Bounce/rear problem?

[Hollyhorse]

My new horse does this funny bouncing thing. He does it EVERYTIME he goes from halt to walk, and from walk to trot, for only the first 5/10 minutes and then he's normal and does normal transitions. It's almost like an really elevated-in-front transition if that makes any sense! Like a canter stride in front. Usually it's just this little bounce but a few times it's been bigger and more like a mini-rear.
The problem is I don't know what to do! It's definitely something to do with attitude/past experience/habit rather than a physical problem like saddle, back, teeth etc so pls don't suggest I get these checked out as already done as soon as I got him. While I say attitude - he's really not malicious, he's very friendly and affectionate.
It's also not a reaction to being pulled in the mouth because he still did it when I had NO contact when riding plus I long-reined him today and when I asked him to walk on from the halt by flapping the lines at his side he still did it.
I don't think he's being nappy as he didn't only do it in one part of the school and there were no other horses around! It also doesn't seem to be because he doesn't want to go forward because when you put the leg on he does go forward, just after this bounce! It's almost like a habit.
When I've ridden him I've just sat there and not got annoyed or anything, then after about 10 minutes of being worked he stops completely! I don't know whether I should try getting annoyed at him to see if that will stop him as clearly sitting there doing nothing isn't going to. Next time he does it should I give him a big kick and then if he does it again try using the whip? A previous horse I had did lots of rearing, spinning, bucking - you name it - and I just smacked him loads with the whip and it didn't get any better during that session but then the next time I rode him he didn't put a foot wrong and hasn't done another single buck/rear/frolic since! In his case it had to get a little worse through me telling him off before it got better. Should I treat this one the same way?
Sorry - long post but please help!
Many thanks

 

[claireross]

My horse used to jump into all his upward transistions, but he was a baby at the time. He even did it on the lunge, it was weird to watch, it was as if he didn't know what to do with his legs. He did just grow out of it, I just ignored it and carried on regardless. My instructor used to say ignore the bad behaviour and praise the good. It seems to work with my horse, when he realises he's not getting a reaction he would just gets on with it. That might be why yours stops after 10mins. I personally wouldn't start telling him off in anyway. I think your doing the right thing at the moment and would see how he goes over the next few weeks.

 

[Hollyhorse]

That's comforting! He is only 4 rising 5 so is still a baby and I think has only been broken in a handful of months so could explain it. My only concern is that he is being naughty and a bit nappy...it is almost like a mini-rear at times... I just can't work out whether it's excitment or naughty/nappiness.
When he stops after 5/10 mins I think it might be because by then he's concentrating and being kept busy, might also be because by that time he's done some trot and canter and so is thinking more forward. At the start when he's 'bouncing' / 'jumping' in walk he isn't really moving forward and is a bit behind the leg. He doesn't even need to be doing an upward transition to do it - you can just be walking along and he'll bounce every couple of strides!
He's actually done quite a lot for his age - jumped a decent track and schooled cross-country with his past owner. While he's young he doesn't seem that babyish - he's quite balanced and isn't wobbly/spooky like most youngsters.
How long did it take for yours to grow out of it?

 

[merlins-mum]

It'll probably be because he is too much on his forehand, so needs to do a bounce to get started. My neddy does it at first before he is properly warned up - but as soon as I get him going from behind, it stops.

 

[Hollyhorse]

He's definitely not on the forehand! I see what you're saying and it makes sense but definitely not the problem with him. He has an extremely active hindleg and tracks up like something else! He has really active elevated paces and has a really high head carriage.
Though with you saying that, is there any chance that when he was broken in he held his head low and the rider pulled it up the whole time and particularly in transitions so now he does it by habit? He's got very extravagant elevated paces so maybe they did that to create those paces? It's a stab in the dark but could it be possible?!

 

[sherwood']

Hi mine was the same- dotn worry. Its excitment too. Keep ur rein loose when u ask fro upward transtition and be light with ur legs aids. Apart from that how u getting on?

 

[Hollyhorse]

It's been suggested by a friend that maybe it's linked to pain in the back/due to saddle. I really can't think it's the saddle as he did it when I viewed him, and when I got him home he did it in all 3 saddles I tried including a BRAND NEW synthetic! If I was to get his back checked - who should I go to? A chiro for the bones? The physio for the muscles?! My friend said it could be because he associates going forward with past pain but he's such a happy boy, v relaxed and ears always pricked! Plus he doesn't always do it with a forward transition, sometimes just randomly when we walking along. He did it on the long-rein when had no saddle on and I haven't walked him in hand a lot but I would think he would do the same thing in that case too. HELP!

 

[Law]

hiya
yes Chiro for bones and physio for muscles!
Mine has had this habit for a long time and i've only just started to correct it, my instructor pointed it out the last lesson we had. She has just said i need to be lighter asking him to go forward and strangely enough it is working. He always skips into trot from walk but he's getting the hang of just going into the stride without hopping or skipping!
it will come to yours i'm sure.

 

[Hollyhorse]

[ QUOTE ]
Hi mine was the same- dotn worry. Its excitment too. Keep ur rein loose when u ask fro upward transtition and be light with ur legs aids. Apart from that how u getting on?

[/ QUOTE ]

Really well! He tends to be very fresh at the start but once he's trotted and cantered he calms right down and actually becomes quite lazy - and that's when he stops 'bouncing'. So that would make sense that it's excitement...did yours really do the exact same thing? How long was it before he stopped? Did you try anything else or just ignored it? I was thinking that maybe I should push him up to trot pretty soon after I get on him so he gets moving forward and can calm down a bit - what d'you think? Just to clarify - you don't think I should tell him off by kicking him or giving him a smap, I should just assume it's not naughty/nappy and hope he eventually stops?!

 

[vicijp]

Seeing as it stops once he is warmed up, I would say he has a muscular problem somewhere.
I would get back and teeth re-checked.

 

[Hollyhorse]

So should I get the physio to check his muscles? I shall also get his teeth double-checked asap. In the meantime I guess I shall just try the suggested method of sitting calmly, keeping hands soft in upward transitions and keeping my leg aids VERY light. He has a day off today but am riding him tomorrow so shall let you know how it goes. It's always really hard with a new horse because you don't know their personality and much of their history so it's hard to know if he's trying it on or if there's a problem! Will try and cancel out the latter through physio and teeth checks.

 

[sherwood']

No no honestly- he did it for ages. My friend had same thing with her 4 yr old too. both have grown out of it now. U just have to be patient- we were both going mad over it.

When u ask for trot- as quietly - light leg and a loose rein. If u hold and kick too hard they sort of ball up and come out as this little jump. Also both our horses have good paces ( hers better than mine!) but I think it is that too- the front end cant keep ahead of the good back end and they r propelled forward if u no what I mean. Def don’t hit or anything as he is doing what u asked if possibly too enthusiastic, he's not being bad U asked him to go forward so he is.

Keep things soft and relaxed as it is coming out of tension. I had not come across it before- it must be an Irish young horse thing! I thought mine was lame when he did it!!!!! lol!!

Keep doing loads of transitions and get him used to going up and down a lot then its not as exciting. Dont worry its fine and sure u have only got him so he is probably just a bit strange being in a new place etc!