Random bucking fit - any ideas?

[Opticalillusion]

Hi guys, wondering if you can help...

I bought a halter-broken cob mare a few months ago and have since been working on breaking her in. She's been doing fantastically and has taken it all in her stride. Honestly, she's not put a hoof wrong - until now.

Of course, as she's green, she's had a good look at stuff. She's needed reassurance, and plenty of praise, bonding time and fuss. But, she's never once tried to buck, rear or shy away from anything in a dangerous way. She's got a fantastic mouth on her now, and will stand to be mounted no probs. She's fine alone, and in traffic. Since switching her to haylage (our farmer ran out of hay) she's been more forward going, but not dangerous at all.

Today, I took her out for a hack. We crossed a main road, passed buses and lorries, and washing blowing in people's gardens. No fuss at all. We walked into a housing estate on our way to a bridleway, and again, she seemed fine. If anything, I had to use more encouragement than usual as she went out for a ride yesterday and seemed a little 'ploddy'.

Then, completely out of the blue, she went mental. She threw a series of bucks, followed with spins and turns. I fell off onto the pavement (thankfully it was a quiet estate) and she cantered a few strides, got tangled in her reins, and broke a cheek piece on her bridle.

I managed to get up, but was pretty badly hurt. Thankfully, we were just around the corner from my house, so I took her to the garden and my friend came and led her back to the paddock for me. I went to a&e, had xrays, and have fractured my ankle.

The thing is, I have no idea why she spooked so badly. A dog was barking, but it was in the distance, and I'm sure it wasn't that. The only thing I can think of is a wasp sting. It was as though she had been struck by our elecric fence, it was so sudden.

Does anyone have any ideas? Has it ever happened to anyone before?

Now i'm going to have to find a rider for her, as i'm out for 6-8 weeks minimum with my pot, but I don't want to put anyone in danger if there's a chance she'll do it again.

Poor bugger worked herself up into a right state in the garden too. I gave her lots of bread and apples while I was waiting for my friend to come collect her, but I felt soooo sorry for her. I really hope it won't have sent her backwards and nervous from now on

 

[Shysmum]

I broke my boy in myself too, but took it a LOT slower - I think you've probably done too much too soon. You would do well to give the pony a complete rest while you are off, and then go back to basics and start again.Absolutely anything can panic a young horse, and you need to restart very slowly. Certainly stay off the roads for a good few months.

Check tack, teeth and back.

 

[Opticalillusion]

I thought about that too, but the reason I take her out so much is that her paddock is rather small - around 1/2 an acre - and I worry that she's getting bored. She seemed to love going out too. Also, people send their horses in for breaking at professional yards, and they are broken in a matter of weeks - some being worked every day.

Would her back/tack etc cause her a one-off bucking fit like that? She's been completely fine up until now.. I just don't get it : /

 

[McNally]

What is she ridden in tack wise? Was her saddle fitted?
A horse i had did very similar for absolutely no reason a while back. I had no idea what on earth happened but a motorist told me a car passed very close and very fast- this wouldnt normally have spooked him but i figure it maybe caught his side or something- Point being sometimes its so fast and sudden we dont notice the obvious!
Why not just use this time to do a little ground work if your able to rather than find a rider.
Is she kept alone?

 

[Shysmum]

Teeth are a very likely cause - Shy had to have his done every six months, as at their age they grow so quickly, and they are teething. At one stage I gave up on the bit altogether and went bitless as his mouth just seemed so sore - and yes, he would clamp down and buck. As soon as I realised the problem we were at the vet, and then he was bitless for quite a while - now bitted again, without any problems.

Cobs need careful bitting - Shy will only tolerate a french link or straight bar, as his tongue is very fleshy - so that may be an issue.

Shy outgrew his first saddle ( when I could afford one) very quickly, he just changed shape and muscle weekly. I got a treeless for his growing years.

