do u stretch yearlings

[maranatha minis]

I ahve my 1st hopeful ASPC ponies I want to show this year. We are working on standing still now, but do they stand square like the minis or stretched? I have seen different poses in ponies. so i guess my question is do you have to stretch the yearlings? if so how? I have seen just the back end stretched and some I have seen both ends stretched. I am sneaking around the farm websites to get ideas.

My ponies are classics. one is small, around 32in as a yearling, the other is larger at around 36 or so as a yearling.

Thanks for your help.

Shelley<><

 

[muffntuf]

Well it depends upon what class you are showing in. Typically foundation do not stretch. Classics may be squared or parked and you can stretch their necks some. Modern Pleasure are parked and stretched. Moderns are very upright and parked. NO stretching.

 

[disneyhorse]

Your Classics are going to be more stretched than you might see in the mini classes, but not extremely parked out.

Mostly you will want your ponies "stretched out behind" as you say... the reason you have seen them parked out "in front" is because the pony hasn't learned to rock his weight back up on his front end. This is an issue I am having a little bit with my "kids" (I have a yearling and two year old Modern Pleasure) but at least they are standing pretty still and can square up if I ask. Even "I" barely know what I'm doing, so they do have a little bit of an excuse but we are working on it!

I usually ask them to really stand for a bit every 2-3 days. Almost every day, they are asked to square up before they come in to eat their grain after being turned out. Just to get their little brains working. But not for a long time, they just have to respond to my cues.

If you can, get someone to take pics of your ponies set up. See what looks best, and yes compare to other websites to see if you can get your ponies stretched out similarly.

Good luck,

Andrea

 

[Leeana]

Here is how I train my ponies to park, i dont show moderns but i do show classics and one foundation, so the stretch isnt extreme but a bit more then a mini. Just enough to level out the topline/croup just a bit more (atleast thats how i look at it).

I start asking mine to square up the back feet and then i teach them to stay/stand. I use a 6ft+ lead and i back slowly away until im at the end of the lead, if they move i yank the lead and stomp my feet, they eventually learn to stay right there and i do not want them to move.

Then i will come back up to them after this and ask them to reset the hind feet and i then show them a treat and give a small yank on the halter so they feel just a tad pressure around the poll and ask them to step up with their front feet. If at any time they move the hind feet i give them a yank on the lead and back them up. They will learn when i show them he treat and give them a yank its time to step up. Then i can move their front feet around as i need by pushing on the shoulder ext.

This is also when i teach them to work their neck, once they step up and i have them where i want them i give another small yank (as i did when i was working with them in he beginning) to signal to them i want them to stay there and not move or step up, i then move in front of them a bit and as them to work their neck. If they step up any then i give them a small very gentle tap on the chest with my foot, normally i hardly even have to tap them as it just catches them of gaurde lol.

I've found the shetlands are easier to train and get it faster then the minis

The hardest thing is though, once they learn to park they LOVE to park lol. I have a gelding that will walk up in the pasture and park out thinking i have a treat. If im not paying attention in the show ring for a moment he will just keep parking himself out if im looking at another horse or somthing.

Also, its not imo something you have to do DAILY. I havnt even set up my filly or gelding in 5 months and i garentee i can go out there right now and they will park and show off. I spent about 5 days training my yearling filly and then i was done, that was it, she has it and i garentee she still remembers it

. When it gets closer to show season i might set them up once a weekend or so but really, once they get it they got it

.

 

[maranatha minis]

Thanks guys for the help!! I am looking forward to showing my ponies this year. I do think they are easier to train than the minis. But my minis are just big pets that are spoiled. My ponies are about 10 months old and were never handled until I got them in Oct so we had a lot of issues with them trusting people and still do to an extent. One is doing much better than the other when it comes to being people friendly. to bad the one that isn't real friendly wouldl make an awsome liberty horse. Thanks agian for the help,

Shelley<><