Bucking when mounting??

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milliepup

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This might be a bit long but here goes...

I have a 5yr old warmblood mare who I have had for 3 weeks. I bought her from a sort of friend that had told me she bucks occasionally but mainly when she's fresh. I rode her the first week 3 times but always in company. In the second week she was 5 star vetted and passed and was ridden again approx 3 times, again in company and I was as far as I can remember always getting on when other horse already nearby and mounted. No bucks.
So last week I tacked up in stable, walked her out through the stable block and then outside the block to mounting block. Mounted as usuall then she just let rip! In the end I had to bale off and she then carried on round the yard until she had had enough! Luckily no damage to either of us. Anyway had vet back out to check back etc and could find no signs of pain.
You can lunge her and she doesn't buck at all.
Now I don't know the full story behind her but since then have just been lunging her with no problems but yesterday after a good lunging session decided to try and get back on with someone holding her. Leant over first and walked around then sat up and she did feel as if she was going to go but friend had her on lead rein so walked a few circles then asked her to let go and I then walked out of one drive round the corner and back again and she was fine!
Anyone know of any ideas of how to stop this? It just came from no where so no real warning signs.
Also she likes to kick a leg up when saddle goes on but she also does this when you put a rug on so think she is just ultra sensitive.
Teeth, saddle etc have all been checked and are ok.
Do you think she has just learnt a naughty trick to evade being ridden? The days I did ride her she was beautiful and very easy to do both hacking and in the school.
Any ideas welcome!
 
Slinkyunicorn

Slinkyunicorn

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Should be working.....
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How much schooling has she done before you had her? The reason I ask is my wb has come from a very full on competition yard (long story) and knows every evasion in the book - he also has ulcers/windsucks and is sensitive around his sides when girth/rugs etc being done up. I just wonder if she is a bit the same. Mine however doesn't buck but has several other equalling annoying habits.....when he first arrived he didn't put a hoof wrong it is only now he has settled in he has decided to test me - as I say nothing as dramatic as yours but is definatley an attempt to get out of work!
 
Bowen4Horses

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dunno if this is any help... but my horse is similar... although he doesn't actually buck (he's far too lazy and laid back to actually buck)... but he stamps his feet and gets very very moody when being mounted, and when having girth done up... and sometimes runs backwards. it's COMPLETELY out of character for him to show any signs of moodiness, so i know this is a problem for him.

i've had his back checked, and it's fine. however, he has obviously at some point had an ill-fitting saddle (white and bald patches). and he also came from a riding school... as far as i can work out, he's expecting discomfort. i also think he's a little bit cold backed.

i've worked on getting him a saddle that fits (almost impossible task). and doing the girth up very gradually (when i first put saddle on, girth is loose, then over next 10 mins gradually tighten it. i never do it up super tight either.

to break the running back, and foot stamping upon mounting, the only think i could think to do was to give him a positive experience. i got on from a mounting block, i was as light and careful as possible, and when he stood still he got a carrot and a lot of praise. it literally took a week and now he's good as gold.

perhaps on the bucking day, you'd put the saddle on quicker than normal? or something had reminded her of some discomfort she was expecting. like you say, she seems to have a sensitive back so maybe you need to consider this when saddling up/mounting?

good luck with her, i hope she's not a bucker!

smile.gif
 
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charlie55

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Yes id say cold backed. My WB is cold backed but very rarely bucks, and when he does he goes for it!!! Ive found he only bucks when its cold. If he has had the sun on his back alday he is no problem, if its abit chilly he will arch when i get on but hes ok after a couple of minutes. Id lunge with her tack on, then get on. She just needs to warm her back muscles up before you get on.
Another good trick i do is before i put the saddle on i massage his back where the saddle goes, that apparently warms the muscles up alot, i also walk him around in hand for 5 mins before mounting. Then let him go long and low and have a stratch for the first five mins when mounted. Hope this helps x
 
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You seem to have covered most likely causes, so it could just be that the horse doesn't want to go out on it's own. A horse i used to ride some years ago used to do just the same thing, when it didn't want to go out and someone had to lead it out of the yard, not every time though. More recently a friends horse who bucks when she gets on (occasionally and without warning) came off and broke her back (she's on the mend now and the horse is up for sale) So please realise this can be very dangerous. I knew there was a devise to prevent bucking and here is the link. It prevents the horse lowering its head.
Good luck x
http://www.stopthathorse.com/buckstop/buckstop.php
 
Kenzo

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Just an idea but have you a friend that could lend you an Equilbrium (or however you spell it) massage pad that you could bob on for 15-20 mins before you ride.

