Strange stopping tendencies

[*Hannah*]

Hi i am having a problem with my new welsh pony. I have only had him a few weeks but a few habbits are arising that are becoming annoying! He is generally good to handle although slightly nervy at times,(but wont let me touch his ears, another problem!). When i bring him in from the field he is desperate to get into the barn until he reaches a certain spot and then just stops dead and wont move. Coming out of the barn is the same. I thought perhaps he was frightened of gates but he is fine with all the others around the farm. He has started to do it when i ride him aswell. We can be quite happily trotting along and then all of a sudden, for no reason at all he just stops dead. He also does this when i ask for canter. He is not a plod though, quite spirited and fast so i dont think it is lazyness!
Any sollutions? I am getting desperate! I stood for half an hour in the snow today trying to coax him into the nice warm cosy barn!

 

[teabiscuit]

there must be something that he's not happy about. read Temple Grandins "animals in translation" for a good account of how animals see the world. is there any light/shade, bright plastic, moving thing, anything that would look like a threat to the pony?
i can't explain it that well so i'll give you an example of what my mare does-in daytime she goes into her stable fine, at night when the lights are on, they cast a bright light through the door onto the concrete making it shiny, especially if its wet she huffs and puffs and wont go in for about 5 mins.
she doesn't like stepping onto the light bit from the dark bit.
your pony sounds lovely
just edited to say i forgot the most important bit, i'm sure youre doing this already but-give him lots of reassurance and be patient, he's still settling in.
good luck with him

 

[*Hannah*]

Thanks for your advice! I decided to show him all the things around the barn today (machinery, straw pile, and the cows!) to give him a proper look at his new home. it occured to me that he has been walking past these things and never had a chance to investigate and make sure they are not scary! After that he seemed better. I also carried a small crop with me just to remind him that we were going in a forward movement. I tapped him in the girth area (not hard as i dont really agree with crops, just a small flick) after we had been stationary for about a minute and said 'walk on'. He didn't get frightened and it seemed to work, just a lttle reminder, and better than tugging on the lead rope! Hopefully after doing this a few times he will improve. I hope this was a good idea, i read it in a training manual for young horses. Thank You! Hannah

 

[KateWooten]

Hey Hannah, my 3 yr old mare is doing this as well. I'm taking it as she's just young, and unsure, and it takes time for her to build up trust in me that I do in fact know that all these scary things aren't dangerous. So, I'm doing the same as you - I let her stop and stare for a short while without hassling her - she gets harrassed if she tries to step away from anything - then when she's had her down time, I ask her gently to go forward, and that cue accelerates up until it's quite annoying. This is working real well with my mare ... but - I don't know how much patience I would have with 1/2 an hour in the snow !! Rather you than me