Rearing

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Guinness

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Anyone successfully managed to overcome this problem? We have a youngster and work (about two) who is a rearer. The problem is most of the time hes perfect, but other days he can be awful (typical Arab I suppose). Example of this is recently he had an abcess, we could poutice it no problems for 3/4 days, on the last day we tried to take the poultice off, he reared and came down on my head
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He is also very bad with the farrier, hes fine to lift his feet up for us to do but wont let the farrier near him. Any suggestions as we obviously want to get him out of this habit before he gets any older!
 
Richard Maxwell says (assuming you are not being flattened) you need to hurt them i.e. slap them with a thin lash, on the chest as they are up. A very long schooling whip or perhaps a prickly branch would be ideal.

You'd have to somehow make him do it though. Get anice farrier perhaps?
 
Our farrier is amazing actually, he spent about an hour with him this week and managed to trim but not rasp all four feet (despite having horse rear spin and pin him in the corner). If we "hide" the farrier then he can just about manage it, but obviously this is not the way to go on. Is there any chance he could grow out of it?
 
I find taking my time with things helps. For example, when he's loading, if he backs off, I just calmly apply some pressure to the leadrope and talk calmly to him - he then goes straight on, whereas I initially got a bit impatient and tried to 'gee him up' a bit but it just caused him to throw his toys out of the pram.

I've found that as I've got to know him I can understand what makes hm tick more and how to get the best out of him, so it might be a case of being patient and observant. All horses react differently to things, like people I suppose.

As for the farrier, I'd be picking his feet up as many times as poss, whenever the farrrier is around, stand the horse nearby so he can get used to the smell/noise etc. Just as much exposure in a non pressurising environment as possible I think. Also, for situations where you know he might do it, use a chifney
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Nope, but with him not being in work yet would that be an issue?

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Could be yes - if when you put the headcollar on you apply any sort of pressure around the cheeks (either inadvertently or not) it could be painful - thus they rear.

We had experience of one last year. Woolf teeth out - problem solved.

However, the farrier is a different manner, and could just be bloomin manners.
 
Yes you are right there jumpthemoon calm and nice. I guess you have loads of time yet.

I did see Richard Maxwell sort a horse out one day with this problem but it was a ridden horse, I think if you slap it once its up and no faffing or other excitement at all, that would tell it. You'd have to be quick and quiet.
 
Hey, just because he's an arab doesn't mean he is automatically going to be difficult
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On the subject of the rearing though, would a pressure halter be worth trying and do some groundwork with him - principal of it is you need to keep the leadrope slack until he goes up at which point it will tighten...until he gives in and relaxes, when it should immediately loosen?

I've not had much experience of rearers tba...my arab would no sooner rear than fly, OH's horse does go up a little sometimes as a part of a spook but never right up and always because she has had a fright. But I think this is what I would try first if I ever did.
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Thanks, I never realised that. The thing is though hes fine to lead and catch? The problem with him is the unpredictability, one minute hes fine, the next hes up in the air. They were talking about putting him in a stable with a low roof so if he goes up he will bang his head, or trying to pull him over when he rears but I would be worried about hurting him.
 
if the poultice is on a front foot you need to back him up very tightly so his bottom is wedged in a corner of the stable.

He wont be able to do more than 'hop' like that.

Doesnt solve the problem long term but at least you will be able to get the foot dressed.
 
I didnt mean that Arabs were difficult but they have a tendancy to be neurotic-you can go straight up to them and catch them one day, the next they think you are going to try and chop their legs off and cant get near them. Makes work interesting though (I work at an Arab stud) and I have certainly learnt to love the breed!
 
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They were talking about putting him in a stable with a low roof so if he goes up he will bang his head, or trying to pull him over when he rears but I would be worried about hurting him.

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Ah, that'll do the trick every time
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We managed to get it off eventually thanks Spaniel, I was just wanting some advice on what to do long term. Im not really confident in handling him much anymore, especially after my little accident and was wondering if there was any tips out there!
 
Ahh, ok, sorry misunderstood you there. I get defensive of arabs when people tarnish them with the 'mad' brush - mine is definately the sanest horse I know! And there is another on the yard who is just as normal. They are just too damn clever for their own good sometimes....they don't think you're going to chop their legs off....they just think 'ho-ho, here comes the headcollar, if I run off we can have a good game of tag!'
Or thats what mine does anyway!
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What a shame, losing confidence is a horrid thing, happening to me right now. (Not because of me riding my horse, but because of horse I sold in May, horse I borrowed last month and something that happened to my daughter on camp. All different things really. I reckon you just suddenly feel more vulnerable generally) I digress...

No, would you feel happier handling the colt in a hard hat? Maybe even a back protector? It may give you the confidence to make him feel confident.

