Bucking out hacking

I

igglepop

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 January 2012
Messages
594
Location
essex
Visit site
Gelding i share keeps bucking out hacking when we start trotting or cantering when his friend gets too far ahead. Currently hacking in Shires Elastic Training Reins as it stops him doing giant bucks and 9 times out of 10 stop buck completely. Its not on tight so does not restrict but seems to calm him. I know this isn't ideal but its the safest option i have at the moment. If you have any ideas i would love the help. Teeth, saddle etc fine. He does have very small stride but he does not extend yet.
 
Most horses do not like being seperated from other horses when hacking out. Your horse shows this by bucking.

Common courtesy is that if you ride out with a group you keep to the speed of the slowest horse.

Suggest you ride out with more sensible people who do not go ahead of you or ride out by yourself.
 
My cob will buck on a hack with others if left behind, and can be a b**gger for doing it out hunting too.

My advise would be not to too hold him back - use the energy that he is building up for a buck to make him go forwards.

With mine if I am on a fun ride or hacking with a group, I always canter at/near the front if possible. Equally out hunting I never hunt at the back as is asking for trouble.

Mine never bucks out hacking on his own, so have no worries there at least!
 
Problem with going forward is the lady who owns both horses i share is nervous, will just about trot with a few strides of canter on a hack. He does a lot of work, so shouldn't be excess energy. He isn't on fizzy food, i just don't get it. Its getting to the point I'm nervous hacking out (nothing used to faze me) because i know if he does something it will be big and once he starts you can feel him like a tightly coiled spring waiting to go.
 
igglepop said:
Problem with going forward is the lady who owns both horses i share is nervous, will just about trot with a few strides of canter on a hack.
Click to expand...

If she's in front - then it doesn't matter if you push on.


He does a lot of work, so shouldn't be excess energy. He isn't on fizzy food, i just don't get it. Its getting to the point I'm nervous hacking out (nothing used to faze me) because i know if he does something it will be big and once he starts you can feel him like a tightly coiled spring waiting to go.
Click to expand...

No, he's just being a horse.
 
Also its not people going far ahead we are talking a single stride will do it. The lady i hack out with won't go more than say four stride as we chat we are not talking mile just a few meters.
 
igglepop said:
Also its not people going far ahead we are talking a single stride will do it. The lady i hack out with won't go more than say four stride as we chat we are not talking mile just a few meters.
Click to expand...

If he's being that stupid, give him a good kick in the ribs - and tell him to bloomin well get on with it.

And find someone else to ride out with.
 
Last edited:
I agree, push him forwards, make sure too that when he's walking he's going forwards not dawdling along & then suddenly exploding. If he has the energy to buck he can use it to carry himself instead.
 
I agree with pushing him on, it sounds like he might be trying it on.
Mine bucks out hacking when others in front of him move forwards and I have found that arguing with him is worse than letting him go. If I start arguing and fiddling then the bucking, going sideways etc starts, if I let him go (even for a couple of strides) and then ask him to come back he is fine.
 
He can't be hacked out by himself too flighty (cant even be in field on his own). Also tried kicking him on today and it resulted in more bucks. Looser rein just ends badly i have tried before. On the training reins he on very loosely so he can move a lot it just stops his head going between his knees and really chucking a buck (also i unclip them at intervals when we are walking as never a problem in walk). He hasn't been made to go fast on a hack for years as he used to be ridden by the ladys husband who can only walk and attempt trot, so i think is possibly be me. Also nobody else to hack out with as they are at her house which could explain the neediness he has.
 
Don't wait till he starts bucking, use your legs to keep him going forwards before he gets chance to think of bucking.
 
OK will try that thanks, if only it wasn't all mud, branches and bushes i wouldn't mind the buck so much, grass is just less painful to fall on. I have never found i was scared of bucking before. I know all horses do it, its just normally i can wok out why. He is so lazy normally i find it hard to believe its because he needs to gallop because last time i try tried gallop with him we managed a medium canter at best.
 
Being lazy actually makes sense & isn't all that uncommon to suddenly explode. He's putting no effort into going forward, then when there's sudden stimulation, eg other horse in front, he wakes up rapidly & has all this energy to get rid off. So if you wake him up before that, nice forward walk, forwards trot, his energy will already be doing something useful, rather than coming in a sudden rush when his companion gets ahead.
 
Sounds just like my boy when I first got him. He had been held back so much by previous owners that resentment kicked in immediately anyone cantered. He was so sure that he was going to be stopped he wouldn't even try to go - just bucked. Got round it in the end with Carl Hester trick. They must spring away immediately the leg goes on so you warm up in the school and suddenly clap leg on, (I yelled 'go' as well!) and reward any leap forward with lots of praise. Took quite a while but no longer bucks out hacking and loves the 'go' game in the school so much that I use it as a reward.
 
OK will try it, in the school he is quite good perhaps i should try and cantering in the field more to teach him manners at least that way there is nothing to fall on and no roads to worry about. Don't suppose any of you are in billericay and fancy a hack? you could be moral support.
 
He can't be hacked out by himself too flighty (cant even be in field on his own).
Click to expand...

I don't see the relationship between the two. I know plenty of horses that hack out alone, but hate being turned out alone.

Can you explain exactly what you mean by fighty please? In another post you describe him as lazy. Is he backwards thinking, spooky, nappy?
 
With another horse he is lazy, on his own he will spin and run home at the slightest excuse. What i mean by can't even be left in field is he finds it very distressing on his own even if its for only a few mins.
 
Just a quick update. Hacked out on sunday, no bucking even took the training reins off with the horse i was out with 4 stride ahead. Will admit i was nervous but it was loverly to be relaxed by the end. I have also been working on getting him braver. He can now be in field for 10 mins by himself and can walk him around the field without him spinning for home. So thanks for the advice hopefully he will continue to be good.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top