Utter despair!

Funny you should say that :P I used to stuff him with polos and over the last year I've gradually stopped (apart from the odd treat for doing well) maybe he misses his polos? LOL!

It's funny when the kids at the yard bring their friends, they always get a bit over the top :P pointing to the big TBs and even Ned, saying "Oh yea, I jump this one and we sometimes gallop this one!" hahah! Dream on, kiddies!
 
Funny you should say that :P I used to stuff him with polos and over the last year I've gradually stopped (apart from the odd treat for doing well) maybe he misses his polos? LOL!

Does the reduction in polos correlate with the better behaviour from him? Some horses just cannot tolerate extra sugar etc. It is always worth having a think about what is going in at the front end :D
 
Sorry I didn't make myself very clear, I am wondering if the reduction in napping, which I know was down to a lot of hard work by you and mum, was also something which benefited from the reduction in polo's
 
Oh!! Yea, it could be!
He does get a lot less rubbish now and is generally calmer. He used to dance around all over the place if the ride stopped. However, a girl had a nasty fall in canter and Ned stopped and waited while I held the horse that'd thrown her! I was so pleased with him and it made the whole thing much easier to deal with :)
 
He sounds a much better mannered gent now :)
We have learnt the hard way about feed causing problems. We had a WelshDxTb who was sugar and cereal intolerant, made her almost unhandleable :eek:. The current Appy can't cope with alfalfa or carrots and becomes a nightmare ride, without them she is forward going and a little spooky, with them she is a nutjob!
 
If it's any consolation, my cob gets the vapours whenever there's a 'flush' in the grass. Things that he has to walk past, several times a day, hide cob eating monsters that either make him dash forwards at a rate of knots (usually straight through me), or, he plants, then does a perfect pirouette and dashes back where he came from! Luckily, it only lasts a day or 2 and he's back to normal, you'd think a 20 year old would have got over such things!
A proper 'old school' lady I know swears by getting nappy horses to move backwards. Many years ago (probably before you were born OP!), I remember seeing her going backwards down the road, at least half a mile from her yard. The horse hadn't done a step forward the whole way! She still recommends this method, although I've never tried it myself.
Somebody mentioned clicker training? That can be brilliant, but, either get somebody to teach you how to do it, or really read up on it, as you'll both be new to it.
I'm sure things will be better when Ned is all yours and you've got a routine going. If he is a bit herd bound,he'll soon realise that he's not being 'taken away' and that he'll return to his lovely lady in the fullness of time
 
I think he is just a one person horse you know! You obviously have a special bond and don't get me started on kiddies with sweeties!! Maybe the new mare is causing a bit of excitement, mine has lots of new friends which did send him a little bit exciteable but hoping over his 'holiday' (due to my broken arm thanks pal) he will get over himself!
 
Oh no! Meandwhy, I hope your arm heals soon!

I actually used to take him backwards into the show ring :P it was a sight to see! The other lad who used to ride him did it too, worked a treat! The only problem is there's quite a drop on the way from the yard. I hate riding past it even going forwards!
 
I took a sweet picture today, of Ned and his girlfriend Tegan! She's only a loan, so I hope he doesn't get far too over attached, as she's going in April.

NedPony010.jpg
 
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