Cheryl has been in touch with a horse bucking problem I’m sure you can help with:
“Recently my 11 year old gelding QH bucked me off quite violently and I went hurling over top of his head.
He hadn’t been ridden in about 6 weeks due to ice and snow. My 13year old QH/Arab mare was back at the barn screaming bloody murder because we left her, and Tucker was notably anxious when we left the barn , but he did as I asked and crossed the road into the vineyard where it was thankfully soft ground for my landing.
Tucker has small crow hop kind of bucks when he’s excited, if we are riding with other horses but only when going into a lope. I have warning about his horse bucking because he puts his head down and shakes his head before he does those small horse bucking hops, and I have time to pull the rein tightly and spin him in a circle and use my crop on him.
Horse bucking with no warning!
This time, I had no warning and he clearly intended to get me off so he could return to the barn.
I haven’t ridden him since this event about 3 weeks ago and clearly am a bit afraid to, though I know he longer I wait the harder it will be . I would appreciates my help from other riders out there. I don’t want to give up on him for some horse bucking.
We have had many successful hours riding and he is a good horse. Please help!
Cheryl”
A big thanks to Cheryl – it reminds me of this horse bucking post:
If you can help Cheryl with her horse bucking, please do leave a post below.
Now on to Linda who made me smile with her story:
Horse bucking above – smiley horsey story below!
“Hi. My name is Linda….
I was reading what ray had to say about relationship with your horse.
My horse`s name is bella….on the day she gave birth to herfoal…..she came to the paddock fence calling me 520am. I went down……she walked away from me….about 10feet.
Turned and looked at me…..so I went down behind her.
She lay down and gave birth to her foal….jessie, now 5 years old.
Now that`s what I call a close relationship..bella was given to me
Never had a horse before ……so seeing that…. there was water works.
I said to my husband get up the baby is here….he was thinking we had another grandchild.lol.
Bella is the white Arab with me….as you can see it`s a very cold day. I’ve never had a problem with horse bucking.
This is jessie and his trainer…dapple gray..
Linda”
A big thanks to Linda for sharing
And please don’t forget Cheryl’s horse bucking question – please do leave a comment below if you can help.
That’s all for this time. Please do keep them coming.
Best
Dear Cheryl
I’m no horse expert but consider some aromatherapy lavender camomile to get the horse in a more calmer state and to change their sense of smell a bit with the oils. Also try running rains that will help keeping his head down and make him concentrate better. Hope it helps.
Regards
Chris
Hi There,
I have a similar Problem with my horse so I do not ride him in the paddock where his mates are ever as he has bucked me off there trying to get back to the herd.I always use ,the one rein to turn his head whenever I feel A buck coming on but sometimes it is so unexpected .I get back on him in the small holding paddock or arena and ride him around with lots of transitions and side passes and halts until he gets back into his old quiet self again then he is fine for weeks after that.That helps a lot.I also have to be very careful when doing up the girth as he is cold backed and girthy.I take it slowly and stretch out his legs as I go.Circles help a lot when riding in a group on a trail ride or just stopping and standing still for 5 minutes( the whole group will need to do this)I hope this helps
Mary L
Hi Cheryl, I feel for your situation.
Have you had your horse checked for a sore back or any g injury that nay cause Him concern.
I would do a lot of ground work with him ands only get on when you think he is right. Also, make sure someone is around when u ride.
Good luck. Never give up on your passion and always listen to your horse 🙂
Hi Cheryl,
It sounds like he is a little prone to this kind of behaviour when he is fresh or anxious. With such horses I usually place them on the lunge for 10-15 min to help warm them up, get them into the right frame of mind and any fresh or anxious bucks can be taken out on the lunge, not on the rider!
If you are still too scared to get on him, perhaps an experienced friend may get on for you to start with.
At the end of the day, your safety and enjoyment is priority and it’s not worth risking a permanent injury. Sometimes it’s just better to move on to something safer.
Hope this helps.
Hi Cheryl, I know how you feel. My young stock horse had 5 months off due to injury. When I finally got to ride him again I had only been on for about 5 min when the neighbours horses, all 7 of them, came galloping up, bucking leaping and rearing as they got close to me. My horse bucked with the excitement of the moment and I came off hitting the fence and breaking my shoulder blade. After 4 months of me recovering I was nervous about riding him again. I got a very experienced breaker to have the first few rides and that was a really good idea because he bucked the first few times he was ridden, but has settled down now.
The other day I was riding and two foals were racing around their paddock, bucking and galloping. As soon as my horse tensed up I asked him to move forward and sideward, like the guy in the video said to do and it worked. He was still a bit tense but he did not buck. Good luck, I hope it all works out for you.
