Spooky pony

[nel509]

My pony has been off most of winter maturing and just back in work for a few weeks He has become super spooky. Poles on the floor are a nightmare. I must have rode the same few poles over 20 times and he didn't get any better. I am trying an array of things to densensitise him. Any tips

 

[Dry Rot]

Leave the poles in his field near the water trough. Also, be aware that your own behaviour/body language can easily trigger behaviour in your horse. If you are expecting problems, he might be picking up on that.

 

[alliwantforchristmas]

If you are 'trying an array of things to desensitize him' there is a risk that you are flooding/overwhelming him. Leave a pole on the ground in his field for a couple of days, near to an area that he passes, but not that he has to walk over it. Then put a couple more down. Work him with you on the ground first so that you can give him confidence before trying to ride him over it. The point is not to make him go over it - so lead him a little closer, let him stop, look, move him away, rinse and repeat. Lead him past it giving it a wide berth (put yourself between pole and horse) and then gradually ask him to go a little closer on subsequent passes. In the end he should be willing to step over it himself, without any force from you, as long as you have gone steady enough. Then he has learned confidence in you and himself, and that things on the ground are nothing to fear, instead of just being made to do something. Look at a Ben Hart shaping plan for obstacle work for trust and confidence if you find things aren't going well. Also consider that if he has been off most of winter maturing his tack may not be a good fit and if he is uncomfortable that won't help. Do some ground work while you get your tack checked if needs be. I would lead and long rein over all obstacles before trying to ride them, esp with a young horse or horse not very established in his work who has had some time off.

 

[nel509]

Thanks for the tips, I have been doing ground work around/alongside/next to poles etc. he is fine with me on the ground, it's definitely a confidence thing. I can't leave a pole in the field as I'm on a big yard and yo won't allow it. I tried outside his stable where he eats hay and was absolutely fine. Tack was checked before I got back on him as he had ballooned, luckily my saddle is adjustable so got it widened couple of weeks ago. At the moment he is old walking whilst being rose, so it's hard to get the impulsionn to get over a pole, I'm starting trot work this week, so I think I will have better luck once he moving forward. I'll keep to in hand stuff to build confidence before I trauma him with trot and poles though. He is a sensitive soul bless him