Horse bucking in groups

[Clare Tempest]

Hi, I'm asking for some advice. I have a 5 year old who can be pretty lazy but very well behaved normally. Hacks out alone and pretty brave. Laid back and lazy in the arena, but once you get him out on a group ride and others are about to canter or jump he starts bucking. Never does it hacking locally or in the arena, but always on fun rides.

Do you think it's just excitement and how do I stop it? He is getting worse the more group rides I do. I really enjoy the rides and he's a lot of fun, but the bucking it's starting to get annoying.
Yesterday I sat back and really kicked him forwards and he had a tantrum and kicked higher and then set off.

Just want to know some advice on the matter

 

[IrishMilo]

If I’m on something that I know bucks moving up I’ll get it flexing right to left and move it off my legs both ways. I have at times had to be very strong in the contact. To be blunt you have to make them work hard enough that they’re thinking about what you’re doing and not that they have liberty to do what they want.

You can also try trotting for a stretch and then moving up. Going from walk to canter always makes them more prone to throwing shapes IMO.

 

[LEC]

I suspect it’s from being jolly and out with others.

Horses can’t buck if you have their head bent round towards your toe as they need to be straighter through their frame. Though I appreciate putting this into action isn’t that easy.
Getting their head up is sometimes easier. I will rattle the bit in their mouth to try and do this.
The brave option is to go faster. Give them a kick and send them onwards. But then make sure they will come back to you.

 

[Skib]

I suspect it’s from being jolly and out with others.

That is true of my share mare. I was warned she bucks in a group but I have also heard her young riders rejoice at her bucking and uncontrollable excitement. They love it. So she gives it.

With me she is ultra safe. I benefit on one level from riding a horse that will offer me (and give me) canter whenever I want but will accept that I dont want canter if I reject an offer and just tell her, "Trit, trot"

Getting their head up is sometimes easier. I will rattle the bit in their mouth to try and do this.

Thank you. Useful to know. When she ran away with me last winter, one of the staff told me it was a good idea to raise the head and my hands to slow a horse.

 

[SEL]

My cob is a devil for it and he tucks his head right into his chest as well.

If possible I'll put him at the front so 1) I can kick on and 2) he needs to look where he's going so tends to be better. Slow canters behind other horses just lead to the bucks getting bigger. I also have a neck strap and group rides are done with the NS elevator bit which does help.

The more he does the better he is but if I haven't been out in a group for a while I'm prepared for the nonsense.

 

[Skib]

But my favourite ride ever, my dear Connie cantered fast and low with her head right down. I could never stop her. Unless there was a nearby hill.

 

[coblets]

Getting their head up is sometimes easier. I will rattle the bit in their mouth to try and do this.

What's rattling the bit?

 

[IrishMilo]

What's rattling the bit?

Just get the bit moving in their mouth.

 

[Goldenstar]

Get the horses head up by any means possible and ride it forwards is usually the best way to deal with this .
Fun rides or not so fun rides as we call them can be really wind up some horses some of them you just have to live with it .

 

[Red-1]

I think horses need teaching to go well in groups. I start with just one other and an open field, so you can school round each other, then next to each other, then be in front or behind. Then leave one and canter off, or canter off and leave the other. It soon becomes work, like an expanded arena, until they can be out of sight.

Then I'd have a group in the open area and work it up until cantering in a group is just work, where you can do circles etc, either beside each other or overtaking.

Only once the horse is OK in an open area where I can circle and instil a work ethic will I more to straight lines and tracks in a group.

 

[Hallo2012]

theres nothing fun about fun rides!

they wind up most horses so its either deal with the bucking or dont go IME

 

[Bobthecob15]

theres nothing fun about fun rides!

they wind up most horses so its either deal with the bucking or dont go IME

Absolutely it’s not something I have much desire to do