How Do You Break a Horse From Rearing Up?

[adoptedbyachicken]

Laura this may be a one time thing, so don't get upset with him because that will only increase the likelihood that he would rear again. You say that something about the bush seemed to bother him. We have to respect that we don't know all the things that they know. They smell bears and cougars, we don't. So he may have felt there was a good reason to not go somewhere, and not having been there before, and only having a few weeks with him, given his history there may not have been the needed trust. If he did not know the way home he may have been trying to go home when he wanted to go the other way.

I agree that going forward is the answer, watch for warnings like the head being too high and back tense. Don't ask for forward if you think there is risk of rearing. Look for relaxation, and do your homework to create a cue for relaxation. If you get stuck in a spot safest is to get off and do some groundwork there, lead forward through the spot several times, back up through it, circle if there is enough room, then remount and try it again.

Working at home in a ring then a pasture or hayfield is a great idea until you have a better relationship and obedience. I'd avoid trails and particularly bush with this guy until you are a bit more bonded. Then follow some seasoned trail horses. If you ever do have issues with him again look for the trigger, it's often shadows or claustrophobia for horses that don't like to go in the bush. If you suspect this the best treatment is to find him a place to board for a while where he can be in the bush as turn out. I have used this several times to cure others and raise/keep all my horses in natural turn out as I require them to work in it.

Also check the width and the diameter of the bit to see that it fit him. If he seemed uncomfortable with it he is. Some horses don't like copper, try others till you find something he is comfy with, and use a bridle/bit for groundwork until your sure it's the right one, and that the bit is not going to contribute to any issues. Do this before getting back on him.

Lastly get help from someone that is experienced in rehab. Good intentions and cookies are not enough to make this safe for you and him. I know that over a post here than we can't tell how much work this horses needs and think you really should get someone to have a look in person. Most experienced rescue people would not mind you asking and could have some insight that is not available to us, like reading his body language.

Congratulations on your horse. While it might not have been the best first pick I have seen many rescues work out to be the best horses. Once won over they are very loyal to those that have treated them right.

 

[w c]

"don't ask for forward if you think he might rear"

I'd say the exact opposite. And that 'if he seems like he is going to rear, the problem is he's not forward, and the remedy is go more forward'

Forward doesn't mean fast, exactly. It means that he goes from your leg, instantly, every time.

In the case of rearing, though, forward does indeed mean fast, LOL. Go go go go go.

There is an old saying with horses, 'forward and out of trouble'. The best trainer I know has a saying that he uses a lot, which is, 'Get the heck out of there'(edited for family viewing).

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

Know in training I do the same as know how to react to a rear, however this is a gal with her first horse and her reactions might not be the same. For her I still feel it's best to not ask for forward in iffy spots, thus the horse has not disobeyed. I agree you don't ever what the horse to get into the habit of not moving forward to leg, that is critical, so the option exists to only ask for forward with leg in safer situations until she is more experienced, and he is sure to do it. Working in the ring and open spaces until she knows what his trigger was there, or has had a chance to do some groundwork in the bush and in a bridle is just safer than going back to the same situation again and asking for the same reaction.

Ultimately yes, I'd have her do exactly what your saying, make sure he will go forward in that situation too, (any situation) but just not today.

Bringing in some experienced help to see this horse in person and judge the situation better than we can on the net is important too.

 

[w c]

Yes but it's only a temporary solution and avoiding the problem (more further on in post).

If this is a person's first horse and the person has very little or no riding experience, instruction or mileage, a horse that would really rear big time, when the person pulls on one rein trying to get it to go someplace outside of the ring, that's probably not an appropriate horse for that person.

But it's also not appropriate for a person who isn't experienced enough or has enough control of horse, to be out of the ring. People kind of seem to think 'trail riding is easy', but riding in the open isn't really easy. To have control of a horse in a lot of different situations, it's really not so easy.

And in general, what instructors, trainers, etc, advise, is until you have more experience and control, stay in an arena or ring. Some may scoff at that advice, and say, 'get out there and be tough, why, our ancestors didn't have rings!' Well, people will do what they want, but the sensible thing is to stay in the ring til one has experience and control.

But, there's a possibility that all the horse did was pop up a little because the one rein pull was too forceful. That's a very strong bit she has on the horse.

Plus, if she leaned forward and took ahold of both reins during the rear, if it didn't throw the horse over backward, the horse probably had just popped up a little. Because there was too much rein and not enough leg? Could very well be. That's what many people tend to do on a horse, just because we are humans and we use our hands for a lot of things, so when something goes wrong, the hand goes to that rein.

There might be a pattern, the horse is rearing, spooking, perhaps the rider is holding too tight or short a rein, as that can cause both spooking and rearing. The remedy can be, to just loosen up on the reins and let the horse move forward. Again, less hand, more leg.