In any case, while your horse has time off, I would get a vet check up - it could be well worth it x

 

[Opticalillusion]

She is in an extra-wide Ideal GP saddle with elasticated wintec girth, and a loose-ring snaffle bridle. Her saddle wasn't fitted professionally, but I have spent AGES finding one that fits (I must have tried around 20 on her without getting on and they were all too narrow). Everyone on my yard says that it fits perfectly; when she sweats up there are no dry patches, and it clears her spine well without being too tight. I've rode her in it a fair few times now, and no problems at all until now. Who would I get out to check that it fits? I've never had one fitted that way as I can't usually afford to pay more than around £300 for a saddle so usually buy second-hand.

I've now got a bloomin' pot on, so can't walk without crutches for 6-8 weeks. I'm gonna have to beg OH to even drive me down in the evening, and get someone else at the yard to do the morning feeds. She has a shetland companion who is on a MAJOR no-grass diet - hence the small paddock and her grazing it bald for him (he is a rescue case with cushings and rotated pedal bones). She doesn't particularly like him, so doesn't fret when she goes out alone. There are other horses in adjacent paddocks too, but she seems more on her toes when I take her out in company - I think she gets giddy because she's with her friends.

 

[AntxGeorgiax]

Hi, I bought my mare (5yo) and this happened. She had only been broken in for 6 months and hasn't done much, just basics.
When I got her and she came, I gave her a few days rest and we went out for a hack, she was as quiet as anything and could have been a 20 year old cob!
I gave her another day off and did the same, with no problem
She then had another day off, and when I went put it started fine and all of a sudden she reared up, and had a bucking fit into the middle of the main road.
Because she is still learning I didnt want to slap her or beat her, but I gave her a firm tap with my whip and told her who was in charge, she soon calmed down and I reassured her. I didn't hack there for a month or so and just worked on de-sensitising her as much as possible in the school, with plastic bags, car engines outside etc.
I then walked her in hand down the road, pulled over, got on and walked back and she was fine.
Maybe when your ankle is better, try and do as much ground work as possible, and maybe walk in hand there, stand around for a good 10 mins to let her have a good look, then get on and walk home and tell her how good she is,
If you are a little worried at all, have a friend go with you, you can chat and you have someone on the ground ready to step in if anything happens.
Good luck and get better soon!

 

[be positive]

If she has never bucked or even humped her back with the saddle on it may be that she felt the pressure of the girth fully for the first time for some reason then she put in the first buck, this then snowballed as she could not get away from it.

I always like to see them have a bit of a buck on the lunge before backing, it enables you to gauge their reaction and they can get it out of their system, it is rarely anymore than a little hump and plunge forward if done carefully but if they do not do it then it may happen later on, when you are on top. If this is all it was just go back a few steps introduce the saddle again and if she goes off on one let her get it out and send her forward, as long as she is not getting really scared, once she relaxes and settles she should be back to how she was before. I like to work young horses every day, with regular breaks to let it all sink in, they are like children little and often enables them to learn and keeps the brain occupied.

A saddle and back check first would be a good idea to make sure that there is no pain involved.

 

[Opticalillusion]

Thinking about it, she does actually play with the bit a little so maybe she bit her tongue?? That would explain the sudden bronco. I'll call the dentist in the morning

Also, little timmy is due his bloods in a couple of weeks, so I could get the vet to check her back etc at the same time.

I rode her in a treeless to start with, but it was majorly treeless (basically, just a leather numnah!) so I was worried that it would be pressing down on her spine. I might look into getting her another.. which brand did you use? xx

P.s. thank you both so much for your replies I'm sat here with my pot on feeling very sorry for myself and my mare

 

[McNally]

Teeth as Shysmum suggests also a very good point. I would get a saddler just to double check. My daughters pony started playing up suddenly and i got a afull vet check which showed nothing but a chiropractor found he was very sore under his saddle so im going to get that checked. Ask for local recommendations or google saddlers in your area. It shouldnt cost too much- I think i pay about £30 if i remember correctly.
Shysmum- What treeless saddle did you use? Im thining about one but not sure where to start as tbh ive never even seen one!

