Fixing pony who wants to fallow others!? Long

[Sassy]

Oh boy Ethan had a bad ride on his beloved Rolo... Kind of his dad's fault! Here's what happened! So daddy just got his horse back last weekend from Excel's place as she went for a tune up on her lope. They did a gret job by the way. She is push button. Anyway, so yeah daddy has been enjoying his new found pace onhis mare. So we go for a family ride. Dad wants to lope. I knwo Ethan is not ready for loping on his pony yet so I ask daddy to ride off out of site to do his loping while we (mom and Ethan) stay to the trail. So dad agrees and trots off a bit then lopes away. Mean while Ethan is struggling to keep Rolo beside me so just as I reach down to pick up his lead rope which we keep on Rolo when we ride for just in cases Rolo bolts after hubby and his mare. At first Ethan is calm trying to woe his pony but once he starts down the hill he gets scared. i hold my mare back don't want to further the situation by rilling Rolo witha race or make her feel she is being chased. My heart beating like a wild horse. Calling out instructions to him with what I hoped was a calm voice !! Then when I see he is no going to be able to stop his pony I let Misty have her head and she charges after then. I think she knew exactually what I wanted because instead of heading straight for Rolo she angle off to cut her off! I started calling out to hubby to stop his horse... He finally hears me as i am catching up to Ethan and Rolo. Thye come just passed hubby and his mare when Rolo decides to listen and allow Ethan to bring her around and to woe. I draw up to him just as he is getting off. His eyes are huge, tears already falling down his checks. He is nearly white ... He lets Rolo go who simply fallow him not sure why he is scared I guess. Anyway, ten minutes of talking Ethan down and getting him back on his pony. All the while telling him how good he did by no jumping off and how awesome he did by not falling off! How he didn't get hurt or anything etc. So we work on Rolo not fallowing ok she does great when I am on her back. Doesn't even lift a foot wrong. But Ethan not teh same thing at all. She knows he is not strong enough of a rider and she is taking advantage of it. How do we work around this so Ethan has the upper hand so to speak!? He needs to get respect and control of his pony!? But, how do we do it!? I am at a loss here!?

[Carri]

Poor Ethan, I am sure that really scared him!
I would start by having a talk with Dad, and telling him that the time to be cantering and running is not on a trail ride with Ethan, he needs to do that some other time. Even an adult would have a hard time in that situation, and a young child does not need to be put into that position.
Other than that, it will just take time and riding. We have the same problem with Grace and her pony, the pony is great, but she knows that Grace cannot really make her do anything. We spend a lot of time in lessons on transitions, so that Miley is getting used to automatically listening to Grace, she does lots of trot to walk and trot to halt transitions. It is definitely helping, slowly but surely.
Tell Ethan GREAT JOB staying on!!

[lbequ4002]

the main thing is to try to keep ethan in situations where he can build confidence and therefore become more assertive and a leader to his pony. ponies are smart and they always know when they have the upper hand. Try giving him lessons to improve his overall riding skills like, getting an independent seat and hands. If he feels more secure in his own ability he will get more confident.

[Kingpin]

Ponies are ponies and will most always do that and if someone knows a pony that will not for sure then let me have it. He did so good staying on the pony. Dad did so bad cantering with child on the trail. Bad boy!! you did your best so thankfully everything trned out fine. Yes, work with your boy in a ring or something to let him show the pony who is the boss in any situation and what to do in situations like turning to slow and stop etc so that in any frighteneing situaion the boy will be able to think for himself and get control. We have all been there before with the runaway pony. I remember one running off with me and I stayed on for well about one hundred acres no kidding and then the pony stopping and eating and my very aggravated uncle walking to get me and lead pony back mad at me the WHOLE time and letting me know it on why I let this pony run that far. No, hey you stayed on good job, it was not a great memory of words for me from him but I will loved horses after so that did not scare me our of it. Mind you he let me sit on that pony with no saddle and a light bridle and the pony knew I did not know how to ride well and went from eating his grass to galloping away for the hills! In retrospect it is funny but my uncle did not think so.

[rivervu2]

Ethan def. needs lessons to build his strength and confidence. I wouldn't do too much trail riding until that happens. One thing I always taught my beginners was to circle their horse if it get's too fast. Pull on the inside rein and circle until horse slows down. One of my biggest fears was that a horse would take off on a child so I wanted them to be able to stop at any time.

[taelesean]

How about teaching Ethan the pulley rein and the one rein stop?

[ahlihaff]

That was a scary experience for Ethan and for you too.

Rolo wants to follow others because he does not feel confident with Ethan "driving the bus".

As someone suggested, teach Ethan the one rein stop which is always good to know in an emergency situation. However, I would also help Ethan gain his pony's respect from the ground in a round pen or small enclosure. At liberty, do figure eights, backs, hq yields, etc. He needs to become more important to Rolo. This will give your son confidence as well as help the pony feel more secure with Ethan in the saddle.

[Sassy]

Oh thanks so much guys all great information and suggestions! One reined stop now there is somethign I never thought of! And yes Ethan still needs a lot of work on his confidence and skills as a rider. Oh and you can bet your booty daddy got a very stern talking to by one very upset mom (me ) and he felt pretty bad. Just happy neither Ethan nor Rolo got hurt! Back to the basic's I guess. Just when everything seemed to be coming together fine. Walking trotting with confidence and ease! Sighhh... ... It's so hard for me to really work with Ethan and his fears. i want to encourage him but I don't want to force him into something he really isn't interested in. He says he wants to ride. Yet I sence a lack of true want. For me it was horse crazy from birth I swear. But I know once he builds his skills and confidence he will be much more willing and able to ride and enjoy it...

[lady dumpling]

Sassy I am so glad Ethan is O.K..Good thing ponies are so cute because they can be such brats.I agree with the rest help Ethan on his riding skills to empower him and bring up his confidence.Work on the whoa at home in safer surroundings.I used to have a horse that thought everything we did with other horses was a race and he did not like second place.It took alot of work to get him to realize that we weren't running in the derby every time we trail road with friends.Some things I would do was to turn him around in the other direction of the other horses and walk away and let them go,and after some work I could just stop him and let others run away and he would wait for his cue to either walk trot or canter behind them.Good luck.I'm sure soon you will be telling us how Ethan and Rollo are ripping up the fields

[A J]

Oh, the infamous runaway pony - I know myself and both of my siblings got to experience that at least once (if not more often). It's scary, especially for a child who is already dealing with some fears riding. The first time my sister got bucked off her pony (he took off down a steep hill then started bucking) it took her some time to really get her confidence back.

Like others have said, we went back to basics, in fact, for some time we actually led the pony every time she was riding. She learned to control him, and relearned many of the things she technically already knew. I think it really helped to reinforce the skills, build physical strength, and mental confidence.

Yes, that turd of a pony bucked her off after that, but by then she knew she could get back on and take control of the situation. She also knew some ground work she could do to right away let pony know such behavior was NOT going to get him out of work or doing what she wanted.

Another thing I think that helped my sister, and me for a long time, was learning to fall properly. Granted, I was a kid, but I actually practiced "falling" off my horse in our soft sand pen - even at a canter at one point (not overly bright, but I did it). I had my sister practice this at a stand still and a walk. You have to be careful of horsey feet, but it makes the idea of falling off much less scary, which can be an amazing confidence builder.

I wouldn't suggest doing that with movement, only from a standstill, but you can also learn how to fall properly from your own two feet. Doesn't make coming off any less scary when it happens, but afterwards it's much better because injuries are MUCH less likely to happen!