trying to teach my pony the countryside is not for galloping about in ALL the time

Firehorse

Firehorse

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 September 2008
Messages
1,124
Location
sunny and cold sussex
Visit site
as above really. my pony can be quite naughty about taking off the minute his feet are off the road. if i try to hold him back, he will rear slightly, if i continue to hold him, his rears become higher. its nothing nasty, jst his sheer excitement coming out and thats the only way he can go if i'm holding onto him. lunging before riding doesnt take the edge off, sticking to roads is limiting. he does listen to voice commands and sometimes a slap on the neck will make him listen and bring him back to planet earth. but once we're on our hill, everything he knows goes to pot. i do realise that i've not helped the situation by letting him go, but thats all i can do when he looses his head.

i've thought of maybe pulling him round onto a circle each time he rears and maybe doing some schooling sessions on the hill. but i can imagine this will set up a major fight with him and make the fizz bubble even more, which could be tricky if there are dogs and walkers around. altho if it would work and make him realise he cant hve his own way, then i'd give it a try.

if any one has had a pony like this, i would love to know what u hve tried and if it worked or not. thx :-)
 
Is he better or worse in company? Sometimes I used to go out with a horse who was very calm and once my horse saw we were 'just walking' by being behind the horse infront he would settle.

Also, how about as soon as he gets a little riled, turning him around and walking in the direction of the yard. Play time = over.

May work?? Just firing ideas :D
 
it makes no differece if he's in company or alone. still a nutter! i hve turned him round before and come off the hill to walk round the roads instead. not sure that had much effect as he was fizzy the whole way round anyway. and turning to go home will be rewarding him surely? play time over, but heading for home. thx for the suggestions.
 
A) is he welsh at all?

B) my mare used to be like this and something I found that worked was that if I kept her on a loose rein and on the buckle as I got onto grass she was fine until I gathered up her reins and then she was like "all systems are go go go go.........................gone"

I had to chuck her reins at her today. shes not changed lol. A bit of bute and she was back to being a 6 year old welsh :D
 
My coloured native is like this as well. (well, perhaps not rearing, but loses the plot) As soon as her feet touch grass, that's it.
On the road, you couldn't ask for a more sensible horse.
 
Yeah, I bet he is Welsh too! My old girl was as good as gold on the road but as soon as her feet felt anything other than tarmac she would start. I used to ride her on a big open space and worke her in circles in one corner - if she was good the circle was made bigger and she might even be allowed to canter, but as soon as she got too strong it was back to trotting on small ones. The message did eventually sink in , and I could let rip in straight lines after a few months, but alot of it was still on her terms! Once she'd had a good blast though, she'd come home on the buckle of the reins.
 
Leading in hand, every time he pulls off standing still until he calms? Being lead whilst you're on, attached to lunge line so they can pull him back?

I definitely agree with insisting on circles until they calm, and going back to circles if they mess around! xxxx
 
My welshie is the same, although he is alot better on his own. With him i've found the best is just to ignore him and jig jog along and hold him, he is getting better the more we go out and do it.
 
i actually had a slow ride today since having posted this!! i was out with 2 others, who are both 4 and can be a bit silly. (mine is 14 and should know better!). whether its because he went out yesterday as well, or i was more relaxed as chatting to friends, or because i asked him for trot as soon as we got on the hill, before he could decide it was time to go, i dont know!! but anyway, thats what i did, i had fairly loose reins as he does get pingy if held up tight, asked for trot, then canter, no rearing or bombing off at all.

half way up the field a dog came at us, so i slowed to trot (miracle!!) and continued to trot the rest of the way and even had to push him slightly to keep going. now, i'm not gonna get excited, coz knowing my luck he'll be back to normal tomorrow, but i will try the exact same things again and pray he will be as good!!
 
If you have enough space and he tanks off you could always try pushing on through the speed and keep pushing even when he wants to slow down - for quite a while and stop when YOU want to. Until he learns that tanking off means much more work!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top