Rearing

[rrose]

I know i have posted this before, but here goes:

My mare is a 14hh welsh, she has become a very bad napper. as you may guess she rears. she has had all the checks (back,teeth etc) and it has been put down to nappyness. but how can i stop it! i do not have the money to send her off to be trained but will be willing to put in the time if anyone has any advice.

well anyway she rears not just little but vertical and has come over with me before. she does it now because she can get away with it even though there is nothing wrong with her. i can now stay on bored with no trouble and i go with her and put as much weight to get her down to the ground again then i turn her in a circle (advice from someone).

so now she rears at anything even when shes not scared and just riding in general. so if you have any advice apart from the crack a whip and spin circles as i have tried most of them. ect the egg one which i will have to go.

thanks in advance for any advice you can give me!

xxx

 

[Sal_E]

CC - I'm all for working with problem horses (see numerous previous arguments on rearing posts!), but it sounds as if you have gone beyond some hints & tips from people on here who don't know you or your horse well enough to give SAFE advice.

Please do not try any tricks people will inevitably give you on here - including cracking an egg. I won't get into the argument about the fact that it doesn't work (AGAIN) but it is DANGEROUS. If anyone insists on telling you to try it, they are IRRESPONSIBLE.

You're marely is regularly rearing, she's gone over & you have tried lots of things already. I'm afraid you need outside help. I'm guessing you're school age & in which case you are going to HAVE to speak to your parents & explain how dangerous this problem is. You may decide you have to sell her very cheaply to an adult who understands (& witnesses) the problem (sorry to say that, I hope you don't mind). Alternatively, you may have to get someone in to ride & assess the problem for you. You MAY find that a few sessions of strict management pretty much resolves it - it really depends on the cause & the mare's state of mind.

Can the mare be retired?

Sorry to be so negative, but you cannot risk the mare falling on top of you - it's very dangerous for her as well as you & your parents must understand this (not sure if they're horsey or not).

Please be careful &, if possible, don't ride the horse until you've had some expert advice (face to face).

 

[rrose]

thanks, well my mare is only 8 and im 17

 

[Sal_E]

Sorry, I hope you don't think I was being patronising. Are your parents in a position to help you financially, if they are made to understand how serious the problem has become?

 

[rrose]

yeh, but they dont think anythink will change. i have been leading her out in hand, and other people have ridden her and we have got the rears to a smaller height, but i think i will have to seek some help. thanks... and no i did not think you where being patronising

 

[Sal_E]

If it were my parents (when I was at your age...), I always felt they didn't really take me seriously - so my approach would have been to find a suitable 'expert', explain the problem to them & get THEM to speak to my parents. Is that an option for you?

You're obviously doing a brilliant job & it's great that you've got supportive friends but to get the advice of an expert would be invaluable.

 

[Bri]

Am I right in thinking that you have her on loan? Or did you buy her from the loaner?

If she's still on loan then the loaner should really be the sorting her out, if not then at least paying for any expert advice you get.

 

[Fairynuff]

My only advice is-get rid of her while youre still alive. Rearing is the most dangerous of vices and seeing that youve checked her teeth, back etc, shes an out an out cow.Sorry if Im coming across as being a heard hearted cow but, its highly unlikely that youll get rid of this problem and 2, she will pull it out every so often when things arent to her liking. Please, before she does you real damage, get rid of her! Go and find yourself some horse without these easily fatal problems, shes not worth it. They used to say that the only remedy for viscious rearers was the lead bullet. Im not saying that you have to arrive at this but GET RID OF HER before she gets rid of you. M:

 

[KatB]

I disagree with this being quite so black and white. My old boy was a rearer, and that was only because he thought he could get away with it. We got him out of it by working the living daylights out of him every time he did it. And he used to have me off doing it. It went me on floor, pony on lunge with side reins and got worked and worked and worked until he realised that rearing made life more difficult. He has never done it since.

I'm not saying this would work for everyone, but I would question why the pony has started doing it in the first place, have you changed tack etc? I would get outside help, but not convinced the "lead bullet" option is at all helpful without seeing and working out if there is another reason behind it. But please GET HELP!!

 

[MagicMelon]

I also disagree with getting rid of her - Mairi, what should she do? Pass the problem onto someone else?!

And anyone who suggests shooting the horse deserves a slap round the face - sorry but this REALLY irritates me. Horse is MOST likely being misunderstood, so what do you do - kill it?????

