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 Elite Veteran
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Location: Central Texas | cyount2009 - 2016-02-23 1:21 PM
ampratt - 2016-02-23 1:15 PM
porky - 2016-02-23 12:46 PM
ampratt - 2016-02-23 11:35 AM
First let me say rearing is not a good habit at all but my barrel horse is a little on the hot side. I learned that sitting anywhere around the alley only made matters worse. He would get hotter and anxious to make a run. He will pogo stick hop down the alley and sometimes launch up and out when he starts his run. However he has never reared up with me. An experienced rider can handle him making a run with no problem. I have learned to keep him away from the alley until it's my turn to run. Some person's definition of rearing could be what I described or it could be actual up in air teetering on 2 back legs. Not knowing exactly what your little mare is doing I would suggest putting your child on another horse so she doesn't develop a fear of horses. Let the older kids ride her. I don't send any animal to a kill pen, I will have them put down myself if they are truly dangerous, nor would I run one through an auction where someone else may buy it and get hurt.
Yes that's exactly what we've done, got her on an old horse and e neighbours 9 year old has been hauling the pony to junior rodeos, she pony is kind of a bluffer acts hot then once she gets to go all is well......the other older kids who ride her do great on her so she will. Sold In the meantime I'm riding her to tune her up .
From what I am getting it sounds like you are saying the horse is not truly rearing but just getting on the muscle and lunging up and forward maybe. She's probably just not the horse for your daughter at your daughter's current level of experience. Happens alot. I see adult people on horses that they probably shouldn't be riding. As others said, if she truly starts to rear up, do not start backing her or popping her on the head. I've never seen those actions do anything but cause a worse reaction in the horse. Get her away form the stressful situation as soon as possible. I've also never seen trying to correct a rearing/stressed out horse in the area that has stressed it work out favorably either. Get them away, calm them down then try and bring them back. Try keeping her away from the alley as much as possible even if the older kids are handling her. My experience with my horse is it only made him hotter making his stand in an area that was a trigger for him. Not all animals are the same just like not all people are the same. They all handle stressing/exciting situations the differently. Of course this is all my own opinion and nothing more.
Taking a horse way from a stressful situation because of bad behavior does nothing but promote bad behavior in a stressful situation.
That's the beauty of being able to have different opinions. I have seen people push a horse in a stressful situation that almost caused the horse, the rider and other riders injury. I have had much more success with letting the horse calm itself then try again. Just my choice. What works for you may not work for me. BTW when I say stressful, I do not mean your normal I am being a butt head atttitude, I mean the situation which is going to go bad real quick because you want to push a horse that is getting ready to explode.
Edited by ampratt 2016-02-23 1:53 PM
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| cyount2009 - 2016-02-23 2:21 PM
ampratt - 2016-02-23 1:15 PM
porky - 2016-02-23 12:46 PM
ampratt - 2016-02-23 11:35 AM
First let me say rearing is not a good habit at all but my barrel horse is a little on the hot side. I learned that sitting anywhere around the alley only made matters worse. He would get hotter and anxious to make a run. He will pogo stick hop down the alley and sometimes launch up and out when he starts his run. However he has never reared up with me. An experienced rider can handle him making a run with no problem. I have learned to keep him away from the alley until it's my turn to run. Some person's definition of rearing could be what I described or it could be actual up in air teetering on 2 back legs. Not knowing exactly what your little mare is doing I would suggest putting your child on another horse so she doesn't develop a fear of horses. Let the older kids ride her. I don't send any animal to a kill pen, I will have them put down myself if they are truly dangerous, nor would I run one through an auction where someone else may buy it and get hurt.
Yes that's exactly what we've done, got her on an old horse and e neighbours 9 year old has been hauling the pony to junior rodeos, she pony is kind of a bluffer acts hot then once she gets to go all is well......the other older kids who ride her do great on her so she will. Sold In the meantime I'm riding her to tune her up .
