Issues - please help

[somethingisgoingon]

Hi there,

I am new on here but having read some other posts without being registered, I though maybe someone on here could help me.

I have got a 14 year old Dutch Warmblood which I got as a bit of a project as I have been doing some training with a Monty Roberts related person. When I got him, I knew that he reared once in a while when out on rides. The former owner thought he did it when he lost his confidence but now I am not so sure. He also had an accident in the past where he hurt his sacrialic joint (hope that is how you spell it) but that had been fixed and when I used him as my case study for my Equine Touch training as well, he showed no signs of pain anywhere and hasn't done either everytime I have given him body works.
Now the problem is that when he finally did rear with me, (didn't do it for at least 3-4 months) I wasn't prepared on how much it actually unnerved me when I came off. He goes very high and kinda twist at the same time. I did get on him again and next time I rode him, he bucked instead but then we had a few rides out and he was fine.
I moved him to another yard shortly afterwards and he seemed to settle and do fine and I took him out with someone else and although he didn't rear, I certainly didn't feel comfortable as he was shaking his head and sticking his tongue out etc... The woman at the yard suggested that I put a standing martingale on him which I wasn't keen on but eventually agreed as I needed to feel a bit more safe on him. Now he's realised that he can't rear so now he's decided to buck instead and I am getting more and more scared of actually riding him. He was fine in both walk and trot but when we set off in canter and the other rider went in front of us, he decided to play up and start bucking. He didn't get me off but I am now finding that I don't want to get on him at all and wondering if I might need to find a new home for him. I would prefer not to and work through it but don't know how to get through this. Anyone got any ideas that can help me??
Thanks in advance

 

[Bosworth]

He sounds to me like a horse in pain. His shaking head, sticking tounge out and the rearing and bucking. have you actually had his back checked out by a vet? THe bucking sounds as though it is just fun and possibly going in front rather than behind could have helped. if you are now nervous of riding him he will know that and react to that so you feeling a bit nervous could bring on his misbehaviour. But I think I would be looking to get his back checked out thoroughly by a vet before I started to ride him through the behaviour.

 

[Maesfen]

My short answer is take the martingale off. Leave the neckstrap on if it will give you more confidence and always ride him forward strongly; don't give him time to prat about; always be 'on a mission' even in walk and make life interesting for him.
I'm sure you'll get a lot more better answers but they're my basic and how I would start.

 

[AmyMay]

If you can completely rule out a back issue (although it sounds like one to me) then get an experienced jockey on him and see how they get on. It could just be naughtiness, but it may be something more.

Good luck.

 

[LauraWheeler]

Have you had his saddle checked? His back maybe fine without it on but is he in discomfort when he is being ridden?
I agree with getting an expereanced person to ride him. They can then give you advice on weather you can carry on with him or weather it would be better to find him a new home.
Good luck.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

It sounds like a back/saddle/pain issue to me. Just because one person says all is well doesn't mean that the horse thinks so. I wouldn't ride again until you have had this thoroughly checked out, by more than one 'expert' if necessary.