# Help with Training a Hackney Pony



## EmilyJoy (Dec 30, 2011)

Hello,
I'm new to this forum, and need a little help with a Hackney Pony. 
She's about 10hh and she'll be five, I believe, in March. We bought her from an Amish guy (when she was 3) who said she had a temperament of 1 (out of 10), and was broke to ride & drive was bombproof etc. the only problem that she did was dance around a bit when you wanted to get on...Anyway my dad bought her, but it turns out she has an awful amount of training that needs to be done. 

So I am trying to train her for my younger brother, and this is what I need help on.

How to teach a horse to stop from the ground/saddle.
Any other tips on training her to drive or ride.

She always wants to GO! From the ground, when I pull back on the reins gently, she'll stop briefly then she'll "dance" around or rear. 
From the saddle if she is running, she will have her mouth gaping open, hitting her chest, and she won't stop. It is not like she is scared...She just LOVES to run, which really is great if she'll listen.

Any tips? I'm planning on totally re-training her, from the ground first.

She does have a light mouth, and is rather sensitive. I think she'll be great once I can get her to behave.

Also has anyone else trained a pony? How do you train the riding part? Do you yourself get on? I feel unbalanced when I ride her because she is so small....

So thanks for reading through all that, and I hope you'll have some ideas ( hopefully good ones! )


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## Chansu (Oct 18, 2011)

you need to teach her to stop from the ground, before you'll stand a chance of getting her to stop from the saddle. it would make your life so much easier if you could teach her a simple voice command to get her to stand or slow down, that way you can use it when you're in the saddle. if she tries to drag you when your on the ground MAKE her back up at least 10 steps, then ask her to stand and wait a couple of seconds & ask her to walk on calmly only when YOU decide she can. when she is stood still calmly, or walking at a pace that you like give her lots of praise to teach her that its better this way, but when shes trying to rush around and drag you, be firm! i dont mean start hitting her and shouting and getting angry because that wont you get anywhere but if she really gets in your space and wont listen, a sharp smack on the shoulder (not hard but enough to get her attention) or on the chest might help you. 

as for doing the riding, how heavy are you? its not really a case of how tall you are just as long as you're not obviously too heavy for her. but its much safer to have a small adult/experienced teenager riding her instead of putting a child on her & risking them getting seriously hurt & falling off. 


do you have any pictures of the pony? id love to see her


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## EmilyJoy (Dec 30, 2011)

Thanks for responding, Yes I know that I need to teach her on the ground before on the saddle, I have backed her up when she starts to go again, but that's usually when she starts rearing. 

I defiantly want her to learn voice commands... What I've done before is stop her briefly then before I think she wants to go again, make her go when I tell her to...But then she wants to out think me and go again as soon as I've stopped her...I've been doing this behind her ( ground driving ), but I think I'll just spend some time with her on the lead rope, doing what you suggested...hours of whoa, gitty-up, whoa

It seems to me that she has never been taught anything, just forced. She has this head bobbing/swinging thing that she does when I turn her, but I am hoping it will go away when she gets more training into her.

I weigh around 120, and she's around 10hh


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## Chansu (Oct 18, 2011)

shes very cute!

i had a similar problem with my mare (recently had to give her up, not for these reasons though) but i was told to either use a dually halter or lope the lead rein over her nose as it adds more pressure for them to run though making it difficult. 
i only had this problem with my mare when going back down to the field to turn her out, she would start prancing on the spot & trotting sideways just wanting to take off. i was told to give her a loose rein but as soon as her shoulders go past mine, to make her back up at least 10 steps and quickly. she would also resort to rearing if she was made to stop but i could always tell when she was about to do it so before she got a chance i turned her in a tight circle, then continued on. my mare would also start swinging her head about whenever she was asked to stop, i got headbutted a few times haha but that shouldnt be a problem with your mare since shes only little  its very frustrating with such a hot headed horse. think how i felt after i had to keep my mare on box rest for two weeks. took two people to lead her anywhere  but after persistent ground work and hours of teaching her patience, and that she'd get where she wanted to go quicker if she listened to me, we finally had a break through and she ended up being a very sweet mare that anyone could handle  

little tip though, when you back her up make sure you stand to the side of her instead of directly in front, i made this mistake and my mare reared & actually jumped on top of me and trampled. wasnt pretty >_< 

oh and another thing i found worked, but you may find it difficult since your pony is so small but i used to put my elbow on her neck where it joins to her shoulder, and turn her head towards me that way she couldnt run forward. this was a last resort if i couldnt get control of her. 

try plenty of lunging & teaching her the voice commands for walk/trot/canter/woah while on the lunge & really get her listening to you. if need be let her run it out for a few minutes then once shes released some of that energy get her listening to you  good luck!