From what I am getting it sounds like you are saying the horse is not truly rearing but just getting on the muscle and lunging up and forward maybe. She's probably just not the horse for your daughter at your daughter's current level of experience. Happens alot. I see adult people on horses that they probably shouldn't be riding. As others said, if she truly starts to rear up, do not start backing her or popping her on the head. I've never seen those actions do anything but cause a worse reaction in the horse. Get her away form the stressful situation as soon as possible. I've also never seen trying to correct a rearing/stressed out horse in the area that has stressed it work out favorably either. Get them away, calm them down then try and bring them back. Try keeping her away from the alley as much as possible even if the older kids are handling her. My experience with my horse is it only made him hotter making his stand in an area that was a trigger for him. Not all animals are the same just like not all people are the same. They all handle stressing/exciting situations the differently. Of course this is all my own opinion and nothing more.
Taking a horse way from a stressful situation because of bad behavior does nothing but promote bad behavior in a stressful situation.
I understand your point about promoting bad behavior however if you can avoid the stressor in the first place it may be better. I have an older finished horse that also gets on the muscle at the gate. If I sit on him he gets worse. If I stay off him and walk him around then get on just before I run he's great.
As long as he runs in that arena and gives me an honest run I'm more than happy to do whatever makes him more comfortable.
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1196
Location: Wide open spaces, Canada. | I think it's more of an I'm hot and being a butt head attitude........ She tried it when I was roping on her and standing in the box and I got after her with an over and under and made her work and the next run she didn't try it.......typical pony, got away with lots with kids and needs a reminder that she's not the boss. I am going to enter her the next few jackpots and see how it goes. You know she's one of those ponys that gets comments everywhere we go for being so great ......she was perfect for soooooo long it's just one of those things that needs to be worked through. I could have her sold tomorrow if I wanted as she's well known for being an awesome little pony and have had lots of people tell me if we ever think of selling her to let them know . but I just want to make sure I do what I can before sending her to the next home . A confident kid will do well on her. But they'll need to be a driver, not a passenger because so far I little licken goes a long way with her. Thank you for the suggestions. I will work on redirecting her, and making the alley a happy place.
Edited by porky 2016-02-23 2:42 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 672
| porky - 2016-02-23 2:34 PM
I think it's more of an I'm hot and being a butt head attitude........ She tried it when I was roping on her and I got after her with an over and under and made her work and the next run she didn't try it.......typical pony, got away with lots with kids and needs a reminder that she's not the boss. I am going to enter her the next few jackpots and see how it goes,
Good luck! Sometimes those little snots need a few rides a week by someone who can make them really work to keep them honest with the little ones.  |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1196
Location: Wide open spaces, Canada. | Thanks. Ill keep you posted. I'm sure that's all it is. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 669
Location: Central Texas | LAC - 2016-02-23 2:12 PM
cyount2009 - 2016-02-23 2:21 PM
ampratt - 2016-02-23 1:15 PM
porky - 2016-02-23 12:46 PM
ampratt - 2016-02-23 11:35 AM
First let me say rearing is not a good habit at all but my barrel horse is a little on the hot side. I learned that sitting anywhere around the alley only made matters worse. He would get hotter and anxious to make a run. He will pogo stick hop down the alley and sometimes launch up and out when he starts his run. However he has never reared up with me. An experienced rider can handle him making a run with no problem. I have learned to keep him away from the alley until it's my turn to run. Some person's definition of rearing could be what I described or it could be actual up in air teetering on 2 back legs. Not knowing exactly what your little mare is doing I would suggest putting your child on another horse so she doesn't develop a fear of horses. Let the older kids ride her. I don't send any animal to a kill pen, I will have them put down myself if they are truly dangerous, nor would I run one through an auction where someone else may buy it and get hurt.
Yes that's exactly what we've done, got her on an old horse and e neighbours 9 year old has been hauling the pony to junior rodeos, she pony is kind of a bluffer acts hot then once she gets to go all is well......the other older kids who ride her do great on her so she will. Sold In the meantime I'm riding her to tune her up .
