Rearing out hunting - sorry, long...

[Clodagh]

My young horse had her second days hunting yesterday. The rearing is getting very boring. If she wants to evade me in any way she goes up. If she doesn't want to stand still, or if she wants to go off with another horse that is moving, up she goes.
I always have her 'parked up' with a more experienced horse, and usually we can walk in circles, but occasionally thats just not possible.
Do I
Pat and talk to her (I try to do that all the time when shes being good)
Growl at her, shout her name (as one suggestion(and it seems to help a bit)
Wallop her between the ears with the handle of my crop (did that too, helped a bit, but didn't stop it and there are limits to how many times I can do it)
Sit like a passenger and hope it doesn't get any worse. (Tried that too - no help!)
Most of them are little bunny hops and I try to ignore those, but the odd one is a bit hefty.
I hope that after a few more times out hunting won't be quite as exciting as it is at the moment, and she gets a bit insecure about her herd splitting up.

On the plus side we did some huge ditches really well!

 

[pottamus]

Is it just when hunting that she is rearing? Is this her first times hunting or did she do it last year too with the rearing?

 

[sojeph]

I had one that did this years ago. I had to jump off everytime we stopped !! It felt like I was back doing the Prince Philip Cup again!! Sorry - not much help

 

[Sooty]

Tricky one. Rearing is the one vice I would not tolerate, but I am talking about full-on standing on hind legs rearing, not lifting front legs up and hopping. It is hard to know if it something your horse will stop doing, or if it will get worse. It seems it is her way of napping. Does she only do it when she is in a new or exciting situation? How old is she? How much does it frighten you? I can't really offer any advice, and just hope she grows out of it before it becomes a real problem.

 

[Blizzard]

My mare rears and naps, only in the school thoug, full scale rears too. people say crack an egg on their head as they will associate the yolk as being blood and wont do it again, I wold just end up with egg on my face though LOL.

Some say pull the horse over sideways too, dont fancy that either though!

Its an awful vice as it seems practically impossible to stop it, unless the horse has an accident while doing it and gets too scared to do it again.

 

[Clodagh]

She does it a bit at home, if we are having a 'discussion' about something, perhaps

. Its her first time doing anything, shes very wet behind the ears.

 

[Clodagh]

I'm too old for that!

 

[Clodagh]

None are that big, and they aren't that scary, but b. annoying! It is her way of expressing her displaeure about something,. like she'll start to go sideways to follow another horse, I put my leg on to say no and she rears.
Shes only 5 and has only done it the odd time before we went hunting.
I hoipe she will just stop it as she grows up a bit, but wasn't sure what I should be doing in the mean time.
Thank you!

 

[tuscanyD]

Firstly I'd suggest that when she tries it you must send her forward very confidently and firmly with a very strong leg aid - use the whip if necessary. Even if she goes a lot faster than you'd like it doesn't matter [within reason]- 'forward' is still much better than 'up' and re-inforces your schooling aims. Be very very firm, quick and consistent to break this habit before it does turn into a full stand up rear.

Secondly I read an article by Richard Maxwell that stated hitting it between the ears can cause them to rear further - their instinct kicks in as if they are responding to an attack. how do you get rid of a predator on your back? you'd rear...!

His method was to get a sort of whip with long soft but whippy cords on the end - and when they try to rear you stretch down and swing it at their belly. Instinct thinks they are being attacked from underneath - so they drop!

In practise you have to be bloody quick to do this though - so try the forward thing first and maybe bear this in mind if the problem happened to get worse.

 

[tuscanyD]

PS if she's rearing when you put your leg on it is naughtiness and evasion - teach her she can't avoid your command or your leg by rearing - you must keep your leg on and ride her through it.

 

[bandit]

i've had a rearer before, not hte nicest of htings, have had to get off but thankfully never out hunting... - his fravourite place.

i htink hte whip on the poll is a good one, just be careful as that is a sensitive area if you are hard???

also - have you heard of a 'gypsy twitch'?? if you can replicate the rearin in the school when she's on the lunge, this is somehting you can use. my friend has never had a rearing horse rear ever again after having htis done, and it sounds worse than it is.. (prepared for a bombardment of emails now.......)....

Bx

 

[vanessahook]

I also have a youngish (7) mare that rears as her first line of evasion/displeasure at what you're asking her to do.
I have tried everything, kicking her forward, pulling her off balance, smaking between the ears (dont do it with your hand cos i mangaed to break mine!). all to no avail! She has actually been over backwards which didn't worry her in the slightest!
So in my desperation to get to the bottom of it i took her to the vets and guess what? Terrible problems with her ovaries so the poor thing was actually in pain and not being naughty!
I'm not saying your horse has something wrong with it but its just something to think about.

 

[druid]

I had a hunter for schooling last season who spent so much time bouncing from rearing to doing hand stands that the masters nicknamed her teh rocking horse. She's perfect now after a season of stoically ignoring her behaviour. Just sit there, chat to someone and make no big deal of it...it gets boring for them before it does for you!!!

 

[vic07]

have always found that if you kick them forwards hard when in the air it stops problems quite quickly. they will leap forward so sit tight but effort involves stops the habit.

It sounds like she is just very excited about hunting. I would keep taking her and hopefully she will grow out of it. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th are the worst days- and hopefully things will improve from there! Good luck.

 

[Clodagh]

Thanks all. Will let you know.

 

[Bossanova]

We have a super connie pony that spends most of his time out hunting on his hindlegs- same as yours, when he is bored at the meet or waiting around. His are mainly bunny hops and he rarely goes high unless seriously pissed off! We just ignore him and let him eat grass when possibe as that shuts him up. His jumping and easy gallop make up for it

 

[MillionDollar]

Last year a behavioural expert came to college from Australia. He was very good and did displays with 6 horses with different problems owned by students. He succeeded with all of them, it was brilliant.
One did the same as yours. So he got one and this theory is that horses will rear in order to get away from pressure i.e. the bit on the mouth. So when the horse went up he kept pressure on the horses mouth. Eventually the horse worked out that it could not avoid the pressure and stopped it. Its owner carried on with this and within 2 weeks it completely stopped and hasn't done it since. Worth a try.

 

[Clodagh]

Thanks!
I worry about pulling on the mouth - what if they fall over??
Bossanova, she goes in a cavesson noseband and eggbutt snaffle, and is an absolute dream when moving. Take the rough with the smooth, I guess!

 

[MillionDollar]

Yeh i no, but as long as the horse isn't fully rearing and you're not yanking and you keep your weight forward then it should be fine. All you need to do is keep pressure on the mouth (all you need to do...yeh like its that easy, lol), it will take time though.

 

[Lark]

Some very interesting theories; it really is one of the most problematic vices.

Have you tried to bring her temper out in a controlled environment i.e putting her under pressure on the lunge for instance. Sometimes you need to get it out on your terms and then work through.
We have done this with a couple of problematic horses and it also helps if you have someone else on hand to deal out a smack on the bum from behind with the lunge whip when and if they go up.

Curious though - what is a gypsy twitch bandit?