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Rearing, bucking Quarter Horse.
Dear Franklin,
I have an 8 yr old Quarter Horse mare, who is having some problems, I had fallen off of her 2x about 2 weeks ago, she just took off bucking and rearing, i had lunged her before like i always do. Last Saturday i have the chiropractor com out and look at her back was adjusted, but yesterday i tried to get on her again and it was terrible, she was bucking and rearing my trainer got on her and justed pushed her throught it, but it was terrible, she almost flipped over on her, i am so scared i don't know what is wrong with her please help.
Thanks for you time, Jess
Hi Jess,
Try this: please do not just get on your horse to ride. Spend about 20-30 minutes on the ground with the horse first. Lungeing, playing in a round pen, getting CONNECTED with the horse and warming the animal's back. Have the horse saddled, but do not ride for at least 20 minutes. Give the horse some movement. Not excited movement or too aggressive a 'push' to move. Try to keep it relaxed, but still movement. The goal is not to ware the horse out or make it excited. The goal is that the horse move about (mostly trotting and walking) in a calm and relaxed way for a good 20 minutes. Then when you ride, do a lot of figure 8's first at a walk and then a trot. Don't just go straight ahead. Do this for 20 minutes. Lots and lots of serpentines, small circles and leg yields. Perhaps your horse is not being prepared to be ridden on a daily basis. Also saddle fit could come into play, mouth pain, as well as the horse anticipating pain when ridden. Are your hands quiet and soft? Pushing a horse through (riding it through) a problem is one way of dealing with it. But this course of action may not really address the bottom line issue and the behavior can reoccur quite a bit until the pattern of behavior is changed. By changing your routine, you can generally change the pattern of behavior.
Sincerely, Franklin