# Help with naughty pony



## PrivatePilot (Dec 7, 2009)

What's your daughters formal training level as a rider?

This might just be the pony having learned that she can misbehave and get away with it because your daughter may not have the skills or tactics necessary to either avoid the issues, or correct them.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

Age of daughter? I'm assuming she is taking lessons and instructor should help.


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## horseymummar05 (May 10, 2015)

Daughter is almost 6. Yes we have instructor that gives lessons but only two times a week as we live in a small little country town. It's when she isn't around that we have the problem. She's away on holidays at the moment.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

At only six your daughter doesn't have the strength to hold the pony and the bratty pony knows it. 

What I would do is get a bigger experienced child to ride the pony and set it up to do what it does with your daughter so, they ride like a novice, let the pony get away with minor things and then when it does try and hook off they use one rein and stop it *hard. *
Take it back and have them rode like a numpty again and repeat. 

Ponies are sharp and will take advantage of a young rider and smart enough to know when a bigger more experienced child gets on that they have to behave so butter wouldn't melt in their mouth! Hence have whoever ride like a novice. 

There has been more than one occasion where I have had small ponies take advantage and I have got on them myself - 5'9" and 145 lbs back then and I never managed to damage one. They are tough little so and so's.


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## PrivatePilot (Dec 7, 2009)

Foxhunter said:


> At only six your daughter doesn't have the strength to hold the pony and the bratty pony knows it.
> 
> Ponies are sharp and will take advantage of a young rider


Agreed on the above. If this is happening only outside of when your coach is there as you explain...the pony has figured your daughter out and knows exactly what she can get away with..and without a coach there reinforcing things and giving directions (many of which might be subtly correcting things she sees that are about to occur, but haven't yet), the pony is basically calling the shots.

I'd suggest your daughter limit riding between lessons until such time that she is skilled and confident enough to be able to avoid these situations ever occurring to begin with. Unfortunately it's going to be a big game of advance/regress otherwise IMHO.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Having a more experienced rider will help but it might not be the 'cure' you need
We used to have a pony like yours come to us regularly for 'retraining' and with a good rider on board he was perfect - didn't need any re-training as he knew it all inside out. He just wasn't a suitable pony for a young novice child.
We eventually sold him for them and found them 'Rosie' who never put a foot wrong, never challenged, never questioned and turned the little girl into the great rider she eventually became
Give your pony a chance by getting someone good on her but don't keep on trying if she reverts back to being naughty within a few days or your daughter will lose any motivation she still has


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## horseymummar05 (May 10, 2015)

Thanks for the advice. I'm considering getting on her myself and see how she goes then.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

horseymummar05 said:


> Thanks for the advice. I'm considering getting on her myself and see how she goes then.



Only get on her _after_ she has misbehaved with your daughter and then work her hard, cantering her around until she is puffed, and then put your daughter back on. 

As I said ponies are t silly and she will realise being naughty equals very hard work and you riding her, chances are that whilst you are present with your daughter riding, she will respect you enough to behave.

Six is very young for a child to be riding off a lead rein because of ponies taking advantage.


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

I was riding naughty ponies off lead at six, Foxhunter - the age of the child has nothing to do with her capabilities. I was a small six year old with a parent far too heavy to get on a bratty 11hh pony. I had to deal with his antics myself.

However, this child is clearly not equipped to handle what her pony is throwing at her. I agree with those who say riding without her coach present is not, perhaps, a smart move at this point in time. Foxhunter's advice is solid - ponies are very smart and will make the connection.

There are some ponies that are simply not suitable for child riders. But dropping a shoulder and taking off towards the gate is a very common tactic that most ponies will try to get out of work, and if it works once, it's a terribly difficult habit to break. It's something that OP's daughter does need to learn to deal with. HOWEVER, perhaps not without her coach present. And certainly not in an area that isn't securely enclosed. I would not personally allow a six year old to ride off lead outside of a round pen.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

My younger life was spent riding a variety of very naughty ponies. I never cared if I came off, even if I got hurt, which I did several times! 

However not many young children are as crazy or as determined about riding as I was. 

I am sure that part of this was because my parents could only afford for me to ride every other week so, free rides on these little so and so's meant extra riding.

One pony was a bucker. The older children were told to keep riding it. They wouldn't let me have a go as I wasn't experienced. When they gave up I got on. Every time that devil bucked me off, and he dropped everyone without a lot of effort, if not with a buck, dropping his shoulder. I just got up and climbed back on. He gave up in the end just wasn't worth it as this nutty little girl just got back on again.


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