Tiny update & Naughty pony advice

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Gracie21

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(Changed username, previously EDickens) :)

First of all I need some advice, you will all be awarded with a couple of pictures of the little pony at the end ;)

To get to the field, we have to walk down a 50m track. Over the past few weeks the pony has started to plant his feet and won't walk on when we get half way down, like he is terrified of something. He has been fine prior to this. I've tried all manners of getting him to walk on, including praising with a treat when we get to the field, being bossy and NH. If I stand next to him at his shoulder he marches backwards. It has now escalated and now he also paws the ground quite viscously like he is throwing a tantrum!

It has got so bad that this morning I couldn't even get him out the yard! It was lucky that his field buddy was being turned out soon after so we followed them down, he walked down fine but still walked behind me like he was hiding.

NOTHING has changed at all. His routine, turn out time, feed, field buddy, grazing area has all stayed the same. I am the only one who turns him out so am pretty sure nothing has happened down there to make him like this. He is fine walking anywhere else, and walks next to me like a proper pony.

Does anyone have any ideas? He is getting me in a serious mood at 7am!


UPDATE

We have just entered the New Forest Show!! :D:cool:
I have booked him in for a good few shows in the next few months to try and get him some more experience.

He is looking a little too well...he keeps escaping through his electric fence (three lines of it!) into long lush grass which has given him a belly. Any ideas on how I can stop this too?! He literally just walks through the fence..!

& just cuz he's prettttty!
jack5-1.jpg
 
You could try using a line around his hindquarters to ask his hindquarters to move forwards - gently. Make sure that he is fine about the line being there in the first place and then apply a little pressure until he moves forward. Exaggerate the release so that he understands that it is the movement forwards that had resulted in the release. Then apply again and so on. I don;t know how you normally fit your halter but it looks a little low to me and when you apply pressure to it it will be lifting his whole jaw and chin up, that, coupled with the thinness of these rope halters activates the automatic, instinctive into-pressure response that means you pull, I pull. If you then turn and look at him to see why he hasn't moved, your body language will be saying, you stay there. Rather than engaging with his no, try a different tack and see if that works.
 
Is he fine the rest of the way to the field once he's got past the half way point or does it continue the rest of the way to the gate?
 
SarahWeston, it's not normally that low. Have tried with a normal headcollar which is worse, and I don't want to be leading him in a bit for obvious reasons.

I am the only one at the yard at this time normally so need something which I can do on my own.

littlelegs-Sometimes he stops again, sometimes he doesn't! :confused:
 
Just thought if there was a definite pattern the cause might be easier to figure out.
If he's good in hand how about lots of transistions from first setting off while he's walking nicely? As close together as possible so just 3 or 4 strides between each? It might distract him & if you ask for halt a few strides before he plants he'll be in the habit of walking on after. And you've asked him to halt, rather than planting so more likely to then listen to your 'walk on' after.
Failing that, leave a bucket of feed near where he plants & let him eat from it as he walks, making sure he has it before planting so its not a reward. Nose in a bucket should distract him. Then just increase the amount of feed gradually till its just eg half an apple, then just feed it by hand at that point. Realise that's a far from ideal way of doing it, & a definite no if he nips but all I can think of that could work.
 
Last summer, my pony planted when he had to go to "pony jail" (the starvation paddock). He just emphatically didn't want to go there; initially I think because he was by himself, and then because he was with a mare that bullied him.

Two things worked: leading him with his feed bucket in my other hand (obviously this only worked when he was in there by himself), and making him go down the path backwards. Poor thing. But better in with a grumpy mare than laminitis!

Things improved when his best buddy from his normal field moved into pony jail with him.

I would wonder why your pony has suddenly decided he doesn't like the path?
 
