Broncing/bucking when first on

[maya2008]

How is your friend asking to walk on? And will the horse walk on fine leaning over? I start with polos/pony treats/food for any nervous ones. Rider on, stand in front just enough they need to move to get the food, wait. No pressure, nothing to have a moment about. Step forwards gets the treat. Then I move again, offer another treat. More steps each day.

 

[LEC]

Just send it back whatever you do is going to cost money that you shouldn’t have to spend - vet, or professional to sort behaviour/training hole. What’s the point? Shame for the horse but don’t fall down the feeling guilty or that you can be the only person to sort it out after months/years of £££

 

[Goldenstar]

Send it back it’s not your friends problem yet if she keeps it it will be .

 

[irishdraft]

I wouldn't say it was a young horse thing, I've backed young horses before and they haven't gone into one when I've asked them to move forward. It could be something simple but personally as the horse is on trial I would send back.

 

[JGC]

Honestly, there are so many reasons that a horse might do this, and so many could be physical. People can spend years addressing these kind of problems, sometimes to no avail. Send back.

 

[nagblagger]

I would send back, however, is she tightening the reins as soon as she gets on, if so let horse have his head and walk a couple of steps before contact. This would take a lot of nerve considering what the horse has shown it can do, and i wouldn't be able to do it.
i only say this as once, when i got on the 'moody mare' she reared and then bucked, when analysing what i had done differently as it was totally unexpected, (and terrifying) i had mounted with slightly shorter reins, which obviously she doesn't like. I now make a conscious effort to not have contact when mounting and (touch wood) she hasn't done it again. Every day's a learning day.
(previous history unknown and yes teeth etc have been checked)

 

[Ratface]

I think returning the horse to the dealer ASAP would be the safest course to take for both horse and potential buyer.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

How old and how recently backed and how many homes before the dealer?


Sounds to me like a half backed horse. Are they going to run bloods

 

[Slightlyconfused]

But also send back, plenty of others around

 

[MagicMelon]

I would ask the seller to come over and get them to get on it. See what happens then

 

[sjdress]

So the horse is going back. Friend absolutely gutted as worried she’s missed something that’s an easy fix, but equally doesn’t want to get hurt or be landed with a huge vet bill or unridable horse. Horse doesn’t buck and kick about on lunge so seems a really odd reaction to having a rider on, and as we said didn’t do it when trialled so confused by the whole thing.

 

[nagblagger]

Correct decision..

 

[Squeak]

That sounds like it's the right decision from everything you've said. I hope your friend finds the right horse for them soon.

 

[Nasicus]

So the horse is going back. Friend absolutely gutted as worried she’s missed something that’s an easy fix, but equally doesn’t want to get hurt or be landed with a huge vet bill or unridable horse. Horse doesn’t buck and kick about on lunge so seems a really odd reaction to having a rider on, and as we said didn’t do it when trialled so confused by the whole thing.

That's the right thing to do. It's one thing to go down the investigative rabbit hole for a problem horse you've paid for via a private sale and are stuck with, but if you've got the opportunity to send it back and find something else then you'd be mad not to do it.

 

[AmyMay]

So the horse is going back. Friend absolutely gutted as worried she’s missed something that’s an easy fix, but equally doesn’t want to get hurt or be landed with a huge vet bill or unridable horse. Horse doesn’t buck and kick about on lunge so seems a really odd reaction to having a rider on, and as we said didn’t do it when trialled so confused by the whole thing.

As said upthread, the easiest thing to do would have been to get original rider and tack on the horse - which would have made it pretty clear if there was a problem or not.

But in the absence of that, absolutely the right thing to return it.