Rearing, help!

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Seahorse

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Axey has always been a bit on the 'nappy' side, nothing bad he's sometimes a bit reluctant to go past things he's scared of, (he's not very brave horse)
He's been an angel out hacking and will often go in front, and I've managed to take him out on his own a couple of times
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Yesterday however he was a nightmare, he wouldn't leave the yard and kept rearing and spinning, he does this horrible thing where he goes so hollow his withers disappear, and then pisses off with his head up
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If you sit quietly on him he gets over it and then goes forward, but he was rearing up higher than ever and when I eventually got out on to the road he refused go more than about 50 m and then stood in the road rearing, spinning and walking backwards. Its a very narrow lane with ditches either side and I was prepared to sit and wait when loads of cars came along and I had no other choice than to get off. I led him up the road and stood with him in a layby for 10 mins before deciding to call it a day and led him home.
I got back to the yard and rode in the school, he was wonderful! The best he's gone in a long time. No rearing nothing just a lovely forward soft happy horse
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I hacked out today with a friend and he was fine
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I'm guessing he was just being a wuss as usual but I need to stop him from going up, any suggestions?
 
If we're talking vertical rears I wouldnt recommend this. But if we are talking smaller rears, and if you know how to use them, Id recommend hackiong him in draw riens for a while.

I did this with my chronic napper; who reared, bucked, bolted, ran backwards, through himself on the floor - he knew every trick in the ruddy book - And I was finally able to get an upper hand on him, as I could hold his front end. He now goes everywhere, without draw riens (Im talking 20 mile hacks) and only ever naps when he is actually scared.
 
No suggestions hon, but i'm sorry to hear your having trouble. I used to have a horse that napped and I used to end up getting off walking for a bit then getting on, he'd then napp I'd get off walk for a bit etc etc I used to walk for miles!!!
 
Just wondering but have you done any leading out in hand? I know that some people don’t advocate it but I think it helped Bodey prepare for hacking more then anything else I could have done (my instructor advised me to do it). He may just be feeling insecure and by having you on the ground walking with him he may feel braver and be more willing to go out on his own. When I first started walking Bodey out I had him on a lunge line one side while Gina (GinaGem) had him on a lunge line the other side.

Just a thought.
 
dont know if this is of any help to you but a girl on our yard (fab rider) horse had been doing this for some time (very stroppy mare very difficult ride - she changed all her feed a month or so ago - no sugars ect even cut out apples and carrots and the horse is loads better hardly ever flings itself about x
 
No they aren't vertical rears, just quite small one's but they seem to be getting bigger as time goes on
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I normally hack him out in a Market Harborough, but he's been so good recently I have taken it off. I put it back on today though, but I don't like it as it tends to make him lean (although leaning is preferable to rearing lol)
Thank for the tip, I will put draw reins on next time, as he seems to put his head in the air and hollow first, they might just work
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Its strange though because he's really chilled and laid back, but yesterday looked terrified according to YO.

I have recently changed his feed from mix to very cheap nuts, and he only gets 1/2 a scoop a day!
 
He's been hacked out loads, and is normally fine.
Last time I took him out on his own I was so pleased with him I posted on here about it
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he was forward and very brave even when we met tractors and loads of traffic on the road. he didn't bat an eyelid at anything.

We have been to the beach and the Downs in the last fortnight too and he's been a star. I can't work out why suddenly he's started doing this
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I was looking at some economy cubes and a friend said they were more heating as they had cheap stuff in them, like oats and barley - so maybe??
 
Here is a fun one

You could try carrying an egg with you and when he rears smash it on the top of his head. This is supposed to make him think he has hit his head on something and is now bleeding.

don't know how he would react its a bit of an old wivestale that I thankfully have never had to use
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another 'trick' is to hit him on the head (not too hard!!) with your whip (same principle but saves you having to carry an egg out with you - could be scrambled by the time you crack it over the head and that wont work!!!!) when he goes up x
 
Sorry haven't read whole story or replys but try making sure the rein is nice and long and relaxed, even drop conact totaly, often they tense up so you shorten your contant to keep contact and its a horrid circle! Haven't got time to explain why but works a treat on a few rears I know. Oh and don't stay on if there getting dangerous, what good will you two smashed on the flloor do?
 
As to the hitting the horse on the head with various items . . . I would imagine it might work. So long as the horse doesn't freak out, flip over and land on top of you.

There are safer, more sensible ways of dealing with this.

The food seems an interesting link.
 
i agree cruiser - i think you really need to know your horse before you resort to that method - i have only ever seen the whip thing done once with a renowned rearer ( not a vertical one ) and it did the trick horse stopped straight away , she was a bit of a wimp underneath her bolshy ways and it shocked her into stopping it - but i hasten to add it was only a softish tap x
 
the egg and the whip thing does not work, you may or may not remember my old pony was a terrible rearer and tried everything in the book. well the pony still does it.

take the pony to a proffesinal while its not such a big deal. or when ever you feel the horse think about it and you can see the signs (eg. hollows back) do something to distract him. turn him on a circle.

have his teeth checked too.
 
I don't think hitting him on the head would work, it would probably make him worse if anything
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I'm pretty sure I had a nice long rein on him at the time, and at one point I had a very loose rein, I didn't have my legs on and he was still going up even though he was facing home
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You're right though if I took hold of him he was even worse.
 
