5 year old misbahving

[jennie]

So basically I have a 5 year old new forest pony who I broke in myself when he was 3! he had the winter off when he was turning four but since then he has just carried on with his education, at the start of this year he started misbaving out on the roads, he plants his feet and doesn't want to move and then ends up spinning around wanting to go the other way, doing little rears, or backing up and he gets all tense. So far I have managed to put up with it but it's getting far too dangerous as he is doing when there is nothing there to scare him! I have took him out in company and put him in front where he normally stops, and the same problem occurred where he came to a stand still and didn't want to go forward. I have even tried pushing him on to a trot and making him go forward and he will still stop! So far I haven't fell off of him while he's been doing it, but one day I might and then it will get dangerous, I was just wandering if anyone had any advice on what to do?

Thanks in advance.

[brindlerainbow]

Have you had his back and teeth checked and is he wearing correctly fitting tack ?

[jennie]

He's had his teeth checked, and he has had his saddle checked twice this year as he had a new saddle bought for him, his back hasn't been done yet, but where he stops is normally at the same place, and some times he can be fine, others he will stop, but when i school him and jump him he goes fantastic and doesn't put a foot wrong

[fanfarefan]

Well , if he were mine i would turn him away and have six months off ,hes done a lot for one whose so youmg ,give him time to chill out abit and get his head round all that he has done so far.

[Jessica]

If turning away is an option, I think you need to end on a good note. Because turning him away now be will know he can get away with it. Can you get someone to come on foot with you?

[bethanyy]

Maybe try another route if that's possible? If it was me I'd probably hack him out in company more to get over this little "fear" or get someone to come with you on foot if you can.

New Forests are clever little s*ds and I've found with mine that he has gone through these backward phases and turning him away has done him good, but it isn't always possible. Mine hacks better alone than in company!

[09rebel99]

Mine still does this now at 24! He naps like you wouldn't believe. He would back down a ditch without a thought. He tries to spin round and run home but only on the moss! Put him in heavy traffic where he has to concentrate and he has never done it in 20 years!
Yours may be another reason but may just be purely naughtiness. I growl alot and use a very stern voice and do not let him win or next time it would be even worse!

[nici]

I'd turn him away for a few months. Our little Shetland Sammy was a right sod when he was 6 - went from being my 6yo daughter's FR pony the previous year to trying to get her off as quickly as possible if he didn't want to be ridden. Eventually we turned him away for winter. Brought him back into work with some trepidation the following Spring (2 years ago) and he's not put a hoof wrong since. He's now regularly taking his new 8yo jockey hunting and to PC and even had a go at Shetland Pony Grand National with him in the summer.

The "Kevins" can hit at different times, and if you turn him away now, he may well have got over them by Spring.

[sophiabell]

My boy does this when he tries it on, he won't hack out alone so I always have company but if he feels like it he will just stop and go backwards and occasionally buck the little swine. I'm not the world's bravest of riders but even if you are I don't think sticking on and making them go forward is a)the best thing and b)the safest so I just get off and lead him. He still does it then but eventually he moves on, I walk a bit until I know he is out of it then get back on adn off we go. Ended up walking half the hack once becuase he felt that way out and the was a star the rest of it, few choice words were said haha.

Agree with turning him away but if he still does it then get off and lead so it doesn't become a battle and less likely to lead to rears etc from objection.

[jennie]

Thanks for everyone's advice, when he does it when i'm on my own and i can't get him to go forward i do get of and lead him by, but i try not to as he'll have more confidence when i'm on the ground than when i'm riding him, but i try make it easier so we don't get into a battle.

Many of you have suggested to turn him away, i am going to do this, i found a field close to home with lots of grass in and he's going out with my 2 year old on sunday, and he can have about 2 months off, and then i'll start again with him, many thanks!

[lisaturpitt]

I think many young natives that are intelligent go through this adolescent trying it on stage. At four they don't argue but at five just when their molars are starting to appear they resist being told what to do. I have found that just sitting there helps as some get bored and decide to go forward. I now use natural horsemanship on the ground to ensure that understand who is moving who and to teach them to think rather than react. Good luck.

[sarahp]

I watch my mixes age herd with interest, and it's obvious that youngsters are lower in the pecking order than adults, but then at some point they move up to take their natural "adult" place. I wonder if this coincides with them having the "kevins" under saddle? Anyone any thoughts, this only just occurred to me this morning.

I've always done lots of halter work from the ground too lisaturpitt to make it clear that I'm the one who is herd leader, not them!

[remianddodge15]

I'd agree with giving him some time off. However, as lisaturpitt said - just sitting and waiting can sometimes work. My horse recently refused to cross a stream out hacking (he's not scared of water and has happily hunted before!) - when I tried to push him on he would spin/rear/buck/anything else he could think of to be naughty, so instead we just stood there. If he tried to back up I wouldn't let him, but I wasn't forcing him forwards. Eventually the penny dropped that I wasn't gonna let him go backwards so unless he wanted to stand there all night it would be easier just to do as he'd been asked!!