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  Discussion on Learning to pony
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Member:
cpacer

Posted on Friday, Jan 26, 2007 - 7:55 pm:

I've mentioned in another post that I'd like to start taking my new 18-month old QH Hank out on trail rides with my almost 8-year-old Arabian Shadow. One thing that I did not think about was how my Arabian would respond to having a rope flung all around him, the same rope that is sometimes used to get him motivated when doing ground work.

I practiced swinging it around while mounted and on the ground, letting it drag behind us, rubbing it all over him, and basically trying to get him to ignore it even if it hits him in his face (I've also mentioned previously that I'm not very coordinated), BUT I must say that I feel like I'm contradicting how he's been taught to respond to the rope.

I also can't help but understand why he's creeped out by seeing the rope wiggle in the dirt—looks kind of like a snake, but I'm guessing that having him accept the rope no matter what is a prerequisite to being able to pony safely?

Any advice out there on this? My thought so far is that it's the energy you let off along with the rope, so maybe it's up to me to distinguish the difference for him? I don’t know, any words of wisdom are welcome!
Member:
mrose

Posted on Friday, Jan 26, 2007 - 8:55 pm:

Hmm, I pony off my older mare and have been since she was young. I have to admit, I just started doing it without any extra training, probably not the recommended method! She drives, though, and is used to the reins and harness being all over her. Also, she loves to boss other horses around and this gives her a great opportunity to do so! She turns and glares at the youngster every once in awhile, and I pity the one who tries to charge in front of her!

It sounds to me that getting the pony horse used to the rope, especially when you're mounted is a good idea. I'd also start, if you have an extra horse, ponying an older better trained horse and in an arena or fenced in area.
Member:
hwood

Posted on Friday, Jan 26, 2007 - 9:02 pm:

cp . . . you are exactly right about the horse distinguishing between the times you want him to move off and the times you want him to stand . . . rope or no . . . it's the body language that gives the cues. Sounds like your horse is used to the rope . . . I find it more important that the horses are buddies when I pony and that the horse I'm ponying is very sensitive to pressure on the lead. A horse that stops and braces against the pressure when you are trotting along can jerk you right out of the saddle or really hurt your shoulder. A horse that pulls forward at a pace faster than you want can create lots of problems with your balance and and the steering of the other horse . . . and can trip the other horse up if he cuts in front of you.
Hope it goes well for you as it's a GREAT way to exercise two horses at once. I used to alternate the horses I rode and the ones I ponied, but some horses just don't make good pony horses so they always end up being the ones that are ponied.
Member:
muffi

Posted on Friday, Jan 26, 2007 - 9:03 pm:

Not wisdom but what I have done -and I am a new bee at this so keep that in mind. Also the pony-ing behind horse what the Arab and the TWH/QH was the pony-er or horse I rode. I just practiced a lot in the arena first - circles, figure 8's all kinds of movements. But nothing prepared us for the trail. I was IN AZ at the time and Who knows what happened but then you never do - and the The Pony-er horse spooked and the Pony-ed one ran ahead. Ripped the rope thru my hands before I DrOpped the rope.(Always wear gloves!)I wasn't worried about the DrOpped rope because I knew I could get them back and I was very close to home - it was a trial - then after I picked the rope up out of the bushes and redallied it on the Horn we calmly went on. I did this a lot and after a while both were fine with it. Good way to get two for the price of one out of the corral for a little fun. I would recommend a lot of slow going and trying to do everything possible that might happen.
Member:
alden

Posted on Friday, Jan 26, 2007 - 9:15 pm:

You're correct you have to train your riding horse to ignore the rope except when it's use to cue a movement. Say you swing the rope to get hip movement, you should be doing it with body language so the rope just reinforces what the body says. Then I go right back and toss the rope all over the horse without the body language so they learn the difference.

It sounds like your arab is the only other horse you have to pony with. I like to have a nice stout, and stronger, horse to pony with. Then you just take a wrap or two on the horn when the pony gets frisky :-) Some horses, even quiet one, will want to kick the pony if they try to crawl up on the ponying horse, so watch the ear language close :-)

Good day,
Alden
Member:
cpacer

Posted on Friday, Jan 26, 2007 - 9:59 pm:

This sounds good, I just need more practice, practice, practice! I haven't actually tried ponying yet, only the desensitizing. Now I'm wishing I had been better about doing regular ground work, but the good thing about arabians is they learn quick and remember everything. He's good despite me! The young horse still needs to learn about the end of the rope before I try the real thing. I may try a lesson on that tomorrow.

They do get along very well, and the young one follows the older one everywhere, but tonight the older horse showed a little jealousy and chased. I don't think he likes having to share! In fact the first time I took the young one out without him he stood at the gate and yelled. I could even hear him while I was out of site even though his other pasture mates were with him. (or maybe I'm just flattering myself).
Member:
stevens

Posted on Saturday, Jan 27, 2007 - 1:03 am:

Suggest extreme care be taken if you're going to dally the rope around the horn. Lot's of ropers out there with missing fingers.

