Basically, when I was younger I used to go riding every weekend, it was a huge part of my life and we had a couple of our own ponies for quite a while, until I stopped when I was around 11/12. I’m 22 now and have forgotten a lot of what I learnt, but have been given the opportunity to learn to ride again for free, as my sister has a horse and there’s a sweet little pony at her yard. The problem is he is very nervy at the moment, but that’s currently being worked on.
Obviously, I haven’t forgotten everything I learnt – I know I’m not just going to jump straight on him and go, and I want to get to know the pony before I ride him so that he trusts me and I can trust him. I also won’t be able to ride him until he’s had more work, which is fine. I used to be confident enough to ride misbehaved ponies, I’ve been through all the bucking and stuff but that was when I really knew what I was doing.
Can anybody give me some advice or some links with some decent information on how I can start to build a relationship with this nervy pony? I know not to look him straight in the eye until he trusts me, I know not to make him feel trapped, I know not to flinch around him and to let me sniff me out, but that’s about it at the moment.
Update:
Sisyphus
I have no idea what you mean :S Horse racing question? I don’t support horse racing. As for manning up, I know I need to get my confidence back, as I know pony’s can tell when you’re scared but I don’t know how to approach and nervy pony without stressing it out and causing it to injure me. If I knew, I’d approach it confidently knowing what to do?
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Just get to know him first, the first few times you go see him, catch him, brush him off, pick his feet out, love him up and let it all come back to you. When you both have the courage to ride, take it slow, relax and let him know you just want to walk around and get your barrings back. Itll all come back in time ^.^
NOT the pony=YOU!
Aside from thinking this drivel is a HORSE RACING Q.,you imagine that you need to do anything but man up. WTF does “trust” have to do w/it?