Teaching a pony

[rrose]

I am currently helping a 11 year old ride her 6 year old new forest (quiet fine) 13.2 pony. This pony is very difficult to ride as he does not listen to the leg and he bucks (he has no problems). He is snaffle mouth and wears a martigale as his head gos dangerously high in the air.

But the question is how do you teach a horse to canter, he will canter out but not in the school and by the time you do manage it your nackered and so is the pony.

thanks for any advice. i will take some pictures when i ride it for them next and show you what he is like

xx

 

[lennysmith]

It maybe that he is still unbalanced in the school and therefore cannot canter in there. It took me a good 5 months to get Josie able to canter in the school. The high head too sounds like an unbalanced baby too. (that is if you are sure there's no back probs??)

Everytime they go out make sure when he is asked for canter, you use the word clearly. The way you'd ask on the lunge. That way when he is more balanced and can do it he will know what you are asking for.

Lessons with a good instructor would help too. I know they were invaluable to me.

Time and perseverance will get there in the end I'm sure.

 

[Josh_craney]

i had a problem like this with my new forest 14.2 shes a star now but never does canter properly in our school as it is smaller then a dressage arena. anyway what you need to do is make sure the pony is not running into canter at all make sure that it is a nice trot or you will just cause problems in the future. keep practising out on hacks with other horses and tell her to use her leg when she is asking for canter like she never had before really squeeze. and then just do no more then 5 strides and then bring her back to trot carry this on then move it into the school

pm me if you want when you have cracked this out on hacks and i will tell you what else to do later.

 

[rrose]

thanks, the pony has been checked from problems but nothing is wrong. im taking it out on a hack tomorow with friend on a bomb proof pony, and see what he is like out then i will test the canter and let you know what happens x
thanks again xx

 

[Vey]

More canter out on hacks. Try a lead horse/pony in the school. Try stand/trot transitions, and walk/canter transitions. Anything which helps the pony achieve more impulsion. Make no attempt to get him 'on the bit' by holding down his head (on the bit because he is working from behind is a different matter)

 

[mandy4727]

I think it is a balance thing rather than naughtyness. In fact he is being quite clever refusing to canter cos he knows he can't do it. Try out on your hack tomorrow. And try on the lunge with no rider on his back. That way he is only balancing himself and not with a rider on. My friend at the farm has been doing that for a good few weeks now and has come on in leaps and bounds. Still a bit unsure with a rider an goes on the incorrect lead. But they are getting there. So be patient, don't rush it and you will have a lovely pony at the end of it. Good luck.