Morganhorses asked:
My 7 year old sons pony is carrying her head too low, and overflexing. She certaintly was never trained to use her hind and how can I retrain this on something too small for me to ride? Any tips/techniques? i was going to do away with the bit and do halter and leads to gain relaxation? I will still keep her on a lounge line. My son is a beginner and it is his first horse so he won’t be on his own with her. We want to ride in some fields with her following the big horses and I don’t see this being a problem just going on a loose rein, not sure yet though. How can we correct this though? She is 13hh 800 lbs so my nieghbor who is a 100lb teen can ride her, but what are some effective methods to retrain her to use her body and ride from back to front instead of this?
It would be very difficult to teach a pony to use his hindquarters when his primary rider is a beginner 7 year old. You could try work in hand, but then you also have the overflexing problem, which would make it difficult to get him on the bit in hand (or with your neighbor riding him).
For when your son rides him, I think you should buy or make some anti-grazing reins, which basically go from the saddle to the poll and down to the bit. They are designed to keep the pony from eating grass while their tiny riders are powerless to stop them, but the way they work is to keep the pony from putting it’s head down too far, which is what you need here.
Also, when you start having your son follow the big horses it might be better to do it on a one-horse trail through the woods instead of in an open field. That way the pony is pretty much stuck behind the horses, and can’t just decide to turn for home, or run off or anything. It will also not be tempted by grass to eat.
when riding her as soon as she drops at the bit, play with the bit(reins) in your hands gently until you feel the contact and she raises her head keep legging her but stop playing with the reins when she takes the bit and has the proper head level., use alot of leg to keep her up at the bit. leg leg leg play play play, softly sea saw the bit if you use a snaffle.