Could anyone offer me advice on a very willful pony who hates hacking out alone? Im somewhat new to horses so Im learning as I go (Ive loved them all my life but never had the chance to interact until I was a teenager and then in my 20s). The weird thing is he is ACE in traffic--I walk him to the park about a mile through town (alone) including construction and trucks and all kinds of things--and of course when hes with another horse he is even more perfect, and enjoys taking the lead and everything on the bridle path. But when we are out there on the bridle path alone, he is very nappy, spinning around, backing up, yelling (there are other horses around--mounted police and park rangers and also some carriage horses on another path--but they are out of his reach), and most stubborn of all, refusing to go forward no matter what I do. Ive tried giving him a well-timed smack when he stands still, but he gets very rebellious and it only gets him into more of a spinning/backing up tizzy. Ive tried making him back up when he acts like this, releasing pressure when he responds, and also when he spins weve been doing a lot of one rein stops. In an hour and a half or so, our first time out alone, I managed to get him to go a ways up the path, but with about 10 minute breaks or better of just standing and refusing to go. I tried walking him on the path a second time out and that was a bit easier than riding him out but still difficult with him refusing to move. The third time out I thought Id try doing some groundwork with him with a lead rope on the path, getting him to move his feet. However this actually made him behave worse! Id use varying degrees of pressure and he would either ignore me when I was being too quiet or absolutely retaliate when I was being too loud--walking through me, overreacting and picking up speed when I ask for a walk in a circle, twisting his head and having a pony temper tantrum. I managed to get him to move his feet one step at a time in the direction I asked but it didnt seem to have an effect overall on his cooperativeness. I love him to death and thank GOD he is really a good pony--he is not the bolting type and is really pretty fearless. Occasionally something sill make him jump and turn around but he doesnt look to go anywhere. If he gets nervous I reassure him and he really responds well to that. Also, he could have been SO much worse regarding bucking and running back down the path, but he didnt--and I only use a loose-ring snaffle bit on him. Only ONCE did he make a move to run down the path and I was able to stop him very easily by pulling back on the reins. Also on the first day out when we finally turned around to go back, he was perfectly happy to walk back down the path in the direction he wanted--occasionally he would take a little jog but would agree to go back to a walk whenever I told him. He really is good and of course I know my lack of experience is probably making it hard for him to understand me. I just dont know what Im doing wrong here; Ive tried everything Ive read and seen about pressure and release and communication and it just doesnt seem to be getting results. Is it just a matter of time and consistency? I realize I cant expect a metamorphosis in 3 days, but I was hoping to see slightly better results than this from day to day. It almost seems like hes gotten worse---but maybe Im just asking him for too much too soon. Admittedly the weather has not been very good so Ive only been able to take him out hacking about every other day for a week and a half or so, and this is new territory for him. The first day he went out with another horse and me he could not have been more perfect though. Thanks so so much guys and sorry if this is annoying or obvious or anything like that!
Posted on: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 04:54:02 +0000
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