Driving the spooky pony ?

Toffee_Monster

Toffee_Monster

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Feb 13, 2008
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Northamptonshire
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Some of you may know that i have a new pony, Moo
He is a 4yr old welsh A x cob, is 13.2hh and a real chunk. He was my new project to break to drive.

Ive had Moo for 3 months now and weve done lots of long reining and eventually got to putting too stage a month ago. He took to it very well and was perfect for our little walks up and down the drive, then good as gold the first time out on the road, just a little wiggley which i suppose is normal for a green pony.

However on our 2nd time out on the road we had a moment when a car sped up when he saw us instead of slowing down and sped past at about 80mph, this really spooked Moo and he took off in canter, depsite him having been fine with traffic before. I managed to stop within 4/5 strides but since then he has been quite spooky

He is a huge change from Harry and although i can cope and keep myself calm, i am not sure of what i can do to help his spookiness?? i always push him through his spooks and stay calm (although after the incident i feel a little nervous inside). he does scoot forwards rather than stopping or spinning, which is obviously a good thing and once he has warmed up he is a lot better.

Does anyone drive or has anyone driven a bit of a spooky one? I am hoping its because of his age and being asked to go it alone so to speak as he is pulling us along so has to be confident.

A little part of me wonders what ive taken on :( i love a challenge but not sure how best to deal with a spooker or am i just jumping the gun ? :(

I cant wait till spring as we have lovely flat big schooling fields i can use. Not sure whether to give him a break and do only a few drives out until i can get schooling him ?

Piccy for good luck from yesterday for anyone thats interested

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I dont really know anything about driving but maybe some walks in hand might get his confidance growing again?? Possibly with a horsey friend??

On another note...He is lovely :inlove:
 
I have a 4yr old cob, no experience of driving but she is a spooky shoot off.

Not sure what you have done so far apart from longreining or what was done before you got Moo. With the cob i did a lot of inhand leading out and longreining, i still lead out now because she was only backed 6months ago. I spent most of that in a school before she went out ridden.

I guess in your position i would be driving somewhere safe before i ventured out onto the roads. Starting a youngster to be ridden or driven would the same wouldn't it, its the preparation and them getting to grips with aids, voice and in your case pulling weight as oppose to carrying it?
 
Have you tried going with somebody on foot (walking beside him, but not necessarily leading him) - or someone leading or riding another horse? Having human company on the ground and/or a horse to follow may give him a bit more confidence. Is he broken to ride, and if so does he hack out?
 
Do more work in a park away from traffic for a while. Was this the first time he'd cantered in the shafts?

Often a change of gait can spook them and surprise them.
 
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