"Most horses rear and buck at some point" (?)

Puppy

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I have just seen a statement along these lines in another thread (sorry to quote you rara
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I just thought it an interesting topic) The comment:

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I always ask if it has EVER reared or bucked when ridden, and most horses will have done so it tests the horses owner honesty, if they say it has ask for an explanation, if it hasn't try it and see if you think they could be genuine..

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And wondered if people think it's true?

Now maybe I've been remarkably lucky with the horses I've owned and ridden, but I don't think this statement is true in my case. I've just been pondering and done a little mental list and of the last 20 or so horses that I've owned/loaned/exercised I can only think of a couple of buckers and a couple of rearers.

Certainly both my current girls have never done either. Am I an exception?!
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Would I be considered a suspect seller if I said that to a prospective buyer?


Also, how do people feel about a bucker or rearer. If a horse rears with me "at some point" - i.e once, then I won't want to get on it again.
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Once is once to many with a rearer to me (I maybe felt different in my youth, but not anymore
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). However, the odd buck I think is fine - like my old boy every time he got a stubble field under his feet *rolls eyes*. I certainly see a big distinction between the two, whereas I think some people group them together.

Thoughts people?
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the only horse/pony i have had that bucks/rears is harry. Tara will raise her back end occasionally when you use a schooling whip on her (hence i dont..!), but nothing nasty.
 
depends on what you class as rearing. My current TB that I own will often do a little mini rear at a ditch if you try and get him to jump it - he doesnt like them.

Previous trakenher did little mini rears when he saw something he didnt like in the road

and cob x tb has a mini rear going out of the yard when he thinks he doesnt want to, but once he realised hes going he doesnt do it.

However, I wouldnt class these as rearing properly. If they did that I would never have got back on them.
 
My mare have never reared and I certainly dont expect her too. Neither has she ever bucked with me when under the saddle - an excited kind of weeeeeee buck wouldnt bother me but if she started intentionally bucking to have me off that would be a completely different issue.

Bucks and rears when let off in the field - if she hasnt been out for a while - which is amazing to watch!

Query does a differrent style of riding contribute to bucking and/or rearing in a horse? Riders who hold on too much and dont allow their horses to go forward, are their horses more likely to rear as the horse may feel there isnt anywhere else to go?!

Just pondering.

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my pony has never bucked or reared with me in the 8 years I've had her, although when someone from my old yard took her out without my permission they complained that she bucked. My gelding occasionally does very small litttle rears when he's throwing a real strop, but feet never come off the ground more than a foot. he sometimes bucks when having a strop too, but he's so half hearted about everything neither worry me. Generally I'd be more concerned about rearing than bucking
 
Not sure, all the ponies I rode as a kid either bucked or reared when excited (that's why I got to ride them, as no one else wanted too!!!). However can't think of any horses I have ridden/shared or owned who have done either, except my mare who has reared twice under saddle, but each time she due to come into season and had a sore back.
 
IMO not true. Pidge has done a very small buck once with me when really excited at a show. However he broncs and stands vertical in the field when playing with Sunny, in fact when they play we call him "jack in the box" as he just bounces up and down all the time
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Well I've only once sat on a rearer and never again, but I don't think I've had a horse that wouldn't throw the odd buck in the right circumstances, but I wouldn't call them buckers.
 
My pony bucked, next horse up never once bucked or reared, Ernie hasn't, Kc never did (in ten years), Dotty didn't, Myles didn't, Isla didn't, Topaz didn't...need I go on. So in my opinion the comment is aload of rubbish!
 
My arab will do loads of excited bucks if she's cantering in a field. She has never tried to get me off just kicks her heels up. I don't mind her doing this as its only when she's enjoying herself and its never been malicious. My other horse has never done either but I've only had her for 7 weeks so we'll see.....
 
I think I generally pick the quirkier horses and have always had the ones that have been badly started or are competition horses and every horse has bucked at least once and some have reared (4 out of about 10 horses I owned).

As said though I have never had a straight forward horse!

