Bringing new horse back into work, HELP!!

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Girlie1998

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I was so excited when i got my new horse however due to an accident at work i only had the pleasure of riding him once. He then went lame due to an injury in the field. So we are both fit now and good to go. He is turned out 24/7 so i didn't think it was going to be that hard a task. How i was wrong!
I tacked him up and took him a nice walk up the fields however the neighbouring field has young bulls so they run up to the fence just as he pulls his head down to eat the grass. I shortened the reins to stop him eating and he rears and bucks making sure im coming off then gallops across the field leaving me with some cuts and bruises. Now was this fear of the cows or an excitable horse not getting his own way? I don't know however when I catch him I try to mount again and he starts rearing so i couldn't get back on so where do I go from here? We are on a very small yard and he has come in as the leader of the heard and is a bully with the other horses.
 
I think you need some professional help. Don't get hurt, stay safe. Make sure your horse has no pain issues and that the saddle still fits, but I really think that someone needs to be there in person to assess him.
 
Thanks Faracat. He has just recently been fitted with this saddle but your right about the pain. He was playing up the day the saddle fitter came rearing up when my friend tried to get on as i had injured my leg and was unable to ride. He maybe has back pain which needs ruled out before I go down the naughty behaviour route.
 
That's a good plan.

The normal mantra on here is teeth, back, saddle and if they are OK check the girth/sternum and consider stomach ulcers. If all are clear and the horse is sound and pain free, then get a good trainer in.
 
How long was he off for? When my eventer was on box rest for 6 weeks at the beginning of this year he turned into a complete maniac!! He's normally fairly laid back whilst hacking out, but I had to walk him for 6 weeks before I could even think about trotting. He would violently spook at things all the time, suddenly run off, buck and nap. I was literally on guard constantly in case he did something crazy.

As soon as he started trotting and cantering he settled down and now he's back to being laid back. You can't underestimate the mental strain that time off can put on a horse used to a sustained workload. When they suddenly get freedom they want to go wild!

Do you have access to a school where you can walk him around quietly in a contained space?
 
Darremi said:
How long was he off for? When my eventer was on box rest for 6 weeks at the beginning of this year he turned into a complete maniac!! He's normally fairly laid back whilst hacking out, but I had to walk him for 6 weeks before I could even think about trotting. He would violently spook at things all the time, suddenly run off, buck and nap. I was literally on guard constantly in case he did something crazy.

As soon as he started trotting and cantering he settled down and now he's back to being laid back. You can't underestimate the mental strain that time off can put on a horse used to a sustained workload. When they suddenly get freedom they want to go wild!

Do you have access to a school where you can walk him around quietly in a contained space?
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He's been out of work for 6 months. He is only 7 and very full of himself at the moment. He was prancing around with the tail in the air once he had got me off. We don't have a school which is a nightmare. But I could section of a small part of the bigger fields so is its the same size as a school if you think that helped you?
 
I definitely found that hacking out was a nightmare. I think it would really help if you set up a small section of the field and just tried to walk around in it for half an hour. At least that way he can't run off. Is there usually something that sets off the rearing or does it do it from the minute you're on? It might be an idea to put him on the lunge inside the new pen before getting on. Let him a gallop and a buck without a rider on board.

I'd be steering clear of those bullocks for a while too! Also, make sure that when you're riding him even in walk that you keep the reins nice a short. That way is he decides to try and buck you can get his head up very quickly.

Sometimes it's also helpful to keep them in an outline (obviously not with his head too low) because it can focus their mind on something. If you let them on a long rein to look around they are more likely to be spooked by something/distracted.
 
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Darremi said:
I definitely found that hacking out was a nightmare. I think it would really help if you set up a small section of the field and just tried to walk around in it for half an hour. At least that way he can't run off. Is there usually something that sets off the rearing or does it do it from the minute you're on? It might be an idea to put him on the lunge inside the new pen before getting on. Let him a gallop and a buck without a rider on board.

I'd be steering clear of those bullocks for a while too! Also, make sure that when you're riding him even in walk that you keep the reins nice a short. That way is he decides to try and buck you can get his head up very quickly.

Sometimes it's also helpful to keep them in an outline (obviously not with his head too low) because it can focus their mind on something. If you let them on a long rein to look around they are more likely to be spooked by something/distracted.
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He reared up with my friend when the saddle fitter was here and after he bucked me off today I tried to get back on and he reared but I wasn't calm so this didn't help. I think lunging is a good idea as you say he can buck and get all his silliness out without me trying to stay put!
 
This does sound like a classic behavioural issue. He's a young and energetic boy who is excited to be doing things again and it's all just getting a bit over the top!

