Bucking Horse! Any further Suggestions?

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xXShelleyBXx

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My IrishX is 10yrs old and i've owned her now for over 3 years.
I brought her from a dealer who'd not had her long and didn't know a great deal about her back ground, all that she knew was that she was imported from Ireland 2 weeks prior to me viewing her.
I brought her, although slightly green and nappy, she had three gorgeous paces, a good natural outline, looks and was a real sweetie.
Little did i know...my mare soon started putting on weight, which on calling the Vet out - turns out she was expecting!!

Since the birth and the weaning...which went amazingly well and the foal was good as gold - i brought my mare slowly back into work. However, she has bucked with my sister and i on several occassions having us off pretty much every time. I've had her teeth done, her back and had the saddle fitter out, buying her a nice and comfy new saddle! Yet she still bucks every now and then, and its always in canter.

I've had someone look at her and they suggested changing her Pelham bit to a Gag to encourage her forward and use more leg. She said that there was nothing wrong with my mare, its merely that she likes to take the piss out of me and i let her! But having knocked my confidence, its hard to fight with her!
She suggested that i had to start getting my mare to do what i asked of her, no matter how long it took (shes stubborn, and can take a while to produce canter, she just swishes her tail alot!! and tries to pull her head down!!!) but i have to keep pushing her forward until she does what she is asked, which she eventually does. She just needs encouraging and patience.

Any further suggestions?
I'm trying my Gag on her later tonight to see whether she goes any better, thats if it stops raining!!!
I'll get more confident with her...shes doing well so far, i just don't enjoy being slung to the floor anymore!!
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I would get a second opinion on her back. Sounds very like my mare who has pelivs problems after foaling. If this is the case you'll need her back done on a regular basis whle her muscle builds up. If she's unwilling to canter it really suggests her back I'm afraid.

Good luck.
 
Yeah, i do feel that it is her back as whilst the saddle fitter was out, he felt across her back and she twitched down one side. He said that it was nothing to worry about, but i feel as though she twitched through discomfort. I know my Mare!!!
 
I'd get the vet to look at her before you get her back checked. Explain the problems you are having and get them to have a good look at her. If there isn't anything wrong with her back but something else is wrong, you could do more harm than good by having a physio or similar before the vet. I hope you get her sorted
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We lightly hacked her whilst she was in foal....she did throw a few in, but we took this as a sign that it was best to probably stop riding her. She started bucking at about 9 months gone...we didn't do too much and my sister and i are both light.
 
Thank you both...

I'm having the vet out soon.. so i'll ask then.
She seems healthy in every other way...but you can't always be sure.
Shes playful in the field...always greets me with a whiney and often canters over if shes the other side of the paddock.
She excitable, so it could just be in her nature to throw in a buck here and there...i jut wish she could speak to me about it!!! Haha!! Wouldn't life be so much easier...for her and me!
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Of course it's always possible that she was put in foal by someone because she couldn't be ridden for some reason. Having read your initial post again, I'd definitely get the vet to have a good look at her.
 
I think the foal was an accident.

The dealer didn't tell me she was in Foal....i don't think she even knew herself and surely the import from Ireland whilst in Foal is a bad idea due to stress?

But i will ask The Vet.
 
I would agree with all the above. Start with the vet, to rule out other things, but vets aren't experts on backs! Get a different back person, just so you have another opinion, and treat anything that turns up so you know there is no pain or discomfort issue. I have a back man who does Equine Touch as well, so can use which therapy he thinks is best in the circumstances.

BUT, it rather sounds to me as though there might be an element of "fun." Can you tell before she is about to buck? Does she take a deep breath, give a little sqeal, etc? If so, THAT is the moment to yell in her ear "NO - BAD GIRL" and growl at her. Some horses don't reaslise that they are not supposed to buck, as they have never been told. ~Also horses don't like being yelled at, so it might be enough of a distraction and let you take a defensive position as well.

Generally the advice is to try and pull their heads up and sit up in the saddle and drive them forward with your legs.

