[Fork]

I've posted this elsewhere, but I'm looking for as many opinions as I can get.

At the end of this month, I'll be the new owner of a pony. Thanks to a few stories and helpful forum members, I know this can be done, but I need some more encouragement.

My history: I've been riding for the better part of 11 years, mostly riding in hunter. I've helped rehab a couple of OTTB's and the odd horse here and there, but nothing too serious.

The pony: He's nameless at the moment, which gives me time. He's a 7 year old Morgan/QH/Fjord, probably around 13.2hh. No one is completely sure of his height, and I'm sure he wouldn't enjoy being measured by a scary stick. Supposedly he was born in a field and left to his own devices for a few years. He's broke to drive and has been backed a couple of times. That's going to make my life a whole lot easier. The downside? His human interaction has been very, very limited. I don't believe he was an abuse case, but I guess we'll find out. On the ground, he's skittish. He completely trusts his owner and no one else. I reached out my hand to stroke his neck, and he shot back. As soon as my hand was on his neck, and I'd started talking to him, he completely calmed down. Once I removed my hand and stood back, he shied away once again, but less dramatically.

Why do I want him?
- His conformation is superb. He's got nice legs, angles and a great shoulder. His only fault is that he's a tiny bit cowhocked and slightly toes out in the back.
- His breeding is very unique and if he ends up being anything like his breeding, he'll probably end up being a hardy, quiet, honest little guy. That is, if he can be socialized. And I'm confident he can be.


This isn't a confo picture. His back isn't really that tiny.

- I'm 19 and 5' 2". I'm still at the age where I can train and have fun with ponies. I have no plans to show him (unless it's a tiny schooling show.)
- I plan to use him as a trail and pleasure horse. I do want to teach him how to jump, but that doesn't need to come right away.

I've been trying to come up with a plan.

He's only being moved to a barn that's 15 minutes from where he currently is, but I'm terrified of trailering day. I'm sure it's going to be a crazy hour or two! Once he settles in, here's what I have so far.

1. Approaching in the field. Goal is to get him to come to me in the field, or at least be trained to be caught. I'm thinking I'm just going to break this step down into a couple of different sections. I'm going to begin by letting him get used to my presence in his field, then work my way up to putting a halter on (and taking it off, the first couple of times.) I know how to train a horse to be caught in baby steps, and I was thinking of using that sort of method.

Question: Would leaving a leather/breakaway halter on the first couple of days be a bad idea? The problem is that he will sometimes go in at night, and I won't be the one who's out there to catch him every time. I'm sure that if she leaves him for last, he'll come in because there's no one else out there.

2. Touching. I want him to be accustomed to me touching him all over, but I don't know how to accomplish this. I love the clicker training method. Is there any way I can incorporate this into my routine? I'm thinking I don't want to go onto desensitization to scary objects at this point. That would come later.

3. Ground work. I have no idea where to begin. I know I want to teach him voice commands and have him execute them perfectly before I hop on his back. Would free-lunging be a good idea? In this stage, I'm thinking I'll gradually introduce him to tack. He's had driving equipment on before, so I'm sure he won't be too picky with that sorta thing.

4. Riding. Now I'm completely lost. Logically, I should start with short walking sessions and work up to longer ones. I know he's not young or immature anymore, but I'm sure it's tough to learn so many things at once. Is this right?

After that, I'm sure I'm golden. I can work on jumping him. When should I start desensitizing him to scary things?

[Rosie12]

Sounds like a decent plan.

#2: Touching. How to get him used to it? Touch him! lolz, start with a base area, let him get comfertable. Since you already have touched him on the neck, might try and start there.When he doesn't flinch while you're touching him, start making strokes. When he's ok again, do longer strokes. Then start making the strokes move down his body. JMO, but this should work. As long as he's not agressive, which it doesn't sound like he is. One thing you could try is doing this while in his field. After he's used to you being there, of course. The reason is that if he feels uncomfertable, he can go where he IS comfertable. Then you can approach him again or vice-versa. The idea behind it is that it will be easier to touch him out of the pasture once he's used to it IN the pasture.

#3: Ground work? I would wait until he's ok with touching. After that, desensitizing and, if you want, desense to the lunge whip and rope first. Then I would lunge him on the line first. He'll learn pretty quickly, hopefully, and soon you'll be free-lunging.

Anyway, this is all JMO.

[Fork]

Originally Posted by Rosie12

Sounds like a decent plan.

#2: Touching. How to get him used to it? Touch him! lolz, start with a base area, let him get comfertable. Since you already have touched him on the neck, might try and start there.When he doesn't flinch while you're touching him, start making strokes. When he's ok again, do longer strokes. Then start making the strokes move down his body. JMO, but this should work. As long as he's not agressive, which it doesn't sound like he is. One thing you could try is doing this while in his field. After he's used to you being there, of course. The reason is that if he feels uncomfertable, he can go where he IS comfertable. Then you can approach him again or vice-versa. The idea behind it is that it will be easier to touch him out of the pasture once he's used to it IN the pasture.

#3: Ground work? I would wait until he's ok with touching. After that, desensitizing and, if you want, desense to the lunge whip and rope first. Then I would lunge him on the line first. He'll learn pretty quickly, hopefully, and soon you'll be free-lunging.

