Rearing - How would you deal with it??

nixxyz

nixxyz

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As title really, how would you deal with a horse who rears either in hand or under saddle and is NOT pain associated? answers on the back of a postcard lol :D
 
my horse used to be a terrible rearer, and he still has it in him, although he's much better now.

The difference is I can spot the signs before he rears and stop him before he goes up. They never rear out of the blue, you can always see the signs building up.
 
Depends why they are rearing, my boy used to rear because he was nappy. He would go right up and then plunge as well, riding him in a martingale and shouting has done the trick - now he is almost a paragon of virtue! I used to ride another chronic rearer, all you could do with that was, when you felt he was going to go up, sit very still and do nothing until you felt it was safe to ask him to go forwards again. I'd also say with anything like bucking rearing and napping, flatwork and teaching the horse to be obedient to the aids is always the most useful thing you can do.
 
Mine rears when hacking out - an absolute terror when he was younger but now just the odd occasion if he's really on his toes or something majorly spooks him. I used a standing martingale on him - fitted correctly - and it stopped him from being able to throw his head high enough to go right up. Once he realised it wasn't fun any more, he soon stopped (for the most part).
 
My mare rears(or used to rear-hasn't done it in ages but its her thing if she does something so always there iykwIm.
As said there are signs so used to watch and from first sign she got spun round.I did this every time she even 'thought' about it.Hardly ever does it now unless really panicing/stropping.
Mates gelding rears and we used the soft rope on the belly area and (touch wood) he hasn't done it so far but only been a couple of weeks.But he did do it at the drop of a hat he's only 4.
 
My last horse used to be a terrible napper and would often go up when I wouldn't let him turn for home! I got over it by carrying a schooling whip with me and i cracked it on his head when he went up - he never did it again after that! :)
 
if i'm on a reared i'll ride with a schooling whip and then if they go to rear a flick behind normally sends them forwards rather than upwards. However there are some exceptions.
 
Ashamed to say I wouldn't do anything about it as I wouldn't ride a rearer in the first place having been gone over backwards with me on board years ago.

You lot are so brave!

Jane
 
Worth remembering that horses can go up as well as down.

Forwards, backwards and sideways are other options.

Rearing is a training issue, when there are no pain problems.
 
Janah said:
Ashamed to say I wouldn't do anything about it as I wouldn't ride a rearer in the first place having been gone over backwards with me on board years ago.

You lot are so brave!

Jane
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the funny thing is that i'd take a rearer over a bronco anyday! I find it easier to cope with rearing then broncing or shoulder dropping which comes out of the blue.
 
eta: obviously you smash the egg on the poll when they go up... not just randomly...! and try not to break it before you need it! :D

x[/QUOTE]

LMAO :D
 
I was always told egg on the head, extream but works, or upside down whip on the head. I never had a chance for any of those things cause my horse got sold before I had a chance :p x x
 
paddi22 said:
the funny thing is that i'd take a rearer over a bronco anyday! I find it easier to cope with rearing then broncing or shoulder dropping which comes out of the blue.
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Yes me too tbh.

When they rear I think it's important to do nothing, to sit quietly and hold the neckstrap, I think so long as they aren't provoked they will usually balance quite well.

i would react as soon as their feet touch the ground and spin them hard and to the point where it is uncomfortable, then when they are facing forwards again make them trot briskly on.

I would ensure that as as soon as you feel they are about to plant, you have a tactic, usually work out their easier side and spin a circle. then repeat the above.

I also like Draw reins or similar. It may help to stop them setting their necks and also just give enough authority to enable you to drive them on if they think of napping. I do think there are dangers with martingales/draw reins etc, if the horse feels restricted and panics.
 
Well ..... mine's done the lot, broncing, dropping shoulder, corkscrew bucks, spinning, exploding, trying to wipe off the rider by scraping along the hedge .... oh yes he's a real little charmer. He'd been in a trekking centre and I think he'd been allowed to get away with stuff. He's a big lad and obviuosly found it worked to use his sheer bulk to scare the rider.

I had a trainer come along to help me, and we went back to groundwork, teaching him manners on the ground and in the stable; moving backwards, forwards, sideways WHEN he's told and NOT when he's not told. This is the only thing to do with any horse that's offering cheeky behaviour IMO, and I'm not talking just about rearing. People get a big "thing" about rearing, but basically if you think it through its a blatent refusal to go where the rider asks, i.e. forward, and you have to stand back from the frightening bit of it and just work through what the issue actually is and what the horse is saying.