From what I am getting it sounds like you are saying the horse is not truly rearing but just getting on the muscle and lunging up and forward maybe. She's probably just not the horse for your daughter at your daughter's current level of experience. Happens alot. I see adult people on horses that they probably shouldn't be riding. As others said, if she truly starts to rear up, do not start backing her or popping her on the head. I've never seen those actions do anything but cause a worse reaction in the horse. Get her away form the stressful situation as soon as possible. I've also never seen trying to correct a rearing/stressed out horse in the area that has stressed it work out favorably either. Get them away, calm them down then try and bring them back. Try keeping her away from the alley as much as possible even if the older kids are handling her. My experience with my horse is it only made him hotter making his stand in an area that was a trigger for him. Not all animals are the same just like not all people are the same. They all handle stressing/exciting situations the differently. Of course this is all my own opinion and nothing more.
Taking a horse way from a stressful situation because of bad behavior does nothing but promote bad behavior in a stressful situation.
I understand your point about promoting bad behavior however if you can avoid the stressor in the first place it may be better. I have an older finished horse that also gets on the muscle at the gate. If I sit on him he gets worse. If I stay off him and walk him around then get on just before I run he's great.
As long as he runs in that arena and gives me an honest run I'm more than happy to do whatever makes him more comfortable.
You said it much better than I did. My horse is the same. He just isn't meant to sit by the alley, watch and patiently wait his turn. He's honest, consistent and safe for me so I work with him, not against him. I don't mind repriminding one but I am absolutely not going to get after a horse that is about to blow up/explode such as rearing because I am not going to get the attention from him I need, it's just probably going to make it much worse. Seen it happen to many times. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 679
Location: KS | I would get her checked out by a vet before anything. Awhile back my friend had a horse that would start getting on the muscles and before too long he was flipping over on himself... Scary stuff.. Everyone thought he was just getting hot or sour, but come to find out his back was out of whack. Got a chiropractor to look at him and ever since then, he was a total different horse. |
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Miracle in the Making
Posts: 4013
| porky - 2016-02-23 1:22 PM I should post a video....she's not coming up so high she's going to flip over, not grabbing the bit and taking off , not half as dirty as some of the horses you guys are describing . she just pops up a bit, really it's potty minor at this point ...what I'm looking for is tips on what to do with them when they do it.....do you stop them and back them up......smack em on the head, disengage hips.....what to do when they do this to break the habit, we've had her for 4 years and this is new, I believe it is absolute fixable. She gets excited to run, names her run the. Walks the pattern slowly........ Just need to come up with a game plan to re direct her energy . S if anyone have suggestions of what they did that worked for them please feel free to share.
your daughter is 6 years old there is a lady on here whoes bomm proof horse flipped over killed her little girl
get rid of that dam pony go to the killers its not a kid pony |
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 Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | My stud was always on the muscle. anywhere.but i trusted him 100% but one day a freakish thing , he reared straight up after freakin out from something and came straight back on top of me. They lifeflighted me .. thank god for a dip in the road for my body.. or hed have killed me..PLease dont put a child on pony until its fixed.. it only takes ONE time an kids are tiny..we trust these horses but sometimes to much.. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1131
| I am not a nice person when it comes to a rearing horse. I don't tolerate it in any form. "On the muscle" is a little prancing, teeth chattering, stealing some trot steps at the walk kind of behavior. In no way shape or form is REARING, in any fashion, ok for any horse. I don't care if it has won a million dollars or trained by whats his face or the son of big name, It will NOT be tolerated. I've had my fair share of fights with horses people have brought me that they blew up. One mare, all It took was a week riding with a whip ready to get her a smack between the ears and she was fine til they taught her to rear again as a 'trick' because it's 'cute'. (  ), versus my old pole gelding, which is the horse that made me not tolerate rearing anymore (before him, I was a child who thought I was invincible, and he showed me I wasn't), I could beat that horse til the cows came home and he would push right back 10x whatever I could do. He got to the point where he was just throwing himself backwards, not even getting to a rear anymore when I tossed his old butt to the pasture.