Make your pen in the field. Get him on the lunge every day for a week (or as often as you are able), walk and trot and let him do his crazy thing if necessary whilst you hang on to the lunge line. Make sure you boot him up all round mind you as the lunge can be risky for injuries as they are on such a small circle.

As he's a young horse and he's been off for some time, treat it like a mini-re-breaking. Do you normally get on him in the field or the yard? They are much more likely to behave in the yard which they are familiar with. Stand him at the mounting block with a handler at his head and just place one foot in the stirrup and stand there for a bit. They gently get on and stand him still. The handler on the ground will have him under control. And just get back off then on again until he doesn't make a big deal out of it. Trying to get on him in the middle of a field when he's been off for ages is really tricky!!

And just begin by walking 100 yards and then stopping. Turn around and walk back to the yard and stop again. It's all about making things very calm for him in his mind. You don't want him to get any adrenaline!! Take thins really slowly and have somebody there on the ground to supervise.
 
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Darremi said:
This does sound like a classic behavioural issue. He's a young and energetic boy who is excited to be doing things again and it's all just getting a bit over the top!

Make your pen in the field. Get him on the lunge every day for a week (or as often as you are able), walk and trot and let him do his crazy thing if necessary whilst you hang on to the lunge line. Make sure you boot him up all round mind you as the lunge can be risky for injuries as they are on such a small circle.

As he's a young horse and he's been off for some time, treat it like a mini-re-breaking. Do you normally get on him in the field or the yard? They are much more likely to behave in the yard which they are familiar with. Stand him at the mounting block with a handler at his head and just place one foot in the stirrup and stand there for a bit. They gently get on and stand him still. The handler on the ground will have him under control. And just get back off then on again until he doesn't make a big deal out of it. Trying to get on him in the middle of a field when he's been off for ages is really tricky!!

And just begin by walking 100 yards and then stopping. Turn around and walk back to the yard and stop again. It's all about making things very calm for him in his mind. You don't want him to get any adrenaline!! Take thins really slowly and have somebody there on the ground to supervise.
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This all makes perfect sense and is great advice, I think I'm too used to my 16 year old schoolmaster and expect every other horse to be the same. Thank you so much for your advice. Hopefully a few weeks of this will get him back to his semi laid back self and not the lunatic he was today!!
 
Just a little proviso...OP has not said what caused the lameness so should think carefully about lunging as while yes, it's brilliant to get rid of excess energy, if it was say, a soft tissue problem then you are making it worse for the horse.

I am bringing my 6 year old back into work after 6 weeks off as he managed to really hurt himself getting tangled with a hay net. Has the all clear now from the vet but I am walking him out only for the next 2 weeks and will not be lunging until I can be sure his tendons are good and strong again. He too will find ways of amusing himself so I am schooling him in walk, long and low, slow leg yield, half halts, moving away from my seatbone etc etc. incidentally I found that he has dropped a lot of top line and my saddles don't fit properly after only 6 weeks so he is currently sporting a thick sheepskin pad to take up the slack while his back muscles up.

I have one of the kindest youngsters out but he is sharp and he will take control if he thinks I am not and this is what works for is.
 
Luci07 said:
Just a little proviso...OP has not said what caused the lameness so should think carefully about lunging as while yes, it's brilliant to get rid of excess energy, if it was say, a soft tissue problem then you are making it worse for the horse.

I am bringing my 6 year old back into work after 6 weeks off as he managed to really hurt himself getting tangled with a hay net. Has the all clear now from the vet but I am walking him out only for the next 2 weeks and will not be lunging until I can be sure his tendons are good and strong again. He too will find ways of amusing himself so I am schooling him in walk, long and low, slow leg yield, half halts, moving away from my seatbone etc etc. incidentally I found that he has dropped a lot of top line and my saddles don't fit properly after only 6 weeks so he is currently sporting a thick sheepskin pad to take up the slack while his back muscles up.

I have one of the kindest youngsters out but he is sharp and he will take control if he thinks I am not and this is what works for is.
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He badly cut his leg in the field but the vet is happy he is sound to be ridden again. She said to take things slowly as he has been out for sometime. I will call her tomorrow and ask about lunging. Will look at his saddle again as you say your horse has lost a lot of muscle in 6 weeks I have the bates saddle so easy enough to change the gullet if need be.

To be honest he caught me off guard because I really expected him to kick off when I first got on but he was as good as gold until we stopped at the top of the field. By that point I was probably too comfortable and not expecting his lunatic outburst like yours he is sharp and seen the opportunity to take control of this boring walk. Really think setting up a small paddock and taking things slow will help. Thanks agin for taking the time to reply.
 
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