Rearing 2 year old

pedilia

pedilia

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One of my 2 year olds is a real stress head and has a tendendacy to rear when stressed or upset, so I now have her on the yard, others are turned away (alongside the fact she started to drop condition over the winter) she currently stands at 15.2 and is generally very good to handle, she is responsive to voice commands when being led, backs up when asked etc.
But if she is being bought in/put out and spots another horse or is on the yard and other horses are moving about, she gets stressed and rears, she went over backwards a couple of days ago because she heard a horse behind her!
I have her on a longer line and wear a hat but need this nipped in the bud!

Best way of dealing with it?
 
When we had this problem I didn't have the experience to deal with it and got in an IH RA who cured the problem on pretty much the first dealing she had with our boy. It is all about how you handle it in the second it happens, timing is everything. Unless you really know what you are doing I would recommend getting someone in, I am sure there are people on here who will have far better advice and probably step by step instructions but it is not something I would want to 'try' to deal with and mess up.
 
I had an unhandled 3yo that responded to a lead rope by walking on two feet or with her head right up in the air. I gently put pressure straight down while she was standing (not much, just so rope was taught) and waited til she dropped her head. The second she dropped it I loosened the rope completely and gave her a scratch.

I even led her initially by a forward command being a slight movement down on the rope as moving forwards wasn't an option in her head!

She soon learnt that she walked normally with her head and the second she pulled she didn't like it, so she stopped pulling. Even when she shows interest in another horse galloping by now, a slight movement and head drops and she forgets there is a problem.


I had the advantage in a way that she reared continually so there were lots of moments to correct.


A 10/12ft lead rope was a life saver. Gave me the ability to keep hold when she went up to realise that she couldn't escape the leadrope on two legs, it only went away when when was standing nicely.


Just as a note, it took a matter of days to correct on a busy yard with lots of scary new things when she was unhandled in a field previously. I was never going to have a rearer in hand and I don't anymore. But as Dolce says it is all about timing. She second she even thinks it, it needs to be nipped in the bud.

Pan
 
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Long rope on the headcollar, gloves and take a schooling whip. If she *thinks* about rearing get her to circle around you (think mini lunging), keep those hooves moving forwards and she can't rear. Once she done the circle and the thought has passed, carry on leading in the direction you had originally wanted to go.
 
My (then) 3yo was good at handstands, I used a pressure halter but no effect, so I stuck a chiffney in, he went up once and never again. I lead him to and from field in it for a good few months, no probs, then went back to the pressure halter, still no probs. I would use chiffney if it was really windy for e.g., when he had an excuse, but he never went up again. Nip it in the bud, its naughty and dangerous whatever the reason. Oh and wear a hat and gloves and use a lunge line.
 
I may be reading this wrong but is she in on her own and the others are turned away?

I would want a 2yr old out 24/7, especially at this time of year.

I agree this needs nipping in the bud but she also needs time to be a baby.
 
Faracat said:
Long rope on the headcollar, gloves and take a schooling whip. If she *thinks* about rearing get her to circle around you (think mini lunging), keep those hooves moving forwards and she can't rear. Once she done the circle and the thought has passed, carry on leading in the direction you had originally wanted to go.
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I found this worked well with my hulking great 3 y/o, except I was able to do it with a hard stare and the end of the rope instead of the schooling whip.

If it's any consolation OP she has more or less grown out of it :)

Also sorry if you already know this, but when the moment has passed she will let out a breath or sigh, which is the tension releasing. Don't give in before then! I also find letting out exaggerated sighs myself is often enough to stop it before it starts. Worth trying if you haven't done so yet, you will get strange looks though!
 
forestfantasy said:
I may be reading this wrong but is she in on her own and the others are turned away?

I would want a 2yr old out 24/7, especially at this time of year.

I agree this needs nipping in the bud but she also needs time to be a baby.
Click to expand...

She is not on her own, she is on the yard with 14 others, my other youngsters are out 24/7. Ideally I would have her out 24/7 as well but she started to lose condition and wasn't doing well out all the time, the vet has been out a couple of times and agreed that she should be in for a while. She has been out all day and in at night for the last month or so, mainly so I can monitor what she is eating, she will be out 24/7 in a couple of weeks.

The rearing happens whether she is out all the time or in.

thanks eveyone for the replies
 
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