Naughty Pony!

[harleydales]

I took Harley out for a hack on Sunday with Moni and her mare Cody, who is a little on the jolly side! Harley has ridden with her before and does find her rather exciting company, but this weekend was beyond the pale! He had been out with her last week nicely, and mid week with Apollo,also well behaved.

But on sunday he was AWFUL!!! He pulled, got in a rage, tucked everything into his shoulders and bunched up and bounced, did half passes down the middle of the road, did piaffe, did passage, bucked, tried to kick, refused to go in a straight line, trotted nicely past Cody then shot off once past her.......
He was also stretching his head out and up and opening his mouth really wide. He is ridden in a Dutch gag (the one with a big ring and 2 small rings, not the 3 small ring one. He has been in this bit for over a year with no problems.

Phew, how I stayed on i do not know, but boy was I sore later!

I have had his tack checked recently, and his teeth and back. Everything is fine. His tack fits well and is comfy, nothing was too tight.

He is out 24/7 and all he is getting to eat is less than1/4pound soaked grass nuts, just under 1/2 pound pasture mix and a sprinkle of fibergy. He was getting a handful of malt pellets which are quite high protein, but I've cut them out as of Sunday!! They also get a wedge of hay each but aren't eating it all. He's not fat but not terribly fit either, about right for winter.

I *think* it was just high jinks, but it wasn't the most relaxing of rides!

Anyone any ideas of how to handle it? I just sat it out, didn't pull, tried to stay soft and deep and all the rest of it.

[harveydales]

Oh dear, naughty Harley! Chances are it was just a one off and he will be back to his normal self next time you ride...........hopefully!

Harvey was naughty in his quieter way on our hack with Louistic on Sunday. He did his hunching up and bucking when he thought he was going to be left behind but also did his "walking backwards hoping Mum won't notice" routine when he didn't want to wait for Louistic. Also did his opening mouth wide trick and has been generally cross and bad mannered. I've put it down to lack of consistant, interesting work to "keep his head right" and the fact that there isn't much grazing (even though he is out 24/7) so he is bored and annoyed at the lack of grass. I wish I could give him some interesting schooling work but my ankle isn't up to it. I wonder if Harley is similar?

I would try and put it completely out of your mind and start your next ride as though it had never happened and expect him to behave normally. If he doesn't - then back to the drawing board!

[SuzieP]

It just illustrates doesn't it, that the calmest of pones can turn into a thoroughbred at the drop of a hat!! I agree with Pam's last sentence, Jane. His tigger act didn't get a reaction from you (crikey, well done - I'd have been a gibbering wreck!) and if you approach your next ride with the same calmness he'll perhaps realise that there's no point being silly. Who knows what turns a steady-eddie into a loopy-loon on occasions - look at Bea and his "frillies". Most of the time he's as good as gold, but then comes a day when something unusual has happened to break his routine (a fox in the paddock, a tree branch falling down, a rabbit crossing the road - who knows!?) or the wind changes direction and he turns into Mr Frilly! In fact he and Harvs show very much the same behaviours.....LOL

Good luck with your next ride - let us know how it goes......

[greydales]

I agree with the others, sometimes ponies/horses just do act like this! It could just be a combination of Harley not being ridden too much lately combined with the rather-too-exciting company of Cody on that day. I had years of this with Pip, he would generally be okay with Dan but out with any other horses who were a bit on their toes and it was quite a different story! Although he did improve beyond belief as he got older.

You did the right thing not to make a big issue out of it - best ignored and forgotten about if you can! If you are concerned about him gaping his mouth open why don't you try a drop noseband or similar for a while.

[harleydales]

I do use a drop sometimes - usually to pre-empt these episodes!! If I'm doing a 2-day endurance ride he tends to wear his drop for day 1 and his endurance bridle (converts to headcollar) for day 2.
He also has a martingale for exciting days - he had it on saturday but with the endurance bridle. I guess I should have known better and just gone for the drop!

It's good to know other people's neds have the same 'moments' though!!

You are probably right about the 'keeping the head right' thing Pam - if the ground were better I would be in the school with him next week doing leg work etc, but it is either too hard or too soft at the moment.

I'll let you know what happens next time LOL!!

[harleydales]

I'll try the stroking Heather, that's a new idea and might surprise him. Good ideaabout the neck strap too.

I haven't been out since the exciting ride because of the ice but might get out this weekend....
we'll see!

[PonyGirl]

As a friend told me when "Daisy" had her moment. You got grit to stay on. I think of that when she has other moments. Helps me.