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## Chansu (Oct 18, 2011)

oh, and 120lbs should be fine to ride her for short amounts of time 

heres the dually halter that might be useful to you. definitely helped with my mare


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## Jumper4ever (Jan 2, 2011)

i have a 29 year old hackney pony who is usually antsy to get on, you get on and she takes off if you aren't prepared. I did not train her, and although i do wish her old owner(s) had trained her better i can't complain. she is an amazing girl! from what i've found with her the littler the kid the better she is. i've had a two year old on her and she would take every step with a slow accurateness that i have never seen her do before only to get on her myself and have her take off. good luck with your hackney!


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## Chiilaa (Aug 12, 2010)

Both on the ground and undersaddle, the solution is the same. She needs to appreciate that stop is rest time.

On the ground, start using a lunge line or a long lead line with her. Every time you stop, and she starts dancing around, work her. Send her on a few circuits on the lunge, then ask her to stop again. If she starts dancing again, send her on again. If she stands quietly, praise her and let her rest.

Same goes for under saddle. Ask for the halt. If she starts dancing, do a few trot circles. Ask again. Eventually she will understand that 'stop' means stand still, and prancing around like a fool is going to mean hard work.


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## EmilyJoy (Dec 30, 2011)

Hi, again thanks for all your tips! She's a great little pony and I think she'll catch on quickly, it's just harder to train her because she always wants to go...even if she's tied with her buddies..It's like it's a reward for her to work, but I am going to try some of your tips...She's disrespectful and maybe if I work through the disrespect she will listen more... By the way she doesn't drag me off when I'm leading her, she stays with me doesn't try to barge past me...it's only when I stop is when she gets fidgety...( that includes on the saddle/ground with lead/ground driving) But I'll try to work on that...
Thanks!


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## EmilyJoy (Dec 30, 2011)

Since the pony has a "tender" mouth, do you think it would be better to train her in a side pull so the kids, when they ride her, can't give her a "hard mouth" by pulling on her too much?
Is there any way to get any horse really responsive in a side pull, just as well as with bit? Would a side pull be better on her mouth?
I would train her with a bit too, because sometime in the future I would like to train her to pull a cart... 

Just wondering, I guess, what people think of side pulls.
Thanks!


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## Chansu (Oct 18, 2011)

you can always get a Happy Mouth bit, and keep the kids supervised at all times when they ride her and make sure they understand to be gentle with the horses mouth


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## EmilyJoy (Dec 30, 2011)

Would you all train a high strung horse/pony differently then a reg. one? It seems to me that it is really hard to get her attention...Like I'm not getting down to her brain..


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

'Work-a-holics' do not appreciate 'rest time' like other horses. 

The key to me is that she is rearing. She is not ready for riding with both reins at the same time. A very forward horse benefits a great deal from 'one rein riding'. 

Teach her a 'one rein stop' and school her entirely by riding with one rein at a time until she settles into riding and loses the resistance. That means serpentines, circles, leg yields and other maneuvers that you use one dominant rein. It also teaches that 'leg' means respond -- not just going faster.

A horse just cannot fight one rein riding and certainly will not learn bad habits like head fighting and rearing.


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## EmilyJoy (Dec 30, 2011)

That's one problem that I have, and I've wanted to know how other people handle it...How are you supposed to ride a pony that is WAY to small? She's like 10.hh at the max... How do other people train ponies? Are there any books on training ponies? Would it be better to train her thoroughly in Driving? Then have a child ride it? How do trainers train ponies without having a child that knows how to train/ride the pony???

I've always had these questions floating about in my head, and I hope somebody has the answer...