But I think you will find that if you have a horse that has started to buck and didn't before, then there is some discomfort somewhere. Finding it can be the difficult thing. Good luck.
 
She doesn't buck every time i ride her...although I can tell when she's going to do it...but it all happens so fast i often find it hard to keep her head up. She swishes her tail, blows through her nostrils, goes all fancy and throws her head down.
Her ears sometimes fly back...which to me seems as though she is in discomfort.

I have been advised to keep pushing her forward and talking to her for a distraction with plenty of praise when she canters without fault. The pelham bit i have been using hasn't been helping either as its been pulling her in, rather than pushing her forward. The person i saw also suggested attaching something to my saddle so that if she does buck, i have more to hold onto, to avoid falling.

But i do agree with the Vet and Back check.

Thank you.
 
Tail swishing usually indicates back pain in my experience. The back should react to touch but not spasm.

I would have the vet out.
 
She sounds just like my mare. I'd firstly get the vet. And a back person (a different one). As you ay she doesn't buck everytime you ride her, could you monitor it and see if the bucking is related to her seasons?
My mare is IrishX and used to buck in canter, I have put it down to a number of reasons:
- She was always worse when coming into season, she is now on a supplement and doesn't come into season.
- Her pelvis has always been slightly unlevel, she's reguarly seen by an excellent back person and I accept that canter is harder for her.
- She has a very broad back and although her saddle was a x-wide fitting it wasn't designed for a broad horse. Her new saddle is, and it has a very wide gullet which sits far off either side of her spine. I'm sure the other saddle was pressing on her spine, possibly due to it being tipped because of uneven pelvis.

She now hasn't bucked in months (yay) and her canter is very forwards, no ears back and she will also stand still to let me get on!
 
this sounds just like my horse, who bucks out of excitement, he will often start when i finsih a jumping round, and if i ever go for a fast canter across open fields. he used to do a couple of small bucks going into canter pretty much every time, and because i could sit to it, i let him get away with it, until i took him to a show once and he bucked once then kept on going, left me sprawled in middle of practice arena. after that i made a concerted effort to make sure he knew bucking wasn't ok, and he's much better now.
HOWEVER, my boy has always done it (he bucked when i tried him 5 years ago), and it does sound suspicious that your mare started when she was quite heavily in foal and has carried it on. i would agree with everyone saying get the vet out, its better to be safe than sorry!
 
My mare also has a broad back...although her saddle sits fine on her and shes been going better with it, just still like to throw in the odd buck!
Shes very mareish, doesn't often come into season though, only when Geldings are about and thats not often as where i keep my horses there is only enough grazing for my two mares.
Shes quite spooky and fizzy. Perhaps i could give her something to un-nerve her??

But i will call the Vet. I don't like thinking of her being in pain!
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She's fine with rugs, although used to be a bit spooky with the initial chuck on, but doing it up and fitting is fine. Girthing does not bother her and she loves being groomed. She'd stand for hours being brushed.
 
Gags can increase bucking due to the poll pressure.

I realised mine was buckin gas his bridle was too tight across his poll, so I've bought a decent bridle which wont do this, and I'm tempted to get a poll pad or similar.
 
So when she bucks, do you think she is getting excited and saying "weeee" or getting Peed off and saying "get off my back" (ignore ears for time being).

I'd also use the Vet and not a back person, as being harsh, its in their interest to say there is something wrong so you can shell out £30+ per treatment each week.

So if you think its excitment and not pain, swap into a running gag (one with cheeks) to pick the head up, put a grab handle at the front of the saddle plaited baler twine does fine or you can pay for a fancy "balance strap"!

There is also a device called a buck stop if its persistent.

Finally if any of your friends have an aussie stock saddle, beg to borrow that, as its impossible to fall off from bucking with one of them.
 
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She's fine with rugs, although used to be a bit spooky with the initial chuck on, but doing it up and fitting is fine. Girthing does not bother her and she loves being groomed. She'd stand for hours being brushed.

