Strong Pony Advice Please.

[issyocean]

We have recently bought Dd her first pony a super cute 100% bombproof shetland/forester cross. Dd is 7 been riding for 2 yrs and competent.

Pony perfect when tried and for the first two weeks. Then she suddenly realised that my little Dd isn't as strong as the 12yr old who had her before and really started to take the piss.

Nothing dangerous but she is so strong and she leans on the bit sets her neck and goes where ever she wants. The other day she decided she was going to join in someone else's jumping lesson cantered across the school and put herself over 2"9. My Dd was not impressed!

We have tried increasingly stronger bits to try and give my Dd some breaks and steering but nothing makes any significant difference. Currently being ridden in hanging cheek waterford but it doesn't really help.

My instinct is to go back to a full cheek snaffle and go right back to basics when my daughter is on board.

She is ridden weekly by a couple of helpful teenagers weekly and behaves nicely once she realises she can't get away with naughtiness.

Poor Dd is having her arms pulled out and tries really really hard but is starting to get a little disheartened.

Sorry for such an essay, really looking for help with schooling exercises. Totally understand that this is going to be a long road but we feel it's worth it as Dd adores her and she is so sweet.

[DikTrom]

Maybe let her ride on a lung rein first or lunge the pony before riding?

[Plomino]

When I was 12 , I got my first pony . Beautiful PBA 5 year old ( admittedly we didn't know she was 5 at first ) , probably THE most unsuitable first pony you could imagine . But good hearted , and looked after me for the first year or so . But then I got confident ,and she started to push her luck . Would set her neck , and if she managed to get her head between her knees she would just go, and there'd be nothing I could do about it . At all. She was the strongest pony I ever knew, stronger than all my big horses ever since ! At first I tried putting her in progressively stronger bits , but all that happened would be that she would either lean on them and go anyway , or she'd start head shaking , which was not on when cantering !

In the end, we went right back to the basic basics . Stop start . Schooling but with constant different activities every few yards to keep her attention . A lot of half halting , so she never got the opportunity to get her head down and get away from me . Lots of half circles and serpentines . Bending with lots of changes of direction . But riding her forward all the time so it didn't become a tug of war . It took a while , but it did work . In the end , she settled into waiting for instructions , rather than taking the initiative . Don't get me wrong , she still had the capacity to bugger off when she wanted (I'm not even going to mention leading an unauthorised charge across the front of the grandstand at full pelt on horsemans Sunday at Epsom downs .......) but it went a long way to establishing the idea that I was there to be listened to .

[issyocean]

Plomino thank you that's really helpful :).

Dik Trom she doesn't really get lunging - need to work on it!

[feekerry]

i would go back to snaffle and back to basics. they are still getting to know each other and you don't want your dd's confidence to be knocked at this crucial time.

lots of basic transitions, walk to halt etc to really get pony listening to the aids rather than a strength battle as lets face it, its a battle we will never win. lots of voice commands. remind dd to ride with seat and legs and not hands etc. ride pony forward into the contact and continue getting the older kids to ride.
maybe get an instructor in to give your dd some lessons on pony and help build that relationship.
i am sure in years to come they will be bombing around without a care in the world but its crucial they build the right foundations to get to that stage!
good luck

[issyocean]

Thank you everyone. My instincts were absolutely along the lines of your suggestions but allowed myself to be swayed by strong personalities.
Back to basics we go. :)

[NigellasDealer]

i really do not think that putting on stronger bits is going to help - better to put a plain snaffle on and get more lessons.

[FlockOfTwats]

Agree ^^ Get the bits out and make your dd ride it properly, its the only way to overcome this.

Lots of transitions and never in a pattern - say 4 strides walk, 7 trot, 9 walk, 4 trot etc (and canter if dd wants to). Really mix it up and get pony listening.

Teach her or get someone teach her how to half halt and close her seat, spiral in. If she is just pulling on the reins the pony is going to fightagainst it and the pony will win. Nothing to do with the othrr kid being stronger.

Hth

[issyocean]

Thank you all for your advice - fully taken on board.

[SaggyAndLucy]

Another one who says no to stronger bits. They can be completely counter productive.
If the rider wasnt a child it suggest going bitless!
The pony knows what it's got to do, it's your dad who needs to learn. she needs miles in the saddle, in nice safe confined spaces, lots of lunging, like everyone else says, keep the pony occupied.
it'll be a struggle at times, and your dad may well get frustrated, but if she can work through this, not only will it boost her confidence but she will be a better rider for it!

[Lally112]

I would put it in a full check but have you tried pink powder? she sounds a bit mareish really and not just the usual naughtiness.

[Brices]

Have you kept feed the same?
Access to grass?
Can only chip in lunge work, does appear lot of excess energy to be voluntarily off jumping! That's why my first thought was feed

[SaggyAndLucy]

actually, that's a thought! (brain out of gear)
what is it eating? I'll lay money on it being over fed, which won't be helping!

[elastamum]

If it is being fed, I would not feed it (they don't need anything apart from what they can get out the field in summer) and put it back in a snaffle. Lunge it lots and get your daughter doing lots of simple transitions on it, walk trot, walk and turns. Also, take her out on lead rein for hacks or walk beside to give her confidence.

Maybe also get her a regular lesson. Getting a pony is wonderful, but she still needs lessons - I still have them after 45 years. A new partnership takes months to establish, so don't feel rushed. If it makes you feel better we have just inherited a beautiful TB that keeps exploding and dumping us. I have an objective that she will be behaving by Christmas!

I'm sure she will be fine in the long term. Any kids pony that wants to jump 2ft9 will become a much loved friend

[SlowlorisIncognito]

Have you asked the teenagers who are riding her what they are doing differently? If it is part shetland, it's unlikely they are winning just through superior strength, although this does help as will having more weight in the saddle. Does your daughter understand how to properly half halt, or how to use something other than her hands to slow the pony down.

At 7, and only been riding for two years, she may not yet have mastered the subtlety of the aids needed to control a stronger pony. The first rule is never to turn it into a battle of strength. Just using increasingly stronger bits will make the mouth harder, and probably make the problem worse.

Get lessons with a competent instructor (if you have one, then change it, as your current one isn't working) and be prepared to go right back to basics.

I agree it may also be worth looking at feeding, and maybe having her mouth checked too.

If the pony is running off over jumps, this does sound a bit like an accident waiting to happen, so do make sure your daughter is safe at all times when riding (especially in open spaces etc).

[issyocean]

Hi everyone thanks for your thoughts. Pony is not being fed and wears a grazing muzzle as she is a "good doer."
She has also had her teeth checked.

I have gone back to a full cheek snaffle and back to basics with DD. Have also taken to lunging her before DD gets on and then for 10mins with DD onboard before letting them" lose" so to speak.

She is also being schooled by an older girl a couple of times a week.

Things are improving slowly and DD has started having fun again.We always leave things on an up note.

On the ground they have an amazing relationship developing,just need to translate that to ridden work.