An example of her not paying attention to me is like this. I'll tell her to whoa and will stop, she will stop, but is totally not focused on me at all, and will be looking the other way...When I go she will go...But I know if I told her to "whoa" when she is galloping she wouldn't stop...It's like I need to break the surface so she will pay attention to ME! How do you teach something to someone if you don't have their entire attention?


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

In holding a horse back will key them up and make them go. I would work on a more relaxed rein when stopped. I was watching a driving lesson with a saddlebred and the owner kept a tight rein when stopped. The horse kept wanting to go. Once the instructor finally got the driver to relax the rein the horse stood quietly. Contact is a signal to collect up and go. The tighter the rein the faster you go. Now that said. I would be long lining and lunging and have my voice commands down pat.
When doing an upward transition I say 
Alright walk on. Or alright trot in a livelier tone. When they hera the upbeat ALRIGHT they no they are going to speed up.
When doing a downward transition I lower my voice and say Now walk 
Now whoa. So when they hear the lower NOW they no to go slower.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

EmilyJoy said:


> That's one problem that I have, and I've wanted to know how other people handle it...How are you supposed to ride a pony that is WAY to small? She's like 10.hh at the max... How do other people train ponies? Are there any books on training ponies? Would it be better to train her thoroughly in Driving? Then have a child ride it? How do trainers train ponies without having a child that knows how to train/ride the pony???
> 
> I've always had these questions floating about in my head, and I hope somebody has the answer...
> 
> An example of her not paying attention to me is like this. I'll tell her to whoa and will stop, she will stop, but is totally not focused on me at all, and will be looking the other way...When I go she will go...But I know if I told her to "whoa" when she is galloping she wouldn't stop...It's like I need to break the surface so she will pay attention to ME! How do you teach something to someone if you don't have their entire attention?


 Lots of ground work will get her focused on you. I would not get on until you have her focus. You should be controlling her head so she looks straight and not looky looing at anything else.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

We have always ground driven them in long lines. No blinders and no cart. They can bend and they can do everything that you do under saddle. 

We always run our lines through a ring attached near the back of their saddle. It gives them a lot more incentive to bend through their whole body and not just their necks. 

They quickly learn that they stay straight when pulling and bend when riding. 

When they won't stand still, we drive them to a rope with a snap on it and snap them up to a halter we leave under their bridle. We stand behind them, move around, flop the long lines, drag them all over their rumps and legs and just keep them tied until they stand still and rest a hind leg.


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## EmilyJoy (Dec 30, 2011)

churumbeque said:


> Lots of ground work will get her focused on you. I would not get on until you have her focus. You should be controlling her head so she looks straight and not looky looing at anything else.


You _would _ride her even though she is to small? I'm not saying it's bad or anything I just wanted to make sure that is what you're saying..


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

it sounds like she has been riding that's not what the question was she wanna know how to get focused
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Cruiser (Aug 28, 2011)

Aren't most hackneys energetic ponies? I know the 20 or so I've met (breeding farm) were bred to be fast and strong for roadster classes and stuff. I know they never used them for riding ponies because they tend to be too fast of the kids small enough to ride them. I don't doubt they are be trained, and good luck.


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## EmilyJoy (Dec 30, 2011)

I think if I can get her past her spooky/foolishness, and if can train her to respond to commands spoken by any person _instantly _she'll be the perfect (and the smartest/cutest!) pony for my younger brothers...And that is my goal for her...She is NOT my riding horse...
I also want to train her to drive...
So with that in mind after I get her trained on the ground fairly well and when I am ready to work her in the saddle how do you recommended I do that? Would you get on and ride her for the first few rides, or how would you train her without getting on to be ridden??????
There has got to be other people with this problem...I think..

























You see how high she lifts her hooves in the last picture? That's the way she always trots! so cute!


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## Cruiser (Aug 28, 2011)

Hackney ponies have snappy gaits or should, almost like mini saddlebreds. I weight roughly the same as you, (not sure about height but I'm 5'9") and I wouldn't ride her personally. I trained a 10 hh welsh A gelding, that was high strung and he loved work, once he could ground drive, I have a smaller friend (90 pounds at the most) lay over his back and eventually rode him while leading, than lunge line than on her own. I very got little kids riding him before he sold (to a driving home), but he was very face and would have needed a experienced or brave little rider for sometime before I would even think of a beginner on him.

