"H&C please help! My pony is four-years-old and at the moment he is rearing and napping.  What should I do?"

H&C expert Jenny Rudall replies: “Well, it does seem that you have a youngster on your hands with a bit of an opinion on life and a mind of his own. Firstly, get everything checked: Teeth, back, saddle, bridle, etc.

If there is no physical problem to explain your horse's behaviour then I can’t strongly recommend enough that you seek help with your four-year-old from someone experienced with handling youngsters.  I assume as he is napping that you are riding him, so I can only suggest at this tender age - when it is crucial to get it right - it may be wise to turn the horse away for a little while and then start the backing process again with someone who is an expert in this field.  It is important to find someone who can not only start the horse but who can then teach you how to work with the horse when you start riding him yourself. 

It is very easy to watch the experts starting horses on the TV and for people to assume they can transfer this knowledge to their own horses, but these horsemen and woman have been doing it for years.

So all in all it is time for your horse to be re-educated and lucky he is young enough to do so.  Good luck."