Rearing horse

[Okedene12]

I’ve got an exracer not had much schooling at the moment just came out of being lame and have no school at the stables so hacking is our only option for a few months we just walk as advised by the vet, she is a bad rearer she will spin an shake her head she does sometimes become unbalanced, Its nothing malicious it’s only when she’s excited and can’t contain it any longer it all builds up and she blows! her back, teeth and saddle has all been checked over so no issues with them, what bit or bridle/noseband do people use? She’s only in a micklem bridle and a snaffle isn’t strong at all just the rearing I need to get into control a little until I can start schooling her at our new place, I know schooling is the answer but anything to help so I can keep bringing her back into work?

 

[HorseMaid]

When you say bad rearer, how bad? If she goes over on you she could kill you, I'd get professional advice, this does t really sound like a bridle issue?

 

[Okedene12]

She just blows with the excitement, just the change in surface on the ground can set her off. I know she needs schooling but it isn’t an option as yet as I’ve spoken to a professional and that’s what they think it’s down to lack of schooling and needing a distraction so she doesn’t go up

 

[mossycup]

Has her back been xrayed? No guarantee she doesnt have kissing spine without it - you need to make sure she is pain free

 

[stormox]

If she goes to rear can you manage to turn her before she goes up to far? A short sharp downwards jerk on one rein? And then keep turning until she calms down? I dont think bit or bridle will make any difference although you could try a standing martingale to stop her getting her head up.

 

[Okedene12]

She is pain free. When she’s worked herself up either different surface on the ground or just simply because she wants to go she will just stop if you ask her to move forward (which I always do voice command) turn or even move your reins she goes up, it’s like she winds herself up so much that she can’t contain it much longer it’s nothing to do with saddle or bridle.

 

[sport horse]

Did she rear when in training? Personally I would not consider a rearer at all and especially a mare - colts play at rearing its part of their natural behaviour but the same is not true of mares and they are more likely to lose their balance.

 

[canteron]

Karl Greenwood does a bit of how to deal with a rearing horse (and bucking and bolting) - its well worth a look.

 

[mariew]

Could you get someone professional who is used to sorting out rearers to hack her out and see what can help? If she rears a lot for any old reason I am guessing it won't be an easy issue to sort out and you need someone who knows what they are doing.

 

[doodle]

No bit, bridle or noseband will stop her rearing.

 

[Okedene12]

Not sure if she did in training, she has since I’ve had her and she did with her last owner that lost confidence on her so gave her back. She did when she was in full work last year especially out hacking when I didn’t allow her to go into a trot or asked her slow her walk down she doesn’t do it in the school it’s only when she’s out hacking

 

[Okedene12]

No bit, bridle or noseband will stop her rearing.

I know nothing like that will stop her... just asking for anything that will help.

 

[doodle]

Sorry you asked about bits and nose bands to use so I replied to that. And yes I do know what it is like having an ex racer who’s go to when being asked to hack was to rear!

 

[windand rain]

She cannot rear if you keep moving in what ever direction you can get her going but you need to be able to read her instantly the second she thinks about stopping push her forward even if it seem counter intuitive. Personally I would treat it to an ounce of lead but that is probably not what you want to hear

 

[Keep Trying]

The only way to stop rearing is to disengage the hind legs, usually by turning in a small/tight circle. Best bit for this is a fulmer or something with full cheeks so the bit doesn't pull through the mouth when you're asking for the turn. Work with her on the ground first so that she understands what you are asking as you'll have much more chance of success if you can keep her feet moving so she's not able to 'plant' and stand up.

Good Luck.

 

[paddi22]

I had a very bad rearing exracer and he did improve but it took working with a really good natural horsemanship guy to teach him a coping strategy when he got stressed instead of rearing. he also taught me how to catch him before he got worked up, so as soon as his ears went forward and his attention wandered I really focussed him on lateral work to distract him. or failing that to pull the head to the side to block the shoulders from going up. long lining was also really helpful as it allowed me to work through the rearing and push forward without being on his back.

since it's an exracer I would highly advise getting a set of back ex-rays done for kissing spine. my lad turned out to have it despite years of vets and physios saying his back felt fine. once he was diagnosed he got injections, did physio and was a hundred times better. so you really don't know it doesn't have kissing spine until it's ex-rayed, and a lot of exracers do.

