The Lazy Pony

[scrbear11]

Lazy ponies aren't a bad thing, I love a lazy pony, but my student's pony is beyond lazy. The pony breaks at his canter- whether he's just flatting or he's over fences, and he's lazy about his lead changes. When I first met the pony I thought it was his rider, but after talking with his former trainer, every child that's ridden this pony has had the same problems keeping him going. We had him managed, my student learned to keep her leg on, and most of the time she could make it around the show ring without letting the pony break. The lead changes where another problem- but she's at the short stirrup level right now- I was concentrating on one thing at a time (keeping the pony going being number 1- at home we worked on the lead changes).

I have now recently hit a wall with pony and rider- she can't make it around a course without the pony breaking. He hasn't done a single lead change for her the last few shows. Rider is getting frustrated with him and is to the point where she doesn't even want to ride, so I've been riding pony. I have a stronger leg than my 10 year old short stirrup rider, so I'm able to keep him going. I haven't noticed my riding making a difference for my student.

I know that my student's lack of encouragement in the past is what has now caused pony to become so incredibly lazy. But I need to figure out something to do to keep my student for becoming too discouraged with the pony.

The student is a VERY TIMID 10 year old rider. She just recently moved up to the short stirrup level on this pony. Pony is a been there, done that large pony. He's been a fantastic confidence builder for this student and she's hoping to move up on him, but this laziness is out of control.

Any ideas? Student rides him with spurs and a bat- she's constantly encouraging him on. We've tried high protein feeds to give him more energy. We've tried energy supplements to no avail. I'm starting to wonder if maybe this is a health issue- but he's always been lazy, just not this lazy.

[Big_Grey_hunter]

I'd teach the kid or train the pony yourself with Ask.Tell.Demand. Ask the way you want the pony to respond, perhaps a squeeze. If pony doesn't respond, Tell the pony to move with a tap or kick. If that doesn't work, Demand the pony moves. Whatever it takes, whacking yelling kicking, make the sky fall on his head untill he moves, then stop the "pressure". Do this everytime and he'll quickly learn it works much better to move forward at a squueze or kick then waiting for the Demand stage.

[BelladonnaLily]

Have the rider carry a dressage whip. She needs to be able to back up her request EVERY time, immediately. If she is too timid to do that, this pony may not work for her. I have one of those lazy ponies. Fortunately, he is actually better for the weaker, more timid riders than the stronger riders, but I feel your pain. He can ignore a crop and spurs but a dressage whip always gets his attention...

[theblondejumper]

Ditto to the dressage whip--instant attention-getter.

[scrbear11]

Did not even think of that! This young rider has a strong dressage background so she knows how to use a dressage whip.

My other thought was that since this rider has a dressage background she sits very deep, having her go back to riding in a half seat. It's been hard to teach her to lighten up. I've tried having her ride in a half seat, but then she has a hard time feeling to regulate him.

[llsc]

Have you checked his thyroid levels? I have a very lazy small and while he is still very slow, he is a bit more awake now that he is on thyroid meds.

[Sugarbrook]

Dressage whip!!! Absolutely.

[ThisIsIt]

First make sure you rule out any health issues or ill fitting tack.

[Claire_T52z]

We have quite a few lazy ponies at our barn. Normally they ride with bats and spurs. We make them sit in a half seat barely touching their backs, this all seems to help.
Also we have them on a supplement called all phase, which is low fat high energy. Also we have put them on richer hay which gives them more energy and increased grain helps those lazy ponies to get moving.
Days off sometimes help as well!
Good Luck!

[magmir]

I have the same problem with my horse, who tends to lose the will to move and acts like a lazy bratty pony when we are doing flat work. All the suggestions on the board are great, and I use a few of them with my guy. If I put my leg on and he does not move I spur him, if he still does not respond I kick, and if he still does not respond I crop him. This whole progresssion has to happen very quickly. On his really lazy days, he will be sour at first but as long as I keep after him and don't let up he will find the will to move. We do this at the beggining of the ride, and that 10 minutes of toughing it out makes the rest of the ride go well. If I wait, however, we run into problems - I need to do it right away. My trainer is also working with me to lighten up my seat which has helped a ton not only with his forward issues, but he moves alot better and is much happier.

[Come Shine]

I've tried having her ride in a half seat, but then she has a hard time feeling to regulate him.

Just wondered what you meant by this. Does she have a hard time slow him down then?

What kind of bit does he have? Martingale?

