"Hi, I am looking for some advice please and am hoping you can help. Eight weeks ago I purchased a 12-year-old pony for my seven-year-old daughter. She and Chester the pony were doing great together, she would even go into the field clip rope him on and bring him to his stable. Three weeks after having Chester and all is fantastic, we had to microchip him. The next couple of days after he was not himself but then on the third day myself and my daughter went into the field to collect him when he deliberatly turned and kicked my daughter to the floor then turned on me.Now my daughter is so scared of him she still won't go near him and he still tries to kick me everytime I enter the field and approach him.I am worried; I just dont know what to do. Can you please help? Kind regards, Debbie."

The answer

A member of H&C blogger Tina Layton Elliott BHSI's yard Contessa Riding Centre replies: "This sounds like a worrying change in your pony.  I hope your daughter was not too badly injured.

Have you had him checked by the vet to see if your pony is in any pain or he can identify a reason for this change in behaviour?  It may be that if he is in pain he does not want to be handled. I would advise that you have him checked over if you haven’t, especially as you say he was not himself after having the microchip.

Unacceptable behaviour

This behaviour is not acceptable and it sounds as though it is causing you a lot of stress.  Has anything else in his regime changed?  Has his workload decreased yet his feed remained the same?  Has the grass come through in his field, giving him extra food and nutrients?  It sounds like something changed when his behaviour changed and it is a matter of trying to work out what that is.  By eliminating pain and checking he is in good health then it is possible to look at other factors for this sudden change in behaviour.  If it is a case that he is getting too much food for his workload then this can be altered.  Too many nutrients in their system can cause them to behave differently.  A high level can cause excitement just as in children and us. 

Stay safe

However, he can not continue to behave in this way.  I would suggest wearing a hat, boots and gloves.  Apart from keeping you safe, it will hopefully give you a feeling of confidence.  Take with you, in your pocket, some nuts or a carrot.  Approach Chester in a confident way, with your shoulders back.  Walk purposefully at an angle towards his shoulder.  If he starts to turn his back to you to kick, shoo him away.  Then again approach him. If he does as you want and allows you to catch him, reward him with the food.  However, if he tries to kick, shoo him away.  Keep repeating the process.  Each time you shoo him away, do not allow him to settle to graze.  He needs to learn that kicking you is not acceptable behaviour and you keep the pressure on to say you don’t kick and you don’t get to do what you want of going back to graze.

Learn horse lingo

Another problem to solve is getting your daughters confidence back.  Do you have any other horses or friends who have calm horses?  If so it maybe worth spending some time with her and these horses to rebuild her confidence around horses.  It would also be an opportunity to teach her about horses' body language so she understands that when their ears go back, for example, that they are saying “go away”.  This may help her feel more confident so that she knows what the pony may do next."