Is a bucker always a bucker

devilwoman

devilwoman

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5 year old. Has all checks done. Fitted saddle. Don't believe its pain related. Bucked from first time backed and still bucks now. They are not big bog off bucks just ponsy little ones but she even does it in walk if she finks its time to chuck one in. Its not constant more if she wants her own way ie napping to go home or don't want to school anymore. Have an instructor come school her once a week she still does it with her but less.

Any tips for getting them out of it. Thanks.
 
My tip would be to ignore it completely and just keep riding her forward. If she's doing it for attention or to get her own way hopefully she will realise that she isn't achieving anything!
 
It is probably saddle related. Take a look at LM saddles website. Some mares can be uber sensitive and even a well fitting saddle can be just pinching somewhere: Make sure the gullet is wide enough. The panels are the right shape, the saddle is wide enough - does she have hollows behind the shoulder blades? She shouldn't. Does saddle rock when you push on Cantle and then pommel?

Simple checks that just might make all the difference.

And no, a bucker isn't always a bucker. It's almost always caused by something.
 
Hi No i dont think a bucker is all ways a bucker. If she has seen a back man and her sadlle is fitting well,then its behavior. And from what you posted it does sound that way. I have delt with many a youngster and adult that bucks. I have all ways delt with it by sitting tight, growling at the horse, giving a kick and then praising as soon as they stop so they learn the differance between what you want and what you dont. Results in one week and then hardly ever. Good luck xx
 
If you're happy it's not pain or saddle related I agree with what 3Beasties has said. It's likely to be an avoidance tactic but once she realises you aren't giving in she may decide it's not worth the effort.

My trainer says they do things to get away from pressure so once they do what you ask, remove the pressure. My YOs horse is slow to move from her leg but when he does, if she doesn't take her leg off he bucks (big ones :D). Once he backs off again she put her leg back on and eventually the penny dropped that if he kept going forward he didn't get pressure from her legs and he didn't buck. Not sure I've explained that very well?

One other thought, if it's when you first start riding her could she be cold backed?
 
IME some young horses go through a stage of bucking and then stop, and some just like bucking and will always do it.
And some just never buck :)

I've never found a way of completely curing a confirmed bucker - some just always have it in them.

But if yours is young chances are it's just a phase :)
 
I think that a horse that has learned to buck will always have it in them.

My cob is now 12yrs and has always put in an occasional buck - he does it when he is excited or frustrated, and see it as a sign of self expression.

He has his saddle checked twice a yr and has had a clean bill of health from both physio and chiro.

Co-incidentally he is also a very good jumper, and my vet said that buckers often make good jumpers as have a very athletic back end!

When he bucks I just ignore it and push him forward. The majority are small fly bucks, but he can throw in the occasional 'whopper' out hunting, but he has made me a better rider and wouldn't change him for the world.
 
I don't think once a bucker, always a bucker. I think that the majority of buckers have a good reason behind it, and once you get that resolved, the bucking will stop, or can be stopped.

But I do think that once a horse has a tendancy to express a behaviour, in future if an issue occurs, they may choose that method again to express pain, fear, anxiety, excitement, etc.
 
...... my last cob ALWAYS did a HUGE buck then mini rear (like a rocking horse) when he was going off for a canter in company. Nothing wrong at all with him, just his "let's go mum !".

Shy bucked when he was first ridden(bareback = hitting the deck) , then when his saddle was a bit tight (went treeless - issue resolved), then started putting in a buck when cantering in company. Everything checked out ok, just youngster fun, I think. This was resolved by using a daisy rein to start with (as he was unseating me), and then I gradually learnt to keep his head up and push him forwards. And inprove my balance a lot, lol. We have no bucking any more. ;)
 
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I think some horses buck out of frustration, some out of excitement & some do genuinely have a pain related problem.. I just wish they could tell u why they do it..
 
I use the Equilbriam Massage pad my boy used to buck his back also wen't up when I got on almost cold backed as the saying go's he's a middle weight cob so before I ride I put this pad on for 10 mins and oh my goodness what a difference I am not one for gadgets and was very sceptical but I wouldn't be with out this piece of kit he has the McTimony lady come out every 3 months and this works for me we hunt twice a week over big country and just hack out through the summer to keep him ticking. PS sorry about the spelling Can't spell x
 
Thank you for all the replies, I am quite sure that it is not pain related although to be safe I have booked her a physio visit just to double check, saddle was just a few weeks ago so i'm happy that is fine and teeth were checked a month ago.

I lunged her last night and she chucked a few in when asking for canter on the lunge, no saddle and no rider, so I think it's just her being her, she is a bit of a "firey" madam :)
 
I really hope not! Our lad has the most amazing buck.

But we have recently found out that, at 11 years old, he has never been backed or had any basic training, he was a pet for nine years, and there are only a few weeks unaccounted for between him leaving her and ending up with the dealer we bought him from. He was sat on and ok for a waddle around the farm, but any more asked of him and....the ejector seat comes in to play.

So we are hoping going back to basics and treating him as an unbroken youngster will make him forget about the bucking.

Time will tell....................
 
I once read an article that suggested that whether a horse bucks or not may be affected by his genes. It suggested that a horse whose genes where inherited from a line which may have originated from wooded areas would have used the 'buck' to protect itself from preditors while horses which lived out in the open would have learned to flee from prey rather than buck. It was a very interesting article and definitely some horses rarely buck while others 'buck' does seem to be their first reaction.
 
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