 

[Opticalillusion]

Thanks guys

It REALLY took me by surprise as she had just been so, so good. I suppose at the back of my mind, I thought it was too good to be true lol. I kind of expected it, but when the spooks never came, I guess I got over-confident. Still, it really didn't feel like she was spooking at 'something', more like something had stung/shocked her. She didn't try to run away / stand still / shy away at all.. we were just walking down the road and all of a sudden she went mad. I've never seen anything like it. I do think that after the first buck though, my weight will have shifted and that will have scared her. It took me so much by surprise!

 

[Kelly1982]

It could have been the girth pinching if it's elasticated??

I would give her time off while your healing and get her back and saddle checked, then when your better take her back to basics again.

My youngster has just done the same to me (luckily I was unhurt as in the school) and I'm convinced it is the saddle and mine WAS professionally checked. So Physio and saddler booked again and I'm just doin ground work with him for the time being

 

[Toffee44]

Has she been stung at all??

I was riding samba once and she had a bucking fit, she had two massive lumps on her belly come up later, I think she was being stung but a horse fly/ wasp. She also had a headshaking attack today after sniffing a stinging nettle.

 

[Opticalillusion]

I don't think it was the girth, as it's a wintec one so it's all in a sleeve. It does fit, but is on the second-to-bottom holes on one side, and the bottom on the other, so maybe it has pinched because it is too tight... hmm...

I do think it might have been a sting, but we were in a housing estate so it's a strange place for wasps..

actually, scrap that. It's not like they only live in fields haha! I think i'm going mental over thinking this I didn't have chance to check for lumps, I was too worried about her getting back down to the stables and then had to go to the hospital.

So, we need: Vet/back person, Dentist, Saddler, new bigger girth. Oh, and a new cheek piece from where it broke. Hopefully I can get her off the haylage soon too cos it's like i've been giving her red-bull!

 

[Littlelegs]

With you saying she's quiet & has been plodding, I wonder if its a bit of a slow & go effect. If she's not using her energy to move forwards its possible it all came out in one big buck. Then, because she's young, your shift in balance caused the continued bucking as she isn't used to rider movement. Plus the possibility of a saddle problem.

 

[popeyesno1fan]

Sorry, cant remember how old you said she was. My cob was backed as a three year old, no problems, rode very well, left him off til he was 4, he went fine for a while and then bronced like a rodeo. Sent the girl that was riding him into tomorrow, and then pranced around the arena for 5 mins like he had never been handled, never mind broken. We caught him, lunged him and she got back up and he was fine, he was ridden for about 6 weeks then, and turned away, he is now back in, and behaving like a ten year old, i think it just took him the time to mature. hopefully its the same with your mare, time and experience does sort most issues!!

 

[ods rules]

Always assume pain before bad behaviour our maybe she its just wondering about stuff that she is not sure of wen you wer I was a baby I screamed wen I saw my reflection our wen I laughed she is maybe just scared I'm sure she will grow out of out hope I helped

 

[Beausmate]

Sounds like it could well be a bite or a sting. My huge TB booted me a good one in the knee, eight weeks off work, six of those on crutches.

I was oiling his hooves, he's had it done 100s of times before. He was tied up in the yard with his friend, they were both standing quietly, nothing else going on anywhere, he wasn't sore, I didn't sneak up on him or scare him in any way, just wallop! Then he broke loose and ran away all of about 30ft before standing still looking a bit baffled. I was far too busy rolling around on the floor to check him (neglectful owner ) but I can only assume some insect got him in a sensitive area.

 

[flowerlady]

It sounds like a sting to me. Although I would always take someone with me when riding a young horse out just in case. They could ride a bike?