Biting question to you wise folk

[Fools Motto]

Hi all,
My 7 year old mare (whom I've owned since September) has been pretty perfect in almost everything we've done together. I'm super pleased.
However she has one trait, that I'm at a loss with, and would apprectiate any helpful advice.
When she is excited she can buck - which in itself is perfectly fine by me... I've sat many a buck, and ~I like to know they are enjoying things. However, this buck has the added piece-de-résistance that when the back end goes up, the front end not only goes down but stops dead. I mean stops dead.... She out stretches her front legs, braces and STOPS. I've now had this experience 3 times, a friend has ridden her and she did it twice with her, and my trainer has had it once.... we can't stay on!!
Thinking bits... if I can keep her head up? She is pretty strong at puling the rider forward, and even if you are sitting back the force of her stopping is enough to catapult us over the front end....
If it's about keeping her going forward, I've failed... the buck encourages the stop it seems!
Luckily no-one has hurt themselves... just makes me cross I can't stay on!!

 

[TheBayThoroughbred]

I highly doubt a new bit will fix it! Instead of getting her head UP, trying getting it sideways and disengaging her hindquarters. I’ve always found it’s the most foolproof way of stopping bucks and planting. Start on the ground with disengaging her hindquarters (there are lots of online resources for this) and then practice in the saddle until you’re confident with it and she knows exactly what you’re doing.

Unfortunately bucking is usually hard to correct because it can have so many causes (and, like you say, sometimes it’s just excitement)….

Are there any triggers for her bucking? Is it only in a certain place or when you’re practicing a certain thing?

If all else fails, I’d recommend getting a professional to do some intensive schooling with her. (Assuming you’ve checked saddle, bridle, back, teeth, feet, etc!)

 

[Fools Motto]

She's now done 'her move' twice cantering in company (working up to be an event horse) - can understand the excitement.... ( So far hasn't put a foot wrong on her own).
The rest of 'her moves' has been on the landing stride after small jumps - which she jumps nicely and gives you NO warning of her intention to stop the second her front feet land! If she wasn't 15.2, I'd say she'd be a shitland! BTW I'm more confident of jumping her 110 than I am a 2ft X pole .... but we've got to do the basics to progress. There in no pattern to her doing this, can do it twice in a week then not again for several months.
I just can't keep her head up - or sit back- or keep her going forward - or stay on!! lol

 

[Annagain]

Sorry, I'm going to be that person and suggest you get her looked over by a vet. A friend's horse did something very similar - particularly on the landing after fences. It turned out he had SI and hock issues. It was only when he got ulcers for the second time that the vet thought to look for the root cause and he had a full workup. He's now been back in work about 3 months and jumping for about 3 weeks with not one buck / slamming on of brakes on landing.

 

[Ouch05]

Another that would suggest a bit change would not alter this behaviour. Excitement out hacking a group can result in a buck or two but the stopping dead does not sound right to me. As for the issue after a jump that does not sound like excitement more get off me.

Did the previous owner have the same issue? I would speak to them and ask it does sound quite dangerous to me and I would be looking at running an MOT over her. Mare can get sore over their backs and a saddle that is putting pressure there might cause her to buck if it is moving around while cantering and jumping.

 

[Upthecreek]

The bucking whilst cantering in company you can probably put down to excitement. The bucking after jumps would concern me as this can often be a sign that the horse is uncomfortable in my experience. Trying to stop the behaviour by changing the bit is potentially just stopping the horse telling you something isn’t right.