What to do with green pony

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Weemegs

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So I've been given the task of training up a very very green 12.2hh pony. He's the safest thing and completely bombproof but just has no clue what he's doing riding wise. This is the first of this type of pony I've had to deal with so looking some advice. He was sold to the owner as older than we think he is. I sat on him for the first time expecting him to have at least a bit of experience and he was clueless. He doesn't understand leg aids at all, just stands still confused. He has okay steering though. So I'm thinking stick to walk for now, when he stops squeeze gently and use lot's of voice, then loads of praise when he moves. Does that sound okay so he'll start to understand that leg means move forward? Any other ideas? Also please don't judge at accidentally buying such a green pony. It wasn't me that bought him and now we just want to do the right thing buy him instead of him being passed around. Sorry for a bit of an essay!!
 
Take him back to basics. Lunge/longrein him until he understands voice aids then transfer them to leg aids the way you would with a newly backed pony. Lots of horses arent broken well and its more common in little ponies. So go back to basics and build up from there :)
 
Frankie Cob is quite right - but I'm curious. How old is he - and how old did you / the owner think he was? What does the passport and vetting say? What did you / they think he had done before?

I only ask because from your description he could be green. But he could also be entirely too clever. Kids don't have the longest / most effective legs. If he just stands there looking sweet and not moving he gets out of work.... Equally he could have only been used as a lead rein pony and so never actually taught the leg aids. Or was he driven? Again - no leg aids. Or conversely - a RS pony. Dead to the leg.

How you respond to him will depend on what is going on. Re-schooling from scratch is the right start. But if it is the case that he knows perfectly well what you want him to do he just doesn't want to do it then you have a different challenge than if he had not been taught in the first place.
 
Hi there! Originally the owners thought he was about 6. From looking at his milk teeth and general body he looks about 3 (probably broken in at 2 as so many here are :(. The owners should have checked before they got him but what's done is done. He was sold untried along with videos of him cantering over jumps ( but we don't know the situation of the videos, I wouldnt be surprised if he was beat to get over them). This behaviour is with me (17 years old) on him. We haven't put a child on him (I'm not squishing him though don't worry ahaha I'm tiny). So I don't think it's a case of taking advantage. I'm well used to riding school pony's and its not the same behaviour. We've tried leading him and again hes not got a clue. When you do use leg if more of a "why are you doing that!" Response rather than a "hah I'm not moving" response if that makes sense. So think we are gonna need to go back to basics
 
That makes sense - you're right. All the way back to basics and re-back. At least he has a nice temperament!
 
Can you send him to an experienced trainer? Or at the very least get some lessons with one. If you've never broken or trained a very green pony then you will need more help than can be gained from asking on a forum.
 
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