Training

"We have almost forgotten how strange a thing it is that so huge and powerful and intelligent an animal as a horse should allow another, and far more feeble animal, to ride upon its back." - Peter Gray

We began specializing in ponies in 2004 because we love ponies’ sense of humor, their self-esteem, and their unwillingness to be intimidated into work. Working with ponies is a lot like working with Mustangs or mules. They only work with you if they feel there is something in it for them. You have to be honest, fair, and, above all, creative. We have been fortunate enough to work with many different breeds over the years and love them all.

We put a lot of emphasis on “bombproofing,” or building the pony’s confidence. We help the pony relax first, then build skills from there. A confident, fun to ride horse should be able to cross bridges, wade through water, walk through ditches, jump logs, walk under low branches, walk across tarps, and accept all kinds of loud, quick-moving things like sheet metal and plastic bags. We truly believe that the time you spend helping horses overcome their fears is time spent building communication and camaraderie, which will make the horse more responsive to your leadership under saddle.

We pride ourselves on being natural horsemanship performance horse trainers. Growing up in the hunt/jump world, we found that there had been much less attention to studies in horse behavior than there has been in other disciplines. We are working to demonstrate that natural horsemanship is not just for Sunday riders; it can give competitors a big hand up in the show ring. Horses who work with humans because it is fun and rewarding perform better in all areas of life, whether trail riding, driving, showing, or gaming.

The way we train involves an amalgamation of methods gleaned from previous horseback riding instructors and methods developed by researching the work of world-renown trainers like John Lyons, Buck Brannaman, Montry Roberts, Karen Pryor, Craig Stevens, and Pat and Linda Parelli. We love all riding disciplines, from Western Pleasure to Dressage. Our main focus is not on a specific training regime or riding discipline, but on finding the method that is simplest for each individual horse to understand and makes the horse excited to go come play each day. Everything we do is centered around trying to have fun with the horse and trying to cause the horse to want to give us its all.

Even though we grew up riding hunter/jumpers, we feel that a good horse should be a good horse no matter what saddle is on it, and, equally important, is the fact that a good rider is a good rider no matter what saddle they are riding in. We like to ride both English and Western at shows and on the trail. We often ride bareback and bridleless as a means of challenging the horse’s calmness and responsiveness simultaneously, while also allowing us to focus on training weight aids. Riding bareback or bridleless, or even doing both at the same time, allows you to view your training for what it really is. If you’re doing a good job with the training, riding bareback and bridleless is an amazingly liberating experience. It’s the ultimate test of horse-human communication.

 

The PonyPros feel that a “well-trained” horse or pony is a pony that…

1. Is easy to catch because she meets you at the gait
2. Is a pleasure to groom because she likes to be loved on
3. Has good “draw,” or wants to be with people
4. Likes treats but won’t take your hand off
5. Bathes, clips, and hauls without issue
6. Will turn on the forehand, turn on the haunches, leg yield, back up, shoulder in, counter shoulder-in, rollback, and half pass, both on the ground and under saddle
7. Will do everything on a lungeline that a horse should do under saddle, including transitions between the gaits, changing direction, navigating obstacles, and halting
8. Requires only a halter to ride
9. Has a soft mouth and sides
10. Can be ridden bareback
11. Has cruise control, ie., keeps a steady pace
12. Will halt from a canter and canter from a halt
13. Understands neck reining and direct reining
14. Can go on the bit or on a loose rein and always have a soft feel
15. Understands how to round her back, lift the front end, and step under with the hind legs
16. Understands hand cues, leg cues, weight cues, seat cues, and voice cues given singularly or in conjunction with one another
17. Does flying lead changes without rushing or crossfiring
18. Is easy to collect and extend
19. Doesn’t mind being ridden sitting, in two point, or without stirrups
20. Does not become over-stimulated or agitated by fast work
21. Can be ridden multiple times in a day with a good attitude
22. Is enjoyable at home, on the trail, and at wholesome shows
23. In regards to jumping- doesn’t rush, doesn’t refuse, doesn’t run out, when given a fair chance
24. Is fun and safe for any rider that takes the time to read her body language

A pony trained by PonyPros will be introduced to many of the tasks listed above and will have the motivation and direction to continue its training in any riding discipline. Contact us for more information on purchasing a pony to be started or trained and finished by PonyPros.

*Note- For the horse's sake, we only train horses/ponies in conjunction with lessons unless the horse is for sale. We believe that respect is non-transferrable and that you and your pony need to learn along side each other in order to progress. Our rates include training the pony and teaching the owner at the same time.

     

Training Rates

In our barn - $35 a session
Out of barn - from $40 a session (limited availability)
Contact us for breeder rates