If he rears really often, you should get someone to help train. But really, take everything very very steadily and calmly. At the same time, occupy his mind and push him around. Perhaps try to handle him more frequently?
 
my anglo arab was a rearer, fell on his previous owner twice too, he was also a big problem with a farrier, when i was called to him he would only go backwards and if you forced the issue to push him forwards he would 'go up'..

he was quickly sorted with groundwork and in the last 3 or 4 yrs he did rear once more due to a back problem, but it was a genuine reason.. (he did try to tell me gently when i was mounting but i wasn't listening that day
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he is now a saint to handle and great with picking up feet (on command)

did maxwell really suggest that? i'm shocked tbh...

other than how potentially dangerous it is to the rider, rearing is - from a psycological point of view - no worse than any problem as far as solving it is concerned. getting on and 'sorting the horse out' is where most go wrong.
assuming it's not physical, the problem is in the horses head, therefore that's the area that requires sorting - not the physical symptom of rearing...
 
I always wear a hat, and to be honest all I do is catch him and lead him in to his stable (he lives out) I wont hold him for the farrier. He doesnt rear often either, but you just never know when to expect it which I think makes it harder! I think he probably could do with coming in more often, but we just dont have time at the moment. Maybe next year when hes in work he might get better. I dont fancy trying to back him though!
 
You need to make rearing an unpleasant experience for him which is not associated with a person...

any chance someone could be on stand-by to chuck a bucket of water at him as he goes up, or a brush or squirt a hose at him etc etc. Ie whenever he rears something odd and unpleasant happens. You need to vary the person doing it, what it is that is thrown and the position they do it from otherwise as he's probably rather bright he'll get a complex about people carrying buckets or something!

You do need to take decisive action though as if at such a young age he learns he can argue about basic tasks, you're setting up a long term problem. It would be best to deliberately set him up to rear and then have a 'training' session where he learns rearing is unpleasant for him.
 
I love your avatar lilpinkso

Yes, I guess Max was demonstrating that you can't "clonk" them down by banging the top of the head, but you can "annoy" the tummy/chest area so they come straight back down to prevent you doing that. I don't think he meant to hurt them really badly just a flick enough to get through to a tough old horse with something on its mind!

He also demonstrated that day, that a horse that is a habitual star gazer you can sometimes sort out by doing the opposite of what most people spend that horse's life doing - they normally take their hands and the bit down as far as poss, but you should raise your hands right up above the horse's ears and it will naturally go down in response! I tried that and it doesn't always work because you can't go into a dressage test doing that!
 
i've had success with letting the horse fall over backwards. I know everybody will shout at me, but if you let them scare themselves through their own actions (as long as horsey doesn't associate you with the scary moment) then an arab is intelligent and will learn quickly! It's certainly worked for a couple of my part breds..... Just make sure you don't encourage them to fall over when there is anything around they could hurt themselves on.
 
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the part about slapping the belly is so they think they are being attacked when they rear !!! or something like that anyway !

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hmmm, interesting theory... and then when this fails, the horse is sent to me with a far bigger problem than he initially had.. but i'm getting use to it now
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horses 'own' rearing, it is their escape mechanism and the same for going backwards, they feel they can't go forwards or are being blocked from doing so.. hence many of the rearers that i see are held on too tight a contact too soon and feel they can't use their 'flight' instinct, the only way left for them when they feel pressured is 'up'.

as i said before, it's psychological (assuming physical has been ruled out) and punishing the horse by beating it in any way is NOT the answer.
 
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horses 'own' rearing, it is their escape mechanism and the same for going backwards, they feel they can't go forwards or are being blocked from doing so.. hence many of the rearers that i see are held on too tight a contact too soon and feel they can't use their 'flight' instinct, the only way left for them when they feel pressured is 'up'.

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I agree that rearing is their escape mechanism, and I view it as being the ultimate threat and the only place they can go when you've stopped them from bucking, spinning round or whatever else they've tried to do to evade you. I think they soon learn that when they rear you will let go of their mouth, so if you can - and you have to be in good balance and quite subtle about it - make it uncomfortable for them when they are rearing they will stop. Jennie Loriston-Clarke said to gently bump the bit on the bars of their mouth: I've tried this and they will come back down again, maybe try again, but if you repeat it, very few will go up more than a couple of times before they decide it's nicer with their feet on the ground!
 
Been there, done that!
A few suggestions (varying levels of acceptability).
1. If he's entire, geld him.
2. Check him for wolf teeth
3. Make rearing unpleasant for him (I usually whack them on the neck, nowhere near the head, with a lead rope whilst growling my disapproval) An old fashioned method was to hit them in the b***ocks if still entire, when they're up - not sure I'd recommend this one though
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4. Make behaving pleasant for him - have feed/treats and when he stands quiet for the farrier, let him have some grain, as soon as he faffs, withdraw it. The trouble is, most people do this the wrong way round - feed when they start fidgeting.
5. Hold him in a chifney, or use a control headcollar, the thin rope ones are very effective, but need calm usage (use a lunge line and carry a short stick).
6. Cut out hard feed, turn out, handle more, with black and white rules as to what he can and can't do...
If it makes you feel better, a yearling filly of mine decided to lie down rather than have her feet trimmed...my farrier held on gamely, and my friend and I 'strongly encouraged' her to rise...hasn't done it since
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Good luck.
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