Gelding who thinks he's a stallion - any ideas?!

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Leg_end

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My gelding has always been a bit riggy at this time of year (have had him tested and was negative) but he has always been manageable. This year he is fine on the ground but as soon as I get on him he acts like an idiot - mainly in the school, out hacking he is an angel. We will be fine until I ask him to move forward more and then we go up in the air. I spin him in small circles if I feel this coming on but when cantering he will go beautifully and then all of a sudden throw in a massive buck and then go up. When in the air he isn't going *that* high (high enough though
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) but what is concerning is that he is striking out with his front feet and just acting like a stallion.

He has had back, saddle etc checked, back was a bit tense but nothing to worry about. His saddle has changed but he was doing this on a smaller scale before I changed it so I dont think thats the case.

I am starting to lose my confidence with him a bit, my last horse reared over with me and died so its a serious issue and rider frightener for me! So any help would be greatly appreciated
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Have a word with your vet. I know there used to be an annual injection that they used to give which curbed the 'stallion like' behaviour but I don't know if it is still used. Flintus on this forum used to have that jab for his horse so I'm sure if you PMd him he'd be able to fill you in on the details.
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My horse had similar problems as yours and I found the answer in his workload. f your horse is naughty only in the school it sounds as if he has had a bad experience in the school, either through too much hard work souring him as a youngster, or he isn't confident about what he is asked or simply schooling fatigue. Maybe try doing things for fun for him ie hacking on the beach etc to get him used to going forward and that being ridden isn't always a chore. Mine was just like yours, he was rig checked negatively.he had been professionally trained through his early years and in hindsight he wasn't mentally ready for it. We took him home to relax and be a horse again and then introduced a slower work pattern. He is still a difficult @ od because of his breeding but he is a lot happier and easier.
 
I had wondered if it was schooling that was the issue.. before I changed his saddle we were confined to the school for a good few weeks so maybe thats it? I'm not 100% on his background but he was supposedly an ex racer and then went to an SJ yard so he may have been a bit over produced there... Sorry - thinking out loud
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OK maybe a course of hacking and fun stuff for a couple of weeks and see what happens then... if that doesnt work we'll be onto the rig calm
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Any other advice appreciated!
 
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