| Author | Message | ||
     Zarla Harriman |
Wow! We think we've sorted him see "Marvellous Merlin" post! | ||
| Emma Burton |
Zarla, email me, i'm in Leicestershire too, it's always good meeting up with fellow drivers, and all the better if there's a young son involved, mine is keen to take the reins too, hence buying a two wheeler recently! Burty x | ||
| Zarla Harriman |
Thank you Naomi, I have a therapist coming this Monday to check him over, she is great, and has worked wonders with my other horses in the past. I trust her completely. I am arranging the dentist for my little 12.1hh pony soon, so I can get that sorted. I am wondering if the response started when we began driving and my inexperienced groom got a rein caught on the shafts. Merlin got a bit agitated and then settled when the rein was released. Each time since then he has been difficult. But getting worse. I'm wondering if he's worried/panicking at this point. I understand about the difference between 2 and 4 wheels but, I don't want to invest in a 4wheeler, as a relative novice with a son who also wants to drive, I think the2wheeler is safest for us. Especially at the moment! I am just having difficulty splitting myself in two, I need to be the one on the ground with him, and also the one driving!!!!! Someone has also suggested giving him a bute to see if he is any different, to see if he may have been in pain. I am not big on bute, so haven't tried this. I am really appreciative of all responses. I am sure I can sort this one, I just can't do it alone! Thank you again! Zarla | ||
| Naomi Harbach |
Hi Zaria, it doesn't sound like you are having much fun at the moment, i have had rearing horses before and i know how it's from fun or ideal! It sounds like you are doing all the things correctly and working him before, getting someone to his head etc which is great and if he is not responding to this then maybe you should try going down the vet route. I know people may says he's being naughty or trying it on but quite often it can be a pain or fear response. If you get the all clear then and you know he is not in pain then you can be a bit firmer and try and get to the bottom of it. I would get a good equine vet (preferably one who knows about driving) to give him the once over and also an equine physio (preferably chartered ACPAT) to make sure he has no pain or spasm over his back and around his neck / breast collar area, also maybe get the dentist too then you have eliminated all problems!! Also a 2 wheeler although lighter does sit differently on the pad and pulls differently to a 4 wheeler. Two wheelers do not have as much springing so the ride is not as smooth and the shafts can sometimes put weight down through the saddle pad. Where as a four wheeler the shafts are often independent and so no pressure is put on the saddle pad and over the back as the carriage is already balanced, where as you have to balance a 2 wheeler. Once you have had him checked out completely i would agree that you take him to a professional to get their opinion before moving on, and obviously you don't want to put yourselves or others in a situation you're not happy with. Good luck! Naomi | ||
| Zarla Harriman |
I'm in Leicestershire. I have no other 'drivers' around me to ask for help, and my son and hubby are not confident enough to deal with anything out of the ordinary. I bought him from people who used a 4wheeler, and mine is a 2wheeler. It's a Bennington Intro, and I think it's lighter than the one they used. I got the same bit that they used with him, and he was going in that beautifully before this started. The harness is a tedex, and like the one he used. I did longrein/lunge him before putting to, and thought this might help. Maybe I needed to work him harder! I have had a couple of suggestions, have someone walk ahead or lead him until he is settled, and to ask him to move off left or right instead of straight ahead. This may help if it is him being afraid of the pull. When we got him he'd been dominating the old couple who owned him, though he drove really nicely. He wasn't letting them lead him etc. These things we have dealt with, so I'm perfectly prepared to believe he's just being naughty. I will try it again, but don't want it to become a routine or habit. I'm not scared of HIM, just if he hurts himself, me,the groom or the carriage! I am really grateful for your reply Burty. Any help you have is great, I'm much more experienced with a riding horse! Zarla | ||
| Emma Burton |
Stressful times for you I'm thinking! I'm no driving expert, but I'll answer you with my thoughts anyway. Firstly, write down all the differences you can think of between trying out the pony with the previous owners and what you are using now, new bit maybe? Different shafts? Four wheeler? Lighter/heavier weight to pull? If nothing is obvious, and you are happy with the carriage and harness fit, then perhaps you can change the routine that you use to put to? Try lunging or longlining him first, so he's lost the tickle in his feet, and use rewards in his training so you can easily show him when he is doing the right thing. Get some spare bodies around with suitable safety wear, with someone at his head whom he trusts and will pay attention to. Maybe he worries about the first pull of the carriage? Some horses don't 'lean' into the collar, they kind of 'jerk' forwards, and that can lead to plunging and rearing. In which case you could give the carriage a hand forwards until he's settled. As I read it, he's either worried, in pain, or being naughty. Perhaps he could visit an experienced driver who could evaluate which one it is? If he was good at first i'd suggest he's either being dominant or something has made him worry. As I said there are far more competant people here who may offer advice, I can only speak from my own experience. And you're right, rearing isn't acceptable or enjoyable! We have a pony who tried this one a few times, he was keen to move off and decided hanging around wasn't on. We worked on rewarding him for standing quietly, and walking alongside when moving off until he settled. We do need to think a little when putting to, and not winding him up but generally he's being a good chap now. Whereabouts are you? Burty. | ||
| Zarla Harriman |
I have recently bought a 10 year old driving pony(13.2hh)who is very experienced. I bought a nice 2wheeler and Tedex harness. Got everything sorted out, and began driving with him. We drove about 6or7 times, just around the fields at the livery yard, and all was fine. He was a nice, responsive pony.A little unfit, so we started small. We did have some problems when initially moving off, (but they were minor at the time, and so I sat still, let him protest for a couple of mins and then got him to move off when he had calmed himself. I didn't rise to the bahaviour, or react to it very much. I thought it was just new horse trying it on and it would fade. He was backing up, and when he couldn't back up any more,(as we had hit the strawbales,) he tried repeatedly to bolt. I resisted and eventually he calmed and I was able to ask him on. I drove him as usual and no other problems. Then, the next time I put to he went ballistic!Rearing and backing up (good old strawbales!) much worse that before. I don't think it's the harness, Sue Mart came to fit it for me so I'm certain it's not that. I know I'm a novice driver but I'm experienced with horses and can't work this one out at all. Why is the behaviour getting worse? I decided not to drive for a while, and worked him on the ground. we understand each other better. I have longreined him in the arena and on the road, he was good and very responsive. The behaviour seems to be just when he is put to and moving off initially. Last night he reared so badly that he almost went over, he also tried to kick out when driving,(something I have never seen him do before). I am almost at the point of moving him on, as I don't really know what to do but can't cope with this very dangerous and unnacceptable behaviour. I know he was bolshy for his last owners, but it hasn't always been so, as I have heard about his past and spoken to past owners. Please, any thing that you can offer would be very good. I don't know what to do with him. Thank you for your time reading this Z |