bucking horse....

murphysmum123

murphysmum123

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Murphy is a monkey, we have been having lessons for about 2 months now (one a week) and are working together really well, the only thing i found is when we are working in the school or out hacking when we go from walk to trot or trot to canter on the right rein he will buck..... my instuctor thinks it's just him being excitable (he is only 5) just wondered if any one else has this. I know its not his tack or his teeth as these are up to date and my instructor checked his saddle and back, sometimes he won't do it at all! Does anyone else have this problem??:confused:
 
An instructor is not qualified or knowledgeable enough to check the saddle and the horses back, go and get a qualified chiropractor to check his back and a qualified saddle fitter to check the saddle.

Sounds like a pain response to me.
 
My horse does exactly that, unfortunately last time he did it I ended up on the floor with a broken arm and have had to have an operation only yesterday with 3 months recovery!

Apparently this is quite common in a horse where the saddle is pinching the shoulders going into upwards transition.

Personally I will be getting a saddle fitter (who is also master saddler otherwise I don't rate them) out when I am able to ride again and getting his teeth done as they are sort of due anyway. Mine is not 4 and a half yet but I hope getting these things sorted will help as I do not want to risk anymore painful injuries! May also get physio out but he is OK on lunge it seems so saddle is probably the issue.
 
It might just be lack of balance and falling onto his forehand in the transtion making him buck, but definately worth getting his saddle checked.
 
The horse I share also bucks on the right rein when he goes into canter - it is a combination of a few things:

1. His saddle didnt fit correctly (we have got that sorted now but he still bucks occasionally)
2. He has arthritis in his hocks, which makes him stiff through the back - hence he finds bending (circles, lateral work etc) difficult and he finds cantering on the right rein difficult too. So much so that he will often canter on the wrong leg when he is on the right rein to make it easier for himself.
3. He is an excitable horse, and likes to go as fast as he can in canter, so when I'm asking him to do something that he finds hard (canter on the right rein with some bend) he gets grumpy about it and does a couple of bucks as a protest.

Make sure you go down the pain route first, as there is normally always some sort of pain when a horse bucks. And make sure whenever you get your horse checked out it is by a professional, riding instructors are great for pointers and ideas, but always get a pro to look at your horse. So that means farrier, vet, physio and saddler - then you have covered all your pain options.

Once you have ruled that out, it is probably some stiffness and resistance. I dont think bucking is often due to excitment, after all what horse is going to be overcome with excitmement that you are schooling him. Fair enough if he bucked out on a hack, you could say that is excitement, but schooling? No way! You will be asking him to do something that he finds difficult, so he is resisting it and trying to tell you he doesnt like it. But persistance is the key, figure out what he is finding difficult and a way to overcome it.

I think it might be worth trying a new instructor, because if she is telling you its excitement I dont think she really knows what she is talking about. I had no idea why my horse was still bucking after sorting his saddle out, but once I started lessons with a good instructor she picked up immediately all the things that were wrong with him and what he was finding hard and why. She pointed out right away that he falls in to the left, he is stiff on the right rein, his back and hocks are stiff (I'd never told her about the artritis), he fights a lot of my requests to him because of all this....she opened my eyes to so much, and yes it is still a battle with him but we are getting there slowly!]

Good luck!
 
My horse can buck on the right rein too, especially going into canter.

I have had a vet, chiro, physio and saddler out and he still does it. My instructor has put it down to him being less balanced on that rein and finding the transition difficult. I am now doing a lot of lunge work which seems to be paying off.

He also likes to buck on fun rides and out hunting, but this is because he is just a cheeky monkey!!!!
 
who tacks him up???

maybe they have put the saddle on a bit to low?

and if a horse has his saddle too low, even a bit, he is more likely to buck. maybe that's why he doesn't do it all the time
 
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