Help on Bucking

[horselover]

The horse I ride, Rascal, has a tendency to buck when asked for the canter. He has only actually bucked once with me since I know him well enough to recognize the signs of when he is gathering himself up for it. But the problem is, since he is used for other lessons, he does it with other riders. They let him get away with it. He never used to try to buck with me, but these past few weeks, he has really been trying to. As I said, it's only going from trot to canter- no other time. He is quite young- 5 and a half.

Does anyone have any advice to offer? It's hard when other people ride the horse since everyone rides slightly differently. He is very close to me though, and we have a good relationship, so I know that we can get over this little thing.

[Allie]

It is very hard to fix things like this when others also ride the horse. When I first got Champagne as a 4 year old, she also had this problem. What I did was as soon as I felt her getting ready, pull her head upwards, but make her keep cantering. I am fortunate enough (or maybe unfortunate enough) to have had a fair amount of practice riding difficult horses, so I knew I could sit through the bucks. If possible, the best thing to do is keep his head up and ride him through it and make him keep cantering. You can also ask him to canter a circle (if there is room) everytime he does it, so he learns that misbehaving is rewarded by more work. This may not be possible since it sounds as if you are in a lesson situation, but practice lots and lots of trot-canter transitions. Concentrate on when he doesn't buck, and when he is good have him canter twenty feet or so and then reward him by letting him drop back to trot. Then do it again. He is only going to get better by practicing the transitions with a competent rider.

On another note, why is your stable using a horse that consistently bucks for lessons? Surely this falls more under your instructors area to fix? You can certainly try to fix it yourself, but until he is ridden consistently and not allowed to buck (the other riders) the problem will never really be gone.

Allie

[Sharon H]

I think the people who own the horse should be checking it's teeth, back and saddle for problems. Horses don't usually buck for no good reason, it's generally a reaction to pain or discomfort. If the horse's back or saddle is hurting him, having lots of different people riding him will only make it worse. I agree with Allie, this horse shouldn't be used for teaching in it's present state.

[Outrider]

There are ways to get him to stop bucking or to at least lessen the amount of times he does it, barring any physical causes making him buck, but since he is a school horse I don't think its your place or prerogitive to try and train him. That is the responsibility of the school. They could vrey well blame you if get the horse to do things they don't like.

[horselover]

Let me just tell y'all a little bit about Rascal. His name is totally descritive- that's just what he is. He is a complete clown. he wouldn't hurt anyone ever- he's an Appaloosa, and they are very well-known for loving people and having an attachment and loyalty that is almost like dogs do.

I didn't mean to imply that rascal is a bad horse who bucks all the time. He's actually a wonderful horse and one that I would buy if I had the money. He doesn't buck constantly, he bucks occassionally. For instance, a student rode him at a show last summer, and he bucked in the ring. He does it when he gets overexcited and just can't contain himself. He's a very playful and energetic horse, and he sometimes tends to get carried away by excitement. Most of the people who ride him have been riding for quite a while, and he is an angel with beginners. He knows what people are good enough riders and who are beginners, and he is very careful of beginners- I have seen how he acts with them. But he makes the riders who are good enough work at it. So it's not that he is bad. He is one of the best lesson horses I have ever rode because he makes you work, he doesn't just carry you around the ring. UNLESS, you are a beginner; than, as I said, he is an angel.

he has never bucked me off, and I doubt if he could since not only have I rode enough horses who buck and rear that I am used to it, but he also only does little bucks that are kinda like a hop. I already pull his head up when he lowers it, and I push him on when he agthers himself. I will try the circle thing and suggest that to my instructor for the others to try as well.

I guess I was just wondering what everyone does when their horses buck and if anyone had any situation similar to mine. Sorry for not completely explaining before.

