Rearing horse

pippyria

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Looking for some advice on what to do next. I've had my mare for a year now(first horse) and she is a rearer. She does it every time I hack her out, alone or with another horse and it's usually little half rears when she doesn't want to go forward(which I'm used to) as she's been doing it for months. But these last couple of weeks she's been doing even bigger ones, almost vertical which is hard to sit to and most of the time I've been sliding off. I'm started to get scared of riding her again now after overcoming my fear of riding her when I first got her! The only thing I can do at the yard is hack as there's no school. She's very argumentive and I've learnt to cope with her but recently she's pushing me and doing dangerous rears! Debating wether to move to a yard with a school to work her properly or sell her and move on. Ive always had more bad rides than good rides since I've had her.
 

irish_only

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Quite honestly in your shoes I would sell her. It seems that she is pushing boundaries more and more, and I think your last sentence says it all. Horses cost a lot in time, money and emotion and it is supposed to be fun and pleasurable. She definitely does not sound like a first horse. Don't write her off as maybe in more experienced hands she can be pushed through this behaviour and be good for someone, but not you. Do you know anyone who could ride/assess her with a view to selling her for you?
 

gothdolly

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There has to be a reason why she is rearing, and why she is getting worse. How far have you got with investigations into back/saddle/teeth/feeding regime/possibility of ulcers? What was she like when you tried her before you bought her? I think you are exceptionally brave to continue to ride a rearer, which you are "sliding off" but there must be a reason for her behaviour? Do you think as a rearer she would be likely to sell?
 

JJS

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There has to be a reason why she is rearing, and why she is getting worse. How far have you got with investigations into back/saddle/teeth/feeding regime/possibility of ulcers? What was she like when you tried her before you bought her? I think you are exceptionally brave to continue to ride a rearer, which you are "sliding off" but there must be a reason for her behaviour? Do you think as a rearer she would be likely to sell?

^This. Rather than passing the problem on and endangering somebody else, see if you can find out what's at the root of it.
 

FfionWinnie

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Personally I wouldn't ride her. However I also wouldn't sell her on. You need professional help to find out what the reason for it is then take the correct action to stop it. That could be training, vet treatment or to have her pts for everyone's safety.
 

SpringArising

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What do you do when she does the bunny hops/rears? It sounds more a behavioural issue than a physical one IMO. Likely that she's picking up on the fact that you're worried/she knows she can get you off. Assuming there is nothing physical going on, nappyness is a big no-no as well as being dangerous and you either need to get a professional in or someone with a sticky bum who is going to ride her through it with a calm but no-nonsense attitude.

I would also speak to the previous owner and ask them to be honest to see if she ever did it with them.
 

SEL

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If you're coming off then 1) you might get hurt and 2) if this is behavioural then by getting off you may be reinforcing the exact behaviour you don't want.

Are there any yards around run by properly experienced people? By that I mean the sort of people who professionally back / bring on young horses, compete at a decent level etc. The kind of people who can assess your horse and either tell you there is something physically wrong or can help you school it out of the napping. Whether you can move the horse or box it over I think you need to get help.
 

Kezzabell2

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Sounds like she's in pain. Get the vet to do a full work up..

My horse started by planting and the more I pushed him the bigger he reared

He's now year 2 of his recovery and whilst he still has rearing I'm him, he hardly ever does it now, because he's comfortable
 
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ladyt25

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First, check the saddle fit. If this is too tight it may be pinching and causing pain when your horse tries to move forwards. It could be something as simple as that.

I have been through years of trying to get a saddle to fit myself horse and, if it's too tight in front he responds by going up in the air. Basically that's the only movement he feels he can do as the saddle is restricting his forward movement.
As others have said, check the saddle and get a vet to have a good check of the horse's back, muscle definition etc. There will be telltale signs (muscle wastage etc) if the saddle hasnt been fitting right for a while.
If this is ruled out then maybe try a professional. I sent mine away as had lost my nerve even putting a saddle on him due to his extreme explosive reactions. She worked wonders on him and he got his confidence back. I'm now back to saddle fitting issues again as he's grown a bit more so the saddle that did fit now is far too narrow!
 

Pigeon

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Personally I wouldn't ride her. However I also wouldn't sell her on. You need professional help to find out what the reason for it is then take the correct action to stop it. That could be training, vet treatment or to have her pts for everyone's safety.

This tbh. It may be that she's pushing you, it may be that she is in pain. Until you have spoken to your vet I wouldn't get on her.

If she is given the all clear, first you need a good instructor, or you could send her somewhere for schooling. I would certainly not sell her on with this problem!!
 

laura_nash

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Looking for some advice on what to do next. I've had my mare for a year now(first horse) and she is a rearer. She does it every time I hack her out, alone or with another horse and it's usually little half rears when she doesn't want to go forward(which I'm used to) as she's been doing it for months. But these last couple of weeks she's been doing even bigger ones, almost vertical which is hard to sit to and most of the time I've been sliding off.

I've seen this same behaviour with a sharp arab x bought as a first horse for a teenager. At the point it reached doing a full-on rear we (i.e. fellow liveries) took the owner's mum aside and had a chat with her. The outcome was a vet and saddle check (passed in full) and then some big changes. She started having weekly lessons with a very strict dressage rider who really pushed her on her flatwork and gave her plenty of homework, the bit was changed I think, no exciting work (galloping, jumping, loose jumping etc was banned), bucket feed was stopped, and most of all a very experienced friend started hacking the horse out several times a week for decent long hacks. It only took about 2 months to totally turn things around and when I left the yard the rider was enjoying her horse again and the rearing was completely gone.
 

Sparemare

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I've seen this same behaviour with a sharp arab x bought as a first horse for a teenager. At the point it reached doing a full-on rear we (i.e. fellow liveries) took the owner's mum aside and had a chat with her. The outcome was a vet and saddle check (passed in full) and then some big changes. She started having weekly lessons with a very strict dressage rider who really pushed her on her flatwork and gave her plenty of homework, the bit was changed I think, no exciting work (galloping, jumping, loose jumping etc was banned), bucket feed was stopped, and most of all a very experienced friend started hacking the horse out several times a week for decent long hacks. It only took about 2 months to totally turn things around and when I left the yard the rider was enjoying her horse again and the rearing was completely gone.

Excellent advice Laura
 
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