Pawing

[PonyGirl]

Daisy paws when we are standing. Any ideas on how to stop this?

It is when she is ridden.

[olivia]

The most effective solution I've seen to pawing is to hold the pawing foot up everytime they do it.

BUT you have to give them no attention whatsoever while you do it. With ponies the easiest way to do it is to use your foot to just catch the foot while they are pawing and hold their foot with your foot for about a minute (until they stand still), but don't look at them, stroke them, shout at them, interact with them in any way. The idea is that you teach them that all pawing results in is them having to stand on three feet, and it doesn't get them attention, and it doesn't get them moving again. I've seen compulsive pawers sorted in a week using this technique, so it can be very successful.

However - I have no idea how you could do this on a big pony/horse, or when you are in the saddle - so this might not be much help!

Olivia

[greydales]

Olivia is a pain in the neck for pawing when she is tied up, and there is nothing I can do to stop it! I've tried both negative and positive reinforcement, but neither work! I've treated her whenever she stands still without pawing but the minute I walk away from her she will start again. She just hates being tied up and has done from the day I bought her

Under saddle I will be quite firm with mine if they don't stand still, after all if you are at a road junction or elsewhere that you don't want them to fidget around it's important they are obedient.

I think that pawing is quite a common thing, probably to do with impatience.

[harleydales]

Harley paws if we stand and have a chat with someone on a hack!! Its definitely impatience with him.
A strong A-A!! stops it for a while.....

[taffydales]

Merls does exactly the same thing, if I,m standing having a chat with someone, but he tends to do it more when he is tied in the stable, I just try and ignore him and he tends to stop quite quickly.

[DalesLady]

an instant tap on the shoulder with whip wihout any speech acknowledging what they are doing may help. It stops ours and I have never come across a better way yet.

[laura]

Was just going to suggest the same thing Penny! A quick slap on the shoulder should do the trick.