breaking a difficult pony

Question
QUESTION: I work at a yard in Canterbury, Kent. In February of this year we bought two unbroken ponies from a sale and i have since broken one in who is now working in our riding school. A young girl was working with the second but has since decided she cannot work with him and i have take him on.When he first arrived he was lovely and was trotting around the school of the lunge but since the girl had a fall he has gone backwards. He bites, kicks, bucks and rears. Also when i lunge him, he is fine on one rein but as soon as i change it he tries to turn back the other way. We think he is about 4/5years old so will that make it more difficult to break him in?
I have not backed him since his behaviour changed as he needs some work on his ground manners first, is there anything you can think of to help me break him?


ANSWER: Hi Gemma!

When you say "we bought" do you mean you yourself personally own the 2 ponies?  I cannot make out if you are the owner of the school or just work there.

I cannot give training advice to non-owner's of the horse in question.

However, I can say in the broadest of terms, if one does not feel completely capable of breaking a difficult mount, one should not attempt it at all.  The training will be incorrect and therefore of no value and the horse or person could be seriously injured.  Wanting to learn is well and good and necessary but, it should be done from the safety of watching a professional teaching how to do it correctly and safely.

Solange

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The pony belongs to both me and another girl, we both have experience with breaking ponies but we are finding this one quite difficult but we do feel that we are capable of breaking him, just wanted some advice from someone that has had more experience than us.
The professional that works with us has many years experience but is not going to take over as this is our project but We always have another professional with us when working with the pony for health and safety reasons.


Answer
Hi Gemma!

It seems to me you have the best possible instruction right in front of you....a professional trainer.  I can't imagine I could give you any better pointers than a real live human who is standing right in front of you and your pony! LOL!!

If I understand this correctly, the trainer wants you to suss this out on your own but, under her supervision.  It's your "project" and she wants to see if you are capable of it.  Wouldn't my interference then be unwelcome...kind of like me giving you the homework answers?

I have found that watching and learning is the best route when dealing with horses.  They communicate their feelings constantly, they are always projecting their thoughts...that's the way in a herd.

Your pony is telling you importnant things, you must listen.  For starters, I like the Monty Robert's "Join-Up" method.  This is very effective on babies and difficult horses to help establish a solid line of communication between human and horse.  You can Google this and read about it.  Becoming dominant over him is your first and only step to controlling his agressive behaviour.  And I don't mean beating him, I mean in his head you are the Boss Mare dominant.

Don't tell I helped you  :-)

Solange