Can rearing be "cured"?

[GeorgeyGal]

Like this TeamChaser! It does miff me when people describe a horse as naughty, an extreme reaction is either pain or an aversion technique which people have unwittingly taught the horse to do. The answer will lie in the cause, the tricky thing is finding out what that is.

 

[coen]

Oh I agree that in a lot of cases the issues are pain related I just think it is helpful for people going through these problems to know it isn't the only reason so they keep an open mind to find what works for them.

Naughty sums mine up pretty well, cheeky is another good word for him, that certainly doesn't mean he is 'bad' in fact he is lovely but he will always have a tendency towards certain behaviours. No single cause, fix, cure unfortunately.

Guess we all base our opinions on personal experiences.

 

[TeamChaser]

My boys issues weren't pain related - they were in his head. It's just as real a cause though and there's no one fix fits all. He is most definitely not an ungenuine horse (team chases and hunts like a dream now and brilliant show jumping .... when I'm not being a cretin!!) Very willing horse which is how I know his behaviour was not naughtiness. Sometimes you have to be bit open minded and willing to listen to what they're trying to tell you


That makes me sound like NH nut which is not really my thing but I guess you can take bits from all different types of training method. My other horse, by contrast, can be naughty. Ex racehorse and can completely take the piss at times .... give him an inch, he'll take a mile. Different horses, different backgrounds so I take a different approach to handling each of them .... simples

 

[RoughcutDiamond]

Hi HM, sorry, haven't had time to read all replies so forgive me if I've repeated anything. My boy went through a stage of occasionally objecting by lifting the front end a little - one day during a flatwork lesson with a fabulous instructor he chucked in a full stand-up rear whereupon I fell out the back door, thankfully before I pulled him over. Instructor's reaction was to check we were both fine and try movement again, whereupon he had a second go and what she taught me was this....

...firmly but gently pull head around to one knee, get the leg on and spin him round twice or three times, straighten him out and push him immediately into an active trot. Her rationale was that a) he couldn't go up with his head tucked around and b) that the spinning and trotting away was far harder work than what he was objecting to. I may have been lucky but it nipped the behaviour right in the bud. This was probably 5 years ago and I don't need a full hand to count the number of times he has tried since. On the rare occasions he has I've successfully countered with what she taught.

Out hacking I suppose your ability to do this will depend very much on what's underfoot and whether you're on the road, but it may help in the school, and perhaps have a knock-on effect? Good luck!

 

[Spring Feather]

We have the very odd youngster in for backing/training who will consider doing a little bunny hop once or twice. The only ones who have done this are ones whose owners have had a little tinkle around with them prior to them coming here to be backed and owners have not reprimanded them. When I feel they are thinking about doing it here, I say in a quiet deep voice "Get on!" and that usually works, if not then a quick change of direction and a hard push on normally does. These few have only ever done it in the arena, which is part of the reason why we like to get out of the arena as soon as we have stop/go/directions confirmed. I find once youngsters get out on the trails they never look back. Any that nap when first going out on trails are usually dealt with swiftly by pushing on firmly or if they come here with me knowing they do nap then I have someone else ride the napping horse and I ride my cutting horse behind them and he will bump them on from the rear side continually until they get the idea that stopping to mess around is not acceptable. Most horses who come here are western horses so very light contacts are used and maybe that's why it's so rare to find ones who nap/rear.

 

[Polos Mum]

He's trying to tell you, but no one is listening. A horse doesn't rear for the fun of it or being nasty, something is wrong, it's for you to find out what it is.

I'm not sure this is always true, mine is very clever and when he was with a slightly nervous teenager he learned that a quite high rear resulted in her getting off immediately and turning him out. I wasn't there to know why he tried it on in the first place - maybe bored/ stressed with too much schooling - he doesn't like it at all.

When he rears he is balanced, in control and actually very easy to sit to, when he comes down he virtually turns to look at you to see why you aren't getting off. After just a short time of ignoring the 'rider frighteners' he simply stopped doing it - no vet intervention, no change in tack or feed or routine.

I'm sure lots are doing it through pain but mine was not I'm 100% sure of that.

 

[GeorgeyGal]

On the flip side I've just remember a very spirited pony at my trekking centre who used to do little rears just before we let the horses go on a flat out gallop, I never saw this as an issue and never felt it was dangerous. Funny I never thought of that until now because it wasn't an issue to sort out I guess! Interesting points made on this thread.

 

[meandmyself]

Depends on the cause of it.

 

[NellRosk]

Is he definitely napping and trying to take the p***? My 4 year old goes up when she is very unsure and stressed, and after reassuring and firm leg she goes on. Lots of calming voice aids help her as well.

 

[soltydog]

My youngster came back from loan home after 4 months and had learned how to nap and do very good rears.

I started rding him with a rope headcollar under the bridle and attached the martingale rings to it with a small leather strap. This ment that when he napped and tried to rear he could only get off the ground by about a foot so it was no where near as scarey and I was more in control to send him on. after a few months the rearing stopped altogether and I still rode with the rope headcollar on but no martingale attached and he carried on bahaveing. A couple of months later he was still behaving and no rearing, he did still try to nap and turn round on occasions but never reared again and I did away with the rope headcollar.

 

[JBP]

Sounds to me like she is telling you she has a massive headache!!! You need to get this looked at and get a padded headpiece bridle. The sort of person you need to have a look at your horse is a cranial therapist. Don't keep hitting your horse on the head or anywherm else someone will get hurt!
Your horse will only be naughty if there is a problem you need to find the problem.

 

[babymare]

I bought my mare knowing she reared spun and bolted and she wss being battered but something said help her. we we went back to basics for months. She made mistakes but never once did i raiise voice or hand . slowly i won her trust and re backed her. when she got frightened and a rear threatened a quiet word and hand on neck was al needed. we jumped hacked galloped etc. 18 months after buying her found out was slowly going blind. was she before bought her was that why she reared? We will never know. but she was screaming help me but no one was listening. She turned out to be the most giving loyal mare who just wanted to please..by far the dangerous unrideable mare i first saw

 

[poiuytrewq]

Changing bit stopped a rearer I one had. The reason I had him was he reared and was too strong. I took his Pelham off and swapped for a snaffle- no rearing but no brakes so we settled on a 3 ring gag. He never reared again. My daughters pony will rear, only half way but I'm always worried it may progress. Eggs etc are far easier said than done and I don't really believe people who tell me they did it!