Teaching a horse to rear

[Shilasdair]

As my last ridden horse was by Another Hoarwithy, I spent an inordinate amount of time teaching her to keep her bloody hooves on the ground.

 

[NLPM]

Not something I've done or ever be particularly keen on doing. For starters, I wouldn't even know where to begin with training it safely.

That said, I used to be on a yard with a girl who'd taught her horse to do quite a neat little rear, not particularly high or wild. I can think of at least two occasions when it came in quite handy as a way of encouraging hordes of cyclists to leave a bit more room...

 

[Snowfilly]

I wouldn’t do it, but I’ve got at least three books here that show you how to teach a low rear in hand / on long lines. Two dressage ones and a trick training book. There’s probably loads more info in other books, especially the classical horsemanship ones that go towards high school movements.

Not something I've done or ever be particularly keen on doing. For starters, I wouldn't even know where to begin with training it safely.

 

[Lurfy]

When I was young we kept our horse agisted at a riding school and it was also an outback film set. Some of the riding school horses where trained to drop when they hear a gunshot, or rear on command etc and were ridden by stunt riders for films. My sisters and I got them to train our horse to rear on command too, which he did but only when asked. The riding school horses never reared or dropped with their inexperienced riders on board. They only did their tricks when ridden by the film riders. Those were some of the best days of my life and I am grateful I survived my wild upbringing

 

[AUB]

Right horse and right person, sure, no problem.
Wrong horse and wrong person? Problem!

 

[Flicker]

My gelding rears on command. I accidentally taught him while we were working on other dressage moves that involved lots of back lift and powerful shoulders. One day he went up instead of forwards - classic evasion but I realised exactly what I'd done "wrong" and also realised he went up every time I have that particular cue. He's very controlled and polite about it - just rocks back onto his hocks and then lifts the front up and balances for a moment, so I don't see a problem. He only rears if he's asked to rear and he's very rarely asked to rear, but I do like the occasional photo e.g. on the beach, etc. I'm 40 years old and the little girl inside me likes it ... I don't think it does any harm. There's no force involved, no anger or frustration at each other, he can be wearing anything (headcollar, so not pulling bit). Just another movement that we execute together when I bring both legs back, tap the shoulder gentle and say UP! He doesn't go high or throw out his front legs - he's not a posh horse!

He's ridden by many other riders and I've never seen him rear without being asked just like he doesn't walk-to-canter when when he's just walking along ...

My first horse was taught to rear on command. Shame the sellers forgot to mention that and I discovered his trick when I tried to rein back at a gate. Stupid girl had used to same aids. Like yours, he was perfectly mannerly about it and it was not a vice or used for evasion. But it was hard to train him out of, and made hacking alone a bit tedious. Fortunately in those days I was sprightly enough to vault on so mostly dismounted for gates - bit of a pain though.

 

[Courbette]

I have wondered the same thing. I started following an account where an owner had a new horse to back and I thought it would be interesting to watch the process and by day three it was rearing under saddle. I would of been mortified and seeking help but there were 100+ comments telling the owner how well she was doing. I had to unfollow.

I do feel a bit hypocritical as I learned to ride on horses that did display work and I love both circus high school and classical riding so am not against a horse that has been taught to rear in the right setting and I guess everybody has to start somewhere. The biggest problem for me is that the majority of the people I see on social media are not working in a safe way, the horses don't seem to be at the right stage of schooling and you are jeopardising your horses future by teaching or encouraging what can be a very dangerous habit. I rode a lovely spanish horse that had been taught to rear as a 3/4 year old by previous owners and my trainer made the decision that she couldn't keep him as whenever he got stuck in his ridden work he reverted to rearing as he has been previously praised for it. So many people are very impressionable on social media and it is hard to call out bad practice.

If I had the funds I'd love to have a small pony just to learn trick work with but I wouldn't teach a horse to rear myself incase I ruined the them or had to sell them in the future. My dream would be to have enough talent to develop a horse to perform a levade although a levade is very different movement to a rear and you feel like you are getting closer to the ground.

 

[MagicMelon]

I dont really see the issue as long as its trainer properly. If its trained correctly then surely its like anything else you train them to do - they learn to do it when asked, and not just whenever they fancy. Im sure stunt horses dont just go around rearing whenever they please? Ive done clicker training in the past for various things, generally useful stuff but I wouldnt personally do rearing as I dont see much benefit and I wouldnt know how to teach it properly.