Those with experience of 4/5 year olds

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missyme10

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Hey all,

I'm having a few issues with my just turned 5 year old Irish Cob - all aged related I believe, so goes with the territory, but maybe someone can offer me some ideas on how to deal with them?

He's generally a very good horse, but keeps throwing new things at me.

This past month, he keeps veering off to other ponies in the school. Its not dangerous, just annoying. At present all I feel I can do is use my outside reign and inside leg to try and keep him going straight, but he's a strong bugger and sometimes takes no blooming notice and keeps going until he's up the other ponies rear!

Canter is an issue, if I ask him to go he doesn't, when I dont want him to go, he's constantly wanting to go into canter. The not going has been going on for a while, but the constant trying to go into canter when being asked to trot is new this week.

He's also this past couple of weeks reverted back to refusing to go into the school on his own, will happily follow another pony in or go in if he can see another pony working in there. He used to do this about 6 months ago, but a week or so of not giving in cured it.
His new attempts are far worse, before he only used his strength to turn, now when I use my legs to insist he goes forward he throws a wobbly and rears and bucks on spot, even tries to ram me into walls rendering my legs useless. Use of the crop results in bucking.

I dont believe there are any physical problems because firstly he hacks out great and we have no issues, secondly, bring another pony into the situation and refusing to go forwards doesn't happen, opposite in fact as he's rather keen to go.

Ideas guys? I know there are no miracle cures for young ones and you have to ride through them, just looking for some advise on how best to from those more experienced than myself.

Thanks xxx
 
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is he school stale? my coblet wouldnt canter in the school (either went vv slow and reluctant or motorbike wall of death scraping me off) - solution was to only canter on hacks for a while until she learned (i) canter is fun! (ii) how to balance herself esp on corners. She has a lovely canter now.
 
The saddler is in this week I think so plan on getting it checked as a precaution, but I really dont think it is the saddle or his back, because he's a different horse if another pony is in front of him, and his teeth were done recently so I know its not teeth.
I've not hacked him out alone but my riding instructor has and said he's fine, he's a nosy horse and looks about a lot, but has never tried to turn back for home.

The being willing to go out alone with riding instructor and then insisting on being glued next to other ponies at times just doesn't add up. I can't figure if its insecurity in him or he's taking the pee or another reason.
He is a pee taker type and cheeky x
 
lachlanandmarcus said:
is he school stale? my coblet wouldnt canter in the school (either went vv slow and reluctant or motorbike wall of death scraping me off) - solution was to only canter on hacks for a while until she learned (i) canter is fun! (ii) how to balance herself esp on corners. She has a lovely canter now.
Click to expand...

It did cross my mind that he just hates the school, as he's good out hacking and we have no issues with canter in the fields.
But, if I tuck in behind my friend horse in the school, he'd happily canter all day.
He seems to vary in the school, one day happy, one day grumpy, but then he's the same on the ground, he can be a grumpy old man some days. So I just dont know lol.
 
I was going to say saddle or school stale. When in with aanother he will see it as more fun. My boy is 5 and we school twice a week at absolute most as i know he would get so bored. What's he like playing games? going round cones and trec like activities?
 
**Vanner** said:
I was going to say saddle or school stale. When in with aanother he will see it as more fun. My boy is 5 and we school twice a week at absolute most as i know he would get so bored. What's he like playing games? going round cones and trec like activities?
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He definitely has more fun with others, last weekend he thoroughly enjoyed himself as there were 5 of us in the school and we had poles and cones out and little cross poles, he had a ball and so did I. He absolutely loves jumping, but I'm no jumper lol, but we can manage a wee cross pole together.

Oh one other thing to add, when taking a lesson, we have no veering off problems, but then there are no other ponies to veer off to !!! Its actually only when with others in the school he does this x
 
Maybe try and have a lesson when there are others in the school? That way you'll have some eyes on the ground and some help with getting his focus more on you.
Good idea to get his saddle checked but sounds like you just need a bit of help from the ground, he sounds a cheeky boy!
 
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