What I would say is, get help. Find someone really decent who helps school problem horses. You say you cant afford it, but maybe you could sort something out like if you explain that to them and offer to work a few hours at their yard in return or something? Help is the only way I think.

Rearers CAN be sorted. I used to have one (never went that high though) who did it at the start of XC's out of nappiness (he did have a bad past). After a long time battling with it, I realised he simply did not have the heart to do XC anymore and his way of telling me that was to rear. He was sold to a hacking home where he is living a fabulous life (and does not rear as he has nothing to rebel against!). You need to try and work out WHY he does it when he does. Is it when you ask him to do something new? Ask him to go somewhere he doesnt want to go? etc.

 

[kayleigh_and_rocky]

The only thing i can suggest (not sure if you've done this?) is long reining. That way you force her forwards and if she rears and goes over your not gonna get hurt, then she gets back up and you continue to drive her forward. As suggested before by KatB when she does it work her and work her (on long rein or lunge or whatever) so she associates rearing with a LOT of hard work and then doesnt bother. Might not work but its worth a try if its not already been tried. Other than that im not sure what to suggest.

 

[tormor]

What kind of a bond do you have with your horse? Also is it just out hacking or in the school or both that she rears? 1 of my horses is a rearer but he has got a lot better. Most of his problem was not having trust in us in knowing that he wouldn't come to any harm. We built up the bond with him by doing lots of join up which really helped. Although he's not cured he is a lot better

 

[rrose]

she does it when ever she feels like it so hacking or schooling

 

[Bossanova]

I'l say the same as last time- rearing is dangerous, seriously dangerous esp if she goes over- get out while you can and dont persist, it will only end in you getting hurt.
I know you love her to bits but seriously, your life is not worth it just for a few rides

 

[Fairynuff]

I didnt suggest shooting her-I sais that it was the remedy of the past. Im getting a bit fed up with hearing that horses are misunderstood when they have a serious vice with a rider who shouldnt have to put their life at risk for a hack out around the block. I could understand John W but not the normal person who rides for pleasure-its not worth your neck. Sorry if you find this hard to swallow, its not written in badness. M.

 

[Fairynuff]

Ps MM from my last reply...yes, she should get rid of her.Life is very long in a wheelchair and not much fun.Im sorry for the mare but life is too short. M.

 

[serena2005]

what do you ride her in? martingale? etc etc

 

[Frazer]

I had this today, I have a little jumping pony which I thought I should ride today out on a hack with my friend. The two horses do not know eachother, but as soon as my friends horse went round the corner, she reared, span, jogged, leaped the lot! This isn't her being exicted, also I took her infront for a canter and she just wouldn't go rearing, running backwards. This normally isn't a problem although I know she does nap. She has had all back, teeth, vet etcc and is clear. I didnt sell her, and I dont think you should sell your horse... I have not recieved any outside help, except when she rears at something you shouldn't give in, even if you have to get off nad lead her the way you want her to go... Hope this helps, PM me if you have any other problems.

 

[spider]

About a year and a half ago I arrived at the yard to find an ambulance there. A young pony had reared (never done it before) and gone over on top of a teenager (experienced rider) and struggling to get up broken her pelvis in several places. It was months before she could walk without pain and her screams as they tried to load her onto a backboard will always stay with me. Please don't put yourself at risk.

 

[rrose]

martingale and eggbutt snaffle

 

[serena2005]

have you tried riding in something you can pull her head down? like a market harborugh? and even trying a bit of the extrem... draw reins?

do you think it would make any difference?

 

[rrose]

not sure, well i will say her rears are not a high, she doesnt go veritcal anymore. i was going to try gadgets like that but people say that she can still do it but will damage her neck, if you understand what i mean

 

[serena2005]

well then weigh up the odds... her neck or yours?

its worth a try if it doesnt work, then try something else.

what do you do when she rears?

 

[rrose]

go with it i suppose, nothing else i can do, but when she lands back on the floor a turn her in a circle (i was told that helped)

 

[tashyisaudrey]

I personally don't think you should give up, but I do think you have tried hard and need to ask for some expert help. Remember, on a hack getting off when she rears is not about win or lose, lead her past the problem and then get back on her. In the horse's mind she is still being made to go forwards. In the school, get off her and put her on lunge if she is naughty. I did this with my horse, worked her really hard. So she learnt - if she did as I said, she did less work and got cuddles and maybe a reward, if she was naughty, we went back to square one and did more. she hasn't done it since, and she is realising on hacks it isn't working.

a question - is she spooky? does she have an issue when in company. If not then is she ok behind another horse? How about doing this for a while , while she gets used to it - it may be she is not feeling confident. Remember the more time you spend with her the more she gets to know you, and it may be that the school is the safest place to do that for you right now. Lunging is great, because you are re-inforcig the "I am the leader - you are the follower".

