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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1196
  
Location: Wide open spaces, Canada. | We have a pretty awesome kids pony ...she's 13.2 hh welsh quarter cross. She is a fast little pony, but she has started rearing when shes excited to go with my 6 year old daughter who has now become scared of her. I am now riding her for a bit to tune her up but have never dealt with a horse rearing before.....any suggestions on how to tackle this vice? She's not sore just gets hot and excited to go. Gets hotter at a competition than at practice , older kids who have rode her manage her fine but my daughter is timid and the horse knows it . I'd like to stop this all together. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciate.
Thank you in advance.
Edited by porky 2016-02-23 12:24 PM
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12841
  
| Sent mine to the killers I guess I need to add that I have had MY OWN horse for about 60 years now and I have had enough to know when one cant be fixed. Funny thing is that about 6 people who had had dealings with the horse agreed. I AM NOT GOING TO GET HURT ON A HORSE
Edited by streakysox 2016-02-23 11:59 AM
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 Expert
Posts: 1898
| I PM'd you. In my opinion rearing is the second scariest thing a horse can do when you are on their back. It is probably one of the hardest things to fix as well. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 629
| I have one who USED to rear. Past tense. Does not rear anymore.
She did this when she was a baby, maybe 3, to maybe 4-5. First, there is a difference in one trying to hurt you, and a horse is scared or confused. My mare was scared and confused. She was not very confident when asked to do something she wasn't sure of, so she would rear. Lots of being very very calm, and being a confident rider she could depend on was what she needed. My mare was not confident leaving the barn by herself. She'd get about 100 yards from the barn and lock up. If pushed for too long to go forward, she'd rear and always land facing the barn instead of the trail. Lots of getting off and walking past that point, and remounting and proceeding to the trail, little bits every day. Each week she'd get a little further from the barn, until one day she never hesitated.
It takes lots of patience and knowing the difference between a malicious horse, and one that is scared. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1196
Location: Wide open spaces, Canada. | She's not malicious or scared, just excited to go | |
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Location: Mississsippi | Yep.. Hate to admit it but, mine went to the cattle sale too.
There is too many others out there to ride to risk the cost of getting hurt.
I had one years back that took the bits and ran off with me coming out of the pen.
AND when I said he ran off...
It was out the back, past the trailers and to the blacktop road.
Got off of it & tied it to the trailer.
Tried to make a heading horse of him. Would score like the best of them. Run to the hip for 2 strides, then..
You guessed it. Took the bits and ran off.
Sold him for steer wrestling horse and he went on to a long profitable career with tons of doggers with many pay checks.
Sometimes they just need to go somewhere else, even if that is crossing the rainbow bridge.
Edited by Wynn 2016-02-23 12:21 PM
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  That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
| I watched a young girl get hurt real bad when one finally went over backward with her. Some can be fixed and some need to go down the road, as in South of Arizona. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1196
Location: Wide open spaces, Canada. | I should post a video....she's not coming up so high she's going to flip over, not grabbing the bit and taking off , not half as dirty as some of the horses you guys are describing . she just pops up a bit, really it's potty minor at this point ...what I'm looking for is tips on what to do with them when they do it.....do you stop them and back them up......smack em on the head, disengage hips.....what to do when they do this to break the habit, we've had her for 4 years and this is new, I believe it is absolute fixable. She gets excited to run, names her run the. Walks the pattern slowly........ Just need to come up with a game plan to re direct her energy . S if anyone have suggestions of what they did that worked for them please feel free to share. | |
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Expert
Posts: 1898
| porky - 2016-02-23 12:22 PM
I should post a video....she's not coming up so high she's going to flip over, not grabbing the bit and taking off , not half as dirty as some of the horses you guys are describing . she just pops up a bit, really it's potty minor at this point ...what I'm looking for is tips on what to do with them when they do it.....do you stop them and back them up......smack em on the head, disengage hips.....what to do when they do this to break the habit, we've had her for 4 years and this is new, I believe it is absolute fixable. She gets excited to run, names her run the. Walks the pattern slowly........ Just need to come up with a game plan to re direct her energy . S if anyone have suggestions of what they did that worked for them please feel free to share.
Do not back them up! Backing them up can reinforces the use of the hind end which can lead to a more volatile rear. If you are going to do anything that involves using their feet, try to get them to go forward then work them in a circle until they can settle down and think. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 672
| Rearing is scary, especially for a little kid! I’ve worked with a lot of ponies and I would say 98% of the ponies that reared were doing it to get out of work and were being little sh!ts – not pain related. But to always give the benefit of doubt, do make sure there is no soreness or teeth/bridle/handling issues that may be happening.
Will she rear with you? If so, you really need to watch for the signs and get to it before it escalates into a rear. I cannot stress that enough. Once you get any inkling, move her feet. Circles, serpentines, corkscrews anything with forward movement to keep her feet moving.
You may need to get a bat to encourage her as some ponies will ignore squeezing/kicking and once they stop, they’ll rear.
I always ride my son’s pony or pony her around before he gets on her, just to keep her tuned up and honest with him. You may need to start doing that?
If she only rears with your daughter, and/or you don’t have anyone to ride her and get it out of her, I’d send her on down the road. It’s NOT worth having your daughter lose confidence over a **** pony when there’s nice ones out there.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 672
| porky - 2016-02-23 12:22 PM
I should post a video....she's not coming up so high she's going to flip over, not grabbing the bit and taking off , not half as dirty as some of the horses you guys are describing . she just pops up a bit, really it's potty minor at this point ...what I'm looking for is tips on what to do with them when they do it.....do you stop them and back them up......smack em on the head, disengage hips.....what to do when they do this to break the habit, we've had her for 4 years and this is new, I believe it is absolute fixable. She gets excited to run, names her run the. Walks the pattern slowly........ Just need to come up with a game plan to re direct her energy . S if anyone have suggestions of what they did that worked for them please feel free to share.
