Rodeo pony?

[SparklerStar]

Harry is a just turned 5 tb cross british riding pony. Absolute nutter and a little devil! He was broken when three but very badly and so he became quite scared of being ridden. So he basically became a little bucker! After a rather brave rider got on him a few times he stopped being scared but he still bucks all the time. He has had his back checked and a few months ago he had a problem with his back leg evrytime he stopped it would lock- so he used to get very scared/angry/ bucky/scary when halted. This was all sorted but he continues to be a little bu**er Bucking constantly unless in walk however still throws his head and threatens to buck in walk. When asked to halt he never obeys and throws his head and threatens as well. When he hacks he is a good boy and doesn't [pretend he's in a rodeo like in the school. On the ground he has very bad manners and trys to drag you and push and has absolutely no idea of personal space. So anyone have any tips for being constantly bucked and rodeoed around an arena- How do I stay on? And how can I turn him into the pony he can be? He holds his head beautifully- natural head carriage and perfect outline. His jump is faultless without a rider but when he is jumped he buck as he goes over- no chance of getting a fold haha! Sometimes he doesn't buck as he goes over and jumps like a bloody angel! What do I doo??
Thanks!

 

[Mari]

Watching this with interest as I have a pony that turns into a bucking Bronco
At times with no warning both when ridden & on the lunge. All checks been done & no problems apparent but seems she has always been a stress head & had a hard time when being broken. Any help much appreciated as she's too unreliable to ride but is the most delightful pony in every other way.

 

[Templebar]

No easy answer to this one.

I had one that started to buck she was 10, had all manner of things checked, discovered through passport that although backed well she was badly schooled since, she goes with her nose on her chest, glad it was before all this rolkur business else i would have probably been locked up even though she would do it on a loose rein. Bareback she is a dream, loves working and continues to buck once i have come off.
My solution, don't ride her she now lives as a companion to the rest. I love working her but she is not safe to ride with tack on and since i cant take her anywhere what's the point. I worked the youngster instead.

I have been suggested to try a western saddle and see if she would associate that too but its too expensive to just try unless you can find one locally. Also have you checked for kissing spine? Anyway good luck.

 

[BBP]

I don't think I'm qualified to give advice, I'm no professional, all I can say is that mine was a real rodeo pony. His was usually panic triggered by noise or movement either from me in the saddle or unexpected from elsewhere, he would just freak out and buck til the offending object (me) had got the hell away from him. I backed him so I can't blame anyone else for his reaction.

If you look at my latest bonkers black pony thread you'll see he is turning out pretty well, I guess for him it's just been quiet gentle persistence, not making a big deal of it, hopping back on if I got thrown off and quietly continuing and I do treat him from the saddle.

However I did get a thermal image fine of his back which showed some real hot spots in his spine, how long it had been like that for I don't know, I did have a Physio see him regularly who never picked it up, but my new Physio did straight away.

I think the answer is very individual to the horse but I'm glad I persevered with mine.

 

[Spottyappy]

Have had a couple like this, all checks showed nothing, too.
First one, never did get to the root cause, but he was pts with cancer of the stomach and I have often found myself wondering if he had had it forming a long time,and the pressure of saddle and rider caused it to be painful,and his bucking was a reaction to this. He always bucked,methought from the age of 4, to when he was pts aged 17. And, I doubt even a slow growing cancer would have caused the problems for so long.
The next, in desperation after many saddles were so called professionally fitted,we tried, in desperation,a simple thorowgood griffin saddle,ourselves and the horse has not bucked again.
So, my suggestion would be to try to borrow a few different saddles,and just try them yourselves to see if they could make a difference.
The other thing,can you turn him away? He may simply not be mature enough and need time to mature,even though he is 5. We turned a 6 year away as she couldn't cope mentally.

 

[Kokopelli]

Sounds exactly like my pony, a quick google of his name found he went through the sales 5 times in 2 years I wonder why!

Sit up and kick him forward.
Ignoring it was the best bet (also some hefty knee rolls on my saddle) he rarely bucks anymore so it's definitely worked. Making a big deal out of it makes it worse, and although he can still chuck some hefty bucks in going forward it's much better then when they get stuck on the spot and do those horrible twisty ones.

 

[amandap]

Sounds like a physical problem to me but easier said than done finding the problem/s I realize and could get very expensive.

 

[pennyturner]

I had one like this. Talented, but a little s**t. Reared too, and quite capable of taking off in all four paces! You haven't seen embarassed until you've seen an experienced rider being carried away at a walk or trot, helpless to stop or turn him. Never dangerous, though. Would stop at junctions every time. He mostly used it to scrape you off under trees, or investigate interesting driveways.
This wasn't a physical issue. The same pony would nip around a course of 4ft show jumps with no saddle or bridle, steered off his lead-rope (when he felt like it), and couldn't be stopped XC.
His buck was not one you could sit. The good ones had the heels in front of the ears!


I had broken him to drive aged 13. In harness he was without fault. In the end, I decided my neck wasn't worth it and sold him as an RDA driving pony.

 

[mirage]

If you are 100% sure it isn't a health issue,and that he is just taking the pee,a pair of grass reins crossed over before being attached to the D rings of the saddle stops them getting their head down low enough to buck.We have a pony that has started to buck when worked hard,doesn't do it at home,only when his jockey is told to push him by an instructor.The first time he did it,his little rider got scared and stopped pushing him,clever pony worked out how to get out of work and has tried it again.The look on his face after we put the grass reins on was a picture-he was really cross,but he behaved himself once it clicked that he couldn't frighten her and she was able to kick him on without fear of being launched skyward.