Teaching manners to little cob

[Fizzandfun]

We’ve had our boy for six months. He’s my 12 year old daughter’s, and ridden wise, he’s given her so much confidence when it was at rock bottom and she was ready to quit. He’s steady, as bombproof as I’ve ever seen and she’s having fun at last, getting out to small shows, doing PC with her friends etc.

On the ground his a different story. For an adult he’s manageable but for her, he knows he can get around her. When leading to and from the field, he’ll pull her to grass. We use a control head collar now and I lead with her. He’s so much better than he was but once he has ‘grass eye’, he’s hard for her to stop.

He’s very fidgety on the ground, when handling, grooming or tacking up. I think the previous owners used food as a way to deal with it rather than teaching him manners. We now only use a haynet if we’re giving him a bath and even then, I have to do most of it as he’s moving around so much (with warm water too!). He’s very bargy which is hard to stop and makes everything take so much longer than it needs to.

It feels like (to my untrained eye) that he’s having tantrums when he’s doing things other than eating grass or going out and about ridden. On the lorry, he’d go up at the start whenever we left the yard (although happily hacks off the yard when riding, even on his own). He’s stopped now as we go out often so he’s happier. He hates to be the last out of the stable (although this very rarely happens as he’s out 24/7). When we’re out at a show, he can get impatient and paw the ground/strike out if he’s being tacked up and others have moved on.

It’s almost like he was never taught these things and that part of his education was missed. He’s 11 so should know what’s expected and has been owned and ridden by children his whole life. This has been the one thing all his owners have said about him.

Anyway, I have booked to do some clicker training with him but I’d love some advice on how I can get the basics right with him.

In all other aspects, this boy has been exactly what my daughter needed but as she gets older, I want her to have more independence to do the ground work with him safely. We’re on a fantastic yard with our trainer so we’re not doing this on our own but I’d like to be able to help myself too, and not be so dependent on others.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

If he has been trained to stand with a haynet while children work around/with him, I would continue the tactic. It is a lot to ask of both the child and the pony that the child's strength of will can keep a pony standing well, while the child makes all sorts of mistakes in their handling.
You have obviously got an independent minded pony who is happy to hack on his own, so I suggest that you accept that you need to meet him halfway on the ground. If he leads well for you, you must accept that it is your daughter's age-related lack of skill that stops him leading well for her. He would have to be a complete saint to be perfect in all respects and actually very few ponies are.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

As pearlsasinger says I would pick my battles and having a haynet whilst children are grooming etc is ok. As for all the other behaviours you are looking for…well I’d just keep applying boundaries, rewarding when necessary and you set the expectation of his behaviour.

 

[maya2008]

Lead in/out in a bridle or with a grazing muzzle on over the headcollar.

Accept to an extent that cobs are food orientated (like natives) and that tying up with a haynet will fix a lot. Also that if this cob looks after your daughter under saddle impeccably, then HE is the one taking charge in that situation. So from his point of view, she is not the leader/decision maker. He is. So why should he stand nicely etc if she is being unreasonable from his pov (no food). She can work on her riding and groundwork to change that view.

I have two little cobs. Yes they tend towards barging and pulling if not told off - and yes they are very strong. Correct groundwork and consistent boundaries go a very long way, and because our 12.2hh is inherently kind once she understood the rules she did stop pulling. My 13.2hh is as strong as an ox though and I don’t ask the kids to hold her for me if she’s not wearing a bridle. She came from a riding school with a million bad habits and you basically have to be stronger than her to have her respect.

At home we pop hay on the floor to munch while tacking up and grooming and it keeps them all still and happy. I have to flit about helping the kids or doing chores so prefer to have ponies occupied and settled. At my friend’s yard the kids tack up in the stable, again often with a haynet. Why start a fight if you don’t need to? They will all stand nicely for a bit without, but happy ponies make for happy kids, so that’s generally my philosophy.

 

[Highmileagereindeer]

Have you got a small arena where you can do some basic ground work with him? Just simple stuff like being led, stopping when you stop, moving over or back when you place a hand on him, learning when you are pleased with him. Maybe watch a couple of the 'horse whisperer' type videos on line, and make it fun.

 

[Fizzandfun]

Lead in/out in a bridle or with a grazing muzzle on over the headcollar.

Accept to an extent that cobs are food orientated (like natives) and that tying up with a haynet will fix a lot. Also that if this cob looks after your daughter under saddle impeccably, then HE is the one taking charge in that situation. So from his point of view, she is not the leader/decision maker. He is. So why should he stand nicely etc if she is being unreasonable from his pov (no food). She can work on her riding and groundwork to change that view.

I have two little cobs. Yes they tend towards barging and pulling if not told off - and yes they are very strong. Correct groundwork and consistent boundaries go a very long way, and because our 12.2hh is inherently kind once she understood the rules she did stop pulling. My 13.2hh is as strong as an ox though and I don’t ask the kids to hold her for me if she’s not wearing a bridle. She came from a riding school with a million bad habits and you basically have to be stronger than her to have her respect.

At home we pop hay on the floor to munch while tacking up and grooming and it keeps them all still and happy. I have to flit about helping the kids or doing chores so prefer to have ponies occupied and settled. At my friend’s yard the kids tack up in the stable, again often with a haynet. Why start a fight if you don’t need to? They will all stand nicely for a bit without, but happy ponies make for happy kids, so that’s generally my philosophy.

You’ve hit the nail on the head there; he’s doing as he wishes as he doesn’t see her as being in charge. Thank you, that’s exactly it.

I hope over time, that will change as she gets more capable and stronger. I thought giving him a haynet while being groomed etc would encourage his behaviour but everyone seems to think that it’s fine so I’ll revert to that for now. I appreciate the guidance.

 

[Fizzandfun]

Have you got a small arena where you can do some basic ground work with him? Just simple stuff like being led, stopping when you stop, moving over or back when you place a hand on him, learning when you are pleased with him. Maybe watch a couple of the 'horse whisperer' type videos on line, and make it fun.

We have. We’ve just focused on ridden work, especially over winter when it’s been limited to weekends. Now the evenings are lighter we can do this. Good idea.

 

[Fizzandfun]

As pearlsasinger says I would pick my battles and having a haynet whilst children are grooming etc is ok. As for all the other behaviours you are looking for…well I’d just keep applying boundaries, rewarding when necessary and you set the expectation of his behaviour.

Thank you. We are definitely picking our battles. I guess it’s knowing we’re doing the right thing, but especially when it takes time. I think I’ll make a little list of aims and goals we can work on over the coming months. Things like leading to and from the field I’ll always do anyway but if she can do more on the ground with him then that’s a win. We definitely don’t have any expectations of a perfect pony, I just want to work on addressing some manners.

 

[Highmileagereindeer]

Doing join up with him night help, but be very clear about noticing the subtle signs he gives you when he decides to co-operate.

 

[Fizzandfun]

If he has been trained to stand with a haynet while children work around/with him, I would continue the tactic. It is a lot to ask of both the child and the pony that the child's strength of will can keep a pony standing well, while the child makes all sorts of mistakes in their handling.
You have obviously got an independent minded pony who is happy to hack on his own, so I suggest that you accept that you need to meet him halfway on the ground. If he leads well for you, you must accept that it is your daughter's age-related lack of skill that stops him leading well for her. He would have to be a complete saint to be perfect in all respects and actually very few ponies are.

He’s very smart. He does what he knows he can get away with. We had a training session with an instructor once who competes at a high level on her cobs. It was fascinating to watch him click.

He had a number of years at a boarding school so I think it was just easier to use feed to train him and now he expects it all the time.