Hacking out youngster

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Xanty

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Hi
I have a rising 4 yr old who I backed last summer. He's had the winter off and I am currently bringing him back into a bit of work. He's schooling nicely and progressing well.

The only thing I'm not liking about him at the min is that when we go for a hack he sometimes has a bit if a buck and bronc which is a little unnerving. I think it's more excitement than him wanting me off his back which he's not managed to do yet. He does settle after 10 - 15mins. Is there anything I can be doing to help stop this or do u think hel grow out of it as things get less exciting! He's currently on limited turnout due to yard rules which is probably not helping much.

Any advice appreciated. Thanks
 
My youngster is the same, so will watch this with interest. Ol is fine on the roads, can get a little joggy, but when we go out around the farm is when he seems to get a little excited. There is one point in particular where he seems to play up.
 
Previous poster beat me to it.
I've had horses in the past that were the same and would have their yee ha moments doing their best impressions of a rodeo horse out hacking which I put down to excess energy.
My only suggestion which is one that usually worked for me is to lunge your horse before you ride him out. It might help to get the sting out of him.
Failing that get a good pair of sticky seat jodhpurs, take a deep breath and ride out the bumps.
Good luck.
 
Mine did this as a 4 y/o and she still has a trendancy to do it now, agree with lunging first. If you can get more t/o then try as if mines out a lot more she is so much calmer when hacking. Not sure what your hacking is like and if you have to do a lot of the same routes but variety helps to I found.
 
Thanks guys, yeah I could lunge first especially on days when he's had no turnout I tend to just hop on and go so this will probably help. Hopefully theyl b going out soon if the sunshine continues!
 
Yep, lunge or school first so that hacking is more of a relaxation/cool off period than exercise.
Mine is nearly 5 and he's very quiet but if it is very windy or frosty he can have a moment - so would tend not to take him out fresh on those days. I don't lunge or work him till he's tired - we go out as soon as he's listening and settled.
The other thing is do you hack on your own or with another horse mostly? I try to mix the two (plus I will walk with him sometimes if my OH is riding him) Our hacking is very new to him since we recently moved yards, and I like to ride with another horse from time to time so he is not having to be brave always, and definitely like to have company if we are going on busier roads as he's still getting used to lorries.
 
I always hack with another horse. I was planning taking him out a bit more inhand on his own then just go for a little ride down the road to see what he's like on his own. He's not spooky or anything so don't think hel mind being on his own he goes out inhand on his own so should be ok.
 
To be honest, my way of dealing with it would probably be to keep on hacking and sort of ignore it as much as possible. Ride through it as it were.

My rising 4 yo does this a bit (well not bucking, just sort of odd 'hops') if I am in a school and he wants to go where other horses are. We have our little 'disagreement' I ask him to stand for a bit, then ask him to go forward/turn or whatever it was i was trying to do before he had his little paddy. Maybe try asking for a turn/circle on yours if he starts acting up?

Also, are you sure the saddle still fits and isn't pinching him at all which could cause this sort of reaction?
 
His saddle was fitted last year when he was being backed so could do with checking just to rule it out. Yeah I'm hoping that with more hacking out and more turnout it will sort itself out. It's not terrible I just feel like I'm always waiting for him to do it!
 
Xanty said:
His saddle was fitted last year when he was being backed so could do with checking just to rule it out. Yeah I'm hoping that with more hacking out and more turnout it will sort itself out. It's not terrible I just feel like I'm always waiting for him to do it!
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Ah, well DON'T anticipate it! :) I try and tell myself to essentially treat the horse how I expect him to behave (ie like a complete bombproof, riding school horse) and if you make that your mindset then I really think this passes to the horse.

Mine evene mildly threatened to rear with me yesterday when he wanted to see the horses in the field as opposed to working in the school. He therefore refused to turn right-handed and threw a bit of a paddy! He has never yet reared just does this hop and throws his head about. I just sit there, wait for him to stop, ask for a stand and then re-ask what I wanted in the first place. Everytime I 'won' and there was no force, no anger, no kicking/hitting, I just aksed him to answer the question I wanted.

On the odd occasion he would do a hop/skip and a mini buck when going round the school but I just keep riding like nothing's going on and he soon stops.

I really advise you get the sadle checked again though. They grow and change shape so much the last thing you want is the saddle pinching. I have bought mine a rather saddle (with changeable gullet) and am padding it out currently so i can be sure it's not too tight round his wither/shoulder.
 
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