Horse bucking in reaction to whip?

[aimeetb]

I ride a couple that buck if you smack them with the whip. One of them responds well if you just wave it out to the side (to speed up a trot I kind of wave it in the rythym of the trot, and to back up an aid for a transition I use more of a big swoosh).

The other took a couple of months to convince him that me swishing it didn't mean I was going to smack him. I actually think the bucking is a pain response from being hit hard in the past, as the buck kind of came across to me as wincing away from the whip. Something that did work is tipping it upside down jockey style, and waving it above his neck. I think he didnt associate it with the whipping action in the same way that moving it to the side would, so I didnt get the buck reaction and it made him feel uncomfortable enough to make him go forward. Eventually this one got used to having the stick moving around through this method, and ultimately I managed to start working with it the right way up again, and then actually using it gently behind my leg to back up an aid.

I did try it on one once who completely freaked out about it though, so would try it first in a secure environment.

Was going to say something similar, I used to ride a stallion schooled to Advanced Medium but touch with a whip and instantaniously MULE would appear! Plant and buck, he hated it, really took offence but if you just showed it to him (turned it forwards towards his head) he would usually respond or if more was needed a bit of a wiggle or swoosh just minding his head of course! x