Posted 2014-03-21 11:33 PM Subject: Ponying a horse help
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 368 Location: Ellensburg, Washington
Any hints to help me get one of my geldings to "keep up" with the one I am riding? I looked at Clinton Anderson and might try his dressage whip concept. I was thinking of putting a "Be Nice" halter or something along that line to encourage him to keep up. Getting really frusturated long trotting with my left hand forward riding and my right hand trying to drag the other gelding along! :-)
Posted 2014-03-22 1:13 AM Subject: RE: Ponying a horse help
Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315 Location: East Tennessee but who knows?!
One big thing that I find is that if they don't follow too well while ponying, they probably don't follow too well on the ground either -- in other words, if you took off running or sat in the back of a pick up and ponied from there, they'd drag there as well.
So the first thing I do is work on lightness on the ground using the usual give/release --- I want them to be able to move just the left or right foot by just picking up on the lead, not pulling. If I had to pull, they're still not light enough. Then I expand on that same concept and work to move all 4 feet by just picking up.
After I've got that, then I need to be able to move those shoulders & hips over the same light way by just stepping into them, not touching them.
Then I go work on that same stuff from the pony horse -- I work on lightness but it's only from the back of the other horse.
Once I have all that stuff in place, then I'll work a good bit with the two horses head to tail. I'll step my riding horse forward into the other horse's hip to move the other horse's hip over. I always work on moving the hip first because it's easier to move. Then I work on moving the shoulders the same way.
The lateral movement has a tendency to free one up a good bit. For whatever reason, usually after I work on moving those hips & shoulders over from my riding horse they start following much better.
All my horses pony and I spend a whole lot of time working ponying and fine tuning it. The good thing about it is when you think you're working on ponying - whether they're getting ponied or they're the pony horse -- you're also working on a lot of skills you use for riding so you accomplish two things at once.
Posted 2014-03-22 1:43 AM Subject: RE: Ponying a horse help
Young horses are usually afraid of the pony horse and lag out or behind since they no longer have the herd leader to boss them around............ so use a long lead even if you tie two together and give him some room and even drive him some without having a wreck.... lope around lazy horse to move him forward down the track or wherever you are ponying ... he may need a chain under the jaw or even on his nose .... he needs to watch the slack in his lead lines just like he does the walker and tied up .. and smooch and cluck to him to help get him moving or a swat him or twirl the lead from the tail of the longer lead ropes ... your pony horse will soon learn those things are not meant for him ... lol
If he is older and rideable ... get on him and teach him how to move when you tell him to and then come back and pony him while your lesson is on his mind ... smooch, cluck , yell, scream ... it should scare the horse as much as it does when you do it to us guys ...
Posted 2014-03-22 10:14 AM Subject: RE: Ponying a horse help
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 368 Location: Ellensburg, Washington
Thanks for the info. He is 8 and I agree with could use more work on the ground. When I switch who I ride, I have the opposite problem. The horse I usually pony wants to lag and the one I ride wants to be in front. I might try the butt rope. I think he is just lazy since he is pretty lazy when ridden too.
Posted 2014-03-22 2:03 PM Subject: RE: Ponying a horse help
Veteran
Posts: 121 Location: US
I'm no trainer and I have had the same trouble . We taught our 2yr old how to pony. Of course taught him to give to pressure. Lotsof ground work and lunging for respect and sending exercise . When we started to pony him , my husband would ride and pony and I was on the ground encouraging with a buggy whip if he stalled ! Didn't take long and now he Ponies great. Walk, trot and lope . Took him out on the trail and I was really impressed . Good luck with your horse
Ponying a horse help
