bucking horse

S

serena2005

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 April 2006
Messages
1,971
Location
London
Visit site
Im getting a bit fed up with my bucking horse. the last 2 times iv ridden (quite a while inbetween each ride) iv been thrown off 3 times. the last time was 2 days ago I thought since he hasnt been ridden in about a month id free school him then just sit on him walk him round a bit to build my confidence, and to get him ready for getting back in to work.

I thought be brave! i got on and he felt fine he walked 2 steps and i felt his back go up, didnt really have enough time to prepare andwas trying to think of what my instructor told me to do, but my reins were to long and he just bronked me off. i did stay on an extra buck than usual. I know i should have got back on but i just couldnt bring myself to do it.

i dont know what to do with him, im seriously thinking about finding one of those natural horsemanship people to come and sort him out.
Iv always liked having a challenage for a horse but he's beating me!!

any advice would be great thanks!
smile.gif
 
He sounds very cold backed, and those types of horses are best in regular work.
The best way to deal with them is to lunge for a few turns, then lean across them for a while, then ride.
As for learning to sit them, the best way is to avoid it all in the first place. As soon as you feel them do anything lean forward and take your weight off the back. It goes against all natural instinct, but you can teach yourself to do it.
 
i free schooled him before i got on. im feeding him up at the mo because he lost a lot of weight, and hes got way too much engery, iv started to cut his feed down now.

we went down the cold back route before, and id spend a good 20mins warming him up before asking for anything. but for example i warmed him up and he was working lovely asked for canter and he took off on the wrong leg and went i go go back to trot and canter again he would still go off on the wrong leg, so i made him canter on the wrong leg (probably my fault for trying to teach him a lesson when i was in a bad mood) on a circle and he bucked me off, he knows how to get me off and if he doesnt like something i want him to do he will just get rid of me
 
My horse hunches his back if he hasn't been ridden in a while, so I give him a quick lunge just to let him get used to the feeling of the saddle on his back again. I assume you've had his back and saddle checked? If he's lost a lot of weight or muscle tone over his back maybe he's a bit uncomfortable. I would take things steady with him and build up his work gradually, and try to get some muscle built up.
 
If you've had his back and saddle checked, I'd get someone experienced to come and start him again for you (not breaking, but going back to basics). You said you were hoping to restore your confidence, but having not been ridden for while, he'll be looking to take his confidence from you, and he has to know that you are in charge (not in a nasty way, but knowing that you are the leader and he is the follower). An experienced, confident rider will be able to give him this leadership, but should be able to tell you whether it's a temperament/pain/cold backed issue.

"Feeding him up" letting him have lots of time off and being less than confident sounds like a recipie for disaster I'm afraid.
 
[ QUOTE ]
so i made him canter on the wrong leg (probably my fault for trying to teach him a lesson when i was in a bad mood) on a circle

[/ QUOTE ]

Hiya, please don't take this the wrong way but I'm not sure that making him canter on the wrong leg will teach him anything beneficial. If you don't bring him back to trot and try to get him on the correct leg then he'll just assume your aids are asking him to canter on the wrong leg.
Remember that the whole point is to try and get the horse working for you. If you're "teaching it a lesson" because you're in a bad mood then you're automatically working against him.
As for the bucking thing, it does sound like he's overfed and underworked. Cutting his feed back and letting him get his bucking and squealing done on the lunge before you get on might help spare your bruises. Good luck, I really hope you find a solution and form a happy partnership.
 
Sounds like a case of cold backed. Which is either lack of trust or pain. Have his back checked, Saddle too *Please strech his legs after doing the girth so there no pinching that can help* And get his teeth rasped. Then you know its a mind thing over a pain thing.
Back to basics!
I would start by lunging him in the saddle *no gadgets* to give him a chance to relax under the saddle then once his relaxed and streching under the saddle through his back in a relaxed way *with stirrups flapping on his sides too* Bring him in to the middle of the school *this way he won't feel enclosed* Have a confident and calm person to be by his head and bring a mounting block to his side, Mount the mounting block and stroke him on his back so hes ok with you there and then start slapping the saddle seat, then jump up and down beside him *He may move at any time, do let him then stoke him and move to his side again he'll learn moving gets him no were* Once he confident with that *not moving* Lean over his back and reward him *he might move to reajust wieght* Once confident with that slip your foot into the stirrup and slide your leg over. Take a step forward with her helper by his side and reward any willing-ness. Take a few stirdes and dis mount. Build up from this. The best way like said is not let him want to buck and build from what hes accepted. Thats how I have got my lad from not letting even the pros on his back to us doing it all and our first xc next month! Including the months of creacting a bond *Grooming and spending time with him say in his field helps this*
 
thanks for all your comments.

i had his teeth done in december, i asked his physio the last time she was out (about a month ago) to check his back as i was a bit concerned about his saddle and she could find anything wrong.

his saddle was refitted last year his owner is buying a new one soon hopefully, as you feel very "perched" on top when you ride him.