[Outrider]

Just an old cowboy saying. Don't get too over confident with his bucking, to make you think he can't throw you. I guarantee he can! :) Baring any back or saddle fitting problems, as Allie says, if you are tuned in to the horse and can "feel" when he is getting ready to buck, pulling the head up and putting him into a circle will usually help. For me, and I know that some would disagree as I have mentioned it before, but whenever I am on a horse that starts bucking, I jump off, get to the front, take the reins in both hands and in an agressive tone, holler, "BACK". I back the horse for quite a ways and as fast as I can, perhaps halfway around or across the arena. Then I get back on. As soon as he tries to buck again, I repeat this. It has worked for me. Backing is not a natural thing for horses to do, and although some may not mind it, a quick back is not something they generally care to do all that much and it seems to deter the bucking activity in horses I've worked with.

Happy Trails!

[horselover]

I had my lesson saturday, and I am doing much better with the whole bucking thing. I think that part of the problem was that Rascal wasn't moving out the way he should have been- he was very boxy and tight. I tend to hold him back because he likes to go really fast. My trainer had me work on letting him move into the bit, dropping his head, and engaging his hindquarters. Worked very well.

Outrider- I didn't mean toimply that I can't get bucked - I have been!! I just meant that Rascal isn't out and out bucking, just little "hind-hops" that are like baby bucks. certainly, if he put a little effort into it, I would be sailing through the air- i have done it before!! That was what was kinda weird about his bucking- he wasn't really trying to get me off.

I tried the circle thing, and I also brought him back to a trot every time that he tried to buck when I asked for a canter. By the end of the lesson, he was behaving beautifully when asked to canter. Thank you everyone for the advice.

Another question for any jumpers out there: I worked so hard on getting rascal to relax and give to the bit, that when we started jumping, he was just a little too relaxed. I had a hard time getting him to even trot 2 feet!!! He wouldn't lift, and he wouldn't pick up the pace, no matter how hard I squeezed. Any advice anyone on how to keep him relaxed, butnot too relaxed??

[floppy]

hmm my friends haflinger squeals like a pig when you ask it to canter for the first time on the ride...and sometiems lets of a little wee buck on the first stride of canter. It rarely bucks properly...only if a new rider sits on it!
but no these little bucks are more of just a flick of the hind leg...and the squealing is combined with a tiny weeny little dance on the spot! it has been doing this for about 10yrs now. But in a way its kind of cute when she lets out this little squeal and goes into a nice smooth comfortable canter! however she only does this for the first canter of the ride!bless her!

[floppy]

my horse let out a whooping great buck today and im an positvely sure that if i had been out with the english saddle instead ofa western saddle i probably would have gone for a free flying lesosn...however when i ride out with other hroses my 6yr is very influential..so if ahrose plays up she tries it to etc...(just so you know ) howvere like today when we went into canter for the 2nd time over 3 months she let out a mashhhhhusive buck...and becuase she hasnt done such a big buck for i was completely shocked by it:) i usually wtach her earsand she spends alot of time 'listening' to me and i knwo when she is goign to do a little dance or a tiny buck...but what can i do to let her know this mighty buck was wrong adn she shouldnt do that when being asked to canter? its got nothing to do with her tack or anything...my friend told me she bucks liek this with th eowner too...but she only bucks once! and when you ride her out alone she doesnt buck at all..and when i ride out with other people a canter is never a question in riding..its either walk, trot or gallop...unless the person in frotn is cantering gently..i usually ride behind her friend because my darling sometiems gets a little carried away and runs for ever :D when she is in the mood for it! and i prefer not to race.

