Bucked off - again. Ideas please!

[emmab13]

I've got a horse who works HARD all winter, earns his keep being hired out, hunts at least once a week and is amazing in every way. He'll hunt hounds, fieldmaster, gate-shut, the lot.

In the summer he's earned his holiday. The problem comes when we get him up for the winter. He spends a week walking on the walker with his saddle on, then we lunge him before I get on the first few times, then he starts getting fit. He's been in work 6 or seven weeks, and I thought he'd grown up finally (previous years he's had me off two or three times by now).

Today I was hacking out, jumped a little fence to get into the galloping field, cantered round there for ten minutes, jumped the fence back out, landed, took two strides then he rodeoed and I dropped off. There is no point trying to stay on him once he starts, I did use to make the effort, but just gave myself whiplash and a broken finger, it hurts less falling off on your arse!

He's normally perfect in every way once he's had two or three days hunting with me, but I've got too many to hunt and daren't put anyone else on him until he's got his good boy pants on!
Obvs he has his MOT when he comes up, so all usual things are fine. Any ideas, or does he just have a sense of humour?
PS he is still living out 24/7 with haylage, only comes in for a ride and a feed!

 

[Echo Bravo]

I'd say a very devious sense of humour

 

[kerilli]

there is something on the market called a 'buckstop', might be worth trying on him?
i've had a couple of horses like this and it is not fun at all. i find yelling "NO" while yanking their head up, if you can do it fast enough before the full-on rodeo starts, does work... usually...
hope he gets into Good Boy mode asap for your sake!

 

[noblesteed]

Sounds like he is excited!!!! Mine is a naughty bucker sometimes, usually when grass is good and weather is cool, and we haven't jumped or bombed about for a while.
I find hauling him round on a small circle as soon as he starts works very well, he can;t keep bucking on a small circle. then make him keep cantering in a tiny circle, all the while kicking on and giving a darn good telling off! Make sure he is well tired out before riding on as before. It doesn't stop mine completely, he still does it the ODD time but we have gone to about once or twice a year now. And most importantly I no longer fall off!
I guess it depends how easy it would be for you to haul him round in a small circle, mine is 15.1 so not so much horse to haul at!