Bareback Cavaletti???!!!

[hApPiNeSs]

First I will explain my situation.

1. Happy is a 16 year old exmoor pony, who has not been rideen most of her life and so is very green and stuck in her (wrong) ways
2. She will not tolerate being ridden in a school, so I have tryed to school her out hacking
3. Our problems are is that she is a star-gazer, and does not use her hind legs properly. At the moment we connot canter at all because she is so low on the forehand
4. I have been doing lots of transitions (halt-walk and walk-trot) out hacking, but i cannot get her to put any effort in with her back legs. We also both find it very dry and boring
5. She refuses to be lunged or loose schooled and it always turns into a fight

I have a little sandy area about 20x20, and i have been doing a few parelli games in there with her (she found this incredibly stupid and refused to play along :p ) I have just gotten some poles and have set up a series of about 4 raised trotting poles. Happy loves to jump, but only if she is not wearing her saddle (even if i am not in it - and yes it does fit :) ) If i try to lead her over these poles there is no way i am going to get her backside in gear, so I am thinking about riding bareback over them, in just a headcollar (so as to take al 'restrictions' away whilst being able to get a little impulsion. Has anyone ever tryed this? Will i be harming her in any way? :o

[KarinUS]

I have asked about this before and someone very smart cautioned me that the purpose of the cavaletti is really for them to learn to 'round' themselves. Bareback it is very difficult to stay off their backs to allow them to do that.
So I didn't pursue this idea...

[hApPiNeSs]

ok thanks, maybe i will just try leading her over them then (with schooling whip in tow) ;)

its just gotten to the point where im fishing for ideas to sort this little pony out, without boring us both half to death in the process :D

[cvb]

happiness

can you turn your "lead" into "lunge" ? I know you said she refuses to be lunged, but if its with a purpose, it may be easier ?

When our Fell came back into work after laminitis, I did raised pole work with him from the ground to get him to lift his back and use his bum. I could just use basic circle/lunge ideas to direct him over a particular pattern. (He is a very "pooh bear" type of pony and finds poles very scary :eek: so its actually done wonders for his "fear of poles" as well ;))

BTW - loose schooling is a lot better with a "lane" set up (I used security tape to make the lane). And it helps to have a helper - who stands at the far end with a feed bucket ;)

Honest - I had not seen this method used til i was in Sweden - and got nominated as bucket-holder. Then had large 17.2 mare thundering down the lane towards me :eek: But it works a treat ;)

[hApPiNeSs]

i bet that was fun cvb! :D

maybe i could 'sort-of' lunge her. My idea would be to get further and further away from her on the leadrope, so she is 'doing it herself' so to speak.. maybe tying some brightly coloured bailer twine onto the whip may help also..

hmm thanks guys i will try and get somebody to take piccys tonight ;)

[cvb]

yep, you got it "sort of lunge" is going to be just what you need ;)

I built up e.g. a "square" of raised poles and then I could lead-lunge through it, or across a corner, and so on, so you're not just circling on one spot, but moving around and representing the poles from every angle :D

[hackedoff]

Happiness honey it seems to me in your OP you talk a lot about Happy 'fighting' and 'not tolerating' and 'finding things stupid' and so forth, but you dont seem particularly anxious about these resistances. I feel that you are quite proud of your horse being such a rebel, and that you admire this in her nature, am I right?

[hApPiNeSs]

shes got a LOT of spirit. i think you've got it right there. I DO admire that :o

However, she is also very unaffectionate and sometimes i get the feeling she detests me. If I try to pet her in the field she gets angry and walks/runs/turns her back on me. I DO find that upsetting and maybe I try to compensate by letting her get away with too much, in an attempt to get her to see me as a friend. She has got so much potential, she is really beautiful.

However, when i ride her, she seems to 'click' with me and we have fun, even though she is not working properly. After our ride she will let me scratch her wither and she likes it, and sometimes she nuzzles me back! :) I think ive just realised that im not pushing her hard enough, in an attempt to 'prevent' her hating me?

Im glad you said that, it made me think and realise. :o

ps I dont know if that makes sense, or if im going soft...

[hackedoff]

It makes perfect sense sweetie. Mull it all over and let it come through next time you are working with your gorgeous girl, ask her what she needs from you.
Careful, or you'll end up a spaced-out Horse Hippie like me!!!! :p