Horse bucks and rares while being riden. Was posted in other pets before.?

Question

My horse is 7 years old and is a QH standing 15.3hh. I have had her a little over a year. She was broke but had not been rode for 5 years when I got her. She alows me to ride her fine in the begining but when we trail ride in the woods near my house she reaches a point where she does not want to go any farther. She will go straight up if you do not turn around or ask her to go forward. I have tryied forcing her, get off and walking her, waiting forvever for her to go(3 hours+), and just turing around. Everyone tells me to try something different. She also does this if we are on the road. And its not like she is tierd she does it when we are only about 45 min into a mostly walk/trot ride. She is big, well built and very strong and I know she can run all day. She might be barn sour, she is a only child. I have had all medical and tack problem ruled out. I have not been thrown yet, I can stay on her through almost anything. Please help all info will be taken greatfully. Thxs.

Answer 1

when she does this, i would turn her around, lower your hands to your thighs, and back her up. i've had problems with horses that didnt want to go somewhere out of stubbornness, and i've always just backed them up for about fifteen feet, turned back around, and tried to get them to walk forward again. something with horses is that if you take them backwards, they'll be more ready to go forward again. but make sure you lower your hands so she doesnt have the tendancy to rear up. just a suggestion, and it cant hurt to try it. just make sure that if you are going to back her up that there isnt really anything that she could trip over in the process.

Answer 2

1. Get her a pasture buddy - she could be lonely.

2. Hire a trainer. Make sure that they do not abuse horses though...there have been horrible stories about that.

Answer 3

Bucking/rearing often are symptoms of 1). A horse in pain. 2) being "spoiled." -xlates to 'sour.'*

She is  young and the business of not working her regularly is a common one: a battery storing up energy in her paddock.

3).Another thought is just "getting along" with the horse, personality-wise. Does her size bother you? She's big, and being a timorous rider myself, was intimidated by these sporthorse -sized mounts.  I rode a 15 hand or even a 14.3 Morgan/ Qtr. You seem 'gutsier.'



4).*She may be trying to 'buffalo' you. You may have to start from scratch : tell her, not ask her.

History stuff: who previously owned her & her treatment? Her lines? Could be appendix-bred or halter background which doesn't always concentrate on disposition. Or is she grade? It may be of worth to read her pedigree & find out really who she's by and who she's out of. Hope it helps.

Answer 4

1st see if she has a back problem?

2nd are you nervous if you are they can sense that

3rd she might not fully trust you yet do some ground exersises with her and see if that helps

Answer 5

I would recomend having a vet out before any more riding is done. Rearing is often a sign of pain (but can also be behavioral) but to figure out why your horser is rearing you need to eliminate the possibility that its pain before you think its behavioral. Check the bit your useing. Is it well fitted? Is it too harse? Sane with your saddle. If any tack is rubbing or causeing pain the horse will buck or rear. Next have the vet out and have him/her check the horses teeth and back. If the teeth havent been floated in a while, the bit might be hurting them. And if there are any cysts on your horses back that can contribute to rearing to.

ok, if its behavioral (which it kinda sounds like it is) right when she rears, you MUST throw all of your weight forward and pull her to the side. Be very careful that you dont pull back on the reins, because this will unbalance her and you could get crushed.

but you should probably ask a trainer in your area for help, ok?

i hope this helps, i've worked with some rearers before.

good luck =]

Answer 6

Hmm, thats a hard one, my pony rears on a hack too, and can be very difficult, Im changing my tack and seeing what happens, but obv you have already done that, I would get a specialist to check her over again.

good luck! ;]

Answer 7

try getting a massage therapist to look at her. if she has a back problem, she might find it hard to go up, and down steep hils, and along rocky ground.

Answer 8

Sounds like a confidence problem if you have ruled medical and tack out as a possible problem. She is still very green, having not been ridden for a long time. Try taking her out with another horse and rider. She is still a baby in her head, so go straight back to basics and work on some confidence building with her. Good luck.

Answer 9

I cannot improve on the book BB wrote ~LOL~

I would have to say start from the ground.

Answer 10

check your tack, have her checked out, get her teeth done, and then just work with her. she sounds horribly barn sour. my mare starts to do the same thing if i don't ride her often. just work her... maybe try building her confidence by doing a lot of ground work. try walking the trail with her.

