What would your plan be for this?

Boxers

Boxers

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Just taken on a 12hh pony who was a driving pony. He is 8 yrs old. He was at auction and bought by someone then re-sold and now we have him on loan.

He is 100% in traffic, great for hacking by my 10 yr old daughter.

But we don't beleive he was ever properly broken to ride - he knows nothing about working circles, or aids for cantering (he just runs faster), and doesn't know about jumping.

So my daughter wants to do everything with him and I can't afford lessons so it's down to me and my daughter. What should I/we be doing with him, to get him better schooled and teach him to jump.

Apparently he lunges at top speed!
 
Blimey, that's rather a large subject! Not sure that someone can post a succinct enough reply that would cover how to teach a 10 year old to ride & back a pony to school & jump without the help of an instructor... I mean, where to start?

Sorry to sound a bit blunt, but without the help of an instructor, I'm not sure that the project is an easy one - lets just hope the pony is a gem!

As the pony is presumably too small for you to ride, I guess the answer to your question is that you need to become her instructor...
 
We used to ride all our driving ponies. The most recent one was my stepdaughters pony who has turned into the most fabulous dressage pony. The most important thing is to remember to use the voice aids as this is generally all they know. For the canter transitions it is generally easier for the pony to pick up when the aids aregiven strongly by an experienced (larger) rider. As the transitions become more established then it is easier for the smaller jockeys to get the right lead. Use the voice and the leg aids together, at some point you will be able to reduce the voice aids and hey presto riding pony. The joy of driving ponies is that they are usually totally bombproof. Enjoy
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ETS anything you want help with in particular just send me a pm, I have probably come across it. BTW dont get too hung up on circles until he is more used to the leg aids.
 
Sounds like my old share pony. Hadn't been broken properly.

I spent a lot of time working on transitions and didnt even attempt to canter him until his trot was better and more forward rather than doing his best kangaroo impression ~must bounce up and down must bounce~

There's something about a bouncing 13.2 that teaches you sit on your backside properly LOL

Ditto on the voice thing as that's what driving ponies do respond too.

best of luck
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(he's in my siggie, 2nd from the right)
 
I see your point - the pony si super in temperament. He is 100% in traffic and she has hacked him out twice on the roads and bridleways with her sister on her pony and he didn't put a foot wrong.

I guess its the schooling and jumping he needs to learn.
 
Thanks for that

I never thought about voice aids - but I guess that's obvious really!

He is bombproof for hacking, but my daughter will want to do Pony club and local shows.

He'll win "pony judge wants to take home" with no problem! He's very cute.

Tomorrow I think we'll make a start and slowly work him in the school establishing a nice trot that isn't at a spanking driving pace!
 
Thanks for your reply.

Tomorrow we will start with walk to trot transition and take things slowly.

He's a lovely pony for her to hack - he's bombproof and genuine. A very sweet little guy!
 
The best was to start would be by lungeing him and getting him used to the voice signals, then lunge with the rider on board using the same voice signals backed up by the leg signals so he will learn what they mean. It will take some time but it will happen. Make a really big fuss over him when he gets it right.
 
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