Steering and how to acquire some!

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Walrus

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Hello,

So Bobby-Fell is settling in. He's been (mostly) a very good boy. We've been walking in-hand in the school with floodlights and over a pole and that's gone well. Dentist came last week to rasp his teeth so a week ago he had a bit in (he has been bitted before as he was shown in-hand). This week he has been for a walk in-hand round some fields (nice off road hacking at my yard!) and also long reined for about 2-3 minutes up a straight track heading towards home. All good.

Today we tried long reining, the real thing. We started off quite well - toddled off down the track away from the yard, took a right along the edge of a stubble field, then we got to another field corner, I asked his to go left and instead we went right, sideways like a crab. More steering and encourgement to go forwards resulted in a little buck, fell pony tantrum and then a wobbly walk in the right direction. He then stopped to take in the scenery (not exactly part of the plan but ok), when I asked him to walk on he ignored me so I tweaked the rein a little to get his attention. We carried on and at the bottom of the field I tried to turn round to go back the way we came, not so good. Cue fell pony tantrum number two including head waving, a nice couple of bucks and attempting to trot in the wrong direction. He got pulled up and we reorganised but we couldn't turn without a fair bit of resistance. In the end I went to his head and lead him most of the way back, then on the straight track that forms the last 100m or so before the yard I long reined him up there. No problems until we got to the yard and he zoned into a nice grass patch and we went that way - but that's cope-able with, we often look like Thelwell!

So my question is, with my one pair of hands, how do a teach pony to steer. I'm not going to be heavy handed, and even moderate pressure on the reins just makes him do a typical fell pony "stick head on chest and be a bulldozer". He has been long reined by previous owners 18 months ago (in fact he was sat on and lead round). He's 4.5 and I've had him 3 weeks. There's no rush and my very experienced friend is hopefully coming to play very soon for an afternoon to give me some tips (well, she thinks she's coming for tea and cake!).

Part of me thinks it would be easier to get on him, then I could use legs, open the rein to steer etc. instead of having what seems to be one command when long reining (pull rein).

Any hints and tips for establishing power steering?

Cheers.

(sorry it's long I got carried away! I have teddy bear shaped crisps to offer!!)
 
Full cheek ?? as you say not ideal in that you really could do with someone on the ground. Maybe start in a small paddock or school and just teach him turning and stopping first.
Problem is at the moment he is learning very early he doesn't have to do what you say and that is likely to lead to bigger problems later (sorry if thats too blunt)
 
No not too blunt at all, it's something I'm concerned about. But, he did go where we planned and at the pace we planned and we ended as we finished, on long reins so I definitely don't think it was a dismal failure.

Might try him in the school tomorrow as that will naturally lead to cornering!!
 
Just sounds like a typical fell pony - from experience they are opinionated little sh*ts when they want to be!!!!

A full check snaffle with sidereins may work well - full check gives all the encouragement possible, the side reins (on snuggly but not tight) will help stop him just bending his nose round to his side and buggering off.

Also, how do you run your lines? Get a roller with very low set rings (I have one that has an insert that actually slides onto the girth straps on both sides) and run them along his sides rather than like driving reins - then you can catch his bum with the rein as he swings it out, and slap him with it if needs be.

On a fell pony note - they are known for being stubborn opinionated ponies, but fabulous once you get past they. 3 weeks really isn't a long time and it may just sort itself as his respect and manners for you improves in general.
 
Hehe, yep he is turning out to be quite opinionated. He stamps his feet if he can't get his own way! I think it is also tht he has reached 4 and a half and never really had any questions asked of him. He's been handled and started really well but not worked so now his mean new mummy is expecting him to work for his dinner!!

I have asked instructor / yard owner for a lesson tomorrow - as I'm quite new to long reining she can make sure i'm asking the right questions and give me some hints and tips on how to get the right answers.

And yep, 3 weeks is nothing, poor lamb is still recovering from the shock of being uprooted from his field and shipped to a new yard I think. We're in no rush, so long as we keep going forwards, however small the steps, that's fine by me!
 
practice,practice and you guessed it more practice try longreining in figure of 8, in and out of cones/poles and over poles I do all of this in walk and trot before I venture out of the school good luck
 
Quick update, had a long-rein lesson this morning. My instructor essentially gave me the confidence to be a little more forceful with him and less soft and nice and therefore scared to insist. She took the reins for the first part and then I had a go once she had him motoring along well. His main problem was diving for grass today so she recommended loose side reins that will stop him putting his head down. Also going to look for a fulmer losenge snaffle to hone our steering with. And of course lots of practise!! We had less stroppy-fell today in terms of bucking etc. so hopefully we can continue that way!
 
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