Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

'might be a good idea first to get horse used to a rope under the trail  '

Do you mean 'under tail'?  Manny more than neck reins, he follows my seat and hips very well.  In fact I pretty much leave the reins on his neck while ponying.  He is very tolertant of stuff invading his space (rope under tail would be not a problem- he would just move away from it).  Not worried about him except for his aptitude for atitude with other horses.  Just don't want either horse to get hurt. Thanks for your input!  Greatly appreciated, both Karen and Bonnie.  Jennifer.

 Sullivan <greymare@xxxxxxx> wrote:

To add to Bonnie's excellent advice:

 

I train all my horses to both pony and be ponied.  Neck reining is a must.  My 6 year old Anglo Arab is now elected to be main pony horse. I have had her pin ears and threaten the ponied horse.  An immediate growl and slap on the neck nipped that in the bud. 

 

One thing I think Bonnie missed....might be a good idea first to get horse used to a rope under the trail...you don't want this to happen in a dangerous spot when the ponied horse ducks behind and the horse you are riding gets a good goose under the tail

Karen

- Original Message -----

From: Snodgrass, Bonnie

To: 'Jennifer Judkins' ; ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sent: Thursday, January 09, 2003 5:34 PM

Subject: RE: [RC] Teaching horse to pony

A lot of people think ponying is all about controlling the led horse. So much has to do with the "pony" horse being under control. My tips are;

 

1. Pony horse must be well trained to neck rein and go well in some sort of shanked bit or hackamore that is appropriate to neck reining. Snaffles just don't work well with only one hand on the reins.

 

2. The pony horse must be very manueverable, forehand, hindquarter turns and side-pass or leg yield. To insure immediate obedience to leg cues I use a blunt dressage spur that just gives me a harder heel. If the pony starts to crowd or step on the led horse I want to be able to immediate move the pony away, like now. If the pony gets snippy or threatening I have only my legs and voice for correction. A slap with the side of your leg against the pony while growling gets the message across. If pony is too spooky of jumpy to correct then you probably should be on another horse.

 

3. Do wear gloves every time!

 

4. Don't pony with just a halter and lead. Put something firmer on the led horse, a stud chain wrapped around the nosepiece  of the halter and all the way around the nose or a training halter that tightens when the horse pulls back. Don't delude yourself that you can hold a 1000 lb horse if it pulls back. That's about the time the pony horse goes the other way. Being able to slow and control a bolting young horse is importent too. Use a fairly long lead, to have room to play the rope out to a suddenly silly goose of a horse. Use a round soft lead or a good leather lead.

 

5. Do not take turns around a horn. Every tug on the rope hits the pony's withers and could turn your saddle.

 

6. I did have to carry a long dressage whip a few times with one young horse that balked at crossing mud. talk about a lot in your hands!

 

Bonnie Snodgrass

-----Original Message-----
From: Jennifer Judkins [mailto:jenjudkins@xxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Thursday, January 09, 2003 7:39 PM
To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [RC] Teaching horse to pony

Hi all, looking for some advice.  I'm retraining an ex-racehorse and would like to introduce him to trails by ponying him off my experienced anglo-arab, Manny.  I have triied this in the arena twice.  Things go well until Manny (the more dominant) starts giving Canon (the ponied) a hard time (ears pinned, butt checking, etc.) and Canon lags behind or just plain stops.  They are out together all day and stalled next to each other.  Will they get used to this riding arrangement or am I asking for trouble?  I would appreciate any thoughts, insights or experience.  Thanks. 

BTW, WAY TO GO HOWARD!  Love the story.  I would ride with you anyday!  I too. love the adrenalin and joy of going fast!  Jennifer.

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