Just thought if there was a definite pattern the cause might be easier to figure out.
If he's good in hand how about lots of transistions from first setting off while he's walking nicely? As close together as possible so just 3 or 4 strides between each? It might distract him & if you ask for halt a few strides before he plants he'll be in the habit of walking on after. And you've asked him to halt, rather than planting so more likely to then listen to your 'walk on' after.
Failing that, leave a bucket of feed near where he plants & let him eat from it as he walks, making sure he has it before planting so its not a reward. Nose in a bucket should distract him. Then just increase the amount of feed gradually till its just eg half an apple, then just feed it by hand at that point. Realise that's a far from ideal way of doing it, & a definite no if he nips but all I can think of that could work.
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There's a few good ideas in there, thanks :)

Things improved when his best buddy from his normal field moved into pony jail with him
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Haha I reckon it's the 'pony jail' term that put him off ;)

He is fine with a bucket, but sometimes the other one is turned out before. I guess I'll just have to get their earlier ;) Backwards seems like a good idea into tricking him haha!

I would wonder why your pony has suddenly decided he doesn't like the path?
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Search me, he's been right as rain until he started, now he just throws a paddy! He is fine leading everywhere else so it's not leading in itself! :(
 
Sounds like he's just being a naughtly little sod. You've had him a short time, sounds like you've so far been nicey-nicey to him and he's now just trying him luck. It's something you need to sort ASAP because it's otherwise quickly going to escalates and become worse.

To be frankly honest, i'd take a long stick or lunge stick. When he plants, give him a hard smack across the backside (making sure you leave plenty of room for him to go forwards into) and praise him once he's going. You'll not need to do it more than twice!
 
Gracie, does he back up OK? If so, turn him round and back him up the track ;)

Take control of his feet. Ask him to yield his shoulders, and immediately he does ask him to walk on. Lots of praise and scritches when he does.
 
Thank you Kallibear, I certainly have not been 'nicey-nicey' to him. He can be a cheeky s*d and is put in his place promptly. Yes I am aware it needs sorting, which is why I am asking for advice, otherwise he will stay in 24/7 and then he'll regret it :rolleyes::cool:

I have taken a schooling whip down with me and he just goes backwards, even with someone behind me with it so that I can concentrate on getting him forwards.
 
Gracie, does he back up OK? If so, turn him round and back him up the track

Take control of his feet. Ask him to yield his shoulders, and immediately he does ask him to walk on. Lots of praise and scritches when he does.
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Casey76 he backs up like a pro ;) Spookypony suggested this earlier, I will give it a go tomorrow morning & report back (I think I might have to take a video for your amusement ;))

I try to keep him changing direction so that he is going fowards without feeling like it, it works occasionally :rolleyes:
 
Sounds like he is taking the P!

I would be taking a schooling whip with me, if he stops tap him on his quaters. If he moves forwards then praise.

If he begins to back up then keep backing him up so its your idea not his! he will soon get bored of going backwards especially if thats what your asking him to do. He will realise that planting actually makes him work and its easier to just go to the field.

My Horse started to mess around when I first got her, sometimes she would plant at the entrance to her stable. I tried everything and couldn't get her moving. Until I tried the backing up method. Worked everytime! she hardly does it anymore.
 
It;s easy to use a quarter line around a pony's hindquarters on your own. I'd advise against the schooling whip. Three out of the five horses I am seeing this week are afraid of being approached from the ground because they have been got at with a whip.
 
Knobberpony is prone to this,and for no particular reason,just because she could.I found that if I moved sideways,she had to move her feet to keep balanced,so I'd turn her in a circle and we'd get moving again.Sometimes I have circled her all the way across a field before now,but we ALWAYS get where we are going I will not be beaten,especially by a geriatric pony.She does it less and less now,because she isn't stupid and realised that it is easier to behave than not.

As someone told me here,when I posted for advice 'ponies are the work of the devil'.:D
 
He's just stopped doing it now! I keep on the ball incase he decides to stop, but he doesn't!

Confused.com

We did do some backwards stuff which really p-ed him off, guess that did the trick ;)
 
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