|
|
 Regular
Posts: 72
| I have this horse that is already started on the pattern and is great at ground work and loping circles, stopping, sidestepping..ect. BUT she will get "ancy" and it almost seems she gets frustrated with herself. During that time I will stop her (like normal) and try to back her up but she will try to rear every time she is in that "frustrated mood". Is there anything that I can do to stop her from rearing?
..It is only when I back her up. I don't yank or anything just tap at the reins twice like normal. |
|
| |
|
  Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
   
Location: Florida.. | DO NOT go backwards with a rearer! you want FORWARD motion. |
|
| |
|
Regular
Posts: 72
| If I want to back her up even from a gate or just in general though. I am wanting to know a way to either fix it, help her, or what other people have experienced. |
|
| |
|
 Keeper of the King Snake
Posts: 7616
Location: Dubach, LA | Does she back up for you when you're on the ground? If so, don't ask her to back with your reins. Just hold your reins with a light contact and put your heels in her and lift. Lift, lift, lift, but hold the reins where forward motion is discouraged. Reward small steps. All mine back with the heel cue instead of the face cue. Problem solved. |
|
| |
|
The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| As soon as she goes to rear one rein circle a few times then I would try backing up, if she tried it again circles till she was listening to you
|
|
| |
|
Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | I dont use reins to back either.its seat and heel |
|
| |
|
 Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | It goes without saying check teeth and make sure they're fine first.
I'd also make sure she knows how to give through her face both side to side, and straight back. If you have to pull any at all to get her to tuck her nose or get her head around, she's not light enough. You need to make sure you can just "pick up", not pull to get that give.
While I agree that when a horse is wanting to rear up the last thing you want to do is back up, she's also got to learn how to back up quietly. I'd probably work with her on the ground first and get her moving backwards fluidly without a whole lot of effort.
Then I'd ask for it under saddle. I'd make sure I rewarded the slightest try with releasing the reins and the legs. Even if I got a weight change, I'd give a little release and then ask again. Give her a chance to find that release. I'd also release every step at first for a while and slowly work up from there. A lot of times if they don't get enough release, a sensitive horse will start to rear or get upset.
I wouldn't ask her for a back up unless she was calm at first. I wouldn't use it to calm her down either or get her to quit prancing around. I would use lateral work to do that. A lot of times when a horse starts prancing, if you'll ask for true lateral moves, you'll lose some of that energy and they'll slow down.
Also pay attention to your body language and how you're asking for that back up and how you're riding when she gets antsy. Make sure you're relaxed, especially your legs.
|
|
| |
|
Regular
Posts: 72
| Thanks they all gave me a good idea what to do. I've only had her for about 4 months and she was trained everything but barrels in a different way than I am used to. She is very light in the mouth and stops on a dime, Like I said she only rears when she wants to "not listen" as I could put it. She is bred to be a barrel racer so I don't mind her ancyness but the rearing needs to stop! |
|
| |
|
Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | Fairweather - 2014-01-31 9:36 PM It goes without saying check teeth and make sure they're fine first.
I'd also make sure she knows how to give through her face both side to side, and straight back. If you have to pull any at all to get her to tuck her nose or get her head around, she's not light enough. You need to make sure you can just "pick up", not pull to get that give.
While I agree that when a horse is wanting to rear up the last thing you want to do is back up, she's also got to learn how to back up quietly. I'd probably work with her on the ground first and get her moving backwards fluidly without a whole lot of effort.
Then I'd ask for it under saddle. I'd make sure I rewarded the slightest try with releasing the reins and the legs. Even if I got a weight change, I'd give a little release and then ask again. Give her a chance to find that release. I'd also release every step at first for a while and slowly work up from there. A lot of times if they don't get enough release, a sensitive horse will start to rear or get upset.
I wouldn't ask her for a back up unless she was calm at first. I wouldn't use it to calm her down either or get her to quit prancing around. I would use lateral work to do that. A lot of times when a horse starts prancing, if you'll ask for true lateral moves, you'll lose some of that energy and they'll slow down.
Also pay attention to your body language and how you're asking for that back up and how you're riding when she gets antsy. Make sure you're relaxed, especially your legs.
Agree.. misunderstood her reason for asking. |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 1482
Location: on my horse | Go back to the ground with her. Ground driving is the safest way I've found to deal with this problem. Get her in a light bit on the lines and moving forward around you walk/trot circles, stop and roll back on the fence, stop and back up.
Progressively put more pressure on her (snappier rollback, bette stop, etc.) and eventually she will get in that "mood" and try the rearing thing, snap your whip and jump her FORWARD and go back to your circles. When she calms down stop her and back her up very quietly. Then repeat the whole process.
The main reason I've found that horses rear or try to rear especially really light touchy horses is because they get behind the bit and drop back. That's why when she tries to rear on you you snap your whip and jump her FORWARD asap to get her forward motion back and get her back on the bit.
Horses have to be taught to take pressure in increments and to me it sounds like when she gets to that frustrated mood she doesn't know how to deal with the pressure being put on her (from herself, you, the environment, etc.) and going back to ground driving is an excellent safe way to teach her that pressure is alright and how to deal with herself in that mood. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1482
Location: on my horse | Fairweather - 2014-01-31 7:36 PM
It goes without saying check teeth and make sure they're fine first.
I'd also make sure she knows how to give through her face both side to side, and straight back. If you have to pull any at all to get her to tuck her nose or get her head around, she's not light enough. You need to make sure you can just "pick up", not pull to get that give.
While I agree that when a horse is wanting to rear up the last thing you want to do is back up, she's also got to learn how to back up quietly. I'd probably work with her on the ground first and get her moving backwards fluidly without a whole lot of effort.
Then I'd ask for it under saddle. I'd make sure I rewarded the slightest try with releasing the reins and the legs. Even if I got a weight change, I'd give a little release and then ask again. Give her a chance to find that release. I'd also release every step at first for a while and slowly work up from there. A lot of times if they don't get enough release, a sensitive horse will start to rear or get upset.
I wouldn't ask her for a back up unless she was calm at first. I wouldn't use it to calm her down either or get her to quit prancing around. I would use lateral work to do that. A lot of times when a horse starts prancing, if you'll ask for true lateral moves, you'll lose some of that energy and they'll slow down.
Also pay attention to your body language and how you're asking for that back up and how you're riding when she gets antsy. Make sure you're relaxed, especially your legs.
Also what Fairweather said!  |
|
| |
Folks on-line