Backing - teaching to move forwards

Question
I am eighteen years old and have broken in a few ponies and have trained countless green horses and ponies for pony club, jumping and english showing. I am not new to horses, but am certainly no expert on breaking - I am learning though!

I began breaking in a new pony a month or so ago. He's a three year old who was unhandled. He's come a long way very quickly and I rode him for the first time today. He is not 'touchy' and did not seem at all concerned when I mounted. I then patted him and talked to him, moved my legs on his sides a bit and mounted and dismounted a few times - no problems. When I lunge and long rein him, he is very responsive to voice aids (walks when I say 'walk on' and trots when I click, stops to 'woah', etc.) however when I gave him the command 'walk on', the pony didn't move. I squeezed slightly with my legs and repeated the command several times and he finally reacted - by jumping up into the air and then putting his head between his legs. He didn't actually seem to be trying to throw me off, I think he was just confused by my squeezing with my legs. I turned him in a tight circle to stop him from tossing me off (which in hindsight may have been the wrong thing as it STOPPED him going forward like I wanted). I then got a friend to walk into the round yard where he was happy to follow her around for ten minutes or so with me on him but would not move unless she was in front of him (not leading him, just walking in front). He clearly saw my friend as his safety blanket and wanted to stay near her. We had no more problems unless I tried to walk him without her in front.

Should I keep reinforcing my aids and allow him to follow her around until he understands on his own? Or is he just not ready to be ridden? I don't want him to learn to rear or buck when I apply leg pressure so don't think fighting it out with him is the right way to proceed.

Thank you

Answer
Hi Grace!

It is very common for a just broke, first-time riding baby to freeze and do nothing as a choice because they cannot figure out what to do.  They cannot make the logic leap from "This is what I do in ground training...so it follows that I should go forward when the same command is used when she is on my back!  DUH!!"  Some horses are just not as smart as others.  They are simply better followers than leaders.  So simply do not force them to do more than their little mind can handle and allow them to be led around until their confidence grows.

It sounds as if you did all the training correctly.  I would recommend not "squeezing" his sides and instead use a more decisive "kick".  Not hard but, clear that you want to move forward.  A squeeze can be a muddled command.  A kick is ALWAYS a forward cue.  No more turning.  That is a stupid trick that rarely needs to be used.  And if you do use it correctly in a sparing fashion, then it will be much more effective and give you what you need when you need it.

Get on, kick for a forward walk and if he even takes one tiny step...praise him lavishly, give him a treat and show him this is a good thing.  Go at his speed and take your time.  Stop before you turn an isolated incident into a forever bad habit.  Training is really about being smarter than the horse every single second  :)

Solange