Wrong pony, wrong rider, wrong timing?

L

lucy_108

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 August 2018
Messages
107
Visit site
I'm a bit torn with a situation I've currently got and looking for people's two pennies worth (in a kind way please!)

So my wee man is 5 years old and I got him as a yearling from a rescue centre. I backed him myself and know him inside out. He's always been more whoa than go and a bit of a chancer - if he can get away with doing less, he 100% well. Lives to eat and gallop around cross country courses.

I have 0 time due to the nature of my work and my schedule so decided to find him a little rider who would come and ride him 2-3 times a week to keep him going. Found a lovely wee rider who is 11, came from a riding school but competent in W/T/C and small jumps. Very quiet and sympathetic in the saddle and very quiet on the ground. Ticked all boxes.

She's been riding him for 3/4 months now and he's started forming some pretty bad habits. He's learned that bucking/fly bucking can either get her off or unseat her and shake her enough that he no longer has to do any work. She was pretty game but I can see now is losing her confidence as if he so much as lifts a back foot off the floor, she backs off him.

I ride him as much as I can inbetween her rides and he's tried it with me but I shut him down in seconds because I'm bigger, more experienced and won't tolerate behaviour like it - but I fully appreciate she is not confident or big enough to do this.

It's now at a point where he won't even trot properly for her in the school, he goes into full slug mode and if she dares get tough with him, he just bucks and throws some shapes to either unseat her or get her off.

There isn't a huge amount I can do from the floor as she rides really well, but he's just learned he can get the better of her and I sadly cannot inject confidence.

Anyone got any ideas or is this just a mismatched pair?
 
Does she ride well though? I have riding school sharers, who came from previous shares that ‘didn’t work’. Problem is, despite being able to sit the gaits reasonably well, riding school teaching doesn’t help ride a younger/greener/more responsive pony at all!

Typical faults:
- giving with the hands to go faster (so…let’s kick a little and just throw all control to the wind?!);
- inconsistent loose contact (irritating to the pony as the bit bounces in their mouth and then is suddenly hauled on when the rider wants something);
- all hand and no seat/leg for turns and transitions (not polite or balanced for the pony);
- generally fairly inconsistent aids which can confuse;
- stiffness in the rider due to being used to riding a stiffer horse (again uncomfortable for pony);
- lack of purpose as they are not used to schooling alone so sort of bumble around achieving not a lot ( boring the pony so pony acts up).
 
I had a pony that was bought as a LR/FR that we backed and later loaned out. On loan he did nothing terrible but quickly learned he could frighten the rider. I sent him to a producer who rode him, and he was foot perfect.
I think once the pony learns the trick, people forget that the pony knows straight away who is on it, they will keep doing it. The child get disheartened, they are not aware they are riding with the handbrake on, and it gets worse. I find the best riders of ponies are often boys, because even though technically they may be poor riders they just on with it and not fiddle, and some ponies just love doing and not the boring having to do it properly.
From my experience of loaning out my daughters ponies, who did PC, showing etc, boys are better than girls at getting along with pony they have. Girls are always looking for perfect, it has to do exactly as its told and no more, however well behaved the pony is. Boys are just happy most of the time if it just stops and starts roughly where they ask, and do not takes things personally.
 
Is she having lessons on said pony? I remember my daughter's 1st who had every trick in the book to get out of doing work and she spent a lot of time on the ground. He was of course perfect for me! Really taught her to ride though. She had a fab instructor from our PC and they ended up the perfect pair.
 
Instructor? I'm short and when I was on livery at a RS often popped on the naughty ponies on a Friday before the weekend invasion of kids. One instructor would really get the best out of the kids by teaching them to pre-empt the shoulder dropping, fly bucks etc and the ponies would knuckle down. The other instructor would have a wobble at the first sign of any misbehaviour and ask for a change of pony. Not helpful.

Best thing I saw was the good instructor setting up obstacle courses (round cones, through pole grids etc) which kept the ponies and kids focused. Lots of transitions at markers etc. She knew how to manage small welshies who would prefer to be eating!
 
The pony I have on permanent loan is like this.

When she had her owners children riding her she was ok. They were brave and not phased by her antics.

When they outgrew her, she went to a few loan homes, but always came back within a month. She quickly learnt that a well timed buck, rear or dropped shoulder freaked them out and they got off.

