youngster rearing while being long reined

[tikino]

ok having problems with rising 4 yr old who is rearing in a very dangerous fashion while being long reined no medical problems so all dam right dangerous and stubbornness any ideas and how can wee stop this she is at professional yard for backing just i have my concerns

 

[zigzag]

If there are no medical problems, I would pull her over backwards in a school, may teach her a lesson.

 

[MissTyc]

I had one like this - she needed a little longer to grow into herself. I ended up working her on the long reins until she could reliably walk and trot without rearing (just to make a point, really, didn't want to leave it on a bad note) then turned her away and backed when she was 5 and a half years old. Never saw any bad behaviour from her again.

 

[tikino]

If there are no medical problems, I would pull her over backwards in a school, may teach her a lesson.

she did it to herself and got up and redid it i am not prepared to get hurt or her to get hurt as such don't think this is the answer as such but can understand the thinking

 

[zigzag]

she did it to herself and got up and redid it i am not prepared to get hurt or her to get hurt as such don't think this is the answer as such but can understand the thinking

Fair enough if she didn't learn her lesson, just thought it, as it worked with a couple I knew, they looked so surprised that they were on the floor, never did it again

 

[Elsiecat]

Whenever any of mine have reared theyve got a wack on the top of their head. With a leadrope usually. Needs to be done instantly. Something to do with self preservation and them thinking there is a roof above them. May not be PC but its worked on the few occasions.

Is there any particular time that she does it? Or just at any point whilst be lead-reined?

 

[Twinkley Lights]

I had one like this - she needed a little longer to grow into herself.
QUOTE]

This mine is 6 rising 7 and just learning how to use his body and build the strength to do the work asked of him with confidence. Depends on breeding but some are late developers.

 

[cundlegreen]

If she is really going forward, she wont have time to rear. If she starts to plant, send her into several small circles then start off again. I had a mare who had a serious nap once, she put herself over backwards on long reins, she never did it again.

 

[kirstyl]

What does she do when lunged? Personally would really get her moving forwards and responsive on the lunge before worrying about long reining - apologies if she is already doing this. A mare I backed started off long reining brilliantly but got progressively more naughty and we moved process on and got on board - she was ready. Do you have an instructor that can help you? Really don't agree with pulling over, very dangerous to both you and horse. Best of luck and stay safe

 

[kirstyl]

Apologies, just read she's at backing yard. Are you wondering if she's in a suitable place?

 

[JanetGeorge]

ok having problems with rising 4 yr old who is rearing in a very dangerous fashion while being long reined no medical problems so all dam right dangerous and stubbornness any ideas and how can wee stop this she is at professional yard for backing just i have my concerns

What does the 'professional yard' say about it?? It sounds like a training 'issue' - maybe she is being asked in a way she's not understanding?? Are they longreining off the bit (what sort??) What work was done re mouthing her before they started longreining her?? We always start longreining youngsters off the lunge cavesson - NOT the bit - until they understand what we want - most particularly - going forwards!

 

[tikino]

Is there any particular time that she does it? Or just at any point whilst be lead-reined?

when she is long reined or reined back and did it a few time when asked to halt then walk on when i was sitting on her

 

[tikino]

What does the 'professional yard' say about it?? It sounds like a training 'issue' - maybe she is being asked in a way she's not understanding?? Are they longreining off the bit (what sort??) What work was done re mouthing her before they started longreining her?? We always start longreining youngsters off the lunge cavesson - NOT the bit - until they understand what we want - most particularly - going forwards!

she has been bitted since she was a yearling and shown i hand . they have got her in a wee training loosing ring snaffle. she will lunge no problem just not sure she gets the whole long reining bit but not liking her rearing as she toppled herself and i don't fancy sitting on her if she is doing this.

i have no doubt she is at a good yard i guess i am disappointed with her and had better expectations. she is so easy to work with on the ground and lunges sweatly

 

[Cheiro1]

when she is long reined or reined back and did it a few time when asked to halt then walk on when i was sitting on her

Is she being worked off a bit? What type of bit?

Sounds like a mouth issue if it happens when you put pressure on her mouth to stop/go back.

 

[tikino]

Is she being worked off a bit? What type of bit?

Sounds like a mouth issue if it happens when you put pressure on her mouth to stop/go back.

she has not long had her teeth done tho by a very good dentist and vet checked her over before she went away as got her also to take blood to make sure she was 100% well

 

[TarrSteps]

Again, as JanetGeorge asked, what does the yard say about it??? I'm surprised they let you get on the horse without getting to the bottom of it. Does she do it with their rider? How does he/she handle it?

There could be all sorts of reasons she's rearing, ranging from very benign to quite serious. It is impossible to even guess without the horse in front of you. But I'd be asking done questions if I was paying an experienced starting yard and getting that result without them investigating further. Is their main business starting horses or is it a comp yard primarily?