Prilly: he has put all the weight back on now and more, the saddle did look quite low on his withers, when he lost the weight, but looks much better now hes not so boney.
im not really sure what to do with him, i free school, lunge with and without tack, sometimes a possa. and im going to do some pole work soon.
im not allowed to do any work on hard ground yet as hes recovering from hoof problems (he is sound)

Virtual: i totally agree with getting someone experienced and confident to ride him, but then i feel bad putting someone else at risk.
this is the same reason his owner gave him to me in the first place.
im feeding him up and letting him have loads of time off because he lost the weight from a liver condition, then this problem with his feet come up, before then he was in full work, thats where im hoping to get back to.

lone ranger: i was having a bad day with him, i know i was being stupid, i know it wasnt teaching him anything good, i did bring him back to trot time and time again, hes a stuborn bugger and finds it easier to lead with his stronger leg so if he can do it he does. i just lost my rag and shouldnt have done. but hey i was the one that got taught the lesson.
i cant seem to make him buck and squeal on the lunge, he just canters roung non stop. hes never really done it about from out in the field and when im riging of course!! ha ha

forget me not: streatching legs point. i do always do this as he has alot of spare skin round his girth area. but i have noticed when i streatch the near front he leans back and bends the other one as if hes going down, iv let go before he has actually got down but he did brake the tip up string the other day when i done it... hhmm
i think i will have to go back to basics. i was thinking about riding bare back then i will know if it the saddle or not. but im pretty sure its him being a b$%&*£d more than anything else.
with have a very good on the ground relationship, i usually take him in the indoor school and play games with him and he follows me around.
i spent all last summer walking him out in hand becuase he couldnt be ridden then. hes still not confident out on the roads without another horse but his trust has grown with me.

when i first fell off and told his owner she then told me he has a thing for doing that and to basically beat him up for it. everytime hes thrown me off iv never hit him afterwards but iv noticed when i go to catch him, he flinches away from me, as soon as i get back on hes al ready hunched up.

thanks you for your comments
smile.gif
 
I've got no advise I'm afraid but I can symathise, my mare has started bucking going into canter (not everytime but enough) she has had me off twice now doing this
blush.gif
luckily only in the school but its still infuriating. My little madam though just stops dead when you come off, looks at you and I swear she grins
wink.gif
Good luck and I hope you sort it out soon
 
When my youngster was having trouble cantering on the right lead I found that tapping (not smacking) him on the inside shoulder when I asked for canter helped. Not sure I'd recommend it if your horse is sharp but worth a go if it settles.
 
Hiya

As said above he does sound a bit cold backed, one thing that a cold backed horse at my yard hates is when people get on him from the ground he reaction isnt as severe but he shows a dislike. Do you use a mounting block or get on from the ground sounds simple but worth a try????????
 
Make sure your pulling his leg straight and up. I was taught to pull horses inside leg and turn his head inside and then he lays down. A good warm up will have the same effect.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Is this the same horse that had the bad feet?

[/ QUOTE ]

The reason I ask this is that a horses feet will have a HUGE impact on the horses way of going, muscles etc. If it IS the same horse then it's poor foot balance previously will have led to muscles being developed/weakened in all the wrong places... now that his feet are improving he will be carrying himself differently and using different muscles which might be quite sore/uncomfortable. He'll be changing shape... etc

It sounds to me like he is in pain and given his last checks were a while ago I would deffo get him checked again.

But, ignore all that if I have the wrong horse!
 
Its interesting you say that he doesnt do it on the lunge and also interesting that you feel 'perched on the saddle'. I think the bucking could be related to his feeling uncomfortable with the weight of a rider sitting on a not very good fitting saddle. Can you get a saddle fitter out to check it? If its all wrong then maybe that would get the owner thinking of changing the saddle sooner rather than later. From my (recent) experience of buying a new horse and thinking that I was buying the saddle she was usually ridden in (it wasnt, it was one the owner wanted to offload) I can vouch for horses bucking if they feel uncomfortable!! Once you have this checked out and are sure his back isnt sore you could try riding in grass reins for a while as it will prevent him getting his head down too much and hence give you a chance. But I dont think you should use these unless you are really sure he is not in pain.
 
please please get another saddler to check him - ty bucked me off last winter and would ALWAYs buck going into canter. my saddle had been checked so we didn't think it was that. My tack got nicked and I got a new saddle and he hasn't bucked with me in 3 months!

If you're surrey way, PM me and I'll send you the number of an excellent saddler xx
 
i get on from the ground as its impossible to get any where near him when standing on a mounting block.

Izt- it is the same horse with the feet problems, thanks for the advice i will be giving them all a ring to come and give him a once over, the vet is up tomorrow.

im talking to his owner later on tonight about getting the saddler out asap.

thanks stimpy, i had his owners saddler check him last year, but i think ill insist on having my one, who is brilliant never had a problem with other horses tack.

thanks for all your help, my wonderfull instructor is going to see him tomorrow
smile.gif
hope she doesnt ask me to get on!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top