[092556]

Have you tried a chiropractor?
I have a pony that had the same issue, she is a coming 5 year old, top of the line medium and has been ridden by a good small adult for the past year, hasn't been ridden by a child yet. She has been ridden with a dressage whip, long jumping bat and spurs, she goes but you have to chase her around the jumps. I have tried high protein feed, flax seed, alfalfa, low starch, calf manna, clovite and red cell. Still no noticable change until I ran my thumbs up her rump like a chiropractor does, she groaned and you could hear 3 pops from her back. I have a friend that is a chiropractor that showed me how to do it. She is a different pony, she started jumping rounder and bigger over the jumps, you can shorten her stride going to a fence with out her stalling out, her canter is much more balanced and has more power while still going slow, she doesn't ring her tail when you use your leg and her swaps are smooth as glass. She seemed to enjoy jumping around the course now. I though she was going to end up a short stirrup pony but know she is definitly going to be a medium division pony. Might help your pony??

[findeight]

A) Have a stonger rider school the Pony at least once a week. Little, bitty, short legged, lightweight and/or timid riders just are not going to get it done. CTJ session is called for.

B) Put timid rider on another Pony to make sure she knows how-not to mention build some strength in legs and seat to push lazy Pony. IMO don't just hand her a whip and spurs at this point. She may just lack the strength and know how in her body-and that Pony is not a good match at this time.

C) You NEED to look at Pony's health including the possibility he has various systemic imbalances/conditions (thyroid, cushings) that affect stamina and condition. Also need to look at hocks and other joints for arthritic changes that take the desire out of alot of them.

D) Understand that, just because he has "always been lazy", it does not need to continue, especially if he has some kind of condition or soundness problem.

[scrbear11]

I will have the owner of the pony get the vet out to rule out any health issues. Pony has gotten suddenly this lazy, so that's what I thought health issues. I can get him going, and I school him 3 or 4 times a week.

Problem with putting this student on another pony is that she WON'T get on another pony. her confidence level is that low, which is why I think this pony is taking advantage of her. She's finally learned to use her bat. Before when she got worried he would break. She's become a more aggressive rider.

This pony is just a fantastic solid citizen. He's a good good boy. Rider is a good little rider, just lacks confidence.

[joiedevie99]

Assuming no health issues, teach him to go like you would a green horse. Apply the lightest leg aid you can imagine- if he doesn't respond, he gets a kick. If he doesn't respond to the kick- he gets the come to Jesus kicking, crop smacking rider until he goes. Rinse, repeat- until pony goes off light leg aid. Then praise, treat, put away. Once pony goes for you, rinse-repeat with smaller pony jock.

[caradino]

barring any health issues... you seriously need to fix the pony's Go Button.
your student should not have to have her leg clamped on the pony just to make it around the ring without breaking. you are, in effect, teaching the pony to become dull to the leg.

i have to echo several other posters here and recommend that you or another stronger rider school the pony until it's lighter off the leg. squeeze, if no response kick, if no response whip or spur. as soon as pony goes forward RELEASE ALL LEG AIDS! a better schooled pony will make life much easier for your rider!

[ozjb]

Barring any health issues, could he be a rather clever pony? The reason I ask is that we own a similar model. LOL

When my daughter was younger and smaller, but ready for formal lessons, those lessons used to revolve around keeping the pony in canter all the way around the arena. That was it. The main focus.

We used the lighter pressure first, moving onto more pressure until getting a response. We call it Tickle, Tap, Smack, Flog. Dressage whip rather than a crop. My older daughter rode the pony.

I won't go into all the details because we all know and love ponies like this. Safe, sane but far too smart.

Things turned around over time and the pony got seriously good. People were lined up to buy her because they saw only the pony we had NOW.

My daughter has now moved onto a bigger pony and so my neighbour's little boy took our little mare to our Pony Club Camp last year. He is a timid rider. It took all of about 5 minutes for the mare to work that out.

I watched the first jumping session which was tiny for the little kids. Cherry headed into the ring like she usually does and timid kid slows her down. They head to the first jump and you could almost see the conversation:

Pony: Are we jumping?
Kid: I don't know, are we?
Pony: Well, I think not then.

And so they trot around the jump. The same thing happened all week. The kid was safe, happy but because he wasn't confident enough to convince her he actually wanted to jump, she didn't see the need. She didn't work very hard at all that week. Trotted around with her nose poked out, stopped for snack whenever the grass looked inviting. My dd was horrified that she was being "ruined". Too funny.

So, while our pony is small, I learned that she really isn't a great first pony. She isn't one of those saints who will happily jump if you aim her at the jump. She has to be ridden every moment. She is willing IF she knows she has no choice in the matter.

If this were our pony, you could hop on several times a week and get great results, but as soon as your timid rider got on? Back to lazy pony mode.

I do feel your pain. I used to get so frustrated. But it took my daughter getting stronger and more determined before the pony came to the party.

Good luck! He sounds like a gem of a pony.