Chincoteague Pony

Question
Hi, I asked Rick this same question & he referred me to his videos (which are wonderful & I've watched a lot of them) However it doesn't answer my question. I just purchased a 3mth old Chincoteague pony. I do not want to break him, I want to "gentled" him. Do you have any beginners advise (books etc)? I'm starting slowly, I've had the halter on him 8 times (2 times a day), rubbed him all over with no issues.

He does seems to be pawing while he eats, not sure if it's just the flys or he's so into eatting he doesn't know he's doing it.

thanks bev

Answer
Dear Bev,

My suggestion is to purchase one of Linda Tellington Jones's books on handling horses and also one of her DVDs.

I like her methods very much and they are,in my opinion  much better than some of the "Natural Horsemanship" techniques that are now so popular.

My regular email is SummersDressage@aol.com

I also have answers on the Experts site which may help you and also there are articles on my website.
www.MitziSummers.com

Write if you have specific questions...

Mitzi Summers

The pawing when he is eating could be due to anxiety. This is not uncommon to horses who may be nervous about things in general or feel nervous about eating. YOu did not say how old he was when you bought him. Sometimes Chincoteague babies are weaned early and do not get a chance to socialize and wean normally from their dam. This can lead to issues with the foals, but it is definitely worth the trouble and  is"doable".