Following on from my post yesterday about rearing...

RuthnMeg

RuthnMeg

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I actually can't describe how Iam feeling right now...
After the ride I spoke to the owner and she was sorry but seemed reluctant to talk about it. One of the other girls told me he has been rearing on and off lately but nothing quite as dramatic as what he did with me. Then this morning the head girl who wasn't about yesterday said she didn't believe me, couldn't possibly imagin he was as bad as I made out. It makes me feel insulted. Iam not a kid, nearly 30, been riding since I was 2, evented, broke in horses, trained horses and hold a BHSAI. I'd like to think Iam not a muppet!! I was then told I should have told him off and he would stop, - I wasn't just sitting there enjoying it!!!
So, anyway now the daughter is riding him, the daughter who is away at school and only rides once a month, the daughter who ONLY rides, can't even put a saddle on!! (well, maybe, but don't push for any more!) Was told she knows the horse and she can ride anything. I will kindly remind them in future that I used to teach this girl, and she was scared to trot only a matter of 2 years ago, and I can't imagine how she would cope with a rear. So, what Iam saying is that my advice has fallen on deaf ears - nothing will be done, it just seems like it was a fluke and I have to live with it. I just don't want anyone else to get hurt. Think the expression is 'brushing it under the carpet'.
Story of my life, no one takes me seriously, and I feel a bit let down.
Life goes on... wish them luck!
 
Let's hope she doesn't get seriously hurt then eh?
I think you have been very restrained in not saying some of this at the yard, I don't know if I'd have held back! You know what happened, try to just move on, although it will be hard.
 
Sounds so like one I had. Except he wouldn't do a mini warning rear first, it was nap and then immediately rear, straight up, front legs waving about to stop him falling over and to enable him to stay up for a long time, 5 or 6 times in succession until he tired. And then spin and attempt to bolt, or bronc. His other trick was to do a massive spook jumping in the air sideways just as we were coming back to the yard at nothing at all. I still have whiplash from landing on my neck on concrete from the one time he managed to get me off.

I got rid. I don't think rearers are normal either - its a very extreme reaction for a horse and is normally a very last resort. I also think different riders can produce different effects in one-time rearers. With the horse above, if you rode him very carefully and didn't put him under any pressure, only rode him in the school and didn't ask him to collect, he usually wouldn't rear. And I'm sure if you hacked him and got off and led him every time he napped, he wouldn't actually rear either. But put him under a bit of pressure, as a good rider would in response to napping, and he would go up. Immediately. He even had two rearing fits when I was riding him in the school on a long rein saying "good boy".

I gave up. I could see that he might have improved in time if I'd persevered but it was so danerous and he still had all his other nasty tricks. And I didn't enjoy riding a horse that was so mentally fragile.

I'm pretty sure it was caused by his previous owner barely riding him, treating him like a spoilt pet and not getting his teeth done. But the damage was done.
 
I'd count your blessing that he didn't over backwards on you. Take things told to you with a bit of salt as far as they are concerned you are the professional so you should be able to control or master every horse that you ride no matter how the horse behaves and make it look easy. Sorry
 
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