Horse that doesnt like a whip.. and bucks..?

Question

im going to train a pony not to buck and to get use to the whip. any1 have any tips on doin this?

any advice welcome thanks..

:-)

Answer 1

whips arnt for wacking,  do not use a whip, to them its disiplen, use a crop and lead them along,  and in the future if you use a long lung whip, the matter will probally get worse, if you have ever heard of a carrot stick(its like a lung whip) but, at the top it has a crop or(bat) top on it, to start rub the horse with the carrot stick or crop to tell them I am not here to hurt you then whenever the horse kicks tell them whos boss, NEVER hit a horse with a carrot stick, this will take time maybe 4 months, dont push him to hard, try to make him canter and if he kicks punish(not hitting or anything) and whenever he doesnt give treats.

Answer 2

well, i use a quirt for barrel racing and pole bending, but i don't use it to hard. i slight tap is all i use. sometimes more on the shoulder because i found it might irritate their rump. when i first tapped my horse with a jumping bat, she got a little nervous, but just keep petting it and talk softly to it to calm em down. so start off with one tap on the rump and rub em down, then tap the shoulder and do the same. if needed, give them treats!

Answer 3

It's funny the answers your getting back.

I have ALWAYS been taught to carry a whip for safety.

A whip does not hurt the horse as much as you seem to think as they are very thick skinned... I carry a whip but I only use it if the horse is misbehaving or is not responding to my leg. I carry a whip on my horse even tho it responds to my leg perfectly for safety and I have never had to use it. It can also help training as when leg yielding my horse doesn't keep his hindquarters in line with his body so using the whip to tickle his side has helped to push them over. Although like spurs I believe armatures with whips should not be allowed as they don't know how or when to use them.

btw, try letting the horse know the whip is not always a bad thing, run it over its body and allow it to get used to the whip. But don't use the whip unless necessary, sit well back. I doubt it will get over bucking when you use the whip but may it be that your using the whip too much to get it used to it?

Answer 4

When you use your crop, make sure that your not just giving little Love taps. That will become more annoying then one harder one and they won't listen to it. If your going to use your crop, then USE it and use it well.

Sounds like with your pony, you don't really need a crop- I use one for lazy horses that don't respond to my leg very well. Try getting rid of the whip and just get them listening to you by doing some transitions. Walk to trot, trot to walk, walk to halt, halt to trot etc. If the horse doesn't listen to you then make them back up for a few steps- its much more work then if they would just trot in the first place. You could also try using spurs instead, but make sure you know how to use them;)

Answer 5

rub the whip all over his behind teach him that it is not to hurt him and slowly and gradually start taping him with it

Answer 6

if you were getting whipped by a horse riding you yr gonna buck to get em off coz it ****** hurts and its cruel theres no need for a whip horses can be trained without one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! theres no need for it!!!

Answer 7

Thats fine to do it in a gentle manner, I have to use one to tap him with it on the back end as a back up to my leg.

Try Parelli's Friendly Game.

Put a halter and leadrope on, and in a space he feels comfortable in, get the crop and just hold it. Feed him his fave treat in the same hand. Don't stare at him, this tells him that you are a threat if you stare at him.

When he is comfy with this, start to gently rub the stick over his body, not too firm, but not so soft it tickles him.  If he shifts around, hold it in place, and as soon as he stops shifting, remove the stick and praise.

This shows that if he stands still, it wont be on for nearly as long, but if he moves away, it stays on him.  

The key is to listen to him, and be patient. What is he trying to tell you? Maybe he has been beaten up by it, which sounds like it.  If he is too stressed, move away and start again another time. You won't get anywhere or any long term good things from a horse that is stressed or pressured.

When he is comfy with this, rub it all over his body, praising all the time, and remember not to hold him too tight, as horses are claustrophobic animals.  

The idea is to get him good on the ground, because horses assess you in everything you do, from catching to riding to tacking up to grooming.  

In the wild, the predator jump on the back, so this is why some horses buck if you hit them on the bum. They buck to get the predator off, which shows they don't trust you.

When you are on them, carry on with this method, and always just use it as an extension of the arm. If they do buck when you touch them with it, if it is safe keep the whip held in place on the bum, and as soon as they stop bucking take the whip off the bum and praise.

I'd start with the neck though.

