Need Help-Horse Popping Up

[B W]

I am a 56 yr old lady who has just been riding now for about 3 yrs. I have a 9 yr old QH that is lovely. I've had him for over a year. Up until about 6 mos ago he was perfect, then we had an episode where he was saddle sore. On one occasion when I got on him he popped up on the front. I thought it was due to something else so continued to ride him in that saddle. Anyway, we did find it was the saddle and I got a different one that fit him and everything was fine. Well since then he has developed a habit of popping up, just when I get on him. Once he even bucked out when I took him on a trail ride. I yelled at him and he stopped. Two weeks ago he had a big blowup. rearing and bucking and I came off. My first fall and it was big. I wrote about this in "The Final Chapter" in the Mature Riders section. Please read that to understand what happened. If you read that you'll know that I went back out and got on him bareback in the round pen. But I have not been able to ride him properly since. I am not pushing it but I've got to one day. I do wish I could break him of that popping up because it's going to get to a point where it will be him or me. He is perfect in every other way except this one thing. But this is a BIG thing. He is a very smart horse. He has TB bloodlines so is more TB than QH so very sensitive both in mind and body. He's chestnut so has very thin skin. He's just lovely like I said, small head and long neck. I want so much to be able to keep him but I need help. Has anyone got any suggestions on how to re-train this horse not to rear. Somewhere in his life he has done this for whatever reason and now it's coming back to him. I don't know what will happen to him if I have to part with him. This habit must be stopped. Thank you for any advice.

[Equitating]

have you had his teeth checked? does he rear when pressure is applied to the bit? I would guess it could be teeth or he really dislikes the way your bit works. What bit do you use?

My QH is 9 and a little "hot" also. She did have to have wolf teeth removed a couple years ago. I played around with bits and found a 3 piece loose ring snaffle that she loves.

[B W]

I'm using a snaffle, not 3 pc but just jointed. He doesn't seem to mind it but that's really the only one I've used on him. We're going to try him with just a side pull (no bit) and see how he does. I've learned that when I get on him I can't put pressure on the bit because he feels trapped. I think that's what started the whole thing. Now he's expecting something so he either pops up as soon as I ask him to walk off or he feels like he's going to. Sometimes I say "Don't you even think about it" and I can feel him settle down but I'm still tense every time I get on him. After he's walked for about 20 feet he settles and he's great. I've taken him on trail rides and his head is low and he's wonderful. It is only when I first get on. My theory is that someone has stayed in his mouth and probably riden him when his back was sore or something and the only way he could get away from the bit was to rear. This problem is the only thing I dislike about this horse but it's a big problem. I'll try that 3 pc bit after we try side pulls. Thanks.

[rocketman]

I have been riding and training horses for 40 years and, in that time, have had a number of 'rearers'. In my opinion, this is an evasion and a bad habit, which may have been triggered by an uncomfortable saddle, but you've corrected that now and the habit persists. Horses rear in order to intimidate their riders and it works quite effectively, from their point of view.

I am going to stick my neck out now and will probably get a lot of flak over this, but here goes:

Since you are in America, this piece of equipment will be available to you in most western tack shops. It is called a number of things - a cable headset, a war bonnet, a brain chain. It basically consists of an all-in-one-piece cable headstall and noseband covered in plastic with two rings under the jaw. It goes under the bridle. Take a nylon tie-down (leather will break) and clip one end to join the two rings and fix the other end to the girth, taking the tie-down between the horses front legs. Adjust it fairly snugly. Since you say your horse goes with a low head carriage, once it is going, this will not pull on the horse's head unless he rears. I would lunge the horse in it first to be safe.

To rear, the horse must first throw up its head. If he does, the cable will pull tight across his poll and face, causing sharp discomfort (but no injury) and the horse usually sets down on all fours quite promptly. The horse should quickly figure out he is doing it to himself. Sometimes a horse will try to modify the rear, keeping the head low and back rounded and not going up very high. In my mind, this is still an improvement and rather more rideable.