Its just not worth it.
FYI: I was given that pole gelding as a beginner safe, bombproof gelding too. Horses don't care what labels they have, it only takes once to label one dangerous. I would just hope the 6 year old isn't on that horse when it earns its 'dangerous' label. It's not if on a horse that rears, it's when.
Edited by FlyingHigh1454 2016-02-23 7:57 PM
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 Peat and Repeat
Posts: 2773
Location: IN MY OWN LITTLE WORLD AT LEAST THEY KNOW ME HERE | I dont think a trip to the sale barn is what's needed.
Jdpd n I agree in riding her and working her thru the alley.
Giving her a relief spot. Listening for her time to engage.
Patience and control is what she needs to be taught.
No different than training a full sized young one ??
Shes ready to roll but just needs to be taught the mechanics of patience and to listen.
She doesn't sound bad - just ready.??
And i understand where your concerns are w your little girl.
So she would be going w me riding her to a lot of little play days and never entering the arena above a controlled walk and trot but after she knows she isn't going to run every trip down the alley.
Lots of alley walk and sit and in n out and sit.
Boring but worth it.
Hope she turns around and does fine.
Sounds like you have a little athlete that wants to go. ?? |
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Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | Yakima - 2016-02-24 2:06 AM I dont think a trip to the sale barn is what's needed. Jdpd n I agree in riding her and working her thru the alley. Giving her a relief spot. Listening for her time to engage. Patience and control is what she needs to be taught. No different than training a full sized young one ?? Shes ready to roll but just needs to be taught the mechanics of patience and to listen. She doesn't sound bad - just ready.?? And i understand where your concerns are w your little girl. So she would be going w me riding her to a lot of little play days and never entering the arena above a controlled walk and trot but after she knows she isn't going to run every trip down the alley. Lots of alley walk and sit and in n out and sit. Boring but worth it. Hope she turns around and does fine. Sounds like you have a little athlete that wants to go. ??
Agree.. I just would not allow a child on her yet. a adult yes can work her thru this.. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1196
Location: Wide open spaces, Canada. | Yakima - 2016-02-24 12:06 AM
I dont think a trip to the sale barn is what's needed.
Jdpd n I agree in riding her and working her thru the alley.
Giving her a relief spot. Listening for her time to engage.
Patience and control is what she needs to be taught.
No different than training a full sized young one ??
Shes ready to roll but just needs to be taught the mechanics of patience and to listen.
She doesn't sound bad - just ready.??
And i understand where your concerns are w your little girl.
So she would be going w me riding her to a lot of little play days and never entering the arena above a controlled walk and trot but after she knows she isn't going to run every trip down the alley.
Lots of alley walk and sit and in n out and sit.
Boring but worth it.
Hope she turns around and does fine.
Sounds like you have a little athlete that wants to go. ??
Yes thank you for the advice, I've put three rides on her this week , and she's doing phenomenal. And yes she's not dangerous rearing just anticipating the cue to go and ready to go. The first ride on her I took hr heeling , in the heel box she popped up a bit and I smacked her on top of the head and she hasn't done it since , a complete attitude adjustment . Ill be bringing her to the next few races to work with her and enter her to see how she is with an announcer and music, but so far so good....she's still on the muscle but if I just talk to her she relaxes...one of those horses that will do best with a driver instead of a passenger . For all of those with valid advice on how to help her without shipping her, thank you . |
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 Go Your Own Way
Posts: 4947
Location: SE KS | porky - 2016-02-24 8:04 AM Yakima - 2016-02-24 12:06 AM I dont think a trip to the sale barn is what's needed. Jdpd n I agree in riding her and working her thru the alley. Giving her a relief spot. Listening for her time to engage. Patience and control is what she needs to be taught. No different than training a full sized young one ?? Shes ready to roll but just needs to be taught the mechanics of patience and to listen. She doesn't sound bad - just ready.?? And i understand where your concerns are w your little girl. So she would be going w me riding her to a lot of little play days and never entering the arena above a controlled walk and trot but after she knows she isn't going to run every trip down the alley. Lots of alley walk and sit and in n out and sit. Boring but worth it. Hope she turns around and does fine. Sounds like you have a little athlete that wants to go. ?? Yes thank you for the advice, I've put three rides on her this week , and she's doing phenomenal. And yes she's not dangerous rearing just anticipating the cue to go and ready to go. The first ride on her I took hr heeling , in the heel box she popped up a bit and I smacked her on top of the head and she hasn't done it since , a complete attitude adjustment . Ill be bringing her to the next few races to work with her and enter her to see how she is with an announcer and music, but so far so good....she's still on the muscle but if I just talk to her she relaxes...one of those horses that will do best with a driver instead of a passenger . For all of those with valid advice on how to help her without shipping her, thank you .