When ponying a horse that would get "frisky" I'd use the horn for leverage, but never had the nerve to make a complete wrap. The only baby I ponied, we started in the round pen. If he got a little chargy I just cut him off with the bigger horse and moved him against the rail for a couple of seconds, then we walked off again.
Member:
imogen

Posted on Saturday, Jan 27, 2007 - 6:00 am:

As we all ride English here we don't have a horn to dally with... leading a second horse is usually only done with animals that are already broken in order to exercise two animals at once.

Would any of you risk riding and taking a young horse just on a lead rein? I would like to do this around the farm (not on the public road) with my 21 month old - on the basis that if anything went wrong she'd just head back to the field where the others are.

Worth a go or too risky? My main concern would be that she might plant her feet and refuse to go forward and I might have difficulty managing both a lead rope and a long stick at the same time in order to tap her forward from behind if needed.

All the best

Imogen
Member:
cpacer

Posted on Saturday, Jan 27, 2007 - 8:54 am:

I finally gave up on trying to find a western saddle to fit my arabian, so I don't have a horn anymore.

Imogen, I've played out the won't go in my head and think I would try to get the younger horse moving by using the riding horse to get his hindquarters moving. Of course this sounds fine to me, but someone who's actually done it will probably have better advice.

The other thing about my two is that the arabian is petite, and while the quarter horse is the same size now he's going to grow (I hope). I figure if I can get him respectful now he won't take advantage when he realizes he's bigger than everyone else (I type with my fingers crossed).
Member:
jojo15

Posted on Saturday, Jan 27, 2007 - 9:41 am:

imogen, i would say make sure the older horse is a calm sort. doesn't get riled by the spiritedness of the younger. And are they pastured together and friends? I've never seen problems and usually find that the younger will heed the older. if they have the usual respect worked out. They will look to them and follow suit.

I would think ponying young is the way to go. Don't use a lunge line though, that sounds dangerous, if you do have to let go.

I've never seen people pony attaching the lead to the horn. Sounds way too dangerous.
Although when i drive by the polo stables i always wonder how they can get 10 horses in a row and one lead horse and rider, pony them all at once. And he's in the middle with equal amounts on either side.
Member:
stevens

Posted on Saturday, Jan 27, 2007 - 10:12 am:

Imogen,

While I don't usually do the young horse thing; I know people who routinely start ponying youngsters with their mothers. Seems that they want to stick with mom.

As far a 21 month old; well, unless her mom is available, or she's buddied up with an older rideable horse I'd definitely start in an enclosed area first, perhaps after blowing any steam off. Also, if her ground manners are in place and she readily leads I would think that would transfer somewhat to being ponied.

Good Luck,
Chris
Member:
hwood

Posted on Saturday, Jan 27, 2007 - 10:13 am:

Works best if you have a pony horse who neck reins dependably. I always pony in an English saddle, too, Imogen, and I have a very thick, very soft, very long lead rope that I use for ponying. It's one of those twisted cotton leads that I hate for regular use because it's too thick to tie easily to a hitching post, and if it gets pulled on, it tightens up so much that it's hard to release the quick release knot . . . but it is great for ponying. I tie three knots along the rope and carry it folded once in my hand with the knots in front of my hand . . . so that if the horse I'm ponying does balk, I have some "stops" on the rope and it won't slip through my hand. Normally, I carry my hand with the lead in front of my thigh, and occasionally, I may hook my fingers under the pommel of the saddle for extra security if the horse I'm ponying starts to give any resistance.
Member:
imogen

Posted on Sunday, Sep 30, 2007 - 3:09 pm:

Just wanted to revive this. Holly, the way you describe with the rope is exactly what I do with horses that are already broken to exercise 2 at once.

Yesterday all the maize fields were harvested, so today I did my first ponying training session. The young horse is now 30 months. I ponied her from her mother who is obedient but silly.

(I don't know if there are areas in north America that do what we do here, which is to cover the maize with plastic film so when it germinates it has its own little plastic cloche that it breaks through? Then the fields are full of bits of plastic after harvest... It's supposed to be biodegradable...)

The young horse behaved like a complete angel, very sensitive to pressure on the lead rope, no problems whatsoever, even though she was asked to walk across the remains of the maize plastic and go into fields she had never been in before, and despite the fact all the other horses that are TBs got moved shortly before my ponying session and were running around in circles in another field as TBs do...

So the young horse got ponied and "sacked out" by the maize plastic all in one! She was as cool as a cucumber, another advert for Irish draft breeding! Many thanks for all the advice on this thread which gave me the confidence to do it. I am going to take her around all the other fields over the next week or so - I kept it short today and also she has no shoes so I have to bear that in mind in keeping the sessions short.

Best wishes

Imogen
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