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which_chickThe two little bays (Snap and Switch) are coming along.
They're middle-aged ponies. Probably 11. No, they don't ride yet, and that's because the only person who still starts horses under saddle is me and I've been busy riding my own horse and not starting fat 12.mumble hand ponies that I look stupid on. Yes, my fat middle aged self is indeed going to sit on these ponies, and yes, I am probably too big for the ponies.
Oh my gawd, that's horrible!
Is it? Is it really? If they have job skills and can be ridden by little children, they have a future. If they have no job skills and cannot be ridden, they are worthless. They will be fine for the amount of riding that we will be doing with them. Also there are two tiny little girls out there (not yet 2 years old each) who might need a little bay pony at some point, so... yeah. We need some little bay ponies that ride.
For what it's worth, there are actually three little bays. Genie, Snap, and Switch. I started Genie, slighter built than Switch, taller than Snap, under saddle in 2019 or so and now Genie rides. Genie rides fairly well for "trail riding" sorts of purposes. I don't ride her anymore but Lala does. Genie does not need further work from me. (Also, she is not broken down or lame or anything. Heck, she did twelve miles with Lala in the saddle in late September and she's fine.)
Snap has rope skills and general handle (installed by me) but she's only been sat upon like once by Evan who was sort of abrupt about it (he was high at the time) and it didn't go great. She didn't buck or anything but she was kind of tight and unhappy. She needs to have actual riding skills and less issue with being sat upon, so we're taking another run at the project this year.
Switch had... nothing beyond lead, tie. Her rope skills are shit and her general handle is shit. At least they were two weeks ago. They're shaping up well at this point because I am making an effort.
Interlude: A treatise on rope skills and general handle
Rope skills are those skills done in a rope halter and lead. These are not 'horse petting' skills such as those pitched by various snake-oil clinicians insofar as the end goal of them IS NOT doing various games and on-the-ground general fuckery while not riding your horse. The end goal of these rope skills is generating a sort of civilized pony that is ready to start on riding readiness in, like, two or three half-hour sessions of work. This stuff should not take six months. If it is taking you six months to install rope skills and general handle on an already-tame pony that leads and ties, you need to hire someone else to do it for you.
Rope skill 1: make circles around handler. At the walk or the trot, make a circle around the rope-holding person, at a steady rate of speed. Do not stop until asked, do not change gait until asked. Ability to change direction on request also nice. Do not bend in and crowd the rope holding person.
Rope skill 2: Turn out of rope. Rope from halter is strung behind pony, above hocks, and the slack is gently taken up. Pony must kind of turn around (away from rope holder) to free self from rope. This ideally happens slowly and calmly. It make take a few repeats.
Rope skill 3: Turn your hq away from the handler. Face handler with both eyes. Step over with near hind crossing over in front of far hind.
Rope skill 4: Back yer ass up, regard handler with both eyes at the same time, stay straight in yer body.
Rope skill 5: Learn not to freak out when stepping on your lead rope. Super important for child-friendliness in a pony.
Rope skill 6: Improved leading. Go where I go, at the speed I go, while keeping slack in the rope at all times. Halt when I halt, jog when I jog. Again, slack at all times. Horse is to weigh nothing in my hand more than the weight of the lead.
Rope skill 7: Work a gate. When being put in or taken out of the field, pass through gate as directed by handler, then stop, turn, face handler while handler secures gate and/or removes halter. Wait without fussing.
That's pretty much rope skills. It doesn't sound like much, but once you have a horse with rope skills installed, you don't really like handling the other kind. They're just... nicer.
General Handle: This is stuff that makes horses nicer to be around. Standing quietly when nothing is wanted of them. Being able to be touched all over without massive avoidant reactions. Easy to pick up feet, easy to halter/bridle/groom/saddle. Good loading and unloading skills. Yield body from pressure of a hand (the "get over" that you sometimes need). Not crowding handler at halt or while leading. Knowing to lead TO THE SIDE and not directly behind handler.
Right, then, where was I?
So when you're doing your rope skills and general handle, you're also doing kind of a meta project which is, like, teaching the horse about being a domestic animal around people.