Cheryl:
My mare Ooh Nah and mare Sal Gal had the same tantrum from time to time. It’s the “I don’t want to” tantrum. I agree with Sophie 1000%. After a bad fall last year, I had a young friend saddle up Ooh Nah and give the horse a good work out. Then I rode again the same day to work out my fear. I don’t ride either mare away from each other without first getting the mare to focus on me through controlled ground work after tacking the horse up. It’s a little more time and energy you have to plan for, but this up front work out will pay out big. From your letter, sounds like you are a very patient woman. You will get your horse past his desire to expend energy on tantrums!
I totally agree with Sophie Kypr when she says you should placing them on the lunge for a while before you ride if there is a possibility of bucking and disobedience. It just takes the edge off. If I havent riden for a week or two I will lunge the first day then lunge the second day and only then ride as you will then establish a pattern again. Dont risk injury.
He sounds very normal. Anyone will do that. You will just have to take him on short trips away from the buddies. The bucking was because he was out of his comfort zone. Don’t go as far next time. Gradually go further away. Either that or trailer away from the buddy screams.
Don’t be afraid, he was not out to GET YOU, just his own natural fear and reaction to separation.
Hi! After I lost one of my horses to severe colic, my old horse (25 at the time )fretted for him. I took him for a ride one day around the block, I did not let him talk to the first lot of horses we came to as there was an electric fence between us. I let him say hello to the next group of horses. Then I thought I wouldn’t mind having a little canter up the hill. so I prepared to do this, next thing he put his head down and bucked me off then took off to the first lot of horses I let him say hello to and then full pelt back around the corner to the horses I didn’t let him talk to. I was a bit shook up needless to say. Thankfully I had my helmet on, hit my head on the ground, neighbour friend came running to see if I was alright. she sent her daughter to catch my horse. I thought he was heading home but he wanted to checkout that first lot of horses. My neighbour wanted to walk me and the horse home but I said NO I am going around the block like I planned, Short rein though. Did put me off riding a bit though. I remembered that I had some grass reins that my daughter use to use when she was younger so I decided I didn’t care what it looked like I was going to use them anyway next time I rode him. When I did he was a bit hypo but having those grass reins attached he realised he couldn’t put his head down to buck me off so settled right down. In case you do not know what they are they are straps with a buckle on one end that attach to your saddle and a dog clip on the other end that attach to the horses bit. Fitted properly the horse cannot put its head down to eat grass (Hence the name) or buck you off. Gave me confidence to ride him again. Careful not to do it up too tight. I think you can research grass reins on the net. Hope this helps.
Another note, sorry. I have never run then up through the ring on the browband as pictured in above website so do not know if that is better or worse but will find out.
Seems like your boy gets to make the rules now. He has probably been making them for a while in tiny ways so that you didn’t really notice… But he sure did. Since you’re not a spring chicken or a pro trainer I would get a good trainer over to work the crap out of him near the barn and let him rest in the vineyard. It might take 1 or 1001 sessions to get him re-trained. good luck. rocki
Hi Linda,
I think your horse was just feeling a bit ornery and he sounds as if he is barn sour. That means he doesn’t like to leave the barn because his friend is back there nickering to him and causing him to want to return.
I would try separating them for awhile. Meaning that one horse should go spend a couple of weeks away from home so that they are both totally weaned. Maybe you could take one horse to a friend’s house that is a distance away so that they can not communicate with each other. Also, I would work the horse you plan to ride a bit in the corral or round pen before taking off since it hadn’t been ridden for a few months. Hope this helps.
I had the same probblem with my horse, some times she would giving warnings but some times not, what she was trying to do is get me off by bucking, which worked for her or awhile, then I noticed she was playing a game by “if I do this will it get u off”? And it did! So finally I had to just sit tight and hang on when she bucked and get her to go into a canter even if I got bucked off some times I got back on till finally she thought ” I’m wasting time bucking it would be easier just to go into a canter!”
Hope this helps!
Kailee
We have all been bucked off. For the most part, it is something us humans did wrong. — not lunging or turning the horse out when stalled too long. Some horses need to be turned out or lunged everyday. Remember they are athletes. I would try to keep the horse’s head up, for it is hard for them to balance to give a buck if their head is in the up position.