I agree with the pushing on and dropping contact but be careful when I do that....I learnt the hard way a few weeks ago when my mare decided that a white van coming towards was very scary and she was not going to go past it. Luckily the driver could see that she was being a bit of a moo bag and he totally stopped, turned his radio off and just sat and waited (bless him) I gave her the rein and pushed her on, we were just about the go past the van when she took total advantage of the rein and in a flash she has spun and was over the other side of the lane infront of the van
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the driver looked mortified, as was I as it happened so damn quickly. Just be careful, my mare is very very quick and took me by surprise, she won't be doing that again I can tell you!!
 
If you don't want to then don't do it. Its much safer when there are two of you. He may mature and decide its allright in the end and there is nothing wrong with taking it one step at a time.
 
My mare can vertical rear and I have learnt to tell when she is going to do it drop the contact and send her forward. Another thing is to keep flexing the neck as they can not rear if there head is not straight
 
OK, first things first, please do not be tempted to try an of the (sadle inevitable) ignorant suggest which require contact with the poll - i.e. eggs or whips. Find me a seriously professional & quality rider who will recommend that & I'll eat my flipping hat. I won't bother to explain all the reasons for not doing it, I have a feeling you are knowledgeable enough to know for yourself...

Right, re not being able to bet back on again - invest in one of those stirrup mount things - small, light & easy to roll up in your pocket - think they cost about a fiver. Useful in case you ever get caught out again.

Sounds to me very, very much like a lack of confidence - so you need to go back a step, i.e. take JoBo's advice. Walking out on foot, hacking out with others, taking it really slowly - I know it seems odd when you've previously had confident sessions, but that's horses!

If you do get caught out with him rearing, take the pressure off IMMEDIATELY. Your priority is NOT to teach your horse to rear. Remember horse psycology - every time he does it, he's teaching himself that that is what he does, i.e. compounding the problem. So, bearing in mind it's basically napping, treat it the same. Make him stand DEAD still until he's desperate to go - then quietly ask him forwards & he should be pleased to walk off. As you have a horse who is inclined to go up, I wouldn't insist on standing for TOO long as he may go up out of boredom.
 
Seahorse - don't force yourself and your horse to hack out alone at the moment if you're not comfortable - it will only decrease both of your confidence and then you're in a vicious circle. If possible go for nice relaxed hacks with others for a while, get him back in his comfort zone and build up some trust before you can start to push him a bit more.

Sal_E - very interesting about asking them to stop when they're napping - will be trying it next time my pony naps!
 
Bex, be careful if the horse is the impatient sort that bubbles energy & may go up if contained too long. However, if your horse isn't that sort, then the sitting out thing is by far the best way to solve a napper - works virtually every time!

Be strict though - don't let him rest a leg, scratch, turn his head to look around. Sit there, dead quiet, dead still. If he fidgets, firmly make him STAND. Do it for longer than he clearly wants to - that could be SOME time so make sure you've got the time before you get youself into the situation! When you're ready to walk off, remember to not be cross as this isn't punishment - jolly him along telling him how great he is. If he stops again, promtply go back into the same thing again.

Far better than getting into an argument that often you'll lose & usually teaches the horse a few more dangerous tricks. Far safer for everyone, especially if on a road.
 
I would teach this horse flexion at the poll and how to bend his head round each way to touch his nose to his side (will take a while to build flexion and muscles up but it should always be a pre-flight check before riding out anyway). I would also teach reverse and use this against a nappy horse thus making it harder work to go back than forwards. As another poster said, drop contact - push reins forward and allow the horse a 'space' to move into. If you feel a rear coming bend the horses neck around to the side and work in small circles. Get them settled and push forwards again.
In no circumstances would I advocate hitting a rearer horse over the head. This is dangerous and only provides your horse with another reason to fear what is being asked. You are looking for co-operation and willingness to go forwards not a fear of the rider who is sat in the horses blindspot.
 
Sal_E thanks for the advice, I am a great believer in sitting and waiting it out, and I am certainly NOT going to hit him over the head with anything!
It is definately lack of confidence, but this rearing thing seems to be the latest thing in a long list of various evasions
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He used to go really hollow and put his head right up but we have managed to get over that and he has taken it one step further by rearing.
He has never 'got away' with this, I have always managed to get him to go forward before by being patient and sitting it out, but although it seems to work at the time, this rearing has been getting worse each time, concluding in this the other day and me having to get off
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Just to mention that he has had his teeth done, and had 2 very sharp wolf teeth removed in march. Funnily enough he wasn't rearing when he had wolf teeth but I think he learnt how to evade the bit by hollowing back then.
He has regular checks by a back lady and was last seen at the beginning of April. His saddle was last checked in november, so that does need checking. But surely if its his saddle then he wouldn't then work really nicely in the school?

Sam x
 
Oh hon. He;ll get over it. Like you said he is just going through the various evasion techniques. He's young and just testing to see what he can get away with. Once he realises he can't get away with it i'm sure he'll settle down.
If you need someone to hack out with I'm around over the next week or so you could always box over to me I can always find a horse to ride!!!
Looking forward to seeing him in action on Sunday. Keep your chin up hon
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Cool, that would be fab!
I am working next week but I'm about on wednesday so I could box over then as R is at nursery all day
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Sam x

I have a feeling you might have to lead me into the school on sunday!
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