For ponies it goes like this: I want something from you, pony. When you do the thing I want, I'll lay off of the ask and let you know you did a Good Job. Also, if you're doing a non-asshole try but not getting the right answer, I'll let you keep trying without escalating. However, you are not allowed to be an ASSHOLE. Not ever. Don't worry, I'll let you know if it's an ASSHOLE behavior and I do not lack clarity.
Once a pony has rope skills and general handle (basic level), it's time to get to Riding Readiness. This is where you introduce tack and reins and the idea of someone sitting on the horse. Generally we start by putting a bareback pad with girth on the pony and having pony wear it for work. Once you can get bareback pad on pony, pony will wear it for all future work outings. Be sure to 'saddle' from both sides and snug up the girth a for-real amount.
Next is putting a human on the pony in "corpse" position, rubbing pony all over, hands on ears, neck, rump, etc. Both sides. Do both sides all the time for this stuff. Pony needs to hold herself still for this, not stand with a person holding her and CERTAINLY not with her standing tied. Do this from both sides. Watch for eyes to blink, lips and mouth to be soft. Repeat a couple of times from each side.
Next is putting a leg over. Square up front legs of pony -- I do this via the Brace yourself, Ethel method of pushing her withers to and fro until she assumes a wider, more stable stance. (If she doesn't feel unbalanced, your odds are better for success.)
Using a bucket as a mounting block, get on the pony with a leg on each side, like normal. It's OK to have a helper hold the lead here, but the lead should remain slack. If the handler on the ground has to physically restrain the pony by force, you're sucking at this job. Hire someone to help you. Nobody should be anywhere close to getting a rope burn in this process. This should be ho-hum boring. Get on from both sides, get off from both sides. Kick the bucket ("Oops!") under the pony until she thinks it's boring. Remember, you need this pony to be CHILD FRIENDLY. Rub pony neck, ears, shoulders, butt while you're aboard. Talk to pony while you're aboard. Again, look for eyes to blink, lips and mouth to be soft.
Important: Under no circumstances should you be trying to "sneak" aboard the pony. No. Don't do that. Act normal when you're up there. Do not be all "I'm on eggshells, I have to be super nice and super careful and not set her off" -- that is not the way. Pony's gonna think something's up if you're all acting weird.
Repeat this stupid at-the-halt ride a couple of times, getting on from both sides. Fuck "the correct side" for mounting, this horse has never been gotten upon and doesn't have feelings about which side is correct. Both Sides. Just in case.
Once you are good at riding at the halt (horse is relaxed and calm, no weird startles or suddenness), it's time to take a few steps. You can do this with a helper or without, but the goal is for the pony to walk a big circle while carrying a rider. The whole in-motion part should take less than thirty seconds and it should be at a flat walk. Wobbles/drunk walking is OK, but scoots or startles are not OK.
Once horse can be mounted and walked around (or before, dealer's choice on that, tbh) you need to introduce reins and a bridle. This is getting quite long, so I'll call it here and address that another day for the hundreds of people out there who want a text-based guide for how to put basic skills on ponies.
Our story so far...
Snap: Has worn a bareback pad for her rope skills and handling work. Has had a human being lay across her in "corpse" position. Has had a human being sit astride her and been led for a thirty second "ride" at the walk.
Switch: Has worn a bareback pad for her rope skills and handling. Has had a human being do "corpse". Has had a human being sit astride her for fifteen seconds multiple times while she stood still. (She gets some thinking time about the sitting astride thing before we go for a short "ride" because she wasn't quite as relaxed as Snap.)
They're middle-aged ponies. Probably 11. No, they don't ride yet, and that's because the only person who still starts horses under saddle is me and I've been busy riding my own horse and not starting fat 12.mumble hand ponies that I look stupid on. Yes, my fat middle aged self is indeed going to sit on these ponies, and yes, I am probably too big for the ponies.
Oh my gawd, that's horrible!
Is it? Is it really? If they have job skills and can be ridden by little children, they have a future. If they have no job skills and cannot be ridden, they are worthless. They will be fine for the amount of riding that we will be doing with them. Also there are two tiny little girls out there (not yet 2 years old each) who might need a little bay pony at some point, so... yeah. We need some little bay ponies that ride.
