The Naughty Riding Pony

[knightrider]

I have a really cute pony who was started as a 3 year old riding and we thought he’d make a really nice little pony club pony. Cute jumper, cute mover… he was given to me because at 3 he had a buck and the previous owner didn’t want to sit on him and give him the miles as it would be awhile before he’d be saleable for a kid. I needed a babysitter at the time and my trainer thought perhaps there were some training holes she could fix.

Long story short, he turned out to not be a suitable riding pony and trainer thought she could fix him for riding but it would take a really long time with a lot of money which was better spent on my young horse. I am perfectly happy with him being the babysitter (although a life of leisure for a 5 year old was not in the program) and he’s easy around the barn… but he does have some fear based issues at times.

I’d like to completely redo things western training style with lots of ground work and see what happens, but I’m too big for him… had hoped one day he would make a nice little driving pony… but with his history not sure its feasible.

Anyone have unsuitable riding mounts turn into suitable driving mounts? Thinking its a slim chance but it would be kinda fun if I could get him there…

[singletreestable]

Yes, my driving pony (very sucessful at many pleasure driving shows) is a ‘bad’ lesson pony!
The key is to determine why they are being ‘bad’. The fear based issues worry me a bit. My pony was ‘bad’ becuase he figured out the kids, took advantage and learned how to get away with anything he wanted! Not a fear issue.
The best way to start is long lining. The terms ‘ground driving’ and ‘long lining’ are often used interchangably but what I mean by long lining is done on a circle or in figures (serpentines, diagonals, figure eights etc.) this way you aren’t running behind your horse. (Very few people can runa dn maintain steady elastic contact.
You can teach so much on the long lines, which is especially helpful if you can’t fit on your pony. A problem I know well. Most of mine have been 10-12hh and at 5’5’’ not really something I want to ride.
I wish you the best and I hope you find out that your pony is as happy as mine is to drive! He’s the one banging on the gate when I get his cart out! Check out my website for some pictures, or my facebook page for some before and afters.

[buck22]

My 14.3h morgan was a downright awful riding horse - due to unseen back injury, though he learned to become “dirty”. He has come full circle as a driving horse.

I would approach driving with cautious optimism frankly, though do get experienced help, you do not want him learning any bad habits.

[dreamswept]

[QUOTE=buck22;7362351]
My 14.3h morgan was a downright awful riding horse - due to unseen back injury, though he learned to become “dirty”. He has come full circle as a driving horse.

I would approach driving with cautious optimism frankly, though do get experienced help, you do not want him learning any bad habits.[/QUOTE]

Buck, I’m kind of hoping my 14.3 Morgan/QH cross can follow the path of yours. She’s a sweetheart on the ground, I had a great little walk with her today as we trudged around on my two feet and her four feet, and there’s nothing wrong with her running around the round pen (she sure has spunk) but she’s getting nasty under saddle with pinned ears, crankiness and bucking. Still have to rule out injuries, but I’m in no hurry to get back in the saddle with her. As soon as my Haflinger gets his Comfy Fit harness, she’s getting his nylon one, and we’re taking up ground driving. It’ll give her something to do while I get the vet out to assess her situation. And if she’s never rideable again, but takes to driving, well, problem solved.

[red_mares]

I know of a couple.

My first horse was a witch under saddle & vindictive too. She was ok with constant work, but watch out if you miss a couple days. When I went on deployment, she spent 6 months being Amish. She loved it. Loved driving & really loved road driving (especially spooking at the yellow lines). The ironic part is apparently she tore up a bike or something as a youngster.

My mom rode a Morgan years ago that was hell to ride, hell on the ground (they had to lunge him in a bitting rig or he’d go after you) but just loved driving. He did many of the early Devon marathons and pinned well.

[Abbie.S]

Also know of a couple. One of them I think was the rider, pony (well, technically horse) was driven by mom but ridden by her daughter. Horse was a total brat under saddle, but so was the kid. Horse was a superstar with mom and anyone who drove him, luckily for all parties the daughter outgrew her horse phase…

Second was a PMU product. Mare was super witchy to ride, and wasn’t all that pleasant on the ground either. Owners had horse checked for every physical ailment imaginable, nothing showed up. Owner decides to take up driving as a last ditch attempt to keep the mare with her, and the two are now happily running around back roads. Haven’t shown that I know of, but that mare is so happy with her job.

Esp. for horses with fear-based issues, allowing someone to essentially throw a piece of animal hide on their back and sit on them is a major ordeal. I’ve met horses that I think just plain old didn’t want to be ridden, but usually their previous life experiences with riding had not been positive. If this sounds like your guy, he may be very happy to have a job that doesn’t require someone sit on him.