[floppy]

hmm i dunno if anyone noticed but i posted a question in the story above...
but here is is again..'my' horse is becomign an absolute pain...well nto really..but really...basically when i ride out alone she doesnt buck or play up but if she sees another hrose in the distance she will try and run after them..BUT when i ride out with my friend and my horses buddy everything is fine until we want to canter....then my horse lets out a whooping great buck and im not th eonly one who rides this horse..i ride it 2 x a week adn the owner rides it as much as pos adn my friend also rides it 1-2x a week adn then ther eis another girl too that rides any hrose on the yard that needs exercising...i spoken with my friend and she says so far the horse hasnt bucked with her at all..but the other girl and also the owner has the same probelm with buckign when hacking out in company...i read somewher eyou shoudl bring your horse bak into trot/walk adn ask for canter agian adn keep doing it until she doesnt buck anymore...but this is impossible...if my friends horse is cantering too then you cant stop my horse until my friend stops hers...if i ride in front and my friend comes too near then my horses tries to race and you cant pull her back because then she will pull against you ETC...
Any sugegstions???
i knwo its hard because there are 3-4 different peole that ride her a week and before it was me adn the owner...
Im actually suprised i manage to stay on the horse with the first initial buck...one day i just know im going to fly off....so i would rather try and do something ebfore this happens..i thought at first maybe it was the wstern saddle because before i use to only ride her int he enlish saddle...but she bucks with both on..and i feel more secure in the western..but she doesnt behave liek thi at all when we ride alone...sorry this is long...
i also try adn trot as much as possible before asking for canter..and i dotn feel brave enough to even consider outriders method!

[smartie]

You need to stop this now. This can develop into something serious if the horse it let to get away with it. You may wish to try to reduce the horses feed and turn it out for longer periods just to take the fizz out of it. It will also relax the mind and instill some calmness which you will need!

Before you go out, you could try lungeing the horse prior to a hack and hack out with a schoolmaster or a very reliable and calm horse that you know will not make your boy anxious.

Don't ask for canter, trot as normal and let him fall into canter, if he does not buck, just let him carry on then give him a good pat for being a good boy. If he does buck keep a secure seat, then stand up in your stirrups taking your hands up with you and the reins to stop him, then whilts standing rein back. What you are saying is that what you have just done is not acceptable. I let you canter before because you didn't buck and I gave you a reward. I stop you when you buck. He should if he has any brain get the drift!

[Liz E.]

I have a question like this one. There used to be a horse at my last barn named Jet. He was abused and mistreated throughout his life, and when my instructor bought him, he had a LONG way to go.
Jet would throw his riders, buck, rear,etc. I left before I saw theoutcome of his training. How can you cure a problem horse?

[smartie]

I really depends on what problems the horse has, if they are severe then only a very experienced person should attempt to solve the problem. Plus if the horse is of a more mature age then it maybe too far gone.

However, a young or realtively young but intelligent horse is more than capable of learning. Therefore it would require a lot of TLC, working from the ground teaching manners, reinstating the learning curve of that of a 2/3 year old. It also required someone with patience, a willingness to ask for help if they get stuck, as I have only too recently!

You can use voice commands etc etc, and for a horse that is abused this would probably work best and rewarding as apposed to punishing (negative). Hope this helps.

[horselover]

With a horse like that, I would do Monty Roberts or John Lyons work with him. What I mean is, ALOT of roundpen work without even riding. Things liek getting the horse used to your voince, joining up, connecting with the horse, becoming its herd leader, asserting my dominance without breaking the horse's spirit or making him feel abused and scared. And there needs to be a level of trust and respect established with the horse since it was abused. There definately is always hope, it just takes alot of work and alot of patience.

[Liz E.]

Ah,okay. That stuff is really interesting. I'd love to become a horse trainer one day... I'll just have to get a bunch of money for my own stable!

[floppy]

I HAVE FOUND THe CURE TO MY HORSES BUCKING!!!!!!!!!!
hehe i realised it last week when iw as out riding with a few other people..normally i ride alone and the horse is fine..or i ride with my friend who rides my hroses driving pal...it turns out that the reason my horse bucks is because she wants to prove she is better than the other horse (my theory and translation of what th ehorse may be thinking) because when ir ide out with hroses she doesnt know she will happily canter lightlly beside them with no buck and no racing...but saying that as soon as my hroses driving pal coems near my horse goes up a gear...funyn horse