get an improvement though..however, pony doesn't seem 'willing' if that makes sense.

I'm not sure now if it is just attitude from her, or if I'm genuinely getting "I'm unhappy" signs from her.

What would you do in my situation?
Accept that she just doesn't 'like' going that way, she never has and its a bit late to start asking her now.
Get a new trainer in who's less 'bullying' (I'm not sure thats the right word because she does give when she gets what she wants, its just how she gets it thats niggling at me)
Just keep at it..

We've had a dire day out today & its really got the cogs whirring round & I'm wondering what the hell is going on in her head.

Her back & teeth are fine but shes changed shape again I think so will be calling the saddler out this week (praying for a nice WH saddle)

Apologies for it being so long and 'touchy feely'.. cookies and a big hug for putting up with me if you got this far.

I just want whats best for the daft mare.

 

[Donkeymad]

My 'feeling' is that she has received some bad handling along the way and may respond better to gentleness and patience rather than harshness. I don't mean give her her own way, be firm but not rough, and consistent.

 

[appylass]

You sound like you've really got your ponies interests at heart and you know her better than anyone. If you have niggling doubts about this trainer I'd go with your instincts and find someone who works along the same lines as you.

 

[Orangehorse]

Well, it sounds as though you don't like this second instructor, so why not find someone else.

What you pony needs is for you to be clear and consistent with your aids, and reward her for the slightest improvement. You will get further and faster with praise rather than punishment.

Make sure the saddle is comfortable before you do any more schooling, because that can make a big difference.

 

[Cop-Pop]

It's a hard one - it could be that she is taking the P and needs to be ridden through it and told she isn't the boss. It could also be that she does have more problems than that. Would prob be best to get someone else to look at her and get an opinion from them. Have u had her back/teeth etc checked?

 

[HayleyUK]

To be honest, its probably a mix of both.

Shes never really responded to being bullied, you have to be really
firm and clear about what you are asking but the second you start being rough she just takes the attitude, why should I? Typical mare I guess.

However, she will take the P given half a chance. I need to find someone who balances that I guess.

Current trainer is lovely, just doesn't seem to get anything more out of D than I do, even when she gets on.. if anything she gets more of a fight out of her.

Think its going to be a case of saddler this week, then see if I can get some different trainers out who might help.

Thanks guys, feel tons better & less like I'm being daft.