[knightrider]

[QUOTE=Abbie.S;7363409]
Also know of a couple. One of them I think was the rider, pony (well, technically horse) was driven by mom but ridden by her daughter. Horse was a total brat under saddle, but so was the kid. Horse was a superstar with mom and anyone who drove him, luckily for all parties the daughter outgrew her horse phase…

Second was a PMU product. Mare was super witchy to ride, and wasn’t all that pleasant on the ground either. Owners had horse checked for every physical ailment imaginable, nothing showed up. Owner decides to take up driving as a last ditch attempt to keep the mare with her, and the two are now happily running around back roads. Haven’t shown that I know of, but that mare is so happy with her job.

Esp. for horses with fear-based issues, allowing someone to essentially throw a piece of animal hide on their back and sit on them is a major ordeal. I’ve met horses that I think just plain old didn’t want to be ridden, but usually their previous life experiences with riding had not been positive. If this sounds like your guy, he may be very happy to have a job that doesn’t require someone sit on him.[/QUOTE]

I’m not sure what happened before he came to the girl who had him right before me. He had some nasty bucks with her and then he flipped over on my trainer… the flip was a dirty thing with no warning. I know in both of their hands he was not mistreated. Both trainers have turned around countless horses that are well behaved solid citizens and my current trainer rides just about anything… at the time, we decided he wasn’t worth the money as i have another horse that needed the financial investment whom was suitable for me to ride.

I have a friend who has worked with a lot of mustangs and seen a lot. She also clinics with Buck and his prodigy’s so I think she will help me fill in the gaps that I don’t know. I typically do a ton of groundwork, but since I paid someone else to restart him, I didn’t do as much with him. Now that I know the situation, I’m going back to ground zero and see what happens.

I probably could ride him eventually if he gets over this, but I’m hoping driving is a good alternative for him. And something fun to learn!

[2tempe]

OP - the “flipping over” w/ no warning is something that would seriously concern me. I would try as best you can to understand what was going on when it happened, and get input as well on what the trainer thinks the “training holes” are. An unpredictable horse/pony will be quite dangerous if ever hooked to a vehicle.
ABSOLUTELY get help with the process, go very cautiously. Good luck.

[Malda]

I find this interesting. I have a 15 Icelandic who’s very timid under saddle and has taken off a number of times, and bucks and dumps riders (I’ve had him a year). So I’ve gone back to basics and been ground driving him for four months and desensitizing. He’s always been better and more confidant when ground driving. I can hand walk/ride him down a street and he’s nervous and spooks. Ground drive him and he’s fine. I’m wondering if I should try driving, there’s a trainer just down the street. She taught my friend’s 20 year old former jumper to drive. My only hesitation is that he bolts under saddle. Ground driving all he’s done is jump in place, then forgets about it and moves on.

He’s a saint on the ground. Perfect for vet and shoer; I desensitized him to the clippers and now he stands perfectly still while I clip him in his stall (not tied up). Maybe there’s a good pony in him but he’s had bad experiences under saddle.

[MojitoMare]

My last horse was a Fjord. He had a nasty bolting issue. After months and months with trainer, vet, chiro, saddle fitter, massage, etc etc etc, we had to chalk it up to him just not wanting to do 2nd level work, and mentally checking out. My trainer could feel it coming and get him stopped. But I already had severe confidence issues and I just couldn’t fight it any more. I had to sell him.

A woman called us, wanting to look at him for her 10 year old daughter. We told her this was not a kid’s horse, and she replied that her daughter was no average kid. We fully disclosed the horse’s issues, but this woman insisted on coming out anyway. Her daughter took charge from the moment she saw my horse. He stepped away from the mounting block when she was getting on, and she gave him a spanking right away! We could see him mentally reassess the situation.

They ended up buying my Fjord, and the daughter just loves him. She takes it in stride when he bolts, sits up, and gets him stopped. It probably also helped that he was no longer being asked for 2nd level work, but got to step back down to intro/training level. She also jumps him a bit.

Imagine my suprise this year, when they sent me a video (we keep in touch) of the now 12 year old driving that Fjord!! As far as I know, he was never trained to drive. The 12 year old decided one day she wanted to try it. Luckily her trainer had experience with driving horses, so she got them started and that girl worked with him every day.

His new owner shows him in dressage, jumping and driving. I believe he got the best possible home, and got a much needed mental break from the more demanding dressage we were attempting. (2nd level is tough for a front heavy Fjordy!)

So, loooooooong story short, yes, a horse that is a naughty riding pony can be retrained to be a happy driving pony.