this may all be good - but they also know who is on their back. As you may have straigthen her up - once you put you rlittle girl back on, the pony will know and perhaps try her again.
JMO - I would put my daughter on something that walks in the gate and goes the speed that she wants - you need to build your daughter's confidence also - I don't see that happening with her riding this pony.
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 Experienced Mouse Trapper
Posts: 3106
Location: North Dakota | porky - 2016-02-24 8:04 AM Yakima - 2016-02-24 12:06 AM I dont think a trip to the sale barn is what's needed. Jdpd n I agree in riding her and working her thru the alley. Giving her a relief spot. Listening for her time to engage. Patience and control is what she needs to be taught. No different than training a full sized young one ?? Shes ready to roll but just needs to be taught the mechanics of patience and to listen. She doesn't sound bad - just ready.?? And i understand where your concerns are w your little girl. So she would be going w me riding her to a lot of little play days and never entering the arena above a controlled walk and trot but after she knows she isn't going to run every trip down the alley. Lots of alley walk and sit and in n out and sit. Boring but worth it. Hope she turns around and does fine. Sounds like you have a little athlete that wants to go. ?? Yes thank you for the advice, I've put three rides on her this week , and she's doing phenomenal. And yes she's not dangerous rearing just anticipating the cue to go and ready to go. The first ride on her I took hr heeling , in the heel box she popped up a bit and I smacked her on top of the head and she hasn't done it since , a complete attitude adjustment . Ill be bringing her to the next few races to work with her and enter her to see how she is with an announcer and music, but so far so good....she's still on the muscle but if I just talk to her she relaxes...one of those horses that will do best with a driver instead of a passenger . For all of those with valid advice on how to help her without shipping her, thank you .
I would highly recommend that when you do have this pony fixed and your daughter gets back on her, that your girl is never in or down the alley alone. You should be there even if it means taking hold of the horse. This is a bit off topic but I've seen so many horses with unconfident kids be ruined because the parents aren't around to help if it's needed. Their frustration level and anxiety becomes so high the race is lost before they ever step in the arena. |
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 Toastest with the Mostest
Posts: 5712
Location: That part of Texas | Dinero10 - 2016-02-24 8:38 AM porky - 2016-02-24 8:04 AM Yakima - 2016-02-24 12:06 AM I dont think a trip to the sale barn is what's needed. Jdpd n I agree in riding her and working her thru the alley. Giving her a relief spot. Listening for her time to engage. Patience and control is what she needs to be taught. No different than training a full sized young one ?? Shes ready to roll but just needs to be taught the mechanics of patience and to listen. She doesn't sound bad - just ready.?? And i understand where your concerns are w your little girl. So she would be going w me riding her to a lot of little play days and never entering the arena above a controlled walk and trot but after she knows she isn't going to run every trip down the alley. Lots of alley walk and sit and in n out and sit. Boring but worth it. Hope she turns around and does fine. Sounds like you have a little athlete that wants to go. ?? Yes thank you for the advice, I've put three rides on her this week , and she's doing phenomenal. And yes she's not dangerous rearing just anticipating the cue to go and ready to go. The first ride on her I took hr heeling , in the heel box she popped up a bit and I smacked her on top of the head and she hasn't done it since , a complete attitude adjustment . Ill be bringing her to the next few races to work with her and enter her to see how she is with an announcer and music, but so far so good....she's still on the muscle but if I just talk to her she relaxes...one of those horses that will do best with a driver instead of a passenger . For all of those with valid advice on how to help her without shipping her, thank you .
