Bucking mare

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showjumpingfilly

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I'll try not to let this get long but after some advice, if possible please, on a mare i am having real trouble with bucking!

Bit of history:

Had her since end of summer last year and bought off a friend who buys them from abroad. Had the odd buck with her owner at shows but didnt seem a massive problem and i fell in love with her. Although she did have to be lunged every morning at away shows when in 24/7. Tried her out a few times with no bucks or problems so bought her after passing 5* vetting. Kept her at same yard for a bit and rode and went to shows with my friend/mares old owner. Did well no probs apart from a lot of bucking after she stayed in for a couple of days 24/7 so she came home. She wasnt any trouble, the odd buck but
Just put it down to her nature and the fact she'd lived out quite a bit before and now she was in at night.
The week after xmas took her to a
3 day show - she bucked and bronced in the warm up and ditched me at the bottom of a fence in the ring. Elim at same fence in 2nd class. 2nd day terrible warming up so just trotted to fences and went in - ballooned everything for a very slow clear in a step up class for her. Called it a day and didnt jump 3rd day as she was hideous to warm up, top riders squealing well sat wasnt my idea of fun. Trainer (mares old owner) thought she would be better if lunged first but we decided on a plan for when home)
I then had terrible health problems and didnt see let alone ride her for at least a month, so she got away with all her naughty behaviour. Eventually tried to lunge then get back on and she was still naughty so she went back to friend for schooling. They basically just plonked her out and told me to gallop her forwards whenever she felt like she might buck. I had another bout of bad illness so only had the odd ride and she wasnt bucking. She was also put on regumate at the time. Eventually she came home as i was fed up with how she was being treated (or not as the case may be!)
Started off well and then went downhill again. Decided she seemed a bit stiff if in overnight and ridden in morning so switched to riding after turnout and she was better and came on a lot. The odd buck but nothing drastic until i tried to take her to a show and she bucked me off. Put it down to a the early ride thing and not stretched enough so really cracked down on her. Took her off the regumate and she was a lot better. Hacked her to a school hire and she reared up at everything and was a general pig so had to lead most of the way but was an angel there, jumping amazingly.
Took her to her first show in months the next week (a big class i'd qualified her for) as knew id regret not going but had no expectations as it was a huge ask for her. Well she jumped out of her skin for a slow but lovely clear. All smiles thinking id cracked her after 40 mins warming up!!
Gave her a few days off as a well done and ended up not riding her for about 2 weeks due to wet weather/pulled shoes etc. Got back on and she was moody but not awful, and again the next time. Boxed her up to a school hire with a friend just for fun, nothing serious. She warmed up quite sweetly, no sign of trouble. It suddenly hammered it down and ended up standing still as it was driving down towards us and i thought it unfair to ride her into it. Rain stipped so picked up contact again and thats when she started, huge bucks and broncs all over the show. Usually only bucks in canter but eventually she was light in front and reluctant to go forward in trot. When stood she was kicking out and i thought it was the water running over her sides and belly so leapt off and gave her a wipe over. Got back on and just as bad, so trotted her round and jumped a couple of bottom hole jumps and put it down to her being cold/cheesed off about being wet as she does generally dislike the rain/waiting in all morning. Next day rode her first thing, was still bucking on right rein but made her give in and as soon as she did i got off and she went out. Tried to ride her the following evening after a day out in the field and she was horrendous. Bucking and broncing. I tried really pushing her forwards and she bucked when slowed up, lunged her then got back and still the same.
So i'm at a loss as to what to do. I have no help but am trying my best. I love her and don't want her to go but need some ideas as to what to do when she bucks so she learns she cant do
It and she hasnt got away with it.

She's a 5 year old full wb, and has had a full health and tack check with no issues whatsoever, it is purely behavioural. Noticed tonight she has come into season but the regumate made her worse so not sure how much difference her seasons make.
 
Hi thanks, she has been checked recently for back and saddle (and teeth etc) and no issues were found but i am considering having her assessed by someone else to see if they can bring up anything different.
 
I think really the answer is that she needs to be worked out of bucking so much. If she used to live out and you say she is better after turn out can you not just let her live out or if not then as you have done try to ride after turn out. If this is not possible then lunge before you ride and before you go to show if you like rather than at the showground, and if a long warm up is what works for her I would do that. It also doesn't seem to help her not being in full work when you've had periods off from riding but that's life unfortunately, from what you've written she still seems to behave and be consistent when you bring her back into work, I really would just suggest lunging her before you do anything. Let her spin round and be silly for the first few mins until she's a little more tired and willing to listen, then lunge her while she's listenning for a few minutes working on transitions etc, then get on her.
 
It could be worth considering a muscular condition such as ESPM - it seems when your mare is stiff/cold she behaves her worst - like traveling to a show or being kept in over night.
Or perhaps consider ulcers??

If neither of those fit the bill, I would be inclined to get your vet to take bloods and also examine her overies, I know regumate did nothing/made her worse, but she may have a cyst or something.

It really does sound like a pain reaction, some horses buck in exuberance/naughty - but it sounds like your young horse has started to buck more frequently, and before trying to school her out of it I would explore every route - for piece of mind and for her welfare.

Good luck, she sounds like she will be a cracking horse!!
 
Sounds like lack of routine if I'm honest. My mare is also a bucker, but will completely stop if worked regularly in a routine. She will also get annoyed if I stop/start her in an exciting environment and will show it by bucking! Eg I go wrong in a dressage test, stop, then get going again, she will buck when we get going again, but wouldn't have done it if we'd carried on... I also ignore her when she does buck, as telling her off makes her worse, she is just kept working throughit with lots if transitions and hard work until she is back on side, and she then settles :) by all means get her fully worked up by a vet, but routine and quiet consistent work is he key with mine.
 
Im with Katb - to me it sounds like shes screaming out that she wants a stable routeen - some horses need this, others are fine if left for a few weeks etc. Make a plan with her at the beginning of each week and stick to it regardless of the weather!

I would however suggest having her back xrayed if it hasnt been done in the last year just to rule out KS, and think about getting her scoped for ulcers. Those would be the two major tests I would do before pressurising her too much.
 
Have you had her ovaries scanned? Cheap and quick and may answer your questions or rule out something more underlying which could cause eratic behaviour in mares.
 
Hi thanks for all your replies.

She has already had several of your suggestions but i will forward them all to my vet and get his opinion!

I am swayed towards it being behavioural through lack of routine as mentioned by some
Of you.

Sometimes it has been unavoidable (couldnt get out of bed let alone the house) and sometimes ive taken it for granted that she was going well and let her have too long off.

She is living out atm as weather too hot for stables but will come
In if the weather changes as she's a skinny minny at the best of times.

I have ridden her this week. The first session was mainly trotwork and poles as it was still so muggy and the flies weere about. Second session i did lots and lots
Of trotwork before asking her to canter. She still bronced on a couple of transitions but instead of stopping her walking her trotting and asking again, i sent her straightforwards and settled and got on with it. Cue happy me and pats for her.

I think on top of routine needing changing I need to change my approach to schooling and if vet continues to give all clear then crack on and make her behave!!

Going to hack out and possibly bath her this afternoon if the weather holds!!
 
She's a mare! She needs routine, consistent riding and to get her head in gear. Let her live out, ad lib haylage and good rugs, access to shelter and to be honest any horse will live out. Then crack on, ride her forwards stop pussy footing about in trot and make her work through in the canter. She dosent sound bad just needs strong riding.
 
She doesnt live out well, however much hayelge and feed she gets unfortunately, believe me I've tried. And she does have good rugs, and plenty of them.
 
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