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that's interesting because horses with back problems usually hate being rugged, or girthed or groomed. However my youngster who has just been diagnosed with KS didnt mind any of these (he loved being groomed and the hard the better on his back) yet he bucked in canter. He did it when he was a youngster but that was a balance issue. 2 years later he started doing it again - that's when I knew I had a problem.

Think first port of call is the vet. If you can rule out a pain issue then you can look to see whether it is tack/behaviour/training etc.
 
I do think her behaviour is more excitable than anything else. My sister went into canter before me, i pushed my mare on a little and she bombed off and threw in a buck. That was excitment....she'll do it it open fields or after a jump, never before. I feel she just needs me to tell her i'm the boss!! But seeing as i've got the Vet out soon for a health check and to do their teeth, i'll ask him to check over her back for me. At least i'll know.

Like CotswoldSJ said, i'd rather have the Vet see to her first as i don't want to get ripped off. I've nearly had that experience with a saddle fitter...told him where to go!! Haha. If the Vet suggests i get someone out to check her back i'll go by his suggestion...afterall he knows what he's on about.

You've all really helped though...and i appreciate you're time and patience...Thank you
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Bombing off and bucking and bucking after jumps are usually weeeeee bucks. If you watch international show jumping, a lot of those throw in bucks after the fences.

I'd definitely put a grab handle on - a neck strap is too far forward and will unbalance you, a grab handle pushes your weight in and allows you to stay on broncing babies!!!

However a pelham pushed the head down, and it much harder to pick up. So i'd deffo think about a running gag (not continental gags) to bring her head up a wee bit.
 
I read somewhere that a pelham rounding arrached to your D rings on your cantle makes a good grab handle.

Can you run first the palm of your hand, then just the tips of your fingers firmly all over her back/shoulders/legs/ribs/pelvis etc? Does she react in any way (grind teeth/nip/kick/swish tail, move away) or seem wary when you are in a particular area?

If there is a problem with her canter trasitions it may be that her confirmation or an ache/pain makes canter harder for her, and bucks can sometimes be their way of trying to balance themselves. Does she always go on the correct leg? Does she find one rein a lot harder than the other? Can she move freely without a rider or tack on?
 
I haven't read other posts but when I bought my ISH he bucked us all off and like yours always in canter. It turned out he had physical problems with his poll and shoulder which after treatment were fine.

Maybe your mare needs something realigning after the birth.
 
She is fine in every other aspect and when i take my hands across her back, shoulders, withers etc she doesn't flinch or move away. The saddle fit pushed down near her withers however and she had a little spasm down one side, but she's not done it since.

I've had several different opinions on her riding, with several different people riding her (two who work with problem horses) and they all say that she knows what she is doing. I suspect that she has done dressage at some point in her life as she pulls off dressage moves without even being asked, she does a lot of collected work, especially in trot when she gets excited or anxious. She brings in her neck and looks the part. But i do feel that she has had a few foals also, so maybe these births have taken there toll on my poor mare back!!

I trust her in walk and trot - just not 100% in canter.

I've now got out on loan a running gag!!! I just need the rain to stop so i can go try it out on her...see how she goes with that.

Its all a big guessing game until i've got the Vet to check her out, But all opinions and advice are very helpful.
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I took my Mare out this morning for a very long hack...stopped at my OH's Mums house and did a bit of schooling at hers.....and i have to say that i have totally fallen in love with my horse again!!!

She went amazingly...i changed her bit to the gag and used a tight flash....she rode so differently without the Pelham!!! I gave her more rein, yet still had enough contact and she moved forward..rather than pulling herself back!! I was in trot for the majority of my hack and after schooling, i cantered her several times...with NO BUCKING!!! Not even an attempt to!!!

I hope i'm not speaking too soon....i've ridden her twice in this new bit and she feels like a different horse, i'm so pleased with her...but maybe i am speaking too soon!! haha...i'm just really chuffed! Even popped her over some jumps and she loved it...when i went to walk away she tried turning to go back for more jumping!!

No bucks, tails swishes - Nothing!! Her head was up and ears pricked forward all the time!

Maybe i'm getting ahead of myself...but shes improved a lot...so i gave her extra TLC and treats for tea!!
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