As a saddle I used a pony pad not a real saddle because his back was too short for anything with a cantle and a teen to ride him at the same time. Sometimes a pony that responds instantly isn't a good thing, if your little brother pulls back at a fast trot trying to keep his balance and she stops just like that it might not be good. A beginner horse or pony will almost hesitate into things as not to jar the rider off balance. 

Good luck


Might want to mention my little gelding thought he was stud muffin (he was gelded as a foal), so he was very showy and loved to fling his legs out as far as they could go.


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## EmilyJoy (Dec 30, 2011)

Yeah, I didn't think riding her, myself, would be such a hot idea...Maybe to start him riding, I'll put him ( my brother) on Big Red, then switch him off to her, maybe ponying/leading them first until they get used to each other...I really think she could be a lot of fun, and she can be calm...My only wish is that I could have had her instead of my Shetland pony when I was younger! Oh well...

She likes running like that as well...


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## Cruiser (Aug 28, 2011)

Sounds like a plan, maybe even teaching her to pony off another horse? Just keep safety in mind through the process.


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## goodhrs (Dec 30, 2009)

Chansu said:


> shes very cute!
> 
> i only had this problem with my mare when going back down to the field to turn her out, she would start prancing on the spot & trotting sideways just wanting to take off.


I broke my mare from doing this by just lounging her every time she did that, I figured if she wanted to move her feet that bad I'd just put her to work. In a week she was walking slow & quietly where ever I wanted to go. :lol:


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## EmilyJoy (Dec 30, 2011)

goodhrs said:


> I broke my mare from doing this by just lounging her every time she did that, I figured if she wanted to move her feet that bad I'd just put her to work. In a week she was walking slow & quietly where ever I wanted to go. :lol:


But will this work with a horse that loves to run/go/work?

Yeah, I usually try to do things as safe as possible...

I let you know how it works out..


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## goodhrs (Dec 30, 2009)

EmilyJoy said:


> But will this work with a horse that loves to run/go/work? QUOTE]
> 
> I would lounge it at a slow pace with alot of change in directions which makes them use their brain and not focus so much on getting to where they want to go, it slows them down and disrupts what the horse wants. If it requires work they usually dont get in such a hurry to get there. JMHO :lol:


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## EmilyJoy (Dec 30, 2011)

Ok gotcha, kind of like Lounging for respect stage 1-2?


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## goodhrs (Dec 30, 2009)

EmilyJoy said:


> Ok gotcha, kind of like Lounging for respect stage 1-2?


 I dont know what you mean by that but, lounging is what I have always done for 40 years when I had one that was getting hot headed.


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## EmilyJoy (Dec 30, 2011)

Sorry for the confusion... Clinton Anderson does what is called Lounging for respect...Which is sending the horse in one direction, (few more details) then turning him in and sending him out the other way...


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## mudpie (Jul 15, 2011)

You need help from a professional trainer. Just because we can ride, that doesn't mean we can train.


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## EmilyJoy (Dec 30, 2011)

You're probably right... But I am going to train this horse by myself... I've had success in doing lots of groundwork... I see a huge improvement in her vs. when I first got her... Mostly desensitizing... which as helped tremendously in calming her down... I just need to work with her more to get her calmed down farther, and try some of the tips others have mentioned... I'm not a person that says I'm going to train this to her today and expect results right away... I though I like it when I do see results... 
From what everyone is saying it seems I should keep doing ground work (more then what we've worked on) until she pays complete attention to me...


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## LadyDreamer (Jan 25, 2008)

Getting a trainer doesn't mean you won't be doing the work. Work something out so that YOU are the one being trained. Call it a mentor or a supervisor or whatever. The BEST way to learn is to be shown and to do. Hands on is the best way. 

Every hackney I have met or worked with has a few screws loose. They are tough cookies to crack... Definitely won't be jumping for joy when another one graces my barn.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

If you bought an airplane, would you want to teach yourself how to fly it?


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## EmilyJoy (Dec 30, 2011)

Cherie said:


> If you bought an airplane, would you want to teach yourself how to fly it?


