Riding youngsters???

Question

At my yard i have to do alot with youngsters.

I am quite a confident rider but as you can guess, youngsters are a bit un predictable and can be a challenge sometimes.

Is it just me that gets a little apprehensive (cant spell it) when im riding them because i have seen a girl be bucked off into the road on one.

I just try to ride them quietly but sometimes i get nurvous.

Any advice for sitting bucks, rears or building confidence?

Answer 1

Some of the answers are good, but some are a little off, and it seems that the person offering the advice hasn't acutally ridden a lot of horses who buck, rear or bolt.  (No offense intended).

For a horse prone to bucking, be sure your feet are well forward with your heels down, and try to keep his head up, as others have said, and lean back. You can also pull him around in a tight circle (he'll suddenly be preoccupied with keeping his balance), if you're quick in responding.  Do not stop him, as horses can easily buck while standing still, and will only tend to get into more trouble.  They can  also, while trotting and cantering.  If the horse is a particularly strong one (such as some of the big colts), it may be impossible to keep his head up (unless you are a large, strong man), in which case your only recourse is to lean back and slip rein (so you're not pulled over his head).  

For rearing, some horses are extremely quick, and even a very experienced rider cannot feel it coming on.  You 'll need to develop quick reflexes for leaning forward, grabbing mane or the neck strap, or wrapping your arms around his neck.  Your main objective is to stay on and not pull him over on you. Try not to lean to the side, as this can pull a young horse over sideways, as they're not usually strong enough to balance well.  If you can bop a horse on the head with the butt end of your crop the first time he goes up, he may never try it again, but you have to be quick and able to hang on to the mane or neckstrap with the other hand.  

You can try to prevent  rearing by keeping the horse moving forward, since he must stop his feet to rear, but some colts are very good at stopping quickly and going straight up. And many can walk quite a ways on their hind legs, especially if there's a filly in front of them!!!

Bolting and spooking are typical for youngsters, as I'm sure you know.  Make sure you're riding with a defensive seat, feet on the dashboard, hips forward, and seat well deep, and no slack reins (but no pressure on the bit).  

You do need to talk yourself into being confident, as they'll pick up on your apprehension.  Singing helps!

My advice comes from experience: breaking thoroughbreds for 15 years, 5 to 10 horses a year!! And various pleasure and show horses.

P.S.  Do not speak soothingly to a horse who's bucking or rearing - - it's an act of youthful (or not so youthful) rebellion (unless he's reponding to pain), and an angry growl from you is a more appropriate response.

Answer 2

When you feel a buck coming on, stop the horse immediatly. IT is very hard, near impossible, for a horse to buck while standing still. But if you can't feel it coming on, sit deep while it happens and don't panic. Lean back a little, Gather the reins and talk in an easying voice. Or if he bucked at something stupid, slap him and say NO in a strong voice.

Rears: If you feel it coming on, trot or canter him. It's impossible for him to be able to rear while running. Also, if you can't feel it coming on, just hold on for dear life and it helps to lean forward on his neck (sometimes grab your hands together under his neck if the rears are huge). Talk in a soothing voice and try to calm him down.

Confidence comes with experience. I was scared to death the first time a rode a 2 1/2 year old. He shied and bucked at everything, I thought I was gonna die. lol But now when I catch myself on a rear or buck I don't even notice. lol

Answer 3

i've backed a few new horses and yes they can be buggars!

bucks- sit back slightly keep your bum on the saddles as much as you can and try to move with the horse whilst half haulting.

if a horse is rearing DO NOT pull! push it forewards. lean forewrds and squeez with your legs.

all you have to think is that the horse is learning from you. you should try to get to know the horse as well as you can so that there is trust there. take things step by step.

Answer 4

if they buck pull there head up and if they rear smack them between the ears with your rein and dont be nervous to ride a young horse cause they sense it and kinda freak out haha good luck

Answer 5

Now what kinda queestion is that

A real cowgirl would know what to do.

my favorite saying

"Are you gonna cowboy up or lay there and bleed!"