She was finally sent back home and another small adult friend got on her and she never even tried it.

I got her 3 years ago and had some teething issues, but now she is amazing, working at Elementary. Yes, she's chucks in a decent buck every so often, but it's just her character, without which, she'd not have enough sparkle to work at the level she is.

It may be that they just are not compatible. The pony has got the better of her, and knows she's afraid.
 
maya2008 said:
Does she ride well though? I have riding school sharers, who came from previous shares that ‘didn’t work’. Problem is, despite being able to sit the gaits reasonably well, riding school teaching doesn’t help ride a younger/greener/more responsive pony at all!

Typical faults:
- giving with the hands to go faster (so…let’s kick a little and just throw all control to the wind?!);
- inconsistent loose contact (irritating to the pony as the bit bounces in their mouth and then is suddenly hauled on when the rider wants something);
- all hand and no seat/leg for turns and transitions (not polite or balanced for the pony);
- generally fairly inconsistent aids which can confuse;
- stiffness in the rider due to being used to riding a stiffer horse (again uncomfortable for pony);
- lack of purpose as they are not used to schooling alone so sort of bumble around achieving not a lot ( boring the pony so pony acts up).
Click to expand...
She actually rides very well considering she's come from a RS. She has good natural balance and feel, no not perfect, but certainly better than alot of 11yos who have been riding their own ponies for years!
 
Nicnac said:
Is she having lessons on said pony? I remember my daughter's 1st who had every trick in the book to get out of doing work and she spent a lot of time on the ground. He was of course perfect for me! Really taught her to ride though. She had a fab instructor from our PC and they ended up the perfect pair.
Click to expand...
I give her lessons and I'm at a loss as he is just a totally different pony than the one I ride!
 
lucy_108 said:
The moment I get on, he's grand - throws the odd buck, but he always has. I don't have any concerns re pain.
Click to expand...
It was you saying he tries it with you, and you "shut it down immediately" and "won't tolerate it" that rang a little bell for me. Maybe it's my own bias as I backed my own little rescue cob as well and turned out she isn't actually lazy or cheeky, she had bilateral stifle issues and maybe hocks too, we are in the middle of sorting that atm.
 
smolmaus said:
It was you saying he tries it with you, and you "shut it down immediately" and "won't tolerate it" that rang a little bell for me. Maybe it's my own bias as I backed my own little rescue cob as well and turned out she isn't actually lazy or cheeky, she had bilateral stifle issues and maybe hocks too, we are in the middle of sorting that atm.
Click to expand...
He has an annual lameness workup with his vaccine as I do with all of mine and nothing has ever been flagged in flexions, lungeing, trot ups or palpation of his back. He's had hock xrays after a field accident which were, vets words, ''perfect''. This isn't pain, it's learned behaviour.
 
I would investigate pain, my mare used to do very similar with me but my instructor, who is a much better rider, could ride her through it. It was so out of character though.

It turned out to be a painful issue and once that was fixed she was fine to ride again.
 
Ponies will often behave very differently for different levels of rider.

In your position I would stop the share and give it a few weeks with just you on, to see if he settles back into his old self 100%. If not obviously he has hurt himself but he may well be fine.

If fine, next time look for an older more experienced sharer - teen or small adult. Your pony is 5 and really needs to be being taught by his rider still, not being the one doing the teaching.

I have two ponies who detest children with every fibre of their beings. They behave wildly out of character and are not at all safe. Not every smaller equine wants to be a child’s ride.
 
i am slim and ride loads of LR/FR ponies to keep the behaviour in check.................. the are not stupid and 100% know which rider it is.

normally i get one little naughty moment in first 5 min and then they go "ooooooh its HER" and just crack on.

as sweet and correct as the rider is, she isnt effective so sadly i think different rider needed!
 
Hallo2012 said:
i am slim and ride loads of LR/FR ponies to keep the behaviour in check.................. the are not stupid and 100% know which rider it is.

normally i get one little naughty moment in first 5 min and then they go "ooooooh its HER" and just crack on.

as sweet and correct as the rider is, she isnt effective so sadly i think different rider needed!
Click to expand...
The pony needs a different rider,equally the child needs a different pony.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top