Bucking/cranky horse, any suggestions?

Question

Please see my previous question, I would really like as much input as possible!

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AiL6q4JQx1AS7UQdxa2efzLsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20080711091627AAk6NQW

And to answer a few of the comments: The saddle fits, the chiropractor has seen him, his teeth were recently floated, I've tried being nice, and I've tried being mean. And he's been back in training for over a year, so he should have gotten over the laziness by now. When you say "retrain," how basic does that go? Please be specific, I would really love your opinions!!

Answer 1

Use trust and understanding. Get your horses trust. I know this is easier said then done, but you need to do this. Be nice the whole way through, and try to think like you were the horse. If you had a kind and caring owner, then was suddenly turned out in a paddock for a long period of time, how would you feel?? Ask yourselves these questions.

Answer 2

i would just stop him and have him do the change over again until he stops... then praise when he does it right

he should realize that if he does it right the first time he wont have to do it over again

Answer 3

Alright, I read your other question and I have come up with a few suggestions.  Firstly, as you have ruled out tack issues, back problems, and a bit discomfort, why don't you check his diet? Sometimes a horse needs a lil supplement to help him along and make him a lil bit more comfortable.  I realize you have ruled out the most disturbing health issues that could come up, but vets can't check over every internal issue, try adding some bute to his morning grain for a week or two and see if you notice a difference.  My barn has a lot of hunters and in the summer during show season they put them on a small amount of bute each day to keep them in top condition.  It's mostly the older horses, but some of the younger ones also, differing with every case.  If his attitude changes, consult your vet and ask if it is something that should temporarily be added to his diet.  There are also other supplements as well, or maybe even his regular diet or forage and grain.  If you are feeding him something like sweet feed, which has lots of energy, it may be too much excess energy he doesn't need at hi level of fitness and age.

Moving on, put him through a lil trial of your own.  Ride him every day for a week straight, same time (try to pick the time where his attitude is always better, for my horse thats in the morning after breakfast) and don't punish him for bucking etc, just observe his attitude and make note of any subtle differences, keep a diary if need be to record it all.  Then try and figure out which days were better and why, what changes were made in routine that day, even silly things like, he had to take a dump during the ride, or it was windy that day, activity around the barn was at high frequency.  Anything.  Then take your data and try to find the best solution

If it were me, and my horse was still bucking on changes after months of practice, (granted I normally take the diciplinary action of most temped manner) I would take a crop with me and every time he bucked, I would swat his hind end as if you were scolding a child for hitting someone. Not extreme but hard enough so he feels it and thinks twice before doing it again.  Lunge before your workouts, and allow him a chance to exert energy in some forward motion, maybe some jumping of nicely heighted fences so he can use up some of that negative energy for a positive thing (Just be careful, make sure you can rein him back in slower in case its needed).  That may help.  I'm out of suggestions by now, I hope it helped.

Answer 4

Try emailing and asking this guy, he's great.

Chris Cox

outbackranch@chris_cox.com

Best of luck with your horse.

Answer 5

Going BACK to BASICS means start the horse lunging again first.  Walk, trot, canter, halt and reverse at BOTH directions.  Once your horse is doing these nicely, then put the saddle on his back and start all over again.  When your horse goes well tacked up, then YOU get on him and work him again at walk, trot, canter, halt and reverse, BOTH directions.  

If you don't have a round pen to use, do all the lunging on a lunge line in your arena or an open field.