 That's no way to look at it! If you had a milk cow that needed to be milked would you try to figure out how to milk it or would you sit on your haunches because no one is there to show you?:lol:

If everybody thought like that, there would be a lot of people doing nothing because nobody showed them how to do it... I've got a friend who taught himself to weld, and he is now a top welder for a company, obviously later life he took a welding course, but at the end he already knew most of it. He didn't get that way by leaving the welding in the garage because no trainer would help him. When people did offer helpful tips I'm sure he listened...

Now this forum is supposed to help people, not discourage them... If it weren't for people who went ahead and did things without help, we'd be in a sorry state...And if they failed at times... guess what they learned! That's how people become experienced, they try things out and if it doesn't work, now they know why!

Anyway...I was really hoping for some in depth knowledge on how people train ponies without getting on themselves... How they have done it, and if no one knows then I'll have to figure it out myself... 

It would be nice though to get advice from a REAL trainer...I mean a top of the line guy...:?I wish...Maybe later in life... but for now I do what I can and try to pick up all the tips and info I can glean from others who've had experience...That way I could turn their knowledge into my experience...:wink:

...And yes there are people who are simply not capable of doing things...Like flying an airplane, without help...But then SOMEBODY did...


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## EmilyJoy (Dec 30, 2011)

*Update!*

Sorry about the above post! It sorta sounds stupid... But anyway...

Flicka has improved greatly, I've learned so MUCH since this last post. She now is doing awesome with riding/driving. I've learned that once you have control over her on the ground & in the saddle, the best thing you can do is open up and _go_ somewhere... Which we have, and it has improved her attitude greatly. When she trots for a couple miles it really opens her up, also when you canter her until she's puffing she seems to take it in her mind that she doesn't have to always try to canter on the bit etc. and she has learned to walk slowly on trails & on the road where ever. She still has a few issues (like trying to rub her bridle off) but we've gotten over a huge "stopping" point. Thanks for all you help!


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## HighonEquine (May 11, 2012)

I'm glad to hear you have progressed greatly with her!


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

EmilyJoy said:


> You're probably right... But I am going to train this horse by myself...


Why? 
I've been riding for 20 years and pay a coach to teach me what I don't know.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

When she tries to rub her bridle off she's itchy. Offer to rub it for her, it's easier on the bridle.


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## EmilyJoy (Dec 30, 2011)

First thanks everyone, we have come along ways!


JustDressageIt said:


> Why?
> I've been riding for 20 years and pay a coach to teach me what I don't know.


Second JustDressageIt, I'm glad you've taken that many lessons I'm sure you must be getting top of the line by now, or at least improved greatly!

You might say that I do have a "trainer" through Clinton Anderson's method, if I need help or something isn't working out great I'll go back and re-watch for the items I missed. It's not that I have anything against hands on training other then, money transportation etc. 

I guess I am not looking to be the top trainer, take formal riding lessons for 20 + yrs, or show my horses. I just want to enjoy my horse, do a little groundwork to keep everything going smooth, and maintain what I do know. 
I want to use them for things around the farm like hauling hay or kids in the winter, do a little this and that with the horses and just have fun. And I have been doing just that after I've spent hours and hours watching training dvds/books etc. to get my horses to that point.

And you might say that CA's method isn't very good, maybe so,:wink: but I've not only solved most of my horses problems, but have gotten them to the point that I can do most anything with them, which is great!!! You can't imagine the fun we have!

Do I need a trainer? Maybe, for what? Well I'd like to get better with my riding, learn how to teach myself/horse to cut cows, anything else? Maybe but I haven't really come up with anything that is driving me to find one (I don't show, don't ride English, don't jump, don't do any speed events or that type of thing). 
So you say, well you defiantly need one to learn how to ride totally correct, maybe but my horse isn't in pain when I ride, I'm not in pain and my horse obeys me well. I'm always looking for tips to ride better, and if I find good ones I go out and try them with my horse. If they work well I incorporate them into my riding, if not well I keep looking for tips that will better myself or my horse.

I started this thread because of a specific situation and I figured out what I needed to do to solve it. Thanks to everyone!

Ps. I hope I don't offend anyway, I don't try to do that as a hobby.:wink:


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