if it happens again, how should i deal with it??

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clairefeekerry1

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following on from my post earlier re my horse throwing a couple of rears today, i am now feeling bit more postitive and am just going to have to get this sorted and show him i'm boss1 so, not saying it will happen again, but if he starts to rear how should i deal with it, feel if i have a plan just in case i will feel much better equiped to deal with instead of falling apart today!!!
so pretty sure he's doing it to test me out/push the boundries and get a reaction, mostly done out excitement, he bunches up and leaps about on the spot, then when i ask for forwards he starts to bunny hop, the more i ask forwards the higher he goes. both occasions i got off (which is prop the reaction he is looking for) got back on, he was fine. bearing in mind he progressivly gets more and more wound up i would like to remain as calm as poss but showing him i will not accept this, he is more than capable of walking camly. so when he starts to bounce about, do i just do nothing- give him the reins, let him bounce about and when he's finished ask him forwards. if he starts, ask him to stand again etc etc. or do i hold on tightly and smack him or do i maybe keep turing him round in circles until he is iready to walk on nicely???? what would you do? wine for you.xx
 

im interested in the answers you get here as well..


my thoughts though are, can you circle him as you push him forwards? if is is still bunny-hopping as well, then he isnt actually going forwards so can you send him forwards more strongly?
 
If you can kick him forwards I would do that, by this I mean sending him forwards quite quickly.Try not to grip the reins to tightly as this will only encourage him to stand up. If you are in an area that isn't safe to do this then try circling as he'll find it much more difficult to stand up with his head and neck bent. Talk to him throughout, what voice you use will depend on how he is reacting, you may need to calm him or you may need to be more positive if he requires sending forwards. Good luck!
 
hmmm... my horse does this. He sort of canters on the spot (we almost had a full on capriole yesterday, lol) He can be a big rearer too.

If he starts bouncing around on the spot I just sit quietly & talk to him until he stops. Then I ask him forwards again. Often he spins, or rears, but I sit tight & quiet & just ask him again. But I know that this works with him! I think you have to try a few things unfortunately & see what works. I did try a big wallop but this upsets my boy even more so I just work on 'forwards' instead.

If he looks as if he is going to rear (normally they go very light in front) pull his head round to your knee if you can. A horse needs to be square to rear properly & spinning him off balance will stop him. If you need to spin him in a circles and then ask him forward. If he doesn't go forward then spin him in circles again. Basically you are making anything but forwards uncomfortable for him. Chances are he will give up eventually. But you may need patience & bloodymindedness too!

Good luck. and well done for not letting it get to you!
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Put a neck strap on, as soon as he does it hold on with one hand and whip him hard with the other. Ive had a rearer and thats the only way that cures them. When i used to turn mine in circles he'd then try and run backwards and start using lots of other tricks. The only thing that worked was a good hard wack (or 3) and some big pony club kicks. Its scary to start with, but whats the worst they will do??? Go forwards which is the whole point!! They might buck but id rather sit a bucking horse than a rearing one, rearing is dangerous.
 
Our mare is a rearer.After advice on here I circle her as soon as I feel it coming and(touch wood) this seems to have worked.
She hardly does it now unless really really stressed/scared but thats her thing.She doesn't bolt,buck kick she just goes up
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I also think the fact that I'm better with it now also helps as more relaxed about the whole thing.Last time she reared I didn't get that heart in your throat feeling it was oh well silly cow.then we carry on what we are doing
 
luckily all our hacking is off road so plenty of space/time to try things out. there prob not proper rears,its a bit like ellen whittikers ladina B at the puissance- he just chucks himself about/bunny hops, gen like a coiled spring, so kinda thinking along may flowers lines of just sitting calmly until he sees there will be no reaction, although as tempi says, kinda thinking i'd be better just to whallop him, but not sure if that will add to his wound up ness!!
 
Mine used to do this in a nappy way. I found that turning her in a tight circle and making her go forward in a shoulder in position worked well. As someone said, get the head towards your knee and then they cant go up. Shoulder in and circle if necessary worked for me along with a smack if necessary.
 
As they start to go up ,pull them hard round ,if they are twisting it makes it (almost) impossible for them to rear.Some horses are so naturally ballanced that they are as safe as houses because they will never fall over. The problem is the enthusiastic amateur that rears and falls back on you,because it cant handle it.
 
Going back to your first post you still don't say whether you lunge him or not? I've got the impression you just get on and expect him to 100% even after the bad weather we've had. A horse doesn't just start rearing for no reason and you say you've had him for 6 months and you bought him as a novice ride I think?
 
Hi clairefeekerry1,
I believe that the best way is to look for the cause, + avoid it happening again. I firmly agree with NeverSayNever + Puzzled about riding horses forwards (it's lack of forwards which produces backwards, nappiness, rearing, in that order, is what i was taught, + subsequently found SO true).

There's lots of great advice on this thread about dealing with established rearing, but having read your other thread, he's not an established rearer, it's more to do with something new with your new-ish horse (like being kept in with bad weather? He's hyper now?)

My best advice, friend, is to neither get into an argument with him, nor back off. (He's much bigger + stronger than you or i). But we have bigger brains (well most of us, hopefully!) So, it's best to avoid the situation which causes him to rear, surely?
I'd turn him out 24/7, cut out all hard feed, feed hay rather than haylage, lunge him for 30 mins before you get on him, then when you do get on, kick the bugger on for Britain!!

Think positive + forwards, friend! Gallop him round the school, + forget the walk stuff till he's accepted forwards! He can't rear if he's going forwards. Then, when he's got rid of his arguments, he's in mood to work.

And - Ellen Whittaker makes the most impossible, most talented horse look easy. Don't think i could even trot one of hers!!
Take heart, + learn from likes of her! Bet she's had things rearing with her also. No doubt Ellen has a book? I've got excellent one of John Whittaker's. The experts teach us loads, + are the first to recognise how difficult it all is. Good luck, friend, i understand, + hope i've helped BS x
PS: Post clashed with JohnRoberts - sorry John, agree with you x
 
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