Apart from going up vertical in hand at a show a few months ago, I can say we've made definate progress, not just with the rearing but the other issues too. If we do get a bit cheeky for whatever reason, I just take him back to the groundwork and reiterate the basics, i.e. I'm herd leader and make the decisions, and deal with things on that basis rather than having a big argument about it and making the whole thing an "issue".

You may find it helpful to have some professional help; personally I'd advise anyone who's an Intelligent Horsemanship practitioner as they will have the right approach. Alternatively, there's Michael Peace and Robert Maxwell. Expensive I know, but might be worth it in the long run rather than stuggle on alone.

But whatever, I think having someone alongside who knows what they're doing is invaluable - I know for sure I wouldn't be where I am with mine today if I'd struggled on by myself, for sure.
 
So, for those of you who ride rearers always make sure you have some eggs in your pocket, preferably free range, a rolled up newspaper and why not try some bacon and a frying pan, that way you could have your breakfast at the same time as trying to do god knows what to your horse!

Some people. what book have they been reading!
 
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I have read (don't know how true) the best thing is to whack them under the belly so they come down quickly to protect it. Anyway not for me!

Jane
 
TicTac said:
So, for those of you who ride rearers always make sure you have some eggs in your pocket, preferably free range, a rolled up newspaper and why not try some bacon and a frying pan, that way you could have your breakfast at the same time as trying to do god knows what to your horse!

Some people. what book have they been reading!
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Ok, so what do you suggest then?
 
TicTac said:
So, for those of you who ride rearers always make sure you have some eggs in your pocket, preferably free range, a rolled up newspaper and why not try some bacon and a frying pan, that way you could have your breakfast at the same time as trying to do god knows what to your horse!

Some people. what book have they been reading!
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Well im speaking from experience actually!!! I have used the newspaper and the egg method and have had success with both. These methods were taught to me by a person who used to sort out napping/rearing horses. The egg method is good as it completely shocks them but doesnt hurt them. Also the newspaper makes them think they have hit their head without hurting them if they hit their head everytime they rear they will stop.I will say eggs takes a certain amount of skill:D Please dont poo poo things until you have tried them!!!!
 
Tic Tac it is so obvious that you have diddly squat experience of rearing horses if you cant offer advice only critisism then I think it is best to keep off this post!!!!!
 
The egg trick may well work, but I never seem to have an intact egg in my pocket when my TB mare rears (mostly out hunting, and not because she won't go forward, more because too much is going on around her and she can't understand why she should stand still when all the horses are going off in all directions!). This behaviour was totally unexpected and really caught me out at first, for which I mean scared the bejesus out of me. One wily old, no, middle-aged Irish man told me either to swiftly apply a length of blue polypipe to her poll (the noise adds to the effect) or to get her nose on my big toe (whilst I was riding her obviously!) and just keep turning her in a circle. When I stopped, if she showed signs of going up again, I was to turn her again (and again and again). It did kind of give her something else to think about, but I was always worried she would fall over dizzy :0 Hope this helps. I too prefer a rearer to a bucker, but I would rather have neither - I'm not so brave anymore.
 
Tictac, if you are going to respond to this thread please can I respectfully request that you address the OP's original question and not just brand people idiots? You are currently offering nothing constructive to this thread.
 
you are calling people idiots but not answered my question, what would YOU do then?

Im not trying to start an argument, im just wondering what methods you have if you think the others mentioned are idiotic.
 
A horse that rears in most cases is doing so to avoid work / napping ( not talking pain related issues here) it can stem from insecurity, fright or general disobedience and in all thease cases is not sorted out in one session with a swift ' bash over the head'. Rearing is a serious and dangerous habit. you need to go back to basics and build trust in the horse and establish a few ground rules. Every horse is different but IN MY EXPERIENCE I have found that the minute you feel the horse start to go up you have to open one rein and get the horse to change direction. ie move it's feet. My mare used to rear ( thankfully never too high) if she didn't want to do something and her issue stemmed from insecurity and having had the living daylights whacked out of her by her previous owner.

I just find it amusing that people on her obviously ride with eggs and rolled up newspapers in their jodhpurs!


ps my mare doesn't rear now because I have had her 3 years and she trusts me now.
 
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