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So I lost absolutely amazing heart horse In Jan this year to colic. She was an amazing happy hacker for me and my daughters rode her too.I still had my daughters little cheeky cob .
In May I ended up buying another horse.
He has been ok hacking a little on edge as expected as been in the same home nearly his whole life. Very sweet boy
Hasn't done much schooling. We have taken him in arena 3 times and he's been fine.
Any way I let young daughter ride him in arena and the wind picked up and he spooked and full on bronced till she fell off.
I took her to a&e as was worried. Luckily she's fine. But really had me thinking is he right for us. But he's been absolutely fine for the last 5 month. Feel guilty for letting her ride him and upset what could of happened!
Miss my horse I lost and am constantly comparing to her.
Because he's done this once does this want he will do it again ?? If so then he's not right for a family pony!?
 
How old is the new pony?
What had he done before you bought him?
Where did he come from?
Why did you buy him?
How much experience with other horses have you had?
If he’d only been in an arena 3 x and the weather wasn’t looking too good then l would have cut short the session if conditions were deteriorating.
If you think he’s going to buck next time you ride him he probably will do! He’ll sense you’re unhappy and lack confidence. If you think he’s not the right horse for you maybe worth contacting the previous owner and letting them know. Or get someone suitable experienced to come and help.
 
Hes 13 done mainly hacking , little bit of schooling not much, pleasure rides.
I bought him for me to hack and my daughters to also eventually ride. And do a couple of local shows eventually.
Owned horses for 7 years.
Yes I definitely should of cut the lesson when the weather picked up. This is what I am feeling so bad about.
Hes never bucked out hacking I have hacked him out twice a week for the last 5 month.
Will do.
 
I think this was just an unfortunate accident
The horse isn’t really familiar with the arena and just got scared I don’t think that means they will do it again
I had a similar experience once
I was riding my horse and the other horse in the arena spooked behind him so he took off bucking til I came off.
Never did it before and never did it again
I would ride yourself a few more times in the arena with him til he’s more settled this is a big life change for him if he’s 13 and lived in one place for most his life
I’m glad your daughter is ok and im sorry for your loss on your heart horse ❤️
 
An accident happening wouldn't itself bother me with those conditions. What would worry me is that he didn't just spook or buck a little, but (based on what you said) bronced and didn't stop until she fell off. How is the horse to saddle? Had they been trotting/cantering anything before this? It seems like something that could trigger a coldbacked horse to get such a reaction. If so, I'd say that's something to look at.
 
Totally agree his reaction to a spook is what bothered me too.
He has spooked on hacks but never bucked.
I have had physio, teeth done , bean removed from sheath, vet all since having him.
I have saddle fitter booked in for in 2 week.
Hes fine to tack up.
Yes I walk, trot,canter on hacks and he's fine
 
When he spooked did your daughter lose her balance, make a noise or sudden movement or panic? I presume when he spooks with you, you are calm. Is he normally ok in the arena?
 
Following on from what maya2008 wrote - I have known a few 'safe as houses' horses panic if the rider loses their balance. Hasn't necessarily resulted in broncing but I have seen a few 'walls of death' running round the school until the rider fell off.
 
Hmm I don't really want to upset things but if that is a reaction for when he gets scared it might not be the first time. I used to ride an ex racer who when panicked would need you off his back and he would bronch until it happened. It was rare but not a one off. I ate dirt a few times. Hopefully he's just tense as it's in a new home but like above, and as he settles it would not be a possibility anymore. Also if you can feel triggers stacking up and him getting more tense I would try to deflect and do something else rather than add to it until he feels he has no option.
 
maya2008 said:
When he spooked did your daughter lose her balance, make a noise or sudden movement or panic? I presume when he spooks with you, you are calm. Is he normally ok in the arena?
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Yes she probably did lose balance I did think this too.
Hes only been in there 3 times x
 
mariew said:
Hmm I don't really want to upset things but if that is a reaction for when he gets scared it might not be the first time. I used to ride an ex racer who when panicked would need you off his back and he would bronch until it happened. It was rare but not a one off. I ate dirt a few times. Hopefully he's just tense as it's in a new home but like above, and as he settles it would not be a possibility anymore. Also if you can feel triggers stacking up and him getting more tense I would try to deflect and do something else rather than add to it until he feels he has no option.
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This was my worry too. He had been scared on hacks and spooked but never bronced. X
 
:0) said:
Yes she probably did lose balance I did think this too.
Hes only been in there 3 times x
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Plenty of horses will panic and bronc the rider off if they lose balance or make a panicked sound during a spook.

Examples from my herd:
- Sensitive Welsh D who is usually calm and easy and a dope on a rope. Spooked at another horse tripping and my son lost his balance last summer. He could have clambered back on if she’d stopped, but she panicked at him being half off the side and bucked until he came off.
- My little cob. Easy and safe and fun for me. Couldn’t cope with even a small loss of balance in the Riding School. Continuously ditched kids. Spooks with me, shrugs and carries on because I’m not bothered by it.

I have some who will stop and catch the rider, but not every horse can be expected to do that, especially if green.
 
Some horses aren't fond of arena work/schooling. Obviously it's a good thing to get them in the arena for focused work, but some definitely take to it better than others!

Our old boy has always been great out hacking - very good in traffic, not easily spooked, happy to lead, go behind, etc. He was a really good hunting cob for my OH too.
We've had him since he was 4 and he's now 26. One of the first things the previous owner said to me was 'he's not fond of arena work.'
Very true! We'd been hacking him out safely for months, but the first time we took him in an arena he went halfway round in trot and then dropped his shoulder and took off at lightning speed, throwing in the odd buck - and would then turn sharply at the fence (at which point the rider usually became airborne). He did it with everyone, including our riding instructor - although she did quite a bit of work with him on this and he did improve greatly. So it may be worth getting some help on this specific issue. He couldn't unseat our riding instructor so in the end he decided that all the dashing about was too much like hard work and it wasn't getting him anywhere.

I would also say that he was a lot worse in the wind, or if there was something going on behind the hedge, or if another horse was being led in...basically any excuse.

Even after schooling, he was never great with flatwork in the arena. He did a couple of prelim dressage tests and his disapproval was obvious! And then one day, in P7, when OH put him into canter, he decided to take matters into his own hands and jumped out of the arena over one of the markers. (Judge's sheet said 'Left arena'!) it was a lovely jump, though.

If he went into an arena with jumps, this was an entirely different matter - he loved jumping and would put up with warm-up flatwork if he knew he was going to be doing some jumping.

Most of our schooling was done out on hacks. Circles, lateral work, responding to aids promptly... all worked well. I rode him yesterday and he is still really responsive!

Sometimes horses just have 'episodes'. Ozzy had one a few weeks ago where he had a bucking and broncing fit just as we were leaving home. We still don't know why.

And I know exactly what you mean about comparing a horse to one you've lost. I do this all the time and have to accept that I was so blessed to have Finn, who we lost 6 years ago. But there's a lot of fun still to be had with the others.
 
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eggs said:
Following on from what maya2008 wrote - I have known a few 'safe as houses' horses panic if the rider loses their balance. Hasn't necessarily resulted in broncing but I have seen a few 'walls of death' running round the school until the rider fell off.
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I had a tb your granny could ride. He really was absolutely bombproof in any situation, unless the rider lost balance. He never ever bucked but would get faster and faster until the rider came off or they regained balance. I found that out when a friend who said she could ride better than she could, rode him out. I never put him in that situation again.
 
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