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Post by dollygirl on Dec 8, 2009 13:07:28 GMT
My sons section a has a habit of when he has had enough tanking off with his head practically on the floor !! He used to just drop his head and my son would just fall off over his head but son is wise to this now and just leans back .The pony now doesn't do it shen stopping but has graduated into cantering my son now has the stickiest seat you cab imagine and just rides him through it on the buckle but he did it in x country and it is getting dangerous !!! He does it mainly shen asked to jump ? I have tried side reins ( they work but only untill you take them off !!) He doesn't do it with me but I am heavier and quicker !! Any ideas He sounds awful buy he really is a super pony just very cheeky !!
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Post by tabbyx on Dec 8, 2009 19:58:27 GMT
i know it sounds harsh but if you get your son to give him a quick jab in the mouth qith his hands up. my B was doing it in canter and all i did was that and he hasnt done it again. just once is enough
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Post by bowditchblobs on Dec 9, 2009 15:54:01 GMT
Daisy rein???
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Post by dollygirl on Dec 10, 2009 7:14:35 GMT
Morning , I have tried all manner of reins : grass, daisy etc these work "in the moment " but once taken off the little love does it again !! I am going to try the jab in the mouth approach !! i have spent the best part of 6 months telling him not to jab him in the mouth but hey ho !! We will see xxx
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Milliesmum
H G Addict
COCKERP00S RULE!!!
Posts: 23,901
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Post by Milliesmum on Dec 10, 2009 7:53:57 GMT
Do you have an arena where you can school over fences? If he's tanking over fences try schooling him around them without actually jumping, if you can canter a 20m circle in front of the fence but don't actually come off the circle and jump the fence till he is going sweetly without anticipating. Also you could try a gag type bit which should help to raise his head, the three ring type would be good, perhaps with two reins so he can ride on the snaffle rein and just use the bottom rein when needed?
Look on the bright side, sounds like the pony is doing wonders for your son's riding ability!
(Edited to correct my rubbish spelling!)
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Post by Guestless on Dec 10, 2009 9:59:08 GMT
What about the tube of toothpaste analogy? Tell your son to imagine his legs are squeezing the toothpaste from the bottom of the tube so that it comes out of the top (head). I usually find that using the legs (sharply if necessary) is more effective for getting the head to come up than using your hands.
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Post by qbc on Dec 10, 2009 11:40:47 GMT
I too have found a quick apply of the legs lifts the head up - my youngster is not tanking as such, but often goes very low on cantering or approaching jumps.
A quick jabs from my heels to push him forward gets him up. I also have been using a wilkie rather than a pelham for schooling and am now using a double which means I can lift him on the top rein.
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Post by dollygirl on Dec 10, 2009 17:17:46 GMT
Yes milliesmum the child could be a rodeo rider the way he is going !! Thankyou for all this help I think the wilki /gag bit is the way forward as we were trying out a neue schule combination bit and that worked lovely but I thought it was abit too strong !! now it would probably be ok as my poor son now uses his seat to sit rather than his reins ( if you know what i mean ) !! Its not that he is unstoppable just this awful habit of lowering his head which I think is now a habit !! good job he is so lovable otherwise he would be out on his ear xx lol xx i will give all your suggestions a go over the weekend , i will keep you posted xx
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Post by dollygirl on Mar 4, 2010 7:27:58 GMT
an update !! after all the advice (legs,wilki etc) it seemed to work - for a while in fact qualified for dressage champs etc started jumping a lovely tidy double clear .all seemed perfect !!! BUT it has started up again and this time only on a lh circle - aghhhh !! my son had a lessonn last night and it was a disaster - so upsetting !! now he seems to purposly throw his head out and down my son really has no chance at all by the time he has gathjered uo reins etc all is lost !!! please help !!!!!
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kayjayem
Happy to help....a lot
Posts: 10,046
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Post by kayjayem on Mar 4, 2010 8:19:08 GMT
Has he had his teeth and back checked(pony not son!)
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Post by dollygirl on Mar 4, 2010 14:10:53 GMT
oh yes !! he has his teeth checked every six months ( they wewre done in december ) and as for his back that was "done" same time and that is done every six months as well !!! saddle checked etc I have lost the will to live with him .He can be absolutely fabulous and then just vile !!! He is never consistent and I really do not know what to do !!!!
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Post by carys on Mar 4, 2010 18:42:58 GMT
Difficult without seeing the pony but the progression from popping the rider over the shoulder to then tanking off when the rider learns to stay on by leaning back is fairly common in my experience. The cause hasn't been tackled just the symptom i.e just staying on!.
It is a leg aid the pony needs to learn to respond to as it sounds like it is tanking from its own hind legs in to the contact which could be being leant against by the rider(?) Once the head is down there it is too late- there would be little any rider could do. I would work on the lunge ( no side reins) with rider on board and tempt problem to happen. Don't allow rider to lean against contact (this ends up in pulling match- and pony will always win) as soon as it bears down outside leg on girth as strongly as possible. This is the aid it needs to learn to bring head up. May also be able to use a light flick up of the riders contact- I wouldn't advise a jab as this is already a tug of war. Sometimes a tap on the shoulder with stick also helps. All depends on temperament of pony and associated speed when it drops its head.
I know younger riders can get board with this type of riding so if you can get on it yourself every now and again and I would always ride to tempt the problem initially- ride like it's usual rider and make sure a very similar aid is used.
It won't change overnight- I am in the process of re- schooling 3 ponies which all have issues. One with steering, one napping and one with refusing to move and then pulling rider over head! I am thinking in terms of months with each not weeks and the later pony is now coming right after a year and a half. The problem with ponies is that you sort one problem and then they change to give you another!
Good Luck!
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