JMO - I would put my daughter on something that walks in the gate and goes the speed that she wants - you need to build your daughter's confidence also - I don't see that happening with her riding this pony.
+1
When I was a kid, I used to ride problem ponies for friends/their parents because we had a working ranch and could put miles on them and get them straightened out. No matter how much work I did on a horse to get them right, as soon as the kid who owned the pony got back on them, if they weren't a changed rider who could handle the horse the problem still persisted.
Unless you are going to spend much of that correction time with your daughter involved and actively learning how (with her riding him through it) to control this horse in the way you are doing, the problem is probably going to pop up again and again because the horse knows who is riding him and what he can get away with. You may have him set up fine but what happens when she thinks he's fixed and he pulls a stunt at a rodeo in a month or so that wrecks her confidence because she can't handle him on her own?
It's not doing her any favors and it's not doing the pony any good because in a sense, he's saying "I'm ready to go . . . with someone else who can ride me at the rate I can run." I get the fact that any horse should do what you want them to do but in a sense, you're asking him to chill out, take his game down a notch or two and the popping up he is doing is his way of saying "yup . . . but I want to run! Let's go!" Until she grows in her riding to handle him and to go at his level, they are always going to be a mismatch because he knows who is riding him and what he can get away with. He may get fixed for awhile but the second that she has him at a competition, he's ready to go and wants to run and she gets scared because he's excited and starts holding him back --- he's going to do this again and she's going to have less confidence in him because it will seem like it's coming out of the blue but it's really not. You might fix the action but the underlying part is going to remain.
One of my best playdaying horses was built exactly the same way/size as this pony you are describing. Good horse for the most part but he wasn't a pony for all types of kids because he would pull stunts with those that he could because he always knew who was riding him. We were a good match for him as riders because we were as mean and ornery as he was and we could ride him at his highest level. He was "popper" in the alley and you did have to be on your toes to keep him in line but he was never mean to us or would ever hurt one of us kids on purpose. He was as competitive as we were and he loved to run and do his job. He was just one of those ponies who needed a confident rider at the helm or he was never going to follow them if they weren't. He tested our right to be leader on a regular basis just to make sure we weren't slacking off. He would have been a nightmare for most kids (especially more timid and learning riders) to own.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 672
| Red Raider - 2016-02-24 10:12 AM
Dinero10 - 2016-02-24 8:38 AM porky - 2016-02-24 8:04 AM Yakima - 2016-02-24 12:06 AM I dont think a trip to the sale barn is what's needed. Jdpd n I agree in riding her and working her thru the alley. Giving her a relief spot. Listening for her time to engage. Patience and control is what she needs to be taught. No different than training a full sized young one ?? Shes ready to roll but just needs to be taught the mechanics of patience and to listen. She doesn't sound bad - just ready.?? And i understand where your concerns are w your little girl. So she would be going w me riding her to a lot of little play days and never entering the arena above a controlled walk and trot but after she knows she isn't going to run every trip down the alley. Lots of alley walk and sit and in n out and sit. Boring but worth it. Hope she turns around and does fine. Sounds like you have a little athlete that wants to go. ?? Yes thank you for the advice, I've put three rides on her this week , and she's doing phenomenal. And yes she's not dangerous rearing just anticipating the cue to go and ready to go. The first ride on her I took hr heeling , in the heel box she popped up a bit and I smacked her on top of the head and she hasn't done it since , a complete attitude adjustment . Ill be bringing her to the next few races to work with her and enter her to see how she is with an announcer and music, but so far so good....she's still on the muscle but if I just talk to her she relaxes...one of those horses that will do best with a driver instead of a passenger . For all of those with valid advice on how to help her without shipping her, thank you .