 

[babymare]

Have you checked her eyes? My mare reared from fright cause her sight was failing. Only 7 so please have them checked..?

 

[Bonnie Allie]

Schooling will help no end. We had a chronic and dangerous rearer, he came to us as his last chance. We never cured it as it was such an ingrained behaviour and he had once been in pain, so any sort of discomfort mental or physical would bring out the rearing.

He had a pattern just before he reared. He would bend his head right, go out through the left shoulder and rear. So the moment he commenced his pattern he would be asked for counter shoulder in or leg yield In the opposite direction to what he wanted to go.

Obviously you need the schooling in order to execute but getting ahead of the rear allowed him to go onto being an amazing competition horse.

Interestingly he had been signed over to us by the owner. Once we got him going as a show jumper, they of course wanted him back! The importance of a contract. So glad we had one and were nowthe legal owners of the horse. He lived to 28.

 

[Lucky Snowball]

Is she rearing to nearly vertical or is she really excited and sitting on her back end, lifting the front ready to leap forwards. Just asking as there's a big difference between a rear when the horse won't go forwards and a 'rear' when it's being held back. The bit itself won't cause rearing.

 

[Tagoat]

Personally I couldn't be bothered with a committed rearer. It's a habit once learned...... never forgotten. It becomes their first line/choice of defence. Damned bloody dangerous too.
Just my opinion 'thru experience.

 

[Keira 8888]

When you take her out does she have company?

 

[SpotsandBays]

Did the horse have a break/was turned away after racing? Might be beneficial to turn them away to allow them to be a horse for abit and to reset (providing it’s nothing pain etc related that needs work). Also some proper schooling, and I’d seek professional help too

 

[fredflop]

What work ups have been done for you to pronounce the horse as pain free?

 

[Okedene12]

Yes she got some time off after her racing days, the last owner lost her confidence on her due to her rearing and she always has company out riding she doesnt do it all the time, it’s when she gets excited and works herself up she will explode and yes it’s definitely rearing as she goes up almost vertical and spins when she comes back she just stands still and walks on perfectly then she will be fine and walk with no problems. Schooling isn’t an option at the moment

 

[paddi22]

even the one we trained not to rear, still would have had it in them if they weren't caught fast enough. the rears would come totally out of the blue - the horse could have its head down, eating grass, at a show and then suddenly just do a full upright rear. it flipped backwards on a friend of mine that rode it and could have killed her.

The type you mentioned was like my horse, no badness just the brain couldn't cope with any level of stress. I kept the horse for years for myself as I couldn't rehome it for the charity but I never really enjoyed riding it as you had to be on constant alert to keep it it relaxed and focussed - busy warmups really stressed it. so it really limited what I felt safe doing on the horse. I'd class myself as a very hardy rider but at the time it was the only horse I had to ride and it totally knocked my confidence because my world became so tiny and everything just felt unsafe to do.

I would never take on another horse like this again, it was just too dangerous, I could keep a lid on it, but I was on constant awareness for any signs of tension. the next horse I got was just a normal horse and it was such a relief, I could feel the tension draining from my body knowing it was a safe ride. eventually my exracer was put to sleep as the kissing spine was manageable, but it also had a sacroiliac injury that became too painful for it. in hindsight, I think I would have just retired the horse to grass livery or PTS much earlier. it was a beautiful horse and 100% pet on the ground, but any horse that is in danger of flipping over is just too risky, I wouldn't take it on again. I ride a lot of difficult horses, but these horses that just explode at nothing and can flip are the worst.


if I'd any advice it would be to get a x-ray for kissing spine xrays and also checked for sacroiliac injury. it would have given that horse a lot more relief and help if I'd checked those at the start instead of just going on people feeling his back, watching him move and saying 'oh he's fine'. it was only the ex-rays that showed what was going on.

 

[Marigold4]

She is pain free. When she’s worked herself up either different surface on the ground or just simply because she wants to go she will just stop if you ask her to move forward (which I always do voice command) turn or even move your reins she goes up, it’s like she winds herself up so much that she can’t contain it much longer it’s nothing to do with saddle or bridle.

How do you know she is pain free? Has a vet seen her?