Bucking horse ;-) Youngster help needed..!!

SatansLittleHelper

SatansLittleHelper

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 December 2011
Messages
5,790
Location
Shropshire
Visit site
Hi everyone I have a 4 year old ID x Sports Horse who has recently been returned to me after being professionally broken in and schooled. (This was a couple of weeks ago) The guy who did this said he was fab and showed a fantastic natural jumping ability (His Sire is a Grade A Showjumper- Secret Rumour, Dam is a pure ID). Anyhow I have had a few issues going on and consequently have only had chance to ride him a couple of times since he came home (he lives out 24/7 with my other horses). Yesterday I tacked him up and got on and within two seconds flat he bucked me straight off reslulting in me being stretched to A&E with a back injury..!!! Im fine, nothing broken just very sore..!!!
Anyways, his tack all fits fine and his teeth were just done. A few people have said this can just be a baby horse thing or maybe his saddle pinched etc...just wondered if anyone else has had similar experiences with baby horses..?? It hasnt worried me, although I shall be a little more cautious when Im ok to get back on. Im a little worried that he will now have two weeks without being ridden and I dont want to end up back at square one after all the hard work that was put into him :-(
 
If he's just been backed its probably not the best idea to give him two weeks off and then just hop on. He may not be used to that. I would lunge him for 10 mins for the first few times and then get on. Young horses need consistency and will behave much better if you can do this.
 
Im going to have no choice but to leave him doing nothing for at least a week now as my back is really hurt. After that I will be able to start lunging him every day for a week and then start riding again...do you think he will be ok with this..??
 
He's a baby and only just been broken in,wise after the fall but you should have lunged him first for 10-15 mins then got on him, so go back to square one, and restart slowly.:)
 
The guy who broke him in didnt say anything about lungeing him first, just that he has been very good. However, lesson learned..!!! I will start lungeing him as soon as Im able to move properly lol...ooops :o
 
Plenty lunging and if you can longrein him while you can't ride it will keep him ticking over and in your way of thinking, when you lunge him make sure saddle is on and stirrups are down flapping on his sides so he's feels them
 
Personally I would'nt lunge a youngster! it only gets them fit!, it does not make then safe to get on! I would play with him on a 12ft line with his saddle on and see if he bucks and then if he doesn't, proceed with lots of advance and retreat getting on him whilst he is very calm and not bothered, then I would probably get on and off a few times before walking him around on a long rein, and not giving him anything to brace against. Depending on his type of nature/personality it may not be a good idea to leave him a week and the just get on and go, thats a lot for any young horse, I would think. Mine was recently backed and I have ridden him every week 3 times, or if the weather has been bad , tacked him up and played with him online for half an hour before just getting on sitting for a min or two and asking him to do a few revolutions, then getting off. That keeps the consistancy going and its not really like you are commiting to really riding just keeping him ticking over. if you can't ride because of injury , as other have said, lay over him and praise him when he is calm.
 
Last edited:
YES!
I had this EXACT incident on my baby, I backed him myself and he was a complete sweetie for the most part.
Now then he got a kick in the field in his shoulder, I left him for 4 days before riding so that it wouldn't cause any problems. It wasn't directly where his saddle sat however it was quite close and I didn't want to cause him any pain, especially with him being a baby.
But anyway, on the fourth day I decided to ride as all the swelling had gone and there was only a superficial cut left. So I brought him out of his stable and hopped on as normal, no sooner had my bum touched the saddle when he did a HUGE bronc and took off. I hadn't even had chance to gather my reins, I stayed on for the bronc but then not much after he took off, sadly it's hard to sit to a speeding horse when you have no reins or stirrups and you were on their neck :o
This all happened on concrete too so it was a rather painful experience!

Basically what had happened was although the swelling had reduced he had a large area of bruising which went under the saddle, and when my (very slim and lady like ;)) bum touched the saddle it put pressure on the shoulder, causing him to have a huge hissy fit which I was massively unprepared for!

Sadly even the most experienced of us get caught out!

He never did it before and hasn't done it since, so if I were you I wouldn't rule out any pain. Also if he hasn't been ridden in 2 weeks it could just be excitement?
 
Lunging will only get a horse fit if you keep at them over a few weeks with plenty trotting! If you lunge your horse before you get on your getting they're back down and giving them the oppertunity to buck and feel the girth around them! Its the safest thing you can do not unsafest :)
 
With a newly backed youngster, I'd always lunge before getting on until I knew exactly what they were about!! I'd ust lunge for a day or two without getting on and then on the third day, lunge and get on for a walk around an build it up from there ;)

The change in routine probably took him by suprise and unnerved him. If he hadn't been ridden at home before he was probably a bit shocked TBH!
 
Op, perhaps the trainer didn't mention lunging him as he was riding him everyday, this is vastly different than getting on his back after a week off, I personally wouldn't lunge him everyday, as someone else said, this only gets them fitter! ;) but I would lunge prior to riding to defizz, give him an opportunity to get rid of his gremlins before you get on. At this point in time the person who knows his ridden temperament best is not us behind our keyboards or you, it's his trainer who backed him for you, if I were you I'd give him a quick call and run it by him. He will probably give you some pointers, I also know that many trainers use their own saddles for backing, so yours may feel different. Finally, knock out any hard feed (if he's getting any) and ensure decent turnout together with a routine, mine is currently in at day and out at night, I know this suits him far better than being out 24/7. Good luck
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top