I think every horse is capable of rearing or bucking - both are natural. Bucks to let out exuberance and rears if they feel threatened or are held onto
 
I would say most horses will have done at some point, not necessarily making them a "bucker" or "rearer."

I've owned 4 horses in my life, none of them would I consider at all dangerous, and all fairly well behaved.

Twiggy my first pony bucked and reared occasionally from excitement out hunting, but never unseating me.

Jasper never bucked but he reared one time on xc, because he didn't want to be left behind.

Taz never reared, but on two occasions he had big bucking fits - very out of character.

Paris never reared either, but she did buck a few times, quite meanly, but 99% of the time she was a total novice ride.

TBH none of those things bother me, particularly if they're done out of excitement or fear. If I had a horse that reared or bucked out of naughtiness on a regular basis, I would class it as a problem, but otherwise not.

And when I've been asked about it as a seller I have been honest, however I always note that it is not a habitual thing, and not done out of malice.

Even if a horse hasn't reared or bucked with you, it doesn't mean they never will - as someone said, all horses are capable of it, it just depends on the circumstances.
 
Hmm Blue has never reared but he did used to buck a few years back, Holly bucks occasionally and used to rear a few years back if she didn't get her own way, probably would now if you pushed her too much!!
 
Almost ll the horses and ponies i have ridden have bucked or reared in someway, even if it was just a small excited bucked, I suppose it depends on the horse and the level it is working at. I dont mind if you think i am wrong, just IMO most of the horse or ponies i know i i jut normal for the to get abit excited a put in a small buck or rear. Pip has not buk or reared since about 1 month after i broke him, but ginga often bucks small bucks in canter tranitions, probably because he has very on the forehand confirmation.

On theubject of horses bucking for different people, almost all the ponie my sister ride tend to buck with her, even very quite types, she is nervous and rides heavily.

Puppy, as i said you can try the horse, if i ha never bucked or reared and when you try it it doesn't show any signs of it and you seem genuine, then you would not be suspect.

In my riding career whe i was little i rode lots of show shetlands at a fairly high level and most of these had a vice of some sort, many bucked when in a group or on the lap of honour. I then had a couple of dressage ponies, one wa very spirted and buck or reared until she was warmed up, but she was amazing once she settled, the other never bucked except maybe once a small one when jumping. I then had a few pony club type ponies and horses and they did excita
ble bucks occasionaly.

IMO if you ask and the seller says oh yes, she did a small bucked in hunting field, or she reared when we bought her back into work it show the seller is being quite truthful and the horse is normal
 
That's the difference I think - a confirmed bucker or rearer has a 'vice' of sorts, but most horses would surelky buck or rear in the field whilst playing anyway. Both are 'natural' movements for a horse, just as an extended trot can be, how many riders want that and can only see it when the horse is showing off to his friends!!
 
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IMO not true. Pidge has done a very small buck once with me when really excited at a show. However he broncs and stands vertical in the field when playing with Sunny, in fact when they play we call him "jack in the box" as he just bounces up and down all the time
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Thats the thing im tralking about, not full on bronks!
 
Er, I'd say many have done something 'sharp' at some point (leaping off the ground off all 4's, whipping round in melodramatic spook, buck in response to whip etc) at some point in their lives - often in the early years when going to a show for the first time or whatever.

That said, I think it's untrue that MOST horses would do this during the ownership of the selling person, especially if that person has not owned them always...

Many potential rears or bucks can be avoided by correct riding so in lots of cases (IMO), it says more about the type of rider someone is than what the horse is like!
 
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Well I've only once sat on a rearer and never again, but I don't think I've had a horse that wouldn't throw the odd buck in the right circumstances, but I wouldn't call them buckers.

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Thats what im talking about, if as a seller you say it bucked once or twice, it is showing the horse is normal
 
my horses have ever intentially bucked or reared, i.e to get me off. I have had excitable bucks out hacking and xc and little bunny hop rears in frustration but if i was to sell them and someone asked me whether they bucked or reared, i would say they do not. They are not buckers or rearers and in over all the years that i have owned them it has happened about once.
 