Anyway, this is all JMO.

Thanks!

I'm wondering if he's ever been lunged before. How exactly do you train a horse to drive?

[caity and billy]

1. Catching - DO NOT LEAVE A ROPE/CHAIN ON HIM...EVER!! halter MAYBE but definatly not a rope.
-When u first bring him home, dont try to catch him, just go up, giv him a treat/pat and walk away..if he always runs away, just sit in the paddock untill curiosity gets the better of him. When he sees u provide a pat and treats **** b more confortable with you.
-when it comes time to catch him, id start him in a small-ish paddock, if he runs from you, MAKE him run from you and get pushing him away untill he focusses on you, then STOP. This is where round pen work works WONDERS...If u have heard of a thing called "Join-Up" look into this and it will help.

2. Touching, start on the forehead, move to the neck (on both sides) and slowly down the back then legs and feet last. Dont progress untill he becomes still and relaxed when u touch him. At this stageits good to have a good understanding on the best places to stand where to hold the lead rope, in case he spooks and reacts in defence. Being able to touch and pick up there feet can take a while and you definatly cannot rush this. This is a vital step in gaining trust!
- When he is fine with your hands, maybe move onto a jumper and other soft things.

3. Ground work- look at marty martins work and clinton Andersons work. They establis the basic of good ground manners and positions, disengaging HQs, FQs and giving to pressure are the most important things. move onto tricks and things when u are so confident in each other its amazing.
- From flexing etc move into lunging where can learn voice commands and to focus on you. (again this is where round-pen work is great).

4. Riding - this may take Months to acheive and he has to be very comfortable with you touching him all over with saddle blankets and things. and comfortable with your weight on his back and shadows etc.
- When you are comfortable, take it slow, there is no rush for perfection and safe riding. Start small with trips around an arena then gradually build up. He has different muscles to develope so u cannot push him too hard.

Most importantly. TAKE YOUR TIME, and when u get frustrated STOP. This is a time thing and it is very important u do not progress untill u are BOTH ready.

This is only touching the very surface of different techniques and things u will learn so please dont hesitate to get help from a proffessional if need be.

Good luck and sorry its long.

[Alliekk]

Originally Posted by caity and billy

1. Catching - DO NOT LEAVE A ROPE/CHAIN ON HIM...EVER!! halter MAYBE but definatly not a rope.
-When u first bring him home, dont try to catch him, just go up, giv him a treat/pat and walk away..if he always runs away, just sit in the paddock untill curiosity gets the better of him. When he sees u provide a pat and treats **** b more confortable with you.
-when it comes time to catch him, id start him in a small-ish paddock, if he runs from you, MAKE him run from you and get pushing him away untill he focusses on you, then STOP. This is where round pen work works WONDERS...If u have heard of a thing called "Join-Up" look into this and it will help.

2. Touching, start on the forehead, move to the neck (on both sides) and slowly down the back then legs and feet last. Dont progress untill he becomes still and relaxed when u touch him. At this stageits good to have a good understanding on the best places to stand where to hold the lead rope, in case he spooks and reacts in defence. Being able to touch and pick up there feet can take a while and you definatly cannot rush this. This is a vital step in gaining trust!
- When he is fine with your hands, maybe move onto a jumper and other soft things.

3. Ground work- look at marty martins work and clinton Andersons work. They establis the basic of good ground manners and positions, disengaging HQs, FQs and giving to pressure are the most important things. move onto tricks and things when u are so confident in each other its amazing.
- From flexing etc move into lunging where can learn voice commands and to focus on you. (again this is where round-pen work is great).

4. Riding - this may take Months to acheive and he has to be very comfortable with you touching him all over with saddle blankets and things. and comfortable with your weight on his back and shadows etc.
- When you are comfortable, take it slow, there is no rush for perfection and safe riding. Start small with trips around an arena then gradually build up. He has different muscles to develope so u cannot push him too hard.

Most importantly. TAKE YOUR TIME, and when u get frustrated STOP. This is a time thing and it is very important u do not progress untill u are BOTH ready.

This is only touching the very surface of different techniques and things u will learn so please dont hesitate to get help from a proffessional if need be.

Good luck and sorry its long.

I don't see anywhere that the OP even suggested leaving a rope or chain on the horse??? I'd recommend not using capitals, it comes across as extremely rude, like you're viciously yelling.

[ParkedOut]

Alot of people, myself included, use the caps to emphasize certain parts of a post. So, when I read it... it certainly did not come across as visiciously yelling.



OP: Your plan is an excellent place to start. Please keep us posted!

[Alliekk]

I'm glad, to me it looked pretty offensive. I use bold, italicised, or underlined lower case letters, or the little star thingies to make a point. Bold just looks like you're shouting.

[caity and billy]

no no no i promice it wasnt meant to b offensive i swear!!! so im sorry if it came across that way, it was parkedout said to emphasise...

I also misread the start so i just saw leather (as in a leather lead rope) and didnt see the halter...my bad, it was late at night.

Sorry again if i came across rude that was not my intention!!!!!

[Fork]

Thanks for your help! I will keep updating. I can see that I'm somewhat on the right track.

I wasn't planning on using a chain on him, but good point! I think he'd probably rear and flip over.