How to Train a Hackney Pony

Hackney ponies are intelligent and easy to train if you're consistent and patient. Hackney ponies have a reputation as being high strung, but this is usually because owners don't understand the intelligence of the breed. Creating a working bond with your pony built on trust is paramount. By training your Hackney pony basic ground manners and commands, you lay the foundation for more advanced training in the future.

Things You'll Need

  • Round pen or lunge line
  • Lunge whip
  • Halter
  • Lead rope
  • Tie down
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Instructions

  1. Training a Hackney Pony

    • 1

      Assert yourself immediately as your pony's alpha leader. Do this by always using an upright, authoritative tone and confident posture while handling the pony. Make yourself appear bigger then you are by standing up straight and not slouching or bending. Consistency is key to training Hackney ponies. If your pony does something wrong, immediately correct it by popping the lead rope, whether it's the first time or the 10th time.

    • 2

      Tie your pony to a ground tie or pull-back tie to train it to be patient and give to pressure. This is one of the first steps in training a pony in ground work. Tie the pony for short periods at first, gradually building up to one to two hours. Never untie a pony that is pawing or acting upset. If your pony is untied while it is misbehaving, you will have trained it to be impatient while tied. The reward for the pony standing quietly and not moving is being untied. Never leave a pony unattended while tied, but if he is pawing or moving ignore the bad behavior and only reward good behavior.

    • 3

      Attach a halter and lead rope to your pony and lead it to a round pen. If a round pen is not available, substitute a lunge line. Stand in the middle of the pen and release the lead rope, leaving the halter on. Use the lunge whip to communicate with the pony what you want. Never hit the pony with the whip; it is used only to create energy and make the pony move forward, reverse or increase its gait. To begin, tap the whip on the ground behind your pony to get it to move forward clockwise. Use voice commands and the whip to get the pony to go through its gaits, such as walk, trot and whoa. Once the pony has mastered those steps, use the whip to make the pony reverse direction by placing the whip directly in front of it. This will cause the pony to turn. Use a loud, authoritative voice with the command to "reverse." In the beginning, keep the lessons short but gradually build up the time you spend working with the pony. Always end on a good note when the pony is working correctly. When finished, place the whip on the ground and tell the pony to whoa. Your pony should stop, turn and face you. If it refuses to stop and be caught, pick up the whip and work the pony at a trot for 5 to 10 minutes. Put the whip down, and again tell the pony to whoa. The pony will soon learn that being caught it easier then working.