JMO - I would put my daughter on something that walks in the gate and goes the speed that she wants - you need to build your daughter's confidence also - I don't see that happening with her riding this pony.
When I was a kid, I used to ride problem ponies for friends/their parents because we had a working ranch and could put miles on them and get them straightened out. No matter how much work I did on a horse to get them right, as soon as the kid who owned the pony got back on them, if they weren't a changed rider who could handle the horse the problem still persisted.
Unless you are going to spend much of that correction time with your daughter involved and actively learning how (with her riding him through it) to control this horse in the way you are doing, the problem is probably going to pop up again and again because the horse knows who is riding him and what he can get away with. You may have him set up fine but what happens when she thinks he's fixed and he pulls a stunt at a rodeo in a month or so that wrecks her confidence because she can't handle him on her own?
It's not doing her any favors and it's not doing the pony any good because in a sense, he's saying "I'm ready to go . . . with someone else who can ride me at the rate I can run." I get the fact that any horse should do what you want them to do but in a sense, you're asking him to chill out, take his game down a notch or two and the popping up he is doing is his way of saying "yup . . . but I want to run! Let's go!" Until she grows in her riding to handle him and to go at his level, they are always going to be a mismatch because he knows who is riding him and what he can get away with. He may get fixed for awhile but the second that she has him at a competition, he's ready to go and wants to run and she gets scared because he's excited and starts holding him back --- he's going to do this again and she's going to have less confidence in him because it will seem like it's coming out of the blue but it's really not. You might fix the action but the underlying part is going to remain.
One of my best playdaying horses was built exactly the same way/size as this pony you are describing. Good horse for the most part but he wasn't a pony for all types of kids because he would pull stunts with those that he could because he always knew who was riding him. We were a good match for him as riders because we were as mean and ornery as he was and we could ride him at his highest level. He was "popper" in the alley and you did have to be on your toes to keep him in line but he was never mean to us or would ever hurt one of us kids on purpose. He was as competitive as we were and he loved to run and do his job. He was just one of those ponies who needed a confident rider at the helm or he was never going to follow them if they weren't. He tested our right to be leader on a regular basis just to make sure we weren't slacking off. He would have been a nightmare for most kids (especially more timid and learning riders) to own.
Depending on the pony's attitude with mom riding her, that might fix her.. or she might need to either stick with the more experienced riders or with the 6yo and think that barrels are a slow sport. |
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 A very grounded girl
Posts: 5052
Location: Moving soon..... | For me personally, it would be gone in a heartbeat. Too dangerous. |
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 Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | Maybe give your daughter some time with an older/quieter horse until she's more comfortable? Just let a more confident/aggressive kid run the pony for now?
She sounds like she just gets a bit on the muscle and pops up when she's ready to roll, it wouldn't be a big deal to me....but I grew up fixing heathen ponies and loved them all. I don't consider popping up a little bit a big deal, I think you can fix it very easily. I'd make that sucker work her tail off until she was exhausted, and then let her just rest in the alley. Make it a happy place for her. There's a big difference in one that pops up a bit and one that's going to stand straight up in the air on their back legs.
You might be able to get the pony to be better, but it's going to know the difference between an adult being on it's back and a little one. If you can find an agressive kid to ride it for a bit, that would be the route I'd take.
Edited by MS2011 2016-02-24 1:24 PM
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 Expert
Posts: 2013
Location: Piedmont, OK | If it is truly rearing (and not just popping up a little because she is excited) that is a very dangerous situation. Please do not put a child on that pony. They can flip over and seriously hurt someone. I would take it to a very good lameness vet to get them looked at, an equine dentist to make sure the teeth are floated properly, and a reputable chiropractor or Doctor of Osteopathy to rule out all forms of pain. In my experience rearing is a sign of a significant problem - like bleeding, ulcers or serious lameness or serious head issues! if it's the later it would be gone off of my place!!!! |
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