# My pony is as stubborn as a mule!!



## Mollysue (13 October 2014)

Hi
I've owned my pony since April. She is a 14.2 piebald cob.

On the whole she is really good. However recently she has started planting her feet when I try to bring her in out of the field.

I totally lost it today ( yes I know I shouldn't have) but it was teaming it down with rain, blowing a gale and my pants were wet but she wasn't budging and I can't pull half a tonne of pony. &#128545;&#128545;

What pony would not have liked to be in a nice big, dry stable with food and water today? 

I don't really want to start with the treat bribe but she just won't budge and as I'm only human I'm starting to get a little bit cross with her.

Any suggestions would be very much appreciated. 

Thank you


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## Dry Rot (13 October 2014)

Get yourself a rope halter and learn about pressure and release and how to use it. She has learnt what no horse should ever know -- that she is stronger than you are! Some times less is more.


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## flirtygerty (14 October 2014)

Having a stubborn 4yr old cob I feel your frustration, Don't use treats, turn in a tight circle, if you control the feet, you control the horse and take the view that you have all day to bring her in, imagine her following you, square your shoulders and expect her to follow, she will, my niece thinks I'm brilliant since she has learnt to handle my stubborn WB mare


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## Shay (14 October 2014)

Horses lean into pressure so direct pulling won't work.  Either turn a circle as flirtygerty says - or move in zigzags.  Remembering the days with my daughter's cob when we were learning to handle him - stubborn bunnies aren't they! - he could have taken a circle as an invitation to try to bolt away so just be careful of that.  Also do ground work with him teaching him to lead correctly when it isn't P'ing with rain!


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## Janee (14 October 2014)

Ground work, pressure and release and  pretend you have all the time in the world, if you don't have the time to do it choose a different time for any battles


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## Mollysue (14 October 2014)

Thank you for the advice. I have tried turning her in circles and zigzagging. She will turn but then just plants again. I made the situation a whole lot worse by getting angry I know that. She is really good on the ground usually. She had to have a weeks rest a few weeks ago but I lead her round the school with no problems. 
She came in straight away to night no probs part from she wouldnt walk through a puddle lol I am not going down the treat route as my friend has done this and no-one else can bring her in without giving her a treat...but that's another story lol
Once again thank you &#55357;&#56842;


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## FestiveFuzz (15 October 2014)

When H tried this on when we first moved yards I just changed direction every time he planted and carried a schooling whip to give a little encouragement (I never had to use it on him, just the whoosh sound of waving it nearby did the trick).


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## L&M (15 October 2014)

Echo carrying a schooling whip - my cob went through a stage of not wanting to come in when he was a 5yr old, but by just carrying the whip, he stopped planting.


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## Mollysue (15 October 2014)

She's been at it again today. She would not budge. I tried talking to her, walking her in a circle (which she was having none of). She just stood there looking at me with a cheeky glint in her eye. In the end I had to walk off as I was starting to get mad. I got someone to bring my friends mare in with us and she followed her!!!  I'll try the schooling whip idea tomorrow.
Thank you for all the ideas. Keep them coming and I'll keep trying them ))


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## flirtygerty (15 October 2014)

Get a dually halter, if she plants, back her up, move her sideways, she's taking the P, I'm now riding my young cob in his dually halter as his teeth are sore, he's going better than with his bit, use a lungeline, it gives you the space to get her moving, throw the end at her bum, doesn't hurt but gets them moving, above all, picture her in your mind following you in, it does work


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## flirtygerty (25 October 2014)

Just remembering my footy TB when he was first put BF, 17hh of 'not doing it, make me' planting in the field, first night I went and got the nappies for his feet, he trotted back to the barn, the second night, I felt awful, but took the schooling whip with me and had to tickle his back end with it, because I knew his feet were sore, I put nappies on his fronts but left the backs, but my point is, he didn't get away with planting


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## dibbin (25 October 2014)

Jazz went through a phase of doing this when being caught in, which ended with me standing in the rain in tears for 20 minutes before phoning OH to come and rescue me as I couldn't even get him back into the field ... so I feel your pain!

Hat, gloves, schooling whip. I never had to use the whip, him knowing I had it was enough. Glad I had the hat and gloves, as initially it turned out he was absolutely terrified of the whip and he was bounding around on the end of the leadrope.


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## Mollysue (26 October 2014)

I've started taking my crop with me to the field. I did have to use it a couple of times but she seems to now realise that if if she doesn't get a wriggle on she gets a smack.


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## NeilM (26 October 2014)

There are two things you need when working on a problem: time and patience.

It is good that you walked away when you began to 'lose it', but if you can go out to her with the attitude that 'if this takes all night, it takes all night', then she will sense this.

My wifes mare could sense any differences at a hundred yards. She was never an easy loader, but if we were in a hurry, you could be sure that is when she would be to most obstinate old cow you ever met. However, if we had all the time in the world (and my wife was relaxed) she would load first time every time.

When you go to get your mare you are thinking of what you need to do next, whether that is tack her up for riding, or go home to get ready for an evening out. She does not know about what's next, she just knows about now, and if you are tense she will know that straight away and it will worry her, for all she knows you are taking her to meet a tiger that is going to eat her, so your tension leads to her tension and neither of you are going anywhere.

There may well be some stubbornness going on as well, my lad will sometime plant, despite the fact that he knows full well we are going out (which may be why he plants, nom nom grass vs working), and also there is certainly a concern with leaving the herd, as she will happily follow her friend, but if you turn the current situation from stressful (for both of you) to routine, then you will soon put an end to this.


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