Rearing

[MiniFarmGirl]

When I lunge my horse she'll be doing good, but out of nowhere she will just stop/turn towards me and then rear. I was wondering if there is a common reason that some horses do it or if it's just my horse. Also, how can I break her of it? She will be two in May so we'll start breaking her soon and I don't want her rearing once she's broke and being ridden. She also rears when she's happy, but I don't think she's very happy being lunged. She also has a bad knee that fills with fluid sometimes. Is the rearing bad for the knee? Thanks!

 

[dwbonfire]

shes evading work and testing you most likely, i had a horse that would stop quick and turn and look at me, then refuse to move. this is my opinion on what i'd do.. hope i dont get flamed for it.
you can take a piece of chalk, and run a line down her side from her withers straight down. if you step infront of that line while lunging, your body language is going to tell her to stop, you have to make sure your body is always behind that line, engaging her to move forward. you have to be one step ahead of her at all times, watch her inside ear, watch her eye and the way shes holding her head, as soon as she tips that head in and dips her front shoulder you need to take a step forward at her and cluck or kiss (whatever que you use with her) to move forward. if this doesnt work you need a long lunge whip and dont be affraid to use it. if she does it again you need to crack that whip on her shoulder or hind end to keep her moving! do not let her stop to rear! this will become a terrible habbit and rearing toward you like that can become dangerous for sure. i've got a gelding who does this, and it was actually intimidating at first. the second he even *thought* about halting and turning in at me i'd crack him one. it takes practice and timing, but timing is key. you want to show your horse its unacceptable to do that and shes going to get scolded for doing so. definetly something to work on now while shes young! and im sure she will run around and buck and be mad you hit her, but just talk her back down in a soft low voice and once she calms down tell her shes a good girl. then get ready for her to try it again lol. always carry that lunge whip, the time you dont have it will be the time she tries that again! believe me! good luck with her!

and ps.. if you think shes in pain because of her knee, it could be the reason shes evading working. but most likely its just a phase shes going through as a young horse to test what she can get away with. generally the hocks end up with more pressure while rearing than the knees, so i wouldnt say the rearing is bad for her knees.

 

[MiniFarmGirl]

I have a lunge whip but she is starting to ignore it. She has also started to crowhop. She gets so worked up that she becomes clumsy! Normally if I crouch down when she rears (I make sure she isn't coming close to me) she'll stop rearing and stand there wondering what I'm doing. Then I can get her to start going again. I really hope that it's just a phase because my sister has only ridden a few times in her 18 years of life so I don't want Karma (my horse) to rear. Karma will stay away from the whip when she isn't being lunged. She likes to try and kick the dogs. I'll just keep working on her. Thanks!

 

[yankee'n'moxie]

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I think that by crouching when she rears at you, you are giving up (in her eyes) and she is dominant over you. That is not OK. You should push her out of the rear by hitting her with the whip. It will surprise her the first time you do it (she might see it as retaliation), but it will only hurt for a second, and then you will be dominant over her, as it should be in order to be safe!

 

[MiniFarmGirl]

I've never thought about it like that before. I don't always crouch, but I should probably stop. She likes to try and test me so she probably sees it as she won and I lost. Thanks! I'll just have to keep using the whip. I have a bad wrist, so I don't like using the whip, but I will survive. Thanks again!

 

[beckyburkheart]

totally agree with what's already been said. she's exhibiting a dangerous (life-threatening) behavior that's only going to get worse. sting her on the haunch with the whip when she THINKS about stopping. if she doesn't immed pop forward and continue moving forward, i would "increase the pressure" and by that i mean a real pop with the whip.

that said. you mentioned two 'red flag' items to me. that you're lunging a young horse (under 2) and that you know she has problems with her knee.

lunging is really really hard on the knees. so one thing you might try is doing short(er?) sessions. you didn't mention how long you're working her or what size circle. i don't lunge my youngesters more than about 10 minutes each way (5 turn, 5 turn, 5 turn, 5 turn), maybe at most 2-3xs weekly.

 

[goodhors]

What I see is you and she arguing about who is the "Head Mare" in your herd of two. So far, from
your descriptions, you are low horse of the group!

The actions she is doing are TOTALLY the "one hoof horsey SALUTE" to you!!

Do you have a line on her or is this a round pen workout? If I was YOU, I would quit working her
and spend some money on lessons with a trainer. You are making bad even WORSE with your
cringing away, ineffective whip use, and no punishement for REARING! You don't know what you
are looking at when you see her go, do not respond appropriately to "punish" her with body
language or physical punishment. Horses like this one, need some kind of "squashing" to prevent her trying
to be Head Mare in the herd of two. Doesn't have to mean thumping her. You lack the knowledge
to do body language with her, get her more willing to work. And I SURE wouldn't be turning my back on her!

She is fighting you successfully, she is going to win the argument, you WILL get hurt in this
effort to train her. She is a dominant horse, working to be number One. You don't have a clue how to
go on with her and win, from your descriptions of training efforts. You are actually encouraging her bad
actions!! Things are NOT going to improve unless you get some professional help to gain control. She will
be confirmed in her bad behaviour and you won't be able to do anything with her if you keep up with what
you are doing now.

Training over the Internet is chancy. Find a Trainer in your area and get them going on her. Not cheap,
but they should have the experience to manage her and you don't at this point. Don't get yourself hurt,
get professional help. She doesn't sound like something you should be training at home.

 

[MiniFarmGirl]

What I'm doing is actually helping quite a bit. I was just wondering what other people do so that I could change it up a bit so she isn't expecting the same thing every time. I started lunging her not too long ago so I work her between 2 and 5 minutes each way. She likes to run but acts like she doesn't. I can tell by the look in her eye and the way she holds her tail that she likes it. I'm going to start lunging her in a round pen probably next week. She respects me for the most part and I give her respect right back.

 

[MiniFarmGirl]

I forgot to mention that I only lunge her once a week. Also, my mother, who grew up with horses, is also training her.

 

[LauraM]

First, I want to say I agree with everything Goodhors has said.

However, if you are going to continue to work with her yourself at home, you could take a look at this article and see if there are some things there that might help you:

Basic Longeline Training