At a bit of a loss. I have a 12 year old gelding that a family member recently purchased that seems to have a pretty dissappointing habit. I've been working with him for them to try to figure him out. Like I said: 12 year old gelding. Pretty, pretty, pretty. Doesnt appear to be sore along the back. Could potentially have something funky happening on the rear end if you look close enough. His feet are in pretty rough shape. Small shoes and horrible angles, but that should be remedied in the next couple of days once my farrier gets back to me. Teeth are up to date. Saddle fits beautifully. Super easy keeper, doesn't outwardly show any signs of ulcers/gastro distress. Is turned out 24/7. Middle of the pecking order. First to the barn to be fed or caught, doesn't have a grumpy or mean bone in his body on the ground. 

I rode him for 20-30 minutes the week after he was purchased for the owner and he was a perfect gentleman, owner rode him and he broke in two and sent her to the hospital. Thought it may have been caused by the owner (very green) being thrown off balance and goosing him. Brought him home with me and now he will B U C K two or three laps around the round pen when first saddled, then will not buck again no matter what is done to provoke him.

Working with my colt starter, currently. He thinks he just lacks good foundational skills and is reactive.

I'm currently working on getting him seen by a chiro/lameness exam. Trying not to invest too much $$$ in case he turns out to just be counterfeit. 

Any suggestions or input? 

Cold backed?

PSSM? 

Pain?

Bad habit?

Thank you!

Ulcers could do this. GIve him some ulcerguard for a day or 2 and then ride him. Was he vet checked when purchased?

Why were the Owners selling him? Did he always have this issue?  Being 12yrs and hasn't out grown this behavior would worry me a bit. It could be just cold back and you will have to always get the buck out of him first. What is his breeding, what has he done for 12yrs, etc?

We don’t have much history. He was run through a “repuatble“ performance horse sale. Advertised as a gentle, bombproof riding horse. Owner needed a taller horse for mounted police work so was selling him. Family member trusted the seller and bought because he rode around gentle at the sale and was easy on the eyes. 

ETA: I did not recommend or back that decision and I think it’s where a lot of the red flags begin. 

Think I'd have a full workup done on him with a good vet. I had one that started ugly bucking on me after owning him for a year... I threw in the towel with him and traded back to my trainer, who i bought the horse from.. horse ended up having kissing spine.. after his surgery and recovery, hes a jam up rope horse and wicked barrel horse who never bucked again... figures ... 

Sounds like you bought a horse I had a long time ago...

New owners treated him for EPM and now he's a new horse.

If you can't get him to buck after he does his laps on a lunge line, I'm thinking either he's cold backed or you're girthing him up way too fast/thats what he's expecting you to do. Sounds like ulcers are an option, don't count that out just because "typical" signs aren't there. Good luck!

Was the owner wearing spurs at the time she was bucked off?

This is my first thought as well having dealt with it.  Ours never bucked prior to diagnosis of KS but just wasn’t right.  He would get back sore after we roped.  During diagnosis they couldn’t find anything and I asked for an X-ray of his back where he was getting sore - I’d already driven almost 2 hours to the vet, I wasn’t ready to go home without answers!  

Now that we have him feeling good he will try us if we don’t warm him up thoroughly, but I’m working on different back stretches and strengthening to try and help that.

Start with the vet.  Horses aren’t cheap.  After this KS experience I’ve often thought back on others that we’ve written off as counterfeit and have some regret that we didn’t spend a little more to investigate potential pain issues.  It would have been more fair to the horses.

That being said, we also have one who will throw a buck in there if you get him behind the rear cinch with a spur.  I’ve done this a few times roping on him letting my feet get behind me.  Only time it’s been an issue and he doesn’t hold a grudge like it sounds this guy might be - I suspect pain.

or he was doped