Answer 6

For horses who buck, the most important thing is to get them carrying themselves on their hind end. A horse cannot buck if they are carrying themselves on their hind end. To practice this, work on collection, circles, and flexion. A lot of horses (in my experience) buck at the canter more than the other gaits, especially youngsters (they have less balance at the canter and can get frustrated), soonly ask for a canter transition after a lot of colection and circle work at the trot. If the horse does buck, pull their head up and sit back. If they are not light on ther hind end, then they can't buck. Also, say you are cantering and they buck: don't stop cantering! Stopping will teach them that they don't have to work as hard if they buck.

Rearing can be really dangerous if it isn't well handled. Most horses rear in a specific spot (i.e. the arena gate). A horse can't rear if it's moving forward so send them forward as you go past that spot and keep their minds busy and focused so they don't think about acting up. If the horse does rear, lean forward and don't pull back. If I am riding a rearer I always drop my stirrups as soon as the start to act up. If you are on a horse who has reared up very high and/or is losing their balance, you have to get off and out of the way immediatly.

When riding young horses, if you keep their minds focused on a task they will not be free to think up ways to act up. Don't be nervous, they will pick up on it. Stay positive, but be prepared to deal with a dangerous situation safely.

Answer 7

well for rears, you can usually feel before a rear happens. (or you should, if you can't, then you deff should be riding more laid back horses), and before they do, turn them and ask them to keep going. If they do rear, don't lean back! lean forward w/ the horse, and if they aren't too high up, try to slide off to the side.

For confidence just start out in smaller areas where they are less likely to misbehave.

Answer 8

In most of my experiences you can feel when a horse is going to do something unwanted. The key it to keep the horse busy(mentaly) so he will not have time to buck or rear. If you cant prevent it then I use what is called a one rein stop. You pull on one rein to your hip and when the horse gives to the pressure then you release. This is pretty much an emergency hand break.  If you keep her feet moving and doing different stuff then there will be no bucking, rearing, bolting, ect..If you decide to try this email me at [e-mail] and I vcan give you some more details of how to teach it.

Answer 9

I just can't stress this enough, make sure you wear a helmet! You seem aware of the dangers associated with young horses so I'm sure you wear a helmet as well.

Try to keep yourself relaxed at all times, your adrenaline, anxiety, fear, nerves, etc. will my transferred to the horse otherwise causing them similar feelings.

Ok, I'll give you a few of my tips for the things you requested--

Rears:

If you're horse rears, be sure to keep loose reins, don't let your feet slip through the stirrups, and lean forward to try to keep him moving forward. I usually take my feet out of the stirrups if I'm on a hrose that rears.

Make sure when you learn forward you lean over on the side a little bit. It'll put some extra weight on one side of the front of the horse and cause him to be off-balance just enough that he has to touch back down.

Never lean back or clutch the reins tightly on a rearing horse! He may go over backwards if so! If you feel your hrose starting to go off-balance and he is about to fall over, get off immedietly from the side of the horse and get out of the way!

Bucks:

Try to pull your horses head up, Pull your horses head up using your upper arm; your forearm won't have enough strength. It's harder for a horse to buck while moving forward.  Don't let your feet slip through the stirrups either and be sure to lean back.

Bolts:

Sit deep and start with just going "Woah, easy, easy." And try to get your hors to slow down. If its a full out bolt and he won't stop, slowly turn your horse into a circle making it smaller and smaller until your horse ahs to stop.

Answer 10

Bucks sit back, Rears leans forward and the first person covered rears but not quite bucking see unless if your a show barn and you are scared horses lower their heads so if you can feel it pull their head to the side or up. I perfer ti the side because no matter what the horse cannot buck! With rears there is an old cowboy trick to have them stop, while in the air take your reins and slap them between the ears pretty hard so it feels like there is something falling on them!

Answer 11

'whatever' gave a good answer....

Bascially Ive been told that if you think its going to happen, then it will.. because when you are THINKING that its going to happen, you are sub-consciously making your body ready for it to happen, so you are tense and ready for it... while the horse uses this as an invitation to act.

It's a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Im not saying that this is always the case, but try staying positive and confident on your horse. Horses are hyper-sensitive and can feel their riders feelings.

Good Luck

For horses that buck dangerously and is due to only them acting up (not ill fitting tack, injury etc.) a bucking strap can be used to stop them bucking

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Stop-That-Horse-An...

Im all for finding out a route of cause, but if a person's life is threatened, then these kind of measures must be taken.