Young horse spooks then broncks, help please

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Kezza

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I posted a similar topic about this a few months ago but now I have had everything checked over (chiro, vet, farrier, dentist, saddler) I am sure it’s a behaviour thing.

My young horse (6years) will go into rodeo style bronck mode when he is spooked. He does a sharp spook (he’s not the type to give you warning before he spooks) and I think it’s a combination of my weight (all 7 stone of it) shifting quickly in the saddle (as you get left behind the movement as it’s so quick), me perhaps grabbing his mouth slightly as he jerks to spook (he’s very light in the mouth) and the fact that he’s scared which makes him go into rodeo bronking where he leaps up at the front and then brings his hind legs up on landing so he kind of bounces along travelling forwards and sideways.

Everything has been checked and he is fine. I have regular lessons and he has done this during a lesson. He has done it a total of 4 times in the 5 months I have had him and has done it both in trot and canter.

He manages about a length or 2 of the arena before stopping when he is ready.

Now I have 3 things I need help with please.

1. How to stop him quickly when he starts to bronk
2. How to de-sensitise him so that he is less likely to spook (if possible)
3. How to get him more used to my weight shifting around in the saddle so he’s less sensitive


Whilst he’s doing it I say “whoa” and sit quietly going with the movement and hold the reins lightly, I have tried holding one rein firmer than the other but he just starts doing it on a circle.

Afterwards I give him a bit of a verbal telling off and put my legs on and send him straight back to the spot he spooked when he does it and ride him past it over and over until he stops spooking, this is the punishment method of my choice.

Any help would be much appreciated as he’s a lovely horse with real talent and wonderful kind nature.

Thanks
 
Try around-the-world, with someone holding his head, to get him used to your weight moving around. Anything else you can think of would also be good. Have him stand still and moving whilst you do the exercises.

Try let him loose in the school, and use plastic bags etc. etc. to get him used to them. Sheets on the ground, washing lines, anything that he could spook at.

Good luck with him
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If its starting to unnerve you, you could try going back to some ground work and see if that helps.

Have you tried lunging with 2 reins (longreining) past scary objects? You can push the horse on instantly if he starts to misbehave clearly giving the message this is not acceptable behaviour.

Regarding the weight, you could try tying something on the saddle which moves a little when longreining to get him used to the feel of stuff moving around?

Good luck, he sounds lovely.
 
It's the other way round, it did unnerve me the first 2 times but the third time I was less nervous and last night I was more p*ssed off than scared and I am now ready to really deal with it rather than be a victim. Your suggestion of long reining is excellent thanks. Not done much ground work with him at all actually as when he was entire and stabled 24/7 before I moved him home he used to go up in the air when he saw other horses so I wasn't confident leading him about. I am now though so time to start some ground work me thinks!
 
Have you tried kicking him through it, or does that make him erupt even more? I know that some horses are best just sat to, but if Ty messes around he needs a boot and reassurance that nothing is going to eat him!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Hi there. Please could you describe your horse? PM me if you prefer.

[/ QUOTE ]
chestnut andalusian, 16hh, just 6, gelded in May, been in the UK just over a year and trained in the UK.
 
hmm not tried that but my friend did once as she's a very confident and experienced rider and she promptly came off, oops... I think I would be too scared to push him on, I am more of a bring him back to safety zone type.
 
Could you tie something onto the saddle (think Monty Roberts type dummy - I think there are instructions on his website if I am not mistaken).
 
No help I am afraid but in identical situation with my 6 year old - so if you do find something that works please let me know! Good luck
 
OK replied in compy riders and now read you too have an andalusian.
Be careful pushing them on and getting angry with them can really upset their um lets say high temperaments. Some do repsond to a quick oi stop it now so worth a shot.
Everyone I know has a spook on it although thanfully yours is the only one I've head of that rodeos.
 
how is it that when I read up about them before I bought one that all I read was that they are laid back and friendly LOL! Then again I guess he is both of those things it's just he can also be sharp at times but that could just be his age, this is only the second youngster I've ever had and my first one bolted once and bucked a bit but he just stopped by himself after only doing it a couple of times, I hope my current one just miraculously stops soon ...
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Go back to ground work - that is my advice.

Its invaluable for building your relationship, building his confidence, building your confidence. Then if you ask him not to do something while ridden he'll listen to you.

I too like to stay in the safety zone. I have a 5 year old whose bucks are straight from hell. I don't want him to do them.

Don't be afraid to take things slowly or go backwards although you never are going 'backwards' just revising things. Especially if he is a sensitive boy. It will absolutely pay dividends in the end and you'll look back and think 'Wow, remember when he used to buck like a looney - thank goodness he's grown out of that!'
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My 5yo does this too
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I also think its an issue with a shift in weight. Ive slowly started trying to desensitise him to it by doing things like checking the girth whilst we're moving (this is VERY scary apparently
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) leaning down his neck, leaning backwards to rub him on bum etc etc. I think I'll also attemt to teach him a one rein stop as an emergency measure!
 
OOh thanks for this thread my 6yo ISH is so like this and I have gone back to groundwork. I think it may be because I sit a bit heavy when he shoots off I like the idea of shifting weight around the saddle.
Unfortunatly when he shoots off and broncs my brain only reacts as I fly through the air. A bubble apperas above my head saying "Oh Sh1t this is gonna hurt".
 
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