The troubles of ponying - and how to solve them

Riding with a well-trained hand horse is like a dream, just as riding with a horse that pulls forward or drags behind is a nightmare. The key here is to teach the horse in hand to find and follow the slack.

But what do you do when the hand horse ignores the rein and leans on the headcollar to rush ahead or drag behind? These videoes gives tips on how you can help a hand horse to find a better position.

But first a little pre-ponying check list!

• Make sure your horse understands and responds to the cues you are going to use when ponying and that your horse is not afraid of the whip
• Practice ponying in a paddock or other area suited for riding turns, before going on a trail
• Outward turns will position a rushy hand horse further behind
• Inward turns will position a lazy hand horse further ahead
• Work on one thing at the time: If a rushy horse, drags a bit behind, don`t mind. If a lazy hand horse becomes a bit rushy, don`t mind. They are only doing what they are told, be grateful for the progress!

Watch videos below to get inspiration on what to do when ponying a rushy (1st video) or a not so forward horse (2nd video):

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