For what it's worth, there are actually three little bays. Genie, Snap, and Switch. I started Genie, slighter built than Switch, taller than Snap, under saddle in 2019 or so and now Genie rides. Genie rides fairly well for "trail riding" sorts of purposes. I don't ride her anymore but Lala does. Genie does not need further work from me. (Also, she is not broken down or lame or anything. Heck, she did twelve miles with Lala in the saddle in late September and she's fine.)
Snap has rope skills and general handle (installed by me) but she's only been sat upon like once by Evan who was sort of abrupt about it (he was high at the time) and it didn't go great. She didn't buck or anything but she was kind of tight and unhappy. She needs to have actual riding skills and less issue with being sat upon, so we're taking another run at the project this year.
Switch had... nothing beyond lead, tie. Her rope skills are shit and her general handle is shit. At least they were two weeks ago. They're shaping up well at this point because I am making an effort.
Interlude: A treatise on rope skills and general handle
Rope skills are those skills done in a rope halter and lead. These are not 'horse petting' skills such as those pitched by various snake-oil clinicians insofar as the end goal of them IS NOT doing various games and on-the-ground general fuckery while not riding your horse. The end goal of these rope skills is generating a sort of civilized pony that is ready to start on riding readiness in, like, two or three half-hour sessions of work. This stuff should not take six months. If it is taking you six months to install rope skills and general handle on an already-tame pony that leads and ties, you need to hire someone else to do it for you.
Rope skill 1: make circles around handler. At the walk or the trot, make a circle around the rope-holding person, at a steady rate of speed. Do not stop until asked, do not change gait until asked. Ability to change direction on request also nice. Do not bend in and crowd the rope holding person.
Rope skill 2: Turn out of rope. Rope from halter is strung behind pony, above hocks, and the slack is gently taken up. Pony must kind of turn around (away from rope holder) to free self from rope. This ideally happens slowly and calmly. It make take a few repeats.
Rope skill 3: Turn your hq away from the handler. Face handler with both eyes. Step over with near hind crossing over in front of far hind.
Rope skill 4: Back yer ass up, regard handler with both eyes at the same time, stay straight in yer body.
Rope skill 5: Learn not to freak out when stepping on your lead rope. Super important for child-friendliness in a pony.
Rope skill 6: Improved leading. Go where I go, at the speed I go, while keeping slack in the rope at all times. Halt when I halt, jog when I jog. Again, slack at all times. Horse is to weigh nothing in my hand more than the weight of the lead.
Rope skill 7: Work a gate. When being put in or taken out of the field, pass through gate as directed by handler, then stop, turn, face handler while handler secures gate and/or removes halter. Wait without fussing.
That's pretty much rope skills. It doesn't sound like much, but once you have a horse with rope skills installed, you don't really like handling the other kind. They're just... nicer.
General Handle: This is stuff that makes horses nicer to be around. Standing quietly when nothing is wanted of them. Being able to be touched all over without massive avoidant reactions. Easy to pick up feet, easy to halter/bridle/groom/saddle. Good loading and unloading skills. Yield body from pressure of a hand (the "get over" that you sometimes need). Not crowding handler at halt or while leading. Knowing to lead TO THE SIDE and not directly behind handler.
Right, then, where was I?
So when you're doing your rope skills and general handle, you're also doing kind of a meta project which is, like, teaching the horse about being a domestic animal around people.
For ponies it goes like this: I want something from you, pony. When you do the thing I want, I'll lay off of the ask and let you know you did a Good Job. Also, if you're doing a non-asshole try but not getting the right answer, I'll let you keep trying without escalating. However, you are not allowed to be an ASSHOLE. Not ever. Don't worry, I'll let you know if it's an ASSHOLE behavior and I do not lack clarity.
Once a pony has rope skills and general handle (basic level), it's time to get to Riding Readiness. This is where you introduce tack and reins and the idea of someone sitting on the horse. Generally we start by putting a bareback pad with girth on the pony and having pony wear it for work. Once you can get bareback pad on pony, pony will wear it for all future work outings. Be sure to 'saddle' from both sides and snug up the girth a for-real amount.
