Hyperactive pony - help!!!

[Pumpkin]

Hi everyone thanks again for taking a minuite to read my cry for help! Any little bit of advice you have would be much appreciated

Pony is 13.2 and has been a bit neglected over th winter weeks. Well, as far as schooling goes. He has been with us since Easter of 2006 and after i managed to learn to control him (he is very fiery) i took him to a few jumping classes and working hunter pony with some success.

He is really good as jumping, really good but is so buzzy and difficult to school that its difficult to keep on top of him! He is so strong and on a bad day can be like an exploding bomb. Im sure plenty of you know the feeling!

I cant shove a pelham in his gob because, especially as his schooling is a bit shabby at the mo, he just comes right back on it and ends up really above the bit.

I am always looking for new ways to occupy him and try and slow him down, it is becoming really hard work. Does anyone know any schooling exercises i can do both on the flat and jumping? I loose jumped him today and he was great but maybe someone knows a good grid combination or jumping exercise I could try with him to keep him interested? Any flat exercises that might help would be good too!

Sorry its so long, although Im sure some of you can help

Thanks xxx

[jackie]

How old is he and what feed is he on?

[ukshowjumper]

My mare has no concentration and is very sharp and forward going (although not at the moment with her poorly hips).

I don't give her time to think when we're schooling...just keep doing things...for example I'll leg yield..straight into a circle transitions on the circle turn, serpentine etc. Don't give her time to work an exercise out. The more time she has to think the more time she has to be 'naughty'. If she seems worse than normal I'll lunge for 10 mins before hand to give her a chance to get rid of the excess energy.

Jumping wise I don't repeat things more than twice as she works it out and gets stronger...I'll have 3-4 jumps in school and for example jump one, then two, circle then jump one again then jump three then transition, turn on the forehand then jump 4...find the trick with my mare is to keep her guessing.

[ukshowjumper]

Forgot to add....is the extra energy from being turned out less? fed too much concentrates? Obviously if pony is in more it'll have more pent up enegery and if you're feeding hard feed I'd be tempted to say cut it out and opt for something like hi fi

[gwenoakes]

Clares horse Saintly is shall we say very 'forward'. She has had a job to find a feed that would keep his weight on in winter, he is a TB/ID but also something that didnt fizz him up. She is now giving him Baileys No 1. It doesnt fizz and also keeps the weight on. Sorry maybe no help at all as your pony may need no help in winter to keep his weight. Good comments above re if he is being kept in, possibly more turnout.

[Pumpkin]

jackie1802 said:

How old is he and what feed is he on?

He is 7 and is on next to nothing - a feed balancer (1 mug a day), a scoop of alfa a and one of sugar beat. He is fed this twice a day, with 1/2 a mug of feed balancer in the morning and half at night.

xxx

[nervouswreck]

Not an expert but it could be the sugarbeet. Doesn't speedibeet have less sugar? I wouldn't dare give any to mine as she would go loopy.

[Pumpkin]

He is turned out during the day with his mates and they tend to play ALL DAY - running around like mad things. So I think he gets a good run in the feild although its really muddy and sometimes he looks kinda miserable! he likes coming in to his stable.

As far as lungeing goes, when we first got him from the dealer he would lunge fine but now he is really cocky and cheeky and doesnt let you lunge him! He just turns on you and rears! So the other day i lookse schooled him, although he tried facing up, he finally realised that it was actually quite fun!

Thanks everyone x

[Pumpkin]

The sugarbeat? Hmmmm i knew it was sweet but wasnt aware it might fizz him up. Will ask yard owner about that as we have tried him on many types of feeding and havent been warned off sugarbeat yet. But i will check that one out! Thanks xxxx

[ukshowjumper]

Thats a good point my mare has speedibeat as apposed to sugarbeet as the latter gives her too much extra ooommmpphhh.

If loose schooling works better than lunging I'd go with that as a replacement....Moo won't loose school unless you lunge her for 5 mins first

[Pumpkin]

Thanks will try the speedibeet thing.

And loose schooling is fun, although i have to build a pen in the school! And he can now jump out of it hehe! xx