bucking!! :)

[Spud]

what can we do? every horse can (and generally does)buck!

[palomino22]

This has never happened to me. I have been riding for 2 years and have ridden lots of different horses. I tend to go for the schoolmaster type if possible, as after a few broken bones last year I can't afford for this to happen again. In my opinion a well trained horse would never buck in any circumstances, and should not be tolerated at a riding school or training centre.

[Flo]

Horses buck for any number of reasons and there is a world of difference in a horse flicking his back legs up once because he's trying to tell you how happy/cross/surprised he is and a horse bronco bucking in order to get you off his back (the difference I think between slithering off ungracefully and flying through the air at speed). I think you can excuse a horse for bucking if they have a valid reason, being stung by a fly or stinging nettles. I think the best thing to do with a bucking horse is to ride them through it if at all possible, talking to them in a calming voice and trying not to tense up in the saddle. The real trick though, is to understand why they were bucking in the first place and do something about it if necessary.

[Maci]

Horses buck for many reasons, and each you should be able to help! If they're in pain, buck! If they get mad at you and want to throw you off, buck! If they're happy or over excited, buck! If he doesn't wish to do as you say, buck! I don't regard a buck every once-and a-while as a problem, but if he does it continously, then somethings wrong. If something's wrong, you have to find out what, and fix it; but if it's because he's excited and nothing's wrong, then you learn how to sit to it!

Maci :)

[FRED]

Hi Spud,are you having a problem?
There a lots of people on this message board who can give you advise,give em the facts if you are.
Ive seen horses buck playing in a field and when they are very exited,but never when i'm riding,I can accept it may happen,but it should not be a regular thing.

[Mossy]

I would not say riding school horses never buck as they are all living thinking equines with minds of their own but it should not be a habit. Do all the horses at a your school buck or do they all buck with you? Some people have an unfortunate knack of stirring horses up when they really do not mean to. It is not disastrous and a sympathetic empathic instructor will soon sort out the problem. Don't worry, you will soon sort out the difference between the differing bucks and they will lose their terrors. [I do not include in that a "You are getting off NOW buck in that list as they are horrible and can upset the most experienced rider]

[Outrider]

Even well trained and older horses will buck palomino. Usually less than younger horses, but don't ever think that just because they are well trained that they will never buck! That's an accident waiting to happen. My Appendix is 19 and you bet your buns he still bucks now and then, with and without me on him! He's rather unique in his bucking. If he does do it, he will only do it ONE time that day, whether you ride it out or get thrown. Then he might do it again the next day, or he might wait til next month until he bucks again, but he will only buck once on any given day! Go figure!

As for what do you do? If you can feel him getting ready to go into it, or he quickly lowers his head and bunches in the middle, grab the reins and pull his head up and turn him short and tight in a circle. That should stop the buck before it starts. Now once you finish that little drill, he might try you again, but you have to be aware of his posture and react to it. If the horse has already bucked and you ride him out of it, I dismount, take both reins in hand and holler, "BACK" very forcefully and back him a good ways. This usually gives him the idea that bucking causes backing, which most horses don't care to do all that much. Happy Trails!

[Silvia]

Hi Outrider!
I think it's not such a good idea to use backing as punishment because it will make a horse scared of backing. How are you going to explain to your horse when you want him to back to make room or simply as an exercise that he has NOT done anything wrong? Like you said most horses don't like backing that well - even without the rider addingg extra stress by using it as a punishment.

[Outrider]

I hear what you are saying. Backing is not the most natural thing for a horse to do, but they can do it well when asked. When I use backing in the form of a punishment, keep in mind that it is with me on the ground in squared up in front of the horse with both hands on the reins, using a harder pushing motion and a loud, BACK with a hard tone. If I am asking a horse to back normally when I am riding, I use a much gentler tone and only a slight tug on the reins from the saddle. This disipline method works for me and doesn't seem to confuse or bother the horse when I want to just back up on a regular ride. Happy Trails!

[Wally]

I can honestly say that none of mine hate backing up, they all do it quite happily when asked.

[rainy]

i agree with wally... i've never had problems with backing a horse up, every well trained horse should do it just fine.
i think being on a bucking horse is fun, if the horse is doing it for fun. i used to race my horse with my friend and our horses would buck for fun while racing. if a horse starts bucking, get off his back (into half seat or two point)lean back and pull very gently on the reins, while talking to him softly. circles are good too. i was re-training a horse to jump and we went over an 18inch crossrail. he was so excited that he took off galloping and bucking all around the ring... it was really cute.
but unless the horse is young or not well trained, he probly wont buck very often.

[horselover]

I don't know about getting into a 2-point, rainy. I certainly wouln't because then you have more of a tendency to fly off. it's simple physics- you are slightly forward, and when the horse bucks, his motion has a tendency to throw you forward anyway. Being forward already would not seem like a good thing to me, even if you were trying to lean back at the same time. i sit into the saddle and shift my weight back to protect myself- I am not real big on getting bucked off.

I agree with Outrider about feeling for when your horse is going to buck. Rascal, the horse I ride for lessons, bucks quite often, but usually not with me, more often with the other riders. When I feel him tense up and drop his head, I pull his head up immedialtely and push him on with my legs. I also talk to him in a stern voice as I circle him.

[Wally]

Some horses will add a little playful buck just to let you know they are feeling happy and alive. Some have a wicked sense of humour and will put in a sly one but with no real malice. Some will do little ones as a way of rebelling. To punish a horse for bucking can be unfair in certain situations. You must be sure the buck was malicious and meant! If we punished youngsters for putting a sly fling in when learning to canter, for instance, you could well curb a sense of humour and playfulness.
It is not always easy when learning to decipher what a buck meant, but most small ones are beat ignored and ridden through.

[rainy]

horselover- about getting into 2 point... sometimes a horse will buck to get the rider off of his back and getting up a little so he can't feel your weight as much can stop him... it works just fine with my horses... of course, if he keeps bucking bigger, get back down.

[Outrider]

Come over to Texas and start rodeoing! lol I don't mind a horse crow hopping a bit, but I don't appreciate a full fledged buck. That activity is for when he is riderless and playing. When we are riding, he and I are a team that needs to work together, even if its just a pleasure ride or what the Brits call hacking. I wouldn't encourage a horse that bucks.

[Rose]

I have owned a mare for the last 5 years and she has bucked since the day she was backed. Over time I have learned that she has two types of buck. The first is her excited buck, which just means 'can we have a bit of fun now'. This is not particularly serious bucking, just what I call her spring fever. The second is what I call her 'don't tell me what to do' buck. This is more serious, and whilst she doesn't seem to want me off her back, it is more severe. When she throws in the first type I tend to make things a bit more fun if she has already schooled quite well. With the second I find that I have to include more schooling exercises to regain her attention and achieve some sort of discipline. Before anyone asks, I have had her physically checked and there is no pain or discomfort to cause her to buck. It seems to be simply a way of expressing herself. Over time I have become able to assess her body language. This means that even if she wants to be what I would call a stroppy mare, I am equiped to cope with it when it happens. I suppose what I am trying to say is that my horse is my friend. She has a personality, and if we don't like their particular way of expressing it perhaps we should find a new friend.

[Mossy]

To add to above, a really mean out of character buck can indicate pain, and needs checking out. However see Frances thread on bucking in "loss of Confidence". a real handstand b*****d of a buck is unsittable, dangerous and, if not a response to pain, not to be tolerated. We do not all have ambitions to go rodeo riding.
Frances - why is there always a rock around at the worst possible moment? You have my very real sympathy.