Bucking in gallop...help!!!

[Hesseybabe]

Prince is an 8yr old dales gelding.
He has an annoying habit of bucking during gallop. I am giving him his head, leaning forward, allowing him to steer everything possible. He doesn't always do it, but he has been getting worse and doing it higher.
I can't school him as I have no school or flat land.
He didn't even when he wasn't being feed, I think its from excitement but how do I stop him doing it?
It's not serious because I don't mind him doing it, he can't get me off and it doesn't scare me it's just annoying.

[Fraggle]

I presume that you've already had his saddle checked to make sure that everythings ok? Dales like a lot of Natives are notoriously difficult to fit for saddles.

If he only bucks at gallop it sounds like excitement - does he do it in the field when he's turned out?

The only thing I can suggest is getting a qualified instructor to ride him and see what they think.

As long as he isn't going to unseat you and he doesn't appear to be in pain I suppose it's not too big a problem.

:D

[Uthyr Pendragon]

I had a welsh/arab mare who did the same thing. There was nothing wrong with her or saddle and when she was let out to run free in the pasture, vs her paddock she would buck as well.

I too am pretty balanced and I was not afraid but I could never ride in comfort because I never knew when she would or would not do it. It became so high that my landing was begining to hurt my back. My trainer said that this horse was one that would constant ly wanted to test you.

However, being a new rider I decided what was best for her and me was to give her to a friend with lots of pasture and more experience. I heard she was just loving her new home and enjoyed the other horses.

I of course now have Uthyr would never bucks and is pure joy.

I know I did the right thiing for both of us. My trainer felt in time that she would soon realize that I would not be bothered by her bucking and would tire of it. Oh she also reared so the combination always kept me on my toes.

[floppy]

i ride a haflinger tha bucks in gallop out of excitment mainly.

But she tends to buck alot more if she is behind other hroses than infront...or if she hasnt been ridden for a while and you go out alone.

A few things i do is when i ask for canter not to let her have her head and to hold the reins up a touch further than normal...if i give her head too much she will start bucking.

If she bucks that i stop her, make her backup and ask for canter again. - it was actually what the owner told me to do and it does work.

[Mossy]

When Moss is excited he bucks, He does not mean anything by it it is pure, yeehah, this is fun, so I just let him get on with it. His temper bucks are a much different ball game and get NO sympathy or tolerance. The important thing is to know which is which and no what you will tolerate and what you won't and how to deal with the situation. Slowing down and asking for canter again is not a viable option when you are going flat out across the moor in company. He would lose the plot, and his temper, and go vertical!