Next is putting a human on the pony in "corpse" position, rubbing pony all over, hands on ears, neck, rump, etc. Both sides. Do both sides all the time for this stuff. Pony needs to hold herself still for this, not stand with a person holding her and CERTAINLY not with her standing tied. Do this from both sides. Watch for eyes to blink, lips and mouth to be soft. Repeat a couple of times from each side.
Next is putting a leg over. Square up front legs of pony -- I do this via the Brace yourself, Ethel method of pushing her withers to and fro until she assumes a wider, more stable stance. (If she doesn't feel unbalanced, your odds are better for success.)
Using a bucket as a mounting block, get on the pony with a leg on each side, like normal. It's OK to have a helper hold the lead here, but the lead should remain slack. If the handler on the ground has to physically restrain the pony by force, you're sucking at this job. Hire someone to help you. Nobody should be anywhere close to getting a rope burn in this process. This should be ho-hum boring. Get on from both sides, get off from both sides. Kick the bucket ("Oops!") under the pony until she thinks it's boring. Remember, you need this pony to be CHILD FRIENDLY. Rub pony neck, ears, shoulders, butt while you're aboard. Talk to pony while you're aboard. Again, look for eyes to blink, lips and mouth to be soft.
Important: Under no circumstances should you be trying to "sneak" aboard the pony. No. Don't do that. Act normal when you're up there. Do not be all "I'm on eggshells, I have to be super nice and super careful and not set her off" -- that is not the way. Pony's gonna think something's up if you're all acting weird.
Repeat this stupid at-the-halt ride a couple of times, getting on from both sides. Fuck "the correct side" for mounting, this horse has never been gotten upon and doesn't have feelings about which side is correct. Both Sides. Just in case.
Once you are good at riding at the halt (horse is relaxed and calm, no weird startles or suddenness), it's time to take a few steps. You can do this with a helper or without, but the goal is for the pony to walk a big circle while carrying a rider. The whole in-motion part should take less than thirty seconds and it should be at a flat walk. Wobbles/drunk walking is OK, but scoots or startles are not OK.
Once horse can be mounted and walked around (or before, dealer's choice on that, tbh) you need to introduce reins and a bridle. This is getting quite long, so I'll call it here and address that another day for the hundreds of people out there who want a text-based guide for how to put basic skills on ponies.
Our story so far...
Snap: Has worn a bareback pad for her rope skills and handling work. Has had a human being lay across her in "corpse" position. Has had a human being sit astride her and been led for a thirty second "ride" at the walk.
Switch: Has worn a bareback pad for her rope skills and handling. Has had a human being do "corpse". Has had a human being sit astride her for fifteen seconds multiple times while she stood still. (She gets some thinking time about the sitting astride thing before we go for a short "ride" because she wasn't quite as relaxed as Snap.)
no subject
Date: 2025-10-20 11:49 pm (UTC)lol Love this.
Go pony training!
no subject
Date: 2025-10-21 01:11 pm (UTC)If it helps, you can also look at it as "mounting and dismounting practice". I read somewhere that mounting/dismounting is one of the most accident-prone parts of riding and I think that's because people tend to get ON the green horse and then... stay up there. Because they don't want to get on and off a lot in case stuff goes sideways. Welp, he didn't buck or scoot and now I'm aboard so let's do the riding parts all at once. I've seen people do this. Heck, I used to do this. I don't think it's the correct approach anymore and I don't do it that way now.
These days, I think that lots and lots of on-off-on-off practice produces horses who really understand mounting/dismounting, who can recognize the start of the process, and who auto-arrange themselves for best stability regardless of whether or not the rider asks them to do so. (Horses don't like being unsteady on their feet. It makes them worried.) So, instead of me having to tell them "Brace yourself Ethel", they have seen someone a-fixing to get on enough times that they assume the position themselves. And with themselves squared up on the front feet, they're stable and able to resist a rider mounting. They're not put off balance. They're ready and expecting it... so the process goes better for everyone. Extra mounting/dismounting practice at the front end helps set ponies (and their eventual child riders) up for success.
no subject
Date: 2025-10-24 02:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-10-21 03:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-10-21 12:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-10-21 12:46 pm (UTC)I met a few of those when I was a kid. There's nothing more evil than a Shetland who doesn't want to be ridden!
no subject
Date: 2025-10-21 01:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-10-22 04:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-10-21 03:58 am (UTC)