Yearling rearing when being lead.

lialls

lialls

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If a young horse is prone to rearing when being lead will it be more prone to rearing when its in ridden work?

I think the reason for it rearing is that it is being nappy(?), stubben or dosnt like pressure being put on its head collar - it happends when the horse is turned towards its friends and tries to run back to them thus the handler puts pressure on the headcollar to try and keep the horse at walk. The horse then rears.

What should be done to correct this?
 
Does it ALWAYS rear? Or just when particularly excited?

I would be inclined to just hold on to the end of a (very long!) leadrope, let him go up if necessary, and then walk on in the way they wanted to go. That way you've not given in BUT you're also not at risk of hurting yourself.

I would be very nervous of "non excitement" rearing when it comes to backing. However, for example my little one who reared at her first show, was doing it through pure excitement and I wouldn't be worried about backing.
 
Many yearlings rear when they are learning about being handled and asked to do more than they have done previously. It is not unusual. If its nipped in the bud early on then there is no reason to believe the youngster will continue rearing either in hand or under saddle. Ive had a few weanlings rear when I first start handling them and a sharp pull on the lead and continue doing what you are doing is normally all that is needed as reprimand.
 
I wouldn't say that it was out of excitment more out of strop at being asked to do something she dosnt want to do, like walk away from her friend and then walk back, not spin round and whizz back there. She was very well handled as a foal and she was been walked mile by herself with her pervoius owner so she should'nt be nappy.

I was dismissing it at first but its starting to happen more oftern now its got me thinking that something could be wrong and i also dont want it to carry on!

If the handler dos give a sharp pull while horse is on back legs then she usually threatens to rear again after the 1st rear and sometimes does rear again if any pressure is execerted on the head collar.
 
lialls said:
If the handler dos give a sharp pull while horse is on back legs then she usually threatens to rear again after the 1st rear and sometimes does rear again if any pressure is execerted on the head collar.
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What does the handler do to stop the 'threatened rear'?
I would use a very strong voice aid and some extremely assertive body language to MAKE this youngster walk on.
I'm afraid like most horses who change home, yours is trying it's luck.
 
I've just been reading up about this and she is now 15 months old - a teenager! So trying her luck all round i guess. She has also recently come in to season and i wondered if this would make her more prone to object to things we're asking of her.

All the same tho, this needs to be sorted out.

To stop the threatened rear, it usually works to just ignore her, try not to put pressure on the halter, ask 'walk on' and continue as we were.
 
She sounds exactly like my two year old mare. Mine has also recently had her first season and it's really changed her behaviour, she is trying to be more dominant in the field and is prone to 'stropping' when she doesn't get her own way.

Her latest strop involves rearing up/striking out at the fence/gate when another horse is taken out of the field and she feels like she should be getting the attention instead.

I am being really firm with her and not accepting rude behaviour, I'm hoping it is something she will grow out of in time!
 
Face the way you want the horse to move, step towards the horse, so that it moves away from you, sideways if necessary and if there is still no movement, flap a hand/stick/long lead-rope towards the horse's quarters. Be ready to move forwards as soon as the horse does, so that you do not inadvertently block the movement. Praise lavishly when you get the movement you want. Whatever you do, do not let the horse think that you might be nervous. And please wear a hat and gloves for your own safety. I will say as well, that I always prefer to lead in a old-fashioned thick-rope halter (about £5 from a farm suppliers), rather than a head-collar, or one of the 'new-fangled' 'controller halters, which IMO are too thin to be comfortable for the horse. The first pressure exerted with a proper halter is under the jaw, your horse might prefer this to poll pressure. Hope this helps.
 
Oh dear, yes im hoping that she will grow out of it too! B has got alot more dominant in the field aswell, i though that this was more down to not having my very dominant mare around anymore to keep her in shape but maybe its just her teenage years.
 
Thats great Pearlsasinger! Thanks. I will get one of those halters, im just using a normal cottage craft head collar atm.

She is also prone to kick out and then charge forward if the handler is to flick the lead rope behind them in a bid to get her to move forward. Should the handler just go with her then and then bring her back to walk after?
 
Most youngsters go through this stage, mine got a sharp slap on her shoulder with aloud NO!! as she was thinking about it, she soon grew out of it. Now if I could just get her to stop and not bomb off I'd be very happy:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
 
lialls said:
Thats great Pearlsasinger! Thanks. I will get one of those halters, im just using a normal cottage craft head collar atm.

She is also prone to kick out and then charge forward if the handler is to flick the lead rope behind them in a bid to get her to move forward. Should the handler just go with her then and then bring her back to walk after?
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TBH I can't really answer that without seeing exactly what she does. If she only runs on a few steps then yes allow her to go forwards but if she would carry on going further than that I'd let her run round me. I would avoid touching her with the rope - that can make them very resentful but if she can see the movement, it will encourage her to move forwards. You might need to do this a few times before she realises that the rope isn't touching her if she has got used to that happening.
 
Im not sure how far she would run, probly all the way back to the field(about 200 yards). Although that said, she wont trot up yet as hasnt got used/dosnt like to people running beside her, she will just grind to a halt. So she might not actually go far if the handler gos with her.

Thanks for the advice.
 
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