part 2 ...need brakes...

[bigmare]

OK, for those of you who have read my posts re 'Vicky' the new pony, who seems to have had a personality/brain transplant since coming to live with us here goes....

(1) Had her back/neck seen to by my 'Equine touch' lady - week 4 this week and seeing a definate improvement.... ponies shape has changed dramatically and working much better...

(2) Had a 'professional' in to look at her working (ie why does she speed up and not stop) It apprears ponio has been 'gobbed' and ridden hard.... (oh dear)

(3) Teeth to be done this Thursday - equine dentist had a quick look prior to visit and promptly asked 'does this pony stop?' NO SHE BLOODY WELL DOESN'T....

(4) Hormones sorted vet visit determined a swollen overy, 10 days on regumate = happy pony - now off the regumate and 'naturally' in season - got to wait and see how she reacts....?????

(5) Shes still lovely to hack out and my son really enjoys this time with her.... 110% in the heaviest of traffic and very alert and happy when out- interestingly happy to trot and stop when asked when on the roads...????

(6) Still a good girl to lunge, be caught, vet, dentist, farrier, hack out, load.... just does not stop in the damn school.. Does not buck/rear/nap or spin

(7) Riding her in a wilkie bit, drop noseband, running martingale (she came
in just a snaffle & that thats whats she was ridden and tested with.....?)

(8) Followed advice after my previous post and she lost the plot when put in a gag....??? Thhought it may work - she hated it.

So here we are 9 weeks on and my son still cannot ride her alone in the school (we have do it it with him on the lunge to try and build the confidence up since she bolted and ditched him very badly) .... The interesting thing is, I put my very petite friend on her at the weekend so she could give me a better picture.... NOt good, the pony has NO mouth at all and is like riding a brick HELP - where do we go from here...is there a bit that will help, do I persevere, do I get her re-schooled or am I banging my head against a brick wall....

Sorry for the long post but 9 wks later I'm ripping my hair out...

 

[fth]

wow - first of all full credit to you for putting so much time and effort into helping your horse -- you are a great horse owner

interesting that she stops when on the road but not in the school - that suggests to me that there is something in the MIND rather than physical -- in which case the only bit that will help is a bit of knowledge!

how much groundwork have you done with her?

groundwork to re-teach the signals that it is ok to stop, that stopping is good -- to get her tuned in to a human in the school is a good place to start

then this transfers to being ridden

if her mouth is not responding to her bit -- that means her mind is probably zoned out as well and the task is to find out how to get her mind engaged!

good luck

Cathy

 

[Lemme]

OK, for those of you who have read my posts re 'Vicky' the new pony, who seems to have had a personality/brain transplant since coming to live with us here goes....

(1) Had her back/neck seen to by my 'Equine touch' lady - week 4 this week and seeing a definate improvement.... ponies shape has changed dramatically and working much better...

(2) Had a 'professional' in to look at her working (ie why does she speed up and not stop) It apprears ponio has been 'gobbed' and ridden hard.... (oh dear)

(3) Teeth to be done this Thursday - equine dentist had a quick look prior to visit and promptly asked 'does this pony stop?' NO SHE BLOODY WELL DOESN'T....

(4) Hormones sorted vet visit determined a swollen overy, 10 days on regumate = happy pony - now off the regumate and 'naturally' in season - got to wait and see how she reacts....?????

(5) Shes still lovely to hack out and my son really enjoys this time with her.... 110% in the heaviest of traffic and very alert and happy when out- interestingly happy to trot and stop when asked when on the roads...????

(6) Still a good girl to lunge, be caught, vet, dentist, farrier, hack out, load.... just does not stop in the damn school.. Does not buck/rear/nap or spin

(7) Riding her in a wilkie bit, drop noseband, running martingale (she came
in just a snaffle & that thats whats she was ridden and tested with.....?)

(8) Followed advice after my previous post and she lost the plot when put in a gag....??? Thhought it may work - she hated it.

So here we are 9 weeks on and my son still cannot ride her alone in the school (we have do it it with him on the lunge to try and build the confidence up since she bolted and ditched him very badly) .... The interesting thing is, I put my very petite friend on her at the weekend so she could give me a better picture.... NOt good, the pony has NO mouth at all and is like riding a brick HELP - where do we go from here...is there a bit that will help, do I persevere, do I get her re-schooled or am I banging my head against a brick wall....

Sorry for the long post but 9 wks later I'm ripping my hair out...

Wow Debs! thought you had got to the bottom of it with her hormones
I think I would be like you and wondering how long can this go on...... I know how much this means to you and how much you and Declan think of her in such a short time, I think you have only a few options, continue and hope for an improvement, get her reschooled or if you honestly think she is not going to be able to give what you want from her let her go - but its only 9 weeks and that really in not a long time and I know it took a while for you to find her....... sounds as if she would be brilliant for lead rein or a family who want for hacking etc, how is she in open fields etc or has than been a no no up to now, just wondered if is the School area itself that is the problem, will she ride okay in a sectioned off area in the field?

Do hope you get this sorted

Lx