bucking and spinning and napping

[Digger123]

New horse had him six months and he starts being naughty. Doesn't do it every time he has ridden and its very random as to when it happens. He's ridden in a Neule schule verbinand . Teeth have been done back checked and new saddle fitted. Today's incident happened after we had been in the school for an hour. My friend and I had walked up to the doors of the indoor school and stopped. Her mare flinched at something and that set him off. He napped to the right spun round several times tried to buck but I managed to get his head up. He spun again but I realised that I wasn't going to stay on and made an involuntary dismount.
I realise that he may be testing me but I am at a loss as to what to do next. He doesn't do it all the time and he's as good as gold normally. He's just eroding my confidence bit by bit.

 

[Elsbells]

You've had him 6 months and the honeymoon is over, he's found his feet and is trying to call the shots and if your not offering him a variety of things to do together he's maybe getting bored too. I don't know about anyone else but an hour in the school going around and around would put me in a spin and I'd want to go home as well.
I think you'll just have to ride him through it. Get to know your horse and read the signs. Try to stay ahead of him, he's a clever boy no doubt.

Good luck with him.

 

[be positive]

There is not much in your post to go on but normally behaviour such as today's would be put down to a combination of not enough work or variety of work, not enough turnout and too much feed, it could be a combination of them all or just one but it sounds like a fresh horse being sharp when he has an excuse however minor it seems to you, increase the work if you can, cut down any hard feed and hope for spring to arrive soon so he can be turned out 24/7, many horses go through this stage over winter, learning how best to manage them can take getting through the first winter unscathed!!

 

[AdorableAlice]

As above and if you have the time stick him on the lunge first, then hack him including some uphill and then take him in the school.

When he announces he is tired, do a bit more ! Hopefully the fields will dry, the sun will appear and all the fresh horses can go out and calm down.

 

[twiggy2]

There is not much in your post to go on but normally behaviour such as today's would be put down to a combination of not enough work or variety of work, not enough turnout and too much feed, it could be a combination of them all or just one but it sounds like a fresh horse being sharp when he has an excuse however minor it seems to you, increase the work if you can, cut down any hard feed and hope for spring to arrive soon so he can be turned out 24/7, many horses go through this stage over winter, learning how best to manage them can take getting through the first winter unscathed!!

great reply, I agree