Answer 11

If its nothing medical, sounds like she needs a lil more ground work... maybe refresh her on the basics!! And definately do some trustbuilding exercises!

Answer 12

Your mare is herd bound. She needs time away from her paddock mates. Is there an option to have her turned out individually? My horse went through this when he was at a small barn and was turned out with them all. He was never one to act out or rear but did when he was away from his friends. Good news, he has since relocated and is turned out alone and no longer has any of these issues. Even if she can be turned out at odd times from the others, she needs to be separated. If she is set on not moving, its a fight you can't win. Try taking a partner with you just so that you can get a full ride in.

Answer 13

She sounds sour to me.  She only goes so far...then SHE decides she is done.  Being an 'only child' is not the problem.  The problem is...that she tell you when SHE is done working.

Start working her on a lunge line or round pen to establish that YOU are the boss, and YOU will tell her when to quit work.

For the riding...If I KNEW I was going to have a problem...I would turn around BEFORE she decides to.  Then work her REALLY good once I got back home.  Untacking and releasing her, is her reward for coming back home.  Once I returned...we would go to work.  I would continue to ride and work that horse.  If she was throwing a fit bad enough that I didn't feel comfortable to stay in the saddel...we would go to work in the round pen or on a lunge line...in FULL tack.  

Before release, I would mount again and ride her again.

Another thing I've done.  I've carried a long lead rope with me out on trailrides.  I have hooked them up and worked them out in a clear spot on the trail.  You don't have to use the entire length of line...just what you need to get that horse moving.  Faster than a walk too.  Her reward would be slowing down and going forward in a walk.  If she won't go forward...back to work trotting circles.

You cannot give in and let her come back home.  This only reinforces her bad behavior.  If you do come back home...you must put her to work.

**EDIT...I didn't mention backing her...because you said she rears.  I would be concerned that she might go over backwards if you made her back.  It's good advice to back them...don't get me wrong there...I would be careful though, if you have a horse that rears already.

**EDIT...the problems with introducing her to other horses...sounds like she is AFRAID of other horses.  Many horses are like that, that aren't in 'herd' situations'.  Your horse does not KNOW where her 'standing' is with other horses.  So, many horses that are afraid...will pin their ears, attempt to bite, or kick at new horses.

I work on this by riding with another horse and riding.  Keeping a horse width distance from the other horse, so mine can't 'reach' the other horse.  I also keep the head facing forward and continue with forward motion.  And just continue to do this, until the horse I am on relaxes.

I have also used 4 other friends and 'boxed' the horse.  One in front, one behind, and one on each side.  And just worked on walking forward until the horse I was riding calmed down.  This isn't always an option if you don't have access to other horses and riders who can help you.

I would use an arena, corral, or a pasture for the introduction.  An enclosed enviroment that I could ride comfortably in.

**EDIT...Yep...you got a respect problem.  She is NOT taking the submissive role.  Being you have a round pen...I would get rid of the lunge line for now.  For me...I'd rather be able to move around in any direction without worrying about tangling up with a line.

Release her into the pen.  You stand in the middle with a whip.  If you have a horse you don't trust...wear a helmet...even on the ground in the round pen.  Be aware of your escape route if needed.  

I would drive the horse away from me.  Keeping your position behind the shoulder of the horse...towards her butt.  This should keep her moving away from you.  If she was to come at me...I would try to 'threaten' her first by popping the whip just in the air or next to the ground.  Always on the opposite side that I wanted her to go.  For example...if she was heading left, I would pop the whip on the left side of her [will be YOUR right side] to push her into continueing left.  If she didn't turn away...I would smack the shoulder closest to me to turn her.  You don't have to pop the whip on her, or hit her hard...but enough so that she KNOWS you mean business, and will not tolerate being crowded or threatened by her.  

I would also start these lessons in a walk or trot.  I would also begin teaching her voice commands for the different gaits.  If she lopes, let her until she she wants to stop.  But don't let her...make her continue to lope.  This is reinforcing that SHE doesn't make the decisions on what to do.  Drive her on...until you give the command to stop or slow down.  You are waiting for her to show you signs of submission.  I usually get this when I allow them to slow down.  You are looking for the inside ear turned to you...l*****g and smacking her lips...you will see the tongue come out and l**k her lips...and the head will lower.  These are all signs that she is taking the submissive role and that YOU are in charge.

**EDIT...Not one word about 'babbling' Blue...

Dang!  You got me anyways!!!