PONY Q&A

Q: When buying rain sheets for my pony, what is the difference between showerproof, waterproof and water-resistant?

A: Whether you are looking to protect your pony (or indeed yourself) from the wet weather, you need to know the difference between all of these terms. Here we give you a breakdown of each so you can make the best choice for your precious pony:

Showerproof materials can keep your pony dry in light rain. The outer fabric of the item will repel water and feel similar to waterproof material, but the seams won’t be taped (i.e. sealed), and water will eventually get in.

Water-resistant materials keep your pony dry in light rain and usually won’t have taped seams – much like showerproof options. However, waterresistant clothing doesn’t necessarily look like traditional waterproof material. For example, a fleece for your pony can be treated to make it waterresistant.

Waterproof items have an outer layer that is fully protective against rain, and the seams are probably taped. This is the gold standard if you want to keep your pony completely dry.

Q: My new pony holds his head so high in the air. What could be causing it? Is it something to worry about?

Friesians have naturally high head carriage

Ponies can hold their head high for a number of reasons:

• Conformation: A pony whose neck naturally arches upwards will have a higher head than a pony with a lower set neck. This is just the way the pony is built, and there is not a lot you can do to fix it!

• Training practices: A showjumper, for example, is schooled to keep his weight back on his hindquarters so he can more easily lift his front end over the jumps. This means that some ponies hold their head higher all the time because they have been trained this way for showjumping. You will need to ask your instructor if your pony’s highhead carriage is a problem or not in this instance.

• Poor saddle fit: Poor saddle fit can cause a pony to lift his head and hollow his back to escape the pain caused by the saddle. You should chat with your saddle fitter if you are worried about this.

• Learned behaviour: Over time, rough hands or an overly hard bit can cause a pony to become protective over his mouth. The pony has learnt, in these instances, that he can either avoid the effect of the bit or the rider’s hands by lifting his head. Fixing this issue will need a lot of retraining, as these ponies can take a long time to trust their rider again.

TRAINING A PONY TO TRUST A RIDER’S HANDS

In this instance, the first step should be to give your pony the softest and best-fitting bit. We would advise that you get a bit fitter out to help you choose a bit that is suitable for the anatomy of his mouth and doesn’t cause discomfort. Once you have made sure that your bit is suitable, you should work on flatwork exercises involving lots of bends, like figure-eights and serpentines. When riding the bends, press with your inside leg behind the girth, so you have the feeling that you are pushing your pony towards your outside rein. You should reward any softening by pushing your inside hand forward towards his mouth to give him the bit. This ‘give’ will encourage him to stretch forward even more towards the bit, lowering his head carriage further. If you remain patient and consistent in this work and do not over-face your new pony, you will ultimately help him to trust your hands, but be warned that this can take many weeks and months of consistent work!

Q: My pony rushes at fences but does clear them. Do I need to fix this if he is still jumping clear rounds?

It can be tempting to ignore issues like this, especially if your pony is still clearing the fences and performing well. However, we would encourage you to fix this issue for both your own safety and the safety of your pony. It is really important when working with our ponies that they are listening to us, and we are listening to them. If your pony ignores you and rushes at the fences, you are no longer in control, and when the fences get bigger or you tackle more difficult combinations, you are likely to get into trouble.

The first thing to consider when trying to fix the rushing issue is whether you might be able to fix something in your riding to help your pony slow down. Ask your instructor or get a friend to video you jumping, so you can have a look at your position as you approach the fence and make changes to your position and ride as needed. You might need to sit back a little or go into your jumping position a bit later. Alternatively, it could be that you are using your leg more than you think you are on the approach. Whatever the issue, ask your instructor to help you to work on it!

If the issue isn’t with your position or ride into a fence, then you can start working with your pony to improve his balance and help him stop rushing. Balance is vital for good jumping, so try these exercises to help him with his rhythm and get him more balanced:

1. Approach in trot. Set up a cross and keep your pony in trot coming into the fence. This can help him to learn to remain steady while jumping.

2. Canter poles. Use four or five poles on the approach to the fence to help your pony maintain a consistent canter rhythm coming into the jump.

3. Ground poles. Use poles before and after the fence, and you should find your pony lowers his head and neck to look at what he is being asked to do rather than hollowing his back and rushing into the jump.

If, after trying these exercises, you are still struggling, you should chat with your instructor. They may have other suggestions for you, as they know you and your pony best!