 

[MotherOfChickens]

you can put alot of torque on a young mouth by long reining-some just don't appreciate it. also, asking such a young horse to rein back, go forward and then back again? not something I would do at that stage.

 

[JanetGeorge]

when she is long reined or reined back and did it a few time when asked to halt then walk on when i was sitting on her

She's being trained back-to-front! A youngster must be trained to go FORWARD - calmly and sensibly. Halt should be gentle and primarily from the voice and reinback is a bit further down the road! She doesn't accept/trust the bit and she hasn't learned to go forward properly!

 

[tikino]

Again, as JanetGeorge asked, what does the yard say about it??? I'm surprised they let you get on the horse without getting to the bottom of it. Does she do it with their rider? How does he/she handle it?

There could be all sorts of reasons she's rearing, ranging from very benign to quite serious. It is impossible to even guess without the horse in front of you. But I'd be asking done questions if I was paying an experienced starting yard and getting that result without them investigating further. Is their main business starting horses or is it a comp yard primarily?

i sat on her prior to be going to be properly backed. the yard have said they are working her through it and they are not overly concerned with it as she needs groundwork etc. it is me that is not happy with her behavior. its a stud/competition yard who also back horses.

 

[siennamum]

I would be very concerned, suprised the yard aren't bothered. I agree with what others have said rein back is a bizarre thing to teach.
I wouldn't want to get on until horse is pretty sorted going forward without a rider.
Mine learned that rearing resulted in being put in the field before I had him, they couldn't even lunge him.

I restarted hmi & was very slow & careful, but he had learned that if he wasn't happy with the question he could try rearing.

 

[Polotash]

Give up on the long reining for a couple of months and get her going on the lunge instead - it's easier to drive them forwads, safer for you, and less confusing for the horse as you aren't really giving stearing commands. Personally I'd stick a loose Harbridge on her on the lunge, plus fairly loose side reins. If she isn't happy in her mouth then put a loose standing martingale onto the noseband (under cavesson) instead. You want her to be uncontained when she's in the right place but give herself a whack on the nose from the martingale if she chucks her head thinking about rearing.

Don't despair, I had a mare do exactly the same last year... I gave up on long reining (and I'm a big fan of it!) and she's now hacking out fine.

 

[tikino]

thanks Polotash i just want to do whats right by her as she means the world to me

 

[Polotash]

thanks Polotash i just want to do whats right by her as she means the world to me

She'll be absolutely fine, they all have hiccups. Even our saintly first born who is 22 this year reared and reversed backwards at speed across a main road the first time he saw dustbins, he's never put a foot wrong since!

PS Do agree with others tho that I wouldn't be teaching rein back off the bit for a good few months yet. I do it on the ground with a lunge whip to a voice command as part of a lunge session, but never on long reins with a baby.

 

[TarrSteps]

Sorry, just to clarify, you got on her a few times at home and she reared more than once when asked to what, halt or move on? Did you ride her off the bit? How was she when someone led her initially or did the problem only start after?

I ask because it's not unusual for long reining to be "too much" for some young horses (I'm another that does not long rein off the bit, at least not with a completely green horse, although I may do so later for specific reasons) and simply leaving it can solve the problem. But if she did it before the long reining and/or has a history of doing it when ridden, it might not be so simple. It is quite possible rearing is her "thing", in the way another horse might buck or get quick. Does she rear when she's playing? Has she ever shown a tendency whilst being led?

But it's also possible the behaviour came up (no pun intended) initially as a reaction and is now becoming a default when she feels pressured.

Also, although you've had checks done, there are still things that can be wrong. The last filly I started that had a tendency to rear (as a go to behaviour, it is more likely to be a "boy" thing) very clearly had a bit related issue and it took some time to sort out that she had pieces of a fractured wolf tooth still in her gum! Ditto various injuries etc. I'm not saying that IS the problem or that all behavioural issues have their origin in a physical problem, merely that in my experience even vets tend to feel if the horse hasn't been ridden then there can't possibly be anything wrong with it. This always strikes me as odd when riding age horses are invariably only injured while NOT being ridden in many people's view.

I don't think you have to despair at all. As you say, she's otherwise a sweet natured, physically capable horse who has never shown this tendency before so she must have a reason. If I've got the first bit wrong and it is only ever long reining where she goes up, then I'd agree, ditch the long reining and concentrate on getting her taking the hand forward (bitted - or not - accordingly) and hopefully that will be the end of it. If she's also rearing under saddle and that predated any long reining the it might take a bit more unpicking. As far as "being disappointed in her" I know what you mean and I sympathise, but it's important when dealing with young horses, especially ones you've bred, to take as much of the emotion out of it as possible. She's not doing it on purpose! I know you know that and it's hard to feel otherwise, but it there doesn't sound like there is a reason to be sorely disappointed in these still very early days.