training a lead-rein pony to go solo

[curlytop]

we are having a slight hitch whilst training our welsh a to go off the lead rein. he is a gelding, 6 years, owned for 4 years.
he is very quiet and gentle mannered. he has done lots of lead rein rides with children aged 2-12, including lead-rein dressage, sj and is very good in traffic.
now we are wanting to ride him off the lead-rein, he is not happy. he can lunge and longrein no probs, he is also happy pulling logs/tyres in long reins.
the problem is when i want him to work further away from the handler, whilst being ridden, he clenches his buttocks so tight he almost sits down, and bunny hops forward and starts shaking. we can just about lunge in walk but trotting sets him off, though he can trot on lead rein fine.
i decided to try and ride through it, but today he lost his rider 5 times. he is too small for me to ride and im not sure what to do. i have considered blinkers incase it is the sight of the rider, as he is acting like he really doesnt accept his rider at all.
he is not a trouble maker and is scaring himself and his riders now. he has been on leadrein for 3 years and is as good as gold.
any ideas?

 

[WoopsiiD]

A group of us were talking about this very same problem today!

In my case it wasn't the sight of the rider that bothered him it was not seeing someone beside him that sent him into a 'panic attack'.
Dai had been lead rein for 6-7years?? then it was solo time. He just went into a melt down so we started from the begining and took things s-l-o-w-l-y. We started with someone walking beside him with no lead rein. After a week of that the 'leader' walked with him but not next to him. As the weeks went on the leader moved further away while the rider took over the talking to him-he was a very sociable chap and loved been talked to.
It took a couple of months and a few set backs but he was soon going strong.

 

[be positive]

Its a common problem with ponies that are started as lead reins,I would get the best rider on board with lunge line on,make the rider take control whilst you lead gradually get further away.The rider needs to be giving clear aids,walk,halt time and time again until pony is confidently listening to the rider ,you must be careful it is not responding to your body language ie keep moving while rider asks for halt and wait for it to walk on before you move.
This will take some time as the pony has not got much confidence in his rider at the moment ,when it is doing walk,halt easily try moving away further so it is going round you as if lungeing but do not take over, the rider must stay in charge.
Once it is happy on a circle try trotting,again be near until it is going for the rider not for you. Then progress on to the circle.
If you take things slowly you should get there he is just used to relying on you being with him and feels insecure without you next to him.

 

[SophieLouBee]

If he has been ridden on the lead for three years, it isn't the sight of the rider that's bothering him.

It's either a tantrum or a confidence crisis, both common in ponies coming off the lead.

With a tantrum, he will be throwing his toys out of his pram, because he thinks unless there is someone to follow/lead him round, he most certainly isn't going to do as little jockey asks, and he is going to protest by having a freddy and dumping said rider.

If it's a confidence crisis, then he is hesitant to go forward because he has essentially lost his confidence giving force (the leader), and now he is being asked to go it alone, he is panicking and probably not entirely sure of what you are asking of him.

Lunging is essential to get him going forwards from the voice, as even if legs aren't working, then at least voice commands are making it clear to him what he is supposed to be doing. He needs to be totally listening and working to voice before you even attempt moving on.

I had a mare that was terribly sticky, and wouldn't go forward unless following. I went from leading, to her following then on to her going forwards with my encouragement coming from behind. By this I mean, I am still close by, but rather than leading, I am encouraging the horse to go forwards from the back end, almost 'shooing' if you like.

I started off sending her forwards from about the flank area with a little stick, standing quite close (a. in-case she flipped out so I could grab her and b. so that I was close enough to give her the confidence to go forward), then gradually as she improved and was going forward to the riders aid, I'd move further away and intervene less and less, ditching the stick, until eventually I was standing in the middle of the school whilst she went about her schooling, only really clicking my fingers and growling if she proceeded to nap. She now schools fine on her own. No problems at all, and before she couldn't take a step on her own without rearing.

Either way, the horse will need to be ridden forwards through it, in a sympathetic but also firm manner, throwing a hissy will get a telling off, but and step he makes on his own should get lots of praise. Always make him feel as though it is the right thing to be going away from you, and that it is totally safe to do so, lots of talking to him, and a confident rider.

Hope he comes right.

Either way, he will need riding through it

 

[curlytop]

thanx, at least its not just us then. he is better if he is asked to walk over poles so maybe we need to keep his mind more occupied and take it really slowly.
i dont think its a tantrum. he shoots forward and sideways (if still attached to lunge line) with his body completely hunched up, and his belly and back legs are shaking. when he does it right he gets praise and he starts to chew and looks happier.
what weight do u think a welsh A can carry. he is 11hh, medium build. i guessed at 5 stone?
many thanx

 

[be positive]

Short periods with a good well balanced rider, 7to8stone would not hurt.
My 12 hand Welsh A was started by a girl about that as a 4 year old she carried her easily doing some trot and canter for 15/20 mins.

 

[FMM]

thanx, at least its not just us then. he is better if he is asked to walk over poles so maybe we need to keep his mind more occupied and take it really slowly.
what weight do u think a welsh A can carry. he is 11hh, medium build. i guessed at 5 stone?
many thanx

My 11hh section a carried 7.5 stone very easily. He could have carried more, but this was the maximum I wanted on him as the saddle was tiny and the weight distribution would have made him uncomfortable.