They have been known to help horses that are cold backed, if that is the problem and even if not, then it may just help.

If you horse has been sore in the past from a saddle that has caused pain then they do remember and even if you have had your saddle checked (confirmed that it fits well) I'd have second opinion just to make sure.

smile.gif
 
badgerdog

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I had a freind who had a horse who was cold backed. If she didn't lunge him before mounting him he would bronc big style, but after lungeing was fine.
Maybe try lunging him before getting on him and see if this works.
 
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milliepup

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I have decided to almost go back to re-backing and taking it one step at a time. She will let you tack up and never tightens or lifts her back and will quite happily be tacked and lunged without a single buck. I have even tried the lunging then mounting bit but have so far had someone holding her while I mounted and yes she did feel like she was ready to buck but just then got friend to lead for 5 mins in circles and then let go and was able to walk around and out the farm and back again no problem! Felt safe as houses and you could feel how soft through the back she was so think it's in her mind!
Did I mention that she's chestnut!
Thanks for all your replies and I have heard of the buck stop thing but I'm a little apprehensive of using that as because she doesn't buck on the lunge so I couldn't test it out if you see what I mean. I would hate to be mounting then she bucks it kicks in and sends her even worse. If she bucked whilst lunging and I could try it in a sfe environment I would probably try it.
thx
 
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Hayles

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I am really interested in this thread as my horse is a bit of the same. He is 9 years old. Had back/teeth checked. Got my saddle fitted professionally. Sometimes he is absolutely fine, at other times he will do one of the following:

Rear vertical, land and bronc
Take off broncing

And he tends to do it just when I am swinging my leg over, before I am even in saddle which is a very vunerable time for me and he has gotten me off a few times! But then once I am on he is well behaved! Got vet coming on Tuesday for another check... Not sure what to do!

I spent a lot of time doing ground work when I initially bought him and thought I had fixed the problem but here I am all over again!

Good Luck :)
 
AmyMay

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She sounds cold backed.

Try ensuring you always put a 'warm' numnah on her back - so sheepskin.

Saddle up, and lead around for five mins or so, with a fairly loose girth. Tighten girth gradually, still leading around. When you get on - do it quietly and with a really light seat. Using a light seat for 5 mins when mounted and moving off or so before allowing your body to relax in to the saddle.

May just work.
 
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MagicMelon

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Sounds cold backed as others have said. One of mine used to be like this, I could lunge him first in tack and he never bucked etc. but he'd still usually be a bit weird when I got on - he'd just go all tight and felt like he would explode for about 20 seconds then was fine after that. A few times early on, he did explode into bronc's until I came off! Eventually he seemed to grow out of it (not sure how thats possible being cold backed but he did!). I would always always ride with a sheepskin pad on though (the kind with sheepskin next to the skin as its warmer, I guess cotton can be a bit cold?), if I rode with just a basic numnah on then he'd be worse.
 
Brightbay

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millsandboon said:
Why do people do that? Just make a new thread!! :confused:
Click to expand...

Because someone is new to the forum and doesn't yet know how it works? ;)

Hayles, have a look at the Forum and subforums. Possibly go into either Tack Room or Veterinary and Hoof care, and look for the little "New Thread" button.

Start a new thread with your question, and be sure and give details of what happens, when it happens, when it doesn't and whether your horse is new to you, has been vet checked, has had back/teeth and saddle checked recently and whether you've any reason to believe they've been scoped for ulcers. That should head off the first 5 or 6 replies :D
 
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