Dealing with a rescue

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SissyTheEvil

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This is going to be a long and frustrated rambling, I apologise already. Also, I am not a native english speaker, so please bear with me if I pick my words wonky.

Around 10 months ago I took in a rescue, he was 7 years old back then. American trotter gelding, skinny but alert. Mainly been forgotten and probably beaten, teeth, hooves, nutrition and deworming neglegted. High likely never ridden, and he had absolutely no muscle, tail and mane were so tangled it took me days to get those sorted out. So I started with calling in vet, farrier, nutrition specialist and what not. He got vaccines, teeth done, blood work, x rays and dewprming done, nutrition plans done, hooves fixed and massaged. Took me ages to get things to something I would dare to call even close to normal. First weeks were a nightmare, and I often sat in my car crhing because I thought he would never accept me, trust me or love me. But I did not give up, I went back to him every day. Building trust, working alot from ground, walking in the woods and just talking to him, grooming and scratching. I have got bitten, kicked, dragged all over the yard, crushed against walls and knocked to mud. But slowly he started to change. One day I went to pick him up from meadow, wondering if he will run over me or try to do something else he usually did. He lifted his head up, and greeted me. Walked behind me searching my pockets for carrots, and was calm like it was the most natural behaviour to him. He has not bityen or kicked me ever since. Slowly step by step we got him saddled up, and we started walking. First just short walks, then more and more. Then we started trotting, and now we are able to do long trips with him, walking, trotting, even galloping (is that even a Word). But now he has started to jump like a rodeo pony when we go, and it is something I want to put a stop to, before me or my son will fall down, or any of us will get hurt. What to do? I am not sure if he is just abit too excited or if he has started to try to get rid of me. I asked the vet to see if she thinks he has pain some where, but she said there is nothing alerting her. Saddle was fitted and refilled some time ago, and is now better than ever. I have copper roller bit in use, he works nicely with it. He is still sweet to groom and care for, but behaviour has change. He has become strong and agile, with alot of stamina and energy. Any tips for me?
 

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what is he fed? how much turn out does he have?

when does he start to buck, is there a pattern when he does it?
 
sounds like he is feeling very well and is bucking, maybe he needs more work? as cstembi said why not lunge him before you ride to get him calmer. also if he is looking good and feeling so well he may not need to have so much feed. i dont mean starve him back to how you got him but just cut down a bit until you find how much he needs to keep looking well covered. he looks very good in your photo and you have done a good job to get him to such a good place...
 
i definitely agree with the lunging idea. for a long time i always lunged my boy before getting on. it really helped. please remember to have a hat and gloves on if you are going to do that. just in case
 
His photo looks lovely - some more info on what you feed and his routine would be helpful to know how to advise.
 
put on protective gear, lunge before riding , slowly, make sure you get a bit of canter, loose jump on other days, to use up energy, if he was mine i would long rein, lunge then ride, as you say you don`tknow if he has been ridden before.

this needs nipping in the bud, as its summer dont feed any extras, make the work feed balance right, more work than food, always considering his previous state and working with ocnsideration, but you need to not let this become a bad habit, and i always reprimand bucking, and stop it, any bad habits need stopping in the first two minutes
 
Right now when he is on meadow he only gets hay, minerals, electrolytes and salts. He also gets mash in his water to drink after any work out, because he does not drink quite as much I think he should. During winter he gets feed without oats (Black Horse Balance, Or Racing Peacemaker), and product called "progut" to help keep colics away.

Yea, bucking is the word I was missing, thank you. It starts when we have been walking in the Woods or dirt roads, and start to trot or canter. Seems it starts when speed rises.
 
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