breaking ponies!

Question
I have been picked to break in this woman's ponies. I ride and she knows I have no experience on breaking in ponies but me and her are going try! I want every detail of how to break in these ponies. I read lots of sites on how to break them in but I would like it if you could understand me more! I need to make them trot and walk and lead them.
Thanks,
Molly x

Answer
Hi Molly

Thank you for asking me for the advice  and I will try  my  best to help.

Ok breaking ponies in general is not that hard providing you follow the rules nad do thing properly.

Firstly you have to make friends with a pony, no rushing is  just nice and slowly and  invsresting time and patience at the start wins you everything!

I would suggest you get hold of a couple of books  first  the Kelly Marks ones are practical guides to starting out, first steps and give clear commons sense approach to breaking in a pony or horse to be a happy  companion for  a rider.


Start off  getting ponies ( if they already are not) used to ahead collar and leadrope,  just get them used to wearing it at first then encourage them to walk quietly beside you, it takes time  does the first steps, but  again patience here.   Get pony used to having your hand run allover its body  picking up feet, stroking faces, legs  etc, so nothing comes as a shock or a surprise to it.   You don't say  how old the pony is   or how big or what breed type, I would start  young pony off by having headcollar and lead rope, standing quietly for vet  and farrier and  then walking quietly beside me to and from  the paddock, anything else at too young  an age is  not to be recommended, certainly no tack or saddles at stage please.

Play some ground games, get the pony to follow you around the school, plenty of praise and rewards,  never ever shout or smack a pony of it does something  wrong  or something you don't want it to  do, they don't understand  they are babies, and every baby has to start somewhere, think  how you were when you were learning new skills.................. keep sessions s short  and always repeat the things the pony learns at the beginning of each lesson,  little and often is the best way  not  for hours and hours on a school  ponies get bored  and switch off! End  each session with plenty of praise and  on a positive note

Like I said Kelly Marks books are invaluable teaching  aids and give clear instructions and lots of sensible solid advice and great foundations for learning..............