I don't know about that - that there might be something really bad about that bush that scares the horse so don't go there. There generally isn't anything bad about bushes.

And most of the time, if a person avoids the 'scary place', it might help for a little while, but eventually, more and more things will 'become scary' and the rider will find he is not having a lot of fun where ever he rides. He has to avoid more and more places.

That's because the reason for the spooking hasn't been really addressed. To get rid of a problem behavior, avoiding it won't eradicate the problem, most of the time it will just get worse. That rider might not be able to stop the spooking him or herself, but an instructor or trainer could. Getting help from an instructor will avoid the 'now everything is spooky syndrome'.

Typically, a horse spooks at something that is a little further from home - the far side of the field from the barn, the far end of the ring from the gate. It's pretty doubtful that the horse really is scared of a specific bush that always just happens to be further from the barn or gate. It's more likely that the rider just isn't keeping the horse moving...again, a little too much rein and not enough leg, the usual culprit. So again, that fits the pattern.

With a new rider, they can be a little tense, even, without realizing it or being able yet to feel how it makes them ride different, they can be putting more pressure on the rein and using less leg, without even feeling that they are doing that, as well as making the horse a little nervous. So then, the horse can act up.

Rearing? If the problem is too much rein and not enough leg, then, the advice to not use as much rein and use more leg and get a reaction to the leg each time, is good advice. If the rider can carry it out.

Again, s/he might need a trainer or instructor not only to tell him how to do it, but to ride the horse and also teach the horse to not spook. The instructor might have to ride the horse past the bush a couple times as it can become a habit quickly, to spook at a given spot, if it happens a couple times in a row.

A lot of horses rear because a person pulls on the rein really hard. In that case, just not pulling on the rein as hard, is going to take care of the problem.

Others rear because they aren't being allowed to go where they want or they don't want to work or they are so green they don't know what to do, and will do so especially when urged to go in a direction away from the other horses, the barn, etc. A horse that rears for those reasons, it's not a good horse for a beginner.

A person who has no or little riding experience, gets a horse that isn't very, very quiet and very, very seasoned, and goes out on a trail ride, they are going to have some serious problems. If they continue to, they will probably get hurt pretty bad.

Especially if they are not wearing a helmet. It would be good if everyone who rode on the roads or trails, wore a helmet. But with many groups of riders, it is just a tradition not to, and they scoff at the idea(our ancestors did not wear helmets!). If some riders new to riding, and not having as set ideas about helmets, could be taught to wear a helmet, they would be less likely to get hurt.

The best advice anyone can give is, since it sounds like the person is getting into some trouble with the horse on a couple of different fronts, to stay in an arena and get some instruction.

When they have better control of the horse then go out on the trails. Otherwise, can't say what might happen, but it probably won't be good.

Most of the time, people don't follow advice to get instruction or find a horse that is easier to ride or more appropriate to where they are at. They don't want that quiet older horse that will plod down the trail and let them learn to ride, they want the one they got. They keep the horse, even if someone tells them the horse is too much for them, and they want to trail ride so they do, and lessons are too expensive and too much a bother. So the only solution usually, is to try and tell them what to do if it happens again, and pray to St. Francis.

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

I did not suggest she avoid the problem, I suggested she do ground work to establish herself, and the correct bit then take that to the area in case that is the problem and do groundwork there, preferably with someone that has more knowledge. That would either rule out the area as the problem or be the first safe step in facing the problem, rather than her riding out there.

And I did also say to say in the ring or a pasture or field until she has better control, then only go out on the trails with experienced trail horses and other riders.

I'm not going to continue badgering these points with you and ruin her thread, you will find here that all post their particular way of doing things and taking a thread off topic (no longer the suggestions the OP is looking for) is not our style. If you want to debate the retraining of rearing or spooky horses by experienced riders please start your own thread.

 

[ducks4you]

BTW, here is rearing as addressed in the 1860 version of Cooke's Cavalry Tactics:
"ARTICLE SEVENTH.
OF TRAINING HORSES WHICH HAVE BEEN ALREADY RIDDEN.
Whenever a horse resists or Is restive without an apparent cause the saddlery should be carefully examined, in order to see if any part hurts or tickles him. Mere force, and want of skill and coolness, tend to confirm vice and bad habits. Resistance in horses is often a work of vigor, and proceeds from high spirits; punishment would turn it into vice.

Rearing is a bad and dangerous habit; while the horse is up, the rider must yield the hand, and at the time he is coming down most vigorously determine him forward; if this is done at any other time, it may add a spring to his rearing, and make him come over. If this fail, he must be whipped by a person from behind.

Kicking can he prevented by holding the horses head well up and closing the legsif necessary, forcing him forward."

 

[w c]

The good old days, LOL.