Remember also she is a mare and mare's are always trying to be higher in the herd. Where does she stand in the field - is she boss? Horse's see people as part of their herd too, so she might think that she is in charge, and thats dangerous. She has to know that you are her leader.

a good exercise is one I try with my horse. When you lead her, stop suddenly. does she stop with you? or barge straight past? If she barges. stop her and make yourself big. push her slightly and say "go back". she should go back if you are convincing. Keep doing this until she stops with you, and then pat and make a fuss. I did this a lot and has really helped, because when they stop with you its the first sign they are listening to you, and that you are in charge.

any questions PM me.

 

[rrose]

shes is spooky yes, and when hacking out she can only be ridden with another horse or i have no luck of getting her out. althoug recently i got her around the block on her own.

She is not bargy but she is the lead of the field. in the school i sit on her until she moves foward after rearing as im fed up of fighting her but i will try the lunging with her.

thanks xx

 

[henryhorn]

I have actually read the replies before posting this and one thing stands out clearly, you are putting your life at risk riding this pony.
The fact she has continued to rear and actually got worse is a sign you haven't solved the problem at all, infact I am sorry to say , you have almost "taught" this horse how to evade work by the way you have dealt with it up to now.
Sometimes it's best to admit you just aren't as experienced as this pony needs and either get help., or give up on her.
Ignore every trick advised on here as rearers need totally experienced riders to "cure" them, and even then sometimes it takes months to do with the added problem it will reappear with a nervous or novice rider years later.
You have to face the reality of what you're risking. Being injured and perhaps ending up on a life support. A half ton of horse crashing onto your body can cause life threatening injuries or kill you. Sorry to be so blunt but I am talking from years of experience here, not guesswork.
There is either a veterinary reason here or your method of riding has allowed the problem to develop, so the sensible thing to do is stop.
I bet your parents' have no idea what is going on or they would get rid of the mare immediately. Plus there really isn't much fun riding if you're honest with yourself is there? Come on, do the adult thing and either get help or sell her .

 

[LauraBR]

I couldn't agree more HH, excellent advice IMO.

CC- I sympathise with you I really do. Although Fal wasn't a rearer he was downright dangerous in other ways and I struggled on with him for ages and ages. Finally finding him a professional home and getting a new horse has been the BEST thing for both Fal and me.

I am having SO much fun with my new ned, I think I had forgotton what it was like to get on and enjoy riding rather than worrying about 'staying on'. Just come back from my first lesson with a huge smile on my face- been flying round jumps for the first time in a year!

Please, don't wait for her to fall on you again... find a horse you can enjoy.

 

[kayleigh_and_rocky]

That is also very true. My old horse, william, was a violent rearer, he wasnt sensible and when he reared he actually aimed to go over on you. After a year of owning him i had been in hospital monthly with various injuries, twice because he went over on me (luckily fell sideways onto my leg) and because i was kicked in the head in the stable!! I tried desperately to help him, i even sent him away to kelly marks to see if she could help, but nothing helped, as soon as he came back he was up to his old trick, tarquin knows what im talking about as she had the unfortunate luck to be on him when he reared. I didnt want to give up on him, but in the end my parents made the decision for me, he was just too dangerous and i was getting closer and closer to suffering very serious injuries. So i sold him and part exchanged him with a dealer for rocky (told them everything about his rearing etc) and it was the BEST thing ive EVER done. Rock has turned out to be amazing, my best friend, not only do we compete successfully but hes put the fun back in my riding!!
Sometimes we just have to admit defeat.

 

[serena2005]

i cant see what turning her in a circle after she has reared is doing to be honest.

what i mean by what do you do when she rears, do you tell her off, have you ever smacked her for it? if so what was her reaction?
do you know when she is going to rear or does she just go up?

i know when my boy goes to rear.. he swishes his tail like mad, but once he did just explode, actually a few times and there was no way i was staying on.

why dont you try lunging before you ride, wear her out, is she a lively horse?