Teaching children/schooling ponies...

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mystiandsunny

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The ****** pony always goes well for ME, 'cause they're not stupid - I'm an adult, I'm confident, and assertive, and within a minute or two all is sweet and rosy, pony on the bit beautifully, no sign of spooking/spinning/tanking off/bucking/whatever caused the need for the help in the first place. With a more assertive character of child, I can teach the basics for that - improve seat and aids, get them to do groundwork to improve respect, ensure that they understand that pony is not to move an inch without them deciding how, when and where that inch is to be moved so that the balance of power shifts, pony respects them and all is good. That's not a quick fix though, and requires a child who's willing to listen and put those principles into practice, but it does work.

What on earth do with a child who won't/can't be assertive enough though? How do I school the pony not to take the mickey out of a weaker rider? Ideas?
 
Could you stick pony and child on the lunge?
You have control over the pony who will possibly behave better then making the child more confident so they may assert themselves better when they come off the lunge.
 
I have struggled with this problem for the last 2 years. Pony is a dream for me, will jump anything, go anywhere be generally lovely and then my daughter gets on! There is light at the end of the tunnel tho. I think if the pony is generally a willing type eventually the child will click. I lunged and hacked with her on the lead rein for ages and suddenly she got control of pony. Now there's no stopping them! Keep schooling the pony, get the child on the lunge and out hacking on the lead. You'l get there!
 
bimbomb said:
I have struggled with this problem for the last 2 years. Pony is a dream for me, will jump anything, go anywhere be generally lovely and then my daughter gets on! There is light at the end of the tunnel tho. I think if the pony is generally a willing type eventually the child will click. I lunged and hacked with her on the lead rein for ages and suddenly she got control of pony. Now there's no stopping them! Keep schooling the pony, get the child on the lunge and out hacking on the lead. You'l get there!
Click to expand...

Glad it doesn't just happen to me!
 
This particular pony and child belong to a friend of a friend who needed a small adult rider to help out with schooling pony and helping child. Pony is very similar to one of mine, who has had a fair few child sharers over the years, but child is not willing to be assertive enough, and that isn't something I'm used to...
 
I'm resurrecting this to see if anyone has any ideas as I now find myself in a similar position. Pony goes beautifully for me but my neice seriously lacks assertiveness and will be on the lead until she's a teenager at this rate!

Child is 8 and the pony is a Section A... I know, cunning little beasts but any ideas gratefully accepted!
 
What does the pony actually do? Grass reins are great for little ponies who pull their heads down to pull reins out of childs hands and then disappear off with head on floor to eat grass........ :)
 
Does it not work if you school pony til he's quiet before child gets on? Put him in the working frame of mind? Iv seen this work on a few ponies now, eventually they stop needing you to ride before the kid.
 
It can be done!! My 5 year old daughter walks, trots, canters, jumps (tiny) and hacks off the lead rein. She has had her pony for 2 years now and its not always been plain sailing. Pony has dumped her more times than I can remember but each time my daughter has got back on and done something, even if just a tiny walk with me holding her. It has taken a lot of hard work on my part, she spent ages on the lead rein and the lunge. The days my daughter says she doesn't want to ride i've not forced her. As far as schooling the pony is concerned I think the best thing is for it to have fun. My daughters pony hacks more than she schools and is ridden by myself and some older girls so its not all being banged about on. As long as the pony understands what is being asked I think eventually the child will be able to ride it confidently. Its is all about being patient and putting the effort in (thats how it worked with me anyway!!) Now for a shameless video of my daughter on her pony and proof that it is possible!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWoj42SNWYQ
 
I used a pelham with rounders (I know), for my kids with their pony, when they were little, she used to pull on them a bit and eat grass, sometimes a little hard to stop or turn. they were not very strong, not a strong seat either. She was a lot lighter and responsive in this bit, they had very light contact (or none) and did not pull on her or cause her discomfit from the stronger bit.

But depends what the problem is, because the issue that they had was relatively minor, not like she was really trying to get rid of them, she never shies, rarely bucked, was a very forward pony, (if she did nap they had a crop) no good for kid or pony to kick kick kick). So I felt that they were safe on her. She just used to try it on if she felt she could get away with it.

If the pony is nasty a bit will not fix it. Focus on making it easy for the child, safe and fun, build confidence.

I did not worry about the steering much with the kids when they were learning. I would put them i a fenced off area and just tell them to go, did not matter where, they had no stirrups, (after an incident where my son was hanging upside down from elastic sided safety stirrups and not heavy enough for them to release- pony did not do anything though), relatively loose rein which encouraged the pony to go forwards and lots of fun for the kids because it was something they could do and they really did not want me telling them what to do.

Also I think that they would have quit years ago, if they had to be disciplined about the way they rode. i just kept them safe and let them have fun.
 
Sounds like the child in question just isn't suitable yet for the pony. Assertiveness comes from confidence. a child naturally lacking in assertiveness needs time to build up their skills on a pony with less quiks, imo. I have two daughters both who ride and one is assertive (age 7) and one who is just becoming so (age 11).
 
Ponies are clever little gits generally, that know exactly who is on them and what they can get away with! Its a very common problem. Half the ponies at our local PC that regularly win at shows etc were chucking their riders off/dragging them around two years ago when the riders were smaller.

My step son had a lively 4yr old welsh section a for his first pony, that I never thought I'd get him off the lead on. I agree with keeping them on the leadrein as long as you can. The transitional stage with ours was to teach the pony to lead off my horse, then hack out on the lead rein, letting the rein go longer and longer. Once the child got stronger, it all became easy, and they were a great team together.

Then, of course, they outgrow them, and you have to start again!!

ps. Agree with the fencing off a small area of the field and letting them get on with it. We leave gymkhana stuff up in the field, so that they can play around on that, which teaches them steering and confidence without them knowing!

Its good that you are light enough to get on the pony anyway - it can only help for the pony to be ridden by a larger rider now and again. You will get there in the end. It just takes time...
 
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