If you decide to try this, I would advise asking an experienced and younger rider (not a child) to get on the first few times. I would definitely suggested mounting from a block, not the ground, so if the horse rears, you are not half on, half off. If it works, I would let the horse wear this for every ride for quite a long time, until you feel confident he has forgotten the habit.

I only wish I had known this trick years ago. I let go a magnificent warmblood jumper that reared that I feel I could have corrected if I had this knowledge then.

[Equitating]

Do try to get his teeth looked at, your vet could do it.

My mare started in an eggbutt medium weight snaffle but I thought she disliked the "nutcracker" action. She didn't rear but would toss her head with the slightest tension of the reins. Once I tried this 3 piece snaffle she was much happier. The one I use has a copper roller as the middle link, but a french link is a great bit also. My mare just enjoys her "pacifier", gives her something to do when nervous.

Your horse may still try to rear at first as he would be anticipating the action of the regular snaffle. (If the bit is the problem) It could be his back or saddle, given that he rears at mounting.....

[Laetitia]

If you have someone to ride your horse make sure you have them insured, just in case.Not being a scaremonger,just covering all eventualities.Hope you get the horse sorted, most discouraging for you.I think you're very brave to persist.L

[ros]

Hi B W

I'm not 100% convinced your saddle problem is solved yet. You had problems with the crupper rubbing, didn't you? How long ago was that? And why was your horse wearing a crupper in the first place? (Sorry, got a bit lost as there were so many posts on the last thread!)

Rocketman could well be right, in that a horse having learned that rearing intimidates his rider will try it again - however, from what you say Jet is a well-mannered horse on the ground, and doesn't show any other signs of trying to scare you? I just have this feeling that he's still trying to tell you something is wrong, and if I were in your shoes right now I'd still be giving him the benefit of the doubt.

[B W]

I've had his teeth checked in the past year. I doubt they were ever done before that. And yeah I'll try that bit. When I first got him he really didn't like a snaffle but I'm sure he was used to a more severe bit anyway. The reason I was using a crupper was because it was the "in" thing to do at our barn. I'm not going that route again for obvious reasons. He has popped up with my Albion and also with my Tucker (a western saddle) so I think it's just he's too smart for his own good. There have been times I've mounted and he feels light on the front and I say "quit" and he settles. He seems to be very tense in his neck. Today I took him in the round pen and at walk I got "down". He understands that word and lowers his head to relax. Until today I couldn't get that at a trot. GOT IT TODAY! He was very relaxed with just the two of us and when he lowered his head at trot the first time I think I frightened him because I said "Good Boy" and clapped my hands. :) After that he would trot and I would say down and down his head would go. He wants so much to be good. I see it in his eyes. Tomorrow (if i'm really brave) I'm going to round pen him awhile (to get the p---- and vinegar out of him) and then saddle him in there and see if I can get "down" at trot with me on him. Wish me luck. Oh, and rocketman, that sounds like an okay idea for last resorts. My horse would go nuts with something like that on him. As far as having someone else ride him, there's only one person right now that I would allow to ride him and I'm not sure she has the time. Jet's not nasty so I don't want to hurt him. I think maybe that's been the problem. I'm got to train him myself even if I'm afraid. I'll just have to take my time and keep his training within a safe place. Thanks everyone.

[FreedomStar]

maybe it's the saddle? Because some saddles slip to one side when you mount, even though the girth is snug. This might make the horse feel uncomfortable for a few strides until the saddle is righted on him again. You may not feel it, but it does make a big difference. The horse I usually ride has a treeless saddle that slips all the time, and it throws me off balance, but you have to 'get to know the saddle' to keep it from slipping. I highly doubt that this is the problem though, since you got another saddle fitted for him awhile ago.

You also said that you get tense? Maybe you're tension is communicating to him everytime you mount, and then as you two walk off, you relax, and he relaxes. Try not to be tense when you mount.