Hi there Cheryl after reading what you have said it seems to me that a couple of things have been happening. Your mare has taken a leadership role over your gelding…she has become his boss so when she complained about being left he ended up choosing her over you. So you need to also work on her and establishing your leadership over her and then him. Can you ride him safely near the barn, just doing walk/halt transistion, circling and backing? This will begin to rebuild your confidence on him and begin to re-establish your leadership role. Always begin with groundwork as what you achieve on the ground is what you get in the saddle. And do the same with her…plenty of groundwork to re-establish who is boss. This is never going to be an overnight fix but something that needs to be worked at as often as possible.
The most frighnting thing is hitting the ground as we get older and the fact he was ur mate ur buddy and all the confidence in the world is needed to get back on i have had a simlar experience and had only started riding again after 26 years
i thought id never get back on but i did with the help of a friend i did not however get back on that particular horse but am determined to ride him again so rally friends get on all the other horses and have faith in ur ability hope that helps
Hello,
I know what it’s like. I work at a horse rehabilitation stables.
I’ve been working with a horse similar to yours. Here’s what I’d do.
1) Don’t use a whip. Causing pain to get him to do what you want will make him worse.
2) Stop riding him for 4-6 weeks and do some groundwork.
3) Start by getting him cantering round the edge of a medium sand arena. Keep win tackless. When he puts his head down and starts licking, turn away. He will come to instantly. Give him a treat for being good.
4) Play with him in the field. Take time out of your day to go have half an hour of time with him. Rub his shoulders, stroke – don’t pat, and give him a treat if he does something good.
5) Try riding him in the arena. Work on transitions and use as little leg as possible. Again don’t use pain to get him to do what you want.
If you want any more help please ask. Hope this helps.
Sarah
I am going through the same thing right now. I unfortunately ended up with a broken ankle 😥 that is now after eight weeks is in the last stage of healing. I have hired a trainer to ride him and he has been good for her. I debated selling him and still don’t know if I can get back on ,but I plan on trying only when I feel comfortable about it. I plan on reestablishing our relationship through groundwork and grooming for a while first. That is when I can walk without crutches. 🙂 Glad to hear about the grass reins! I think I’ll be looking into getting some. I also plan on riding another bombproof horse first to get my confidence back. So glad I read this today. Thanks to all who wrote! 🙂
Hi Cheryl
My one horse did the saw, the thing is it doesn’t help getting upset.
Spirited horses do these things and to deal with it should be in a manner of not breaking there horses spirt.
So what I use to do (because here in RSA we inject our horses for AHS and then we are also not able to ride them for a while)
I put my horse in the ring and let him run for a while and he would buck and kick and deal with his “demons” on his own. After his more calm I saddle him up and lounge him- ground work, works wonders. He would still buck and go crazy for a while, BUT after three days of just solid ground work he is fine and he summits to me again.
For the throwing of the neck I suggest you ride him with side reins for at least a month- it is better than a Martingale-personally not a fan.
other than that if he does it move you leg out of the saddle toss it over to the side and throw him towards the ground (AT THE DIRECTION HE THROWS HIS HEAD AT). although this is a rough method and requires one to be awake it does work especially with stallion that are extremely strong willed. Sometimes they can be just plain bullies.-They get such a fright they never do it again.
Be careful though if you try this method ❗
To Blair- don’t sell your horse. A Horse loves his human, I am also scared that if a horse that is a problem horse he gets sold to someone that then treats him /her badly.
Ground work is important and should be done at least monthly- so that the relationship you build with your horse remains- don’t always ride.
Play with your horse, go sit in his paddock with treats far away from him/her and wait until the horse comes to you, don’t move at all let the horse do the bonding- they are curious and when they tickle you with their nose give them treats
I have a 17 y/o haflinger which recently has started to become barn sour. Leaning into the bit and spinning. He will go where I ask him to go but after awhile he will refuse to go anymore and want to go back to the barn. Now I dismount away from the barn and walk him back. I also believe in groundwork. With horses its always a journey.
Good Luck,
Bonnie
Wow, All this info is great. I am still trying to ride the stallion (now gelded) last Oct. Lots of ground work. With and without the saddle. The first time I tried to mount him he wouldn’t hold still. I need an experienced ride to ride him. He had formal training along time ago nothing since. He is sweet to work around but I am a little afraid to try to get on him again. Thanks for the tips
Hi Cheryl,
Im not a horse expert or anywhere near it but it appears that Tucker has formed a very strong bond with the arab x mare and now has separation issues. Why not try taking him a short distance from the mare but outwith the stable/field but let them be able to see each other. Then gradually take him further, then out of site but let them see each other a few minutes later etc etc. Slowly but surely it will be understood that Tucker isn’t leaving for ever and he will be back to see her. It will take time and patience but I’m sure you will get there.
Good luck