HELP**He's going to rear

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11 November 2010
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Hi there. This is my first post on here and I'm hoping to get some ideas on how to resolve this problem.
Daughters 5yr old horse that we have had 6mnths. Started BE90 and getting double clears, dressage in progress. Here is the problem, cannot get him to take an outside rein contact and ride straight or flex to the outside. He's ridden forward and tracks up but as soon as you take an outside contact he stiffens up, stops going forward and bounces his front legs up and down and has gone up a few times(dont want this to become a habit). At the moment he gets kicked on and made to go forward which gets you out of a sticky moment but avoids the issue.
He has had his teeth done, saddlers been out and new saddle bought and fitted. Tried a variety of bits:loose ring french link snaffle, hanging cheek snaffle, myler full cheek, neue schule. I dont feel the type of bit makes any difference. He lunges on both reins into a contact with side reins- no problem.::confused:
 
Hiya, I think your daughter needs to have some lessons with her horse. The only real way of getting to the bottom of the issue is having someone knowlegeable watch her ride and assess it from the ground. :)

I would also have his back checked - vet/physio etc to ensure it isnt a pain related reponse first.
 
Had a good physio to look at him???

And is it both reins??

as above

if its one rein i would think its perhaps an underlying medical issue, if its both reins, I'd think more a schooling issue?

what if you ride him down the centre line, away from the wall of the school, does he flex freely to both sides and take an even contact?
 
Hi, welcome to HHO :)

Have these issues just come about since having the new saddle fitted?

In my experience, rearing is 99% a reaction to pain. I would be looking at his back in particular, especially if he is lunging ok without the weight of a rider. Personally I would get a second opinion on the saddle & be looking for a work-up with the vet.

Rearing's not nice, I do hope you manage to get things sorted :(
 
how recently were his teeth checked? As a 5yr old it is possible he has the start of wolf teeth coming through which could be causing the problem. Unless his teeth have been checked in the past month or so it is definitely worth getting them looked at again. It definitely sounds like the problem stems from any contact to one side so it could well be dental pain or could be a physical reason such as hock or back pain which makes it uncomfortable to work properly. Horses rarely misbehave without good cause although as a 5yr old it could just be a case of the Kevins,to me it sounds as there is a phsyical reason behind it.
 
Thank You everybody. My daughter has regular lessons privatly, with the Pony Club and is a Byrds member(with a different horse) so she is riding on the right lines or though there is always room for improvement.
The horse had his teeth done 6mnths ago when he had his 2nd vaccine and is due to be checked again with the 3rd. He had a new saddle fitted as we where told his isabell worth dressage saddle with cair was the problem, its made no difference just £1000 poorer.
 
Similar thing happened at a yard I know. 5yo started misbehaving, not taking up contact etc. Turned out he needed his wolf teeth removed. Would def. get the dentist out. He has now had them out and is having two weeks in the field before coming back into work :)
Hope you find out the root cause of the problem soon.
 
my horse is also young and needs his teeth doing every 6 months. your lad is the right age to develop wolf teeth so I would get them done by a qualified EDT as soon as possible
 
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