Good luck and I'm sorry thats long, but I hope it helps! Please email me if you need any more help / let me know how it goes!  =]

Answer 8

there is a special saddle or something that stops horses bucking (as in it makes them physically incapable) it doesnt hurt them though because monty roberts used one good luck (also get other things checked like teeth if his saddle hurts him etc.)

oh and to all who say its cruel get the knowledge to back it up racers use crops in a cruel way because they beat the c**p out of the horse

jumping or flatwork with a crop is not cruel because people who do it right dont beat the c**p out of them they simply tickle the horse with the whip to either in jumping a tap on the shoulder let them know if the feel tense and unsure underneath you that the jump is normal and you want them to go forward and over it. in flatwork on the other hand people use it to stop a horse misbehaving (as unless some horses see your carrying a whip they missbehave ou dont actually need to use they just need to see it. the same if your horse is being sluggish and not listening to you all you do is ask twice with the leg and then if they ignore tickle them slightly more firmly than the leg to let them know that you mean it and so they dont get dead to the leg (ignore ure leg completely)

Answer 9

some horses buck more with a whip.

depending on his temperment, tapping him on the butt with a crop might work... but it sounds like hes a little more stubborn.

but a fail safe way to stop him "in the act" is to either pull his head around with one rain or pull it up with two. one will work better than the other depending on the bit you are using. but the bit is your best friend, you can use it to pop it him as a punishment instead of using the crop

also, try and figure out why he bucks. maby the saddle dosent fit himand he is uncomfortale, or maby he has a helth problem. very few horses just buck for no reason. garenteed there are afew who just have a bad additude, but this is generally not the case. i have a huge qh mare that use to buck. she only did it because she was afraid of the horse we were riding with and putting on a show.

Answer 10

when your horse bucks, push him forward and smack him in the butt with the crop. If he goes nicely w/ o bucking then he doesn't have to work. If he does buck then he's gotta WORK. Eventually he'll learn its easier for him to be good!

Answer 11

Check the bucking isn't a pain response first - teeth and saddle would be the places to start.  Have a look at the blog part of my website www.soloequestrian.com for a bit more on pain and behaviour.  There is also a bit on there about learning and training.  If there is no pain issue, often horses will buck when they are a bit confused.  Try to praise everything the horse does correctly and ignore the bits it does wrong, including the bucks if you can, and the behaviour should stop.  Re the whip, just ride with it in your hand.  I have a horse who was very nervous of the whip, I think because he'd been beaten in one of his previous homes.  I just rode with the whip in my hand for a long time and eventually he cottoned on to the fact that I wasn't going to hurt him with it.  I can now give him little aids with it - he reacts to just a touch.  He is still nervous of people on other horses near him if they are carrying whips though!

Answer 12

my horse stops and bucks when he decides he's done working for the day (even if I just got on him) and he will not stop unless you tap him on the butt with a crop. I don't mean smack the c**p out of him, I mean he just needs to see the crop in order to behave. im getting to think he actually likes the crop.

when your pony bucks, keep your eyes up and give a small tap on the butt with a crop. if he does it again, do it again. just make sure you keep your eyes up and hands down. squeeze with your legs a little too.

Answer 13

Do a one rein stop when the pony bucks.

Trash the whip...no doubt thats why the pony bucks;)

Answer 14

Crop=problem.

Horse's don't just buck for no reason. They are either:

Annoyed

Hurting

or Confused

Why do you use a whip anyway? If he's behind the leg and you are experienced enough then use a small spur!

Good luck!

Answer 15

If your pony is bucking there is  a reason for it, he won't JUST do it. Double check all of your tack and ensure everything fits PERFECTLY. Figure out if he bucks on the lunge or just when being ridden? Is there anything in particular that sets him off when he bucks? Transitioning from trot to canter etc? I would have a chiroprator look at him to ensure he hasnt' got any problems there.

In my opinion and experience you can't just fix bucking, you need to find the reason and help the pony solve the problem.

Whips are not essential in my experience but thay can be a very helpful aid. When carrying a whip don't hold it against the pony's shoulder hold it off against your thigh, this way he doesn't confuse it as an aid on his shoulder. When asking for impulsion use it on his behind, not his shoulder, you want it to be a pushing forward aid thus pushing his rear end forward.

Most importantly, don't over use the whip, there is not need to over use it and if you do it will cause more harm than good. There is no need to scare him regarding the crop, it is simply an extension of your arm, an extra aid.

Good luck.