Young Pony ... HELP !

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leyswick lady

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Hi ,

My 2 year old pony has got rather naughty over past 3 weeks :( when im picking field he will walk into you barge you knock wheel barrow over and then when you tell him off he starts to rear up and carry on being naughty! any suggestions on how to disicpline? or what maybe be causing it! do animals have terrible two's?


thanks

Bex
 
Is he gelded? the behaviour you describe is typical coltish behaviour. Having said that, it's also young gelding behaviour. As posted above, does he have company in the field? He needs to be able to play and interact with other horses. If he doesn't have another horse to play horsey games with, then he'll try to play them with you. Cheekiness, rearing and "boxing" with front legs is very typical young horse play. If he has no company, find him some urgently. In the meantime, don't make a big thing about this. Set some rules and stick to them 100%. It won't be fair if one of the rules you set is "respect my space" and then you enforce it one day but not the next. He won't understand. So, set some rules and stick by them. Be prepared to follow them up with a "NO" (but no anger) as that's how an older horse would sort him out. You could take a short crop with you in your barrow. If he comes over to say hello, that's fine but if he goes to tip the barrow over growl NO at him and if that isn't enough wave the crop at him so it makes a nice swishy noise. When he backs off in horror, just turn away like an older horse would do, and carry on as normal. It should only take 4 or 5 growly NOs and swishy stick to let him know that's not allowed. Same with barging and rearing at you. He's inviting you to play but your role isn't as his young pal. It's as his mother, teaching him the ways of the world. Let him come up politely to say hi, give his head a rub. But if he's pushy and tries to get you to join him in a rearing game, growl NO again. If he ignores you, swishy crop again. If he's really big and really boisterous, use your imagination and find something that will REALLY make him take notice. 2 saucepan lids banged together will send him off to the far side of the field. Just carry on with what you were doing, as another horse would do. Don't ever get cross, just get determined. If 2 saucepan lids is a step too far, find something else he'll respect. Football rattle ha ha. NOT a rustly plastic bag because you'll need him to NOT be afraid of them later when he's backed. I bet a child's teddy bear suddenly shoved in his face would have the same result and you're unlikely to meet teddy bears leaping out of the hedge when you back him! This isn't a big deal, so don't make it into one. Enjoy your playful yougster but show him the rules so he makes a polite and respectful adult x
 
Box_Of_Frogs said:
Is he gelded? the behaviour you describe is typical coltish behaviour. Having said that, it's also young gelding behaviour. As posted above, does he have company in the field? He needs to be able to play and interact with other horses. If he doesn't have another horse to play horsey games with, then he'll try to play them with you. Cheekiness, rearing and "boxing" with front legs is very typical young horse play. If he has no company, find him some urgently. In the meantime, don't make a big thing about this. Set some rules and stick to them 100%. It won't be fair if one of the rules you set is "respect my space" and then you enforce it one day but not the next. He won't understand. So, set some rules and stick by them. Be prepared to follow them up with a "NO" (but no anger) as that's how an older horse would sort him out. You could take a short crop with you in your barrow. If he comes over to say hello, that's fine but if he goes to tip the barrow over growl NO at him and if that isn't enough wave the crop at him so it makes a nice swishy noise. When he backs off in horror, just turn away like an older horse would do, and carry on as normal. It should only take 4 or 5 growly NOs and swishy stick to let him know that's not allowed. Same with barging and rearing at you. He's inviting you to play but your role isn't as his young pal. It's as his mother, teaching him the ways of the world. Let him come up politely to say hi, give his head a rub. But if he's pushy and tries to get you to join him in a rearing game, growl NO again. If he ignores you, swishy crop again. If he's really big and really boisterous, use your imagination and find something that will REALLY make him take notice. 2 saucepan lids banged together will send him off to the far side of the field. Just carry on with what you were doing, as another horse would do. Don't ever get cross, just get determined. If 2 saucepan lids is a step too far, find something else he'll respect. Football rattle ha ha. NOT a rustly plastic bag because you'll need him to NOT be afraid of them later when he's backed. I bet a child's teddy bear suddenly shoved in his face would have the same result and you're unlikely to meet teddy bears leaping out of the hedge when you back him! This isn't a big deal, so don't make it into one. Enjoy your playful yougster but show him the rules so he makes a polite and respectful adult x
Click to expand...

Perfect ^^ Listen to that!
 
I had exactly the same problem with my youngster this time last year, he was rising 3, 16hh Warmblood. He had friends in the field who he played with but when we went in either on our own or with a wheelbarrow he would charge over and rear at us, attack the wheelbarrow etc. We spoke with a behaviourist who tried to work with him but it turned out that he was bored. We hadn't ever planned to back him until this summer (he is 4 now) but we had him backed and brought him on lightly (schooled once a week, hacked out twice a week) as he is still growing. It was the best thing for him, he came back a wonderful horse, very gentle in the field, to handle and looked forward to using his brain. We tried to turn him away during the winter but he showed signs if boredom again so continued his v light work and it's been the best decision. obviously this wouldn't be for all horses but it did work wonders for us, good luck with yours! :)
 
Thanks you been a great help. he has a friend my other pony a welsh sec c who is coming upto 6, they used to play all the time but 6 yr old has not been so playfull with him :( they been together since xmas now. one of my main reasons for having my youngster was for a companion for my 6 yr old as he was on his own :( and bonded with my young one very quickly, the girl was going to sell so i bought as friend for my one! iv only had ricky my older since november last yr and he still not settled and quite a nervous boy so benji my lil one has gutts and sometimes brings good out in ricky. benji was gelded around 1 and half yrs old! but was a very calm colt not much change in him really :) ill try all ur options thanks again x
 
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