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Post by fleabitten on Jun 28, 2009 20:59:20 GMT
Right, there is a pony I know that has got awful manners. Now, one year ago she had beautiful manners - you could have let a child handle her, she was light and easy to control and handle in a normal headcollar and was perfect on the ground, you couldnt have had a more easy to handle horse.
Recently, this year she has got out of control. I had heard reports that she took off with you going to the field and dragged you about etc but I didnt believe it. Yesterday, I witnessed it for myself at the show. I saw her at the far side of the ring and I thought she was being trotted up but soon realised the handler was getting dragged and within seconds the handler was on the ground hanging onto the leadrope and another few seconds later she had broken free and was legging it up the side of the ring. They had to put her bridle on and it took 2 adults to make her stand. It wasnt as if she was scared as I saw her dozing outside the ring and its happening at home as well. You would think she is hungry and looking the grass the way she is getting on.
It has really shocked me, the whole behaviour change.
The only reasons I can think of for the change are that she has got away with stuff (is it possible for a mature horse to change habits? she is 9) and that she is possibly unsettled as she lives at a RS and I suppose for some horses living at a busy RS does them no good (not that she gets ridden in lessons a lot cos she is not a novice ride).
I am shocked - I cant believe that such a polite horse could change - perhaps its just her brain, she was never a predictable horse, mental issues perhaps???
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Post by fimacg on Jun 29, 2009 8:38:38 GMT
All I can think of is that she has been allowed to get away with it and has learnt her own strength, it then takes a while to teach manners again, and that comes with groundwork, but how many small kids do you know that want to work from the ground, all the ones I know just want to get on and ride!
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Post by spotti on Jun 29, 2009 9:19:50 GMT
Faith has just been through the EXACT same thing!!! She was my perfect little angel when I left her at home after the easter break, yet when I came back just 6 weeks later, she had half the liveries scared of her; she'd kicked my sister and almost dislocated her shoulder; she'd terrified my mother (who doesn't trust Faith as far as she could throw her, and I don't think she ever will as she just sees her as a big strong creature who could kill you will one swift kick...but then with that attitude, how is Faith supposed to trust her and believe that she will look after her and keep her safe in a crisis?? Anywho, that's a different story all together); AND annoyed my YO because she was apparently "rude and ill-mannered and needed to be taught a lesson", which in YO language means she needs a strong bit/chifney in her gob and a good beating...NOT HAPPENING! Anyway, back to the point... In 6 weeks Faith went from my little angel who you could walk practically anywhere on the end of a leadrope and not even know she was there; who would look where your feet were and purposefully place her own feet so she didn't stand on you; who would stand politely at gates and wait for you to open them before letting you pass first and then calmly following you (even when her friends were calling her from the bottom field and there were other horses running about in the field we have to walk through) to a strong, bargy, rude beast that would push past you at gates, bolt off as soon as she got the chance, would jog EVERYWHERE when you asked her to walk, would bite/buck/kick/rear her way to get what/where she wanted...and why? Because she'd been allowed to get progressively more rude and strong by my family (who, although they try their best to help me out, just don't know Faith the way I do and don't seem to want to get to know her either), and because she wasn't doing any form of work AT ALL (even with the strict instructions stating she needed walkies), she simply spent her time going from field to stable and then stable to field, getting more and more bargy until one day she broke free and ran off down the field...then she did the same thing every day, because she knew she could... How did we cure it? GROUND WORK! Regardless of what everyone else said, ("Stick a chifney in her gob!", "She's rude and needs a good sorting out!", "That pony is dangerous!", blah blah blah...), we stuck to our guns and continued our normal training using our Dually Halter and lots of patience, and lo and behold, she's slowly coming back to the horse I left at home  . She, just this morning, walked ALL the way down the field, didn't bolt off at the electric fencing (like she usually does) and didn't seem at all phased by the new horsey that was galloping after her to come and say hello - and all this was just in her normal headcollar at the end of the leadrope!!! *cue very proud Cassie ;D* So in answer to your question Flea, IMO groundwork most certainly is the answer to the horses behaviour. ***Oh, and Faith is 12, only met me when she was 9 1/2, was a pretty lawnmower up until the time she met me, and has since proven that you can indeed teach an old dog new tricks! If anyone remembers my very early posts over on the old YH forum about our first few weeks together, you'll remember that they most certainly weren't the easiest, but just look at how far we've come |
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Post by fleabitten on Jun 29, 2009 11:37:42 GMT
You know what spotti? I think Faith and Princess are sisters!!! They seem to behave and think and act in almost exactly the same way! I think youre right because, she is just brought in from the field, put in her stable, quickly groomed and tacked up, ridden and then straight out to the field again - no tying up faffing around - just into field and out again. I think her owner is a bit put off and disapointed at the way she is getting on, cos thats not the pony she bought, you know? Its not my place to butt in so will just have to stand back and watch. Thanks for your replies - it was really bugging me and I needed to find out the reasons etc |
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Post by mossh on Jun 29, 2009 12:06:22 GMT
Mattie was a git when I first got him, bargy, reared, span, spooked, you name it he did it and it stemmed from lack of handling and when he was people were terrified of him, used to run away from him etc and Hes the horse that will take advantage and the p*ss given half a chance.
So i ignored the bad behaviour and praised the good, even if it was just a step in the right direction without rearing etc.
With regular handling, ground work, I now have a horse, who anyone can lead, hes a donkey and happy to walk whereever you take him
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Post by spotti on Jul 1, 2009 10:01:08 GMT
Flea - I think I'd have liked Princess She sounded like fun  |
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. She, just this morning, walked ALL the way down the field, didn't bolt off at the electric fencing (like she usually does) and didn't seem at all phased by the new horsey that was galloping after her to come and say hello - and all this was just in her normal headcollar at the end of the leadrope!!! *cue very proud Cassie ;D*