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Well I've only once sat on a rearer and never again, but I don't think I've had a horse that wouldn't throw the odd buck in the right circumstances, but I wouldn't call them buckers.

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Thats what im talking about, if as a seller you say it bucked once or twice, it is showing the horse is normal

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I have had a number of really abnormal horses then...
 
I think that what the animal does in the field is irrelevant, so would not count that. I've NEVER had a horse which rears, but think it has a great deal to do with the way they are ridden, and your ability to intervene before they can rear.
I've had a few which bucked and see a distinction again between green or high spirited bucks - which I would term as back up bucks, and naughty unseat the rider which I would consider front down bucks.
I can honestly say that Sienna has never bucked when ridden and I've had lots which I can also say that about but would expect when I ring up - especially about a pony to hear that it has had a couple of high spirited bucks in it's time.
 
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Also, how do people feel about a bucker or rearer. If a horse rears with me "at some point" - i.e once, then I won't want to get on it again.
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Once is once to many with a rearer to me (I maybe felt different in my youth, but not anymore
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). However, the odd buck I think is fine - like my old boy every time he got a stubble field under his feet *rolls eyes*. I certainly see a big distinction between the two, whereas I think some people group them together.

Thoughts people?
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I think you are putting too much thought into this

I would be very surprised if a youngster never bucks or rears - both of mine have. However both got taught that it is not a good thing to rear....

However if I try hard then I can pretty much make any horse rear - all horses ought to be able to on command. This also means that a horse that has never reared can always potentially rear if the rider holds them in and clamps on with their legs.

Any althetic horse should be able to buck and rear
 
unless an owner has had a horse from been a foal i dont feel they can honestly say if it has never done either.

I refuse to believe a horse goes through life without ever bucking or rearing no matter how big or small the buck or rear maybe.

To me its like saying none of us ever go through life without kicking off or having a hissy fit take me for instance i would be a prone bucker or rearer if i were a horse.

Most horses will throw very few of either in a life time but i find most do it due to excitment be it at the first few comps or fun rides.
I have never know anything including riding school horses that have never even done the smallest buck.
 
Have to say that I also must have been extremely lucky - Sirena used to do humungous bucks as a baby but she's the only one that has ever remotely done anything like that. Having said that, I don't count things like raising their front legs as a rear, so to say that most horses do it is a little rash imho
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unless an owner has had a horse from been a foal i dont feel they can honestly say if it has never done either.

I refuse to believe a horse goes through life without ever bucking or rearing no matter how big or small the buck or rear maybe.

To me its like saying none of us ever go through life without kicking off or having a hissy fit take me for instance i would be a prone bucker or rearer if i were a horse.

Most horses will throw very few of either in a life time but i find most do it due to excitment be it at the first few comps or fun rides.
I have never know anything including riding school horses that have never even done the smallest buck.

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Exactly, at some point in the horses life they will get excited and do somthing, even if it is not nasty
 
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I don't count things like raising their front legs as a rear, so to say that most horses do it is a little rash imho
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I was counting that as a rear..
 
Sienna has never ever bucked, reared, napped, kicked or bitten, and I would know I bred her. The reason is simply because she's been correctly brought up (she's 13). If I have a horse to break in and bring on - and I ride it myself, then I wouldn't expect it to buck or rear either, though I would forgive a high jinks buck.
 
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I think that what the animal does in the field is irrelevant, so would not count that. I've NEVER had a horse which rears, but think it has a great deal to do with the way they are ridden, and your ability to intervene before they can rear.


to quote your bottom line here saying about ability to stop them rearing thats aload of rubbish not the best riders in the world can stop a horse going off on one if the fancy takes it.
I have been to pippa funnel demos where rock was going off on one big time nearly got her a couple of times.

To me thats a way of saying if your horse rears your obviously not riding it correctly total rubbish if they want to buck or rear they will you can ride forwards do everything else ''correct'' but if they are determined they will do it.
 
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