HOW POLITE IS YOUR PONY?

We tend to spend hours thinking about our riding and tweaking our skills in the saddle, but when was the last time you did some work on your pony’s groundwork? Handling and leading your pony is part of his daily routine, so making sure he’s well-mannered is not only crucial for your safety but also makes life easier for anyone else who handles him.

LEADING POSITION

When you begin leading your pony, it is a good idea to stand on his left side next to his shoulder. This is the side from which you normally tack-up, mount and dismount too. Whether you are leading with reins or a lead rope, your right hand should be nearest to his head, a few centimetres down the rope, away from the clip. Position your left hand further down to stop the reins or rope from dragging on the floor or getting caught in your pony’s legs. If your pony is not very forward going, it can be a good idea to carry a whip or crop in your left hand.

SYMMETRY

Over time it is great if you can teach your pony to be led from both sides to create a bit of symmetry. To begin with, however, it is best to start with the side he will be most used to, i.e. his left-hand side. This is while you get used to leading him and moving him around. There is no reason that you cannot lead from the right eventually. It is just traditional to lead from the left, and most ponies are used to being led in this way.

WALK ON

When you ask your pony to walk on, use your voice and take a step forwards. He should listen to your aids straight away, but if he doesn’t respond, reach behind you with your whip in your left hand as if you are going to scoop his hindquarters forwards. This gesture of reaching back with the whip should encourage him to move forwards. Ideally, you don’t want to touch him with the whip, just scoop forwards, but if he is stuck and not moving, you can reach back and tap him gently on the hindquarter with the whip while facing forwards. Try to avoid pulling or dragging him forwards as this pulls him onto the forehand and may lead to barging. When you walk with him, try to stay at his shoulder.

TOP TIP

Ponies are very good at reading body language – they can sense when we feel nervous. So while you’re practising, be positive and if you feel really nervous, ask a friend or adult to help you the first few times.

SAFETY FIRST

It’s super important that you wear the correct gear when handling ponies. You should always wear a correctly fitted riding hat, boots and gloves. It is best to practice your handling skills in a safe, enclosed area to begin with in case you have a bit of trouble getting your pony to listen. This will help to keep both of you safe and avoid any accidents.

STOP

Get your pony used to halting as soon as you ask him to. To ask for halt, slow down your own pace and apply a bit of backwards pressure on the leadrope. Don’t forget to also use your voice. If your pony doesn’t listen to you when you ask him to stop, you can put your whip in front of his chest. This should encourage him to stop. If he barges through this, you can wave the whip a bit in front of his nose, which should cause him to stop. Practice your stopping by walking around and randomly halting. Your pony’s reactions to your aids should get quicker the more you practice.

TOP TIP

When he’s engaged and listening to your aids, make sure to give your pony a reward or scratch on his neck, so he knows he’s done a good job.

BACK-UP

For pushy ponies, the back-up is one of the best exercises you can teach. To do it, step in front of your pony and face him with your whip lifted in front of his chest. Gently tap him on the chest until he takes a step backwards. As soon as he does this, stop tapping and relax for a few seconds. Then repeat this exercise. Eventually, you will be able to get two or three steps back each time and then more as you keep practising. Once your pony knows knows this exercise, you can use it if he pushes past you to back him up to where you asked him to stop initially. This is good for reducing pushiness and can help to teach your pony to pay attention.

STANDING STILL

Stopping is not quite enough to ensure good manners. Your pony needs to be able to stand still. Whether you are riding him or holding him for the farrier, it can be frustrating if he doesn’t stop fidgeting. When you ask for halt, start off by counting to three and then ask him to walk on again. Gradually increase the length of time he has to stand still for. If he tries to move on before you ask, walk forward another couple of steps, then ask for a halt transition again and wait. Alternatively, you can ask for a few steps of back-up to return him to where he was originally standing. You might have to repeat this a few times until he gets the hang of it.

TURNING

Whether you’re heading to the paddock or doing some polework in-hand, you’ll need to teach your pony to turn around or change direction. Always ask him to turn away from you – you don’t want him to tread on your toes or trip you up! To turn him, use your body and turn his head to face in the direction he needs to go. Alternatively, you can put your whip out in front of you and use it as a guide by turning it in front of him in the direction you want to go.

NEXT STEPS

If you’re happy that your pony is listening to your aids, you should try and take him into a more open space. This is sure to put your groundwork skills to the test!

FINAL THOUGHTS

A polite pony on the ground makes for a polite pony under saddle. You’ll soon notice a difference in his behaviour when he understands what is expected of him, so start practising your groundwork, and you’ll see your ridden work benefit too!