Do not back her up, this will encourage her to go higher since her weight is already on her back end. Like I said before, the best thing you can do is get to it before it escalates into a rear or pop up – there are always signs! Make her move until she is just dying for breath. I would say, make her think that even thinking about popping up = wanting to die  | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 669
Location: Central Texas | First let me say rearing is not a good habit at all but my barrel horse is a little on the hot side. I learned that sitting anywhere around the alley only made matters worse. He would get hotter and anxious to make a run. He will pogo stick hop down the alley and sometimes launch up and out when he starts his run. However he has never reared up with me. An experienced rider can handle him making a run with no problem. I have learned to keep him away from the alley until it's my turn to run. Some person's definition of rearing could be what I described or it could be actual up in air teetering on 2 back legs. Not knowing exactly what your little mare is doing I would suggest putting your child on another horse so she doesn't develop a fear of horses. Let the older kids ride her. I don't send any animal to a kill pen, I will have them put down myself if they are truly dangerous, nor would I run one through an auction where someone else may buy it and get hurt. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 672
| ampratt - 2016-02-23 12:35 PM
First let me say rearing is not a good habit at all but my barrel horse is a little on the hot side. I learned that sitting anywhere around the alley only made matters worse. He would get hotter and anxious to make a run. He will pogo stick hop down the alley and sometimes launch up and out when he starts his run. However he has never reared up with me. An experienced rider can handle him making a run with no problem. I have learned to keep him away from the alley until it's my turn to run. Some person's definition of rearing could be what I described or it could be actual up in air teetering on 2 back legs. Not knowing exactly what your little mare is doing I would suggest putting your child on another horse so she doesn't develop a fear of horses. Let the older kids ride her. I don't send any animal to a kill pen, I will have them put down myself if they are truly dangerous, nor would I run one through an auction where someone else may buy it and get hurt.
I agree, some horses get hot and act like you described. But my kid's pony? She better be keeping all 4 feet on the ground at all time!!
I absolutely cannot stand a horse that will rear or get to the point of flipping over, because at that point they’ve lost their sense of self-preservation –they’d risk hurting themselves to get their way/get you off/away from pain and IMO, when any horse gets to that kind of mentality, you are in dangerous territory. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1196
Location: Wide open spaces, Canada. | ampratt - 2016-02-23 11:35 AM
First let me say rearing is not a good habit at all but my barrel horse is a little on the hot side. I learned that sitting anywhere around the alley only made matters worse. He would get hotter and anxious to make a run. He will pogo stick hop down the alley and sometimes launch up and out when he starts his run. However he has never reared up with me. An experienced rider can handle him making a run with no problem. I have learned to keep him away from the alley until it's my turn to run. Some person's definition of rearing could be what I described or it could be actual up in air teetering on 2 back legs. Not knowing exactly what your little mare is doing I would suggest putting your child on another horse so she doesn't develop a fear of horses. Let the older kids ride her. I don't send any animal to a kill pen, I will have them put down myself if they are truly dangerous, nor would I run one through an auction where someone else may buy it and get hurt.
Yes that's exactly what we've done, got her on an old horse and e neighbours 9 year old has been hauling the pony to junior rodeos, she pony is kind of a bluffer acts hot then once she gets to go all is well......the other older kids who ride her do great on her so she will. Sold In the meantime I'm riding her to tune her up . | |
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 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | I can nip that in the bud myself the first time a horse tries it--nose on my knee and wear their tail out with an over n under. A confident kid, if it was minor popping up, I might go that route and see if we could work through it. A timid kid? Nope. No way. Different horse is needed.
My daughter was timid starting, but with positive experience is getting more and more confident. Her first horse was an ancient retired rope horse that was as bomb-proof as I have ever seen, and her 2nd an older, dead broke, honest and kind, 5 event jr rodeo horse. I think she will be ready for more challenge with her next horse, and that's the point we might go with a pony. Either that or my gelding, but he's a lot further to fall off. LOL | |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 575
| veintiocho - 2016-02-23 12:34 PM
porky - 2016-02-23 12:22 PM
I should post a video....she's not coming up so high she's going to flip over, not grabbing the bit and taking off , not half as dirty as some of the horses you guys are describing . she just pops up a bit, really it's potty minor at this point ...what I'm looking for is tips on what to do with them when they do it.....do you stop them and back them up......smack em on the head, disengage hips.....what to do when they do this to break the habit, we've had her for 4 years and this is new, I believe it is absolute fixable. She gets excited to run, names her run the. Walks the pattern slowly........ Just need to come up with a game plan to re direct her energy . S if anyone have suggestions of what they did that worked for them please feel free to share.
Do not back her up, this will encourage her to go higher since her weight is already on her back end. Like I said before, the best thing you can do is get to it before it escalates into a rear or pop up – there are always signs! Make her move until she is just dying for breath. I would say, make her think that even thinking about popping up = wanting to die
^^^ Yes yes yes.
My step dad was given a mare (she was slaughter bound) because she figured out that when she reared up, people got off and the work for her was over.
He's a brave (crazy) soul and he stuck with her and when she would pop up, he would send her right into "time to work off the attitude" mode. In the arena, it meant 'move your feet until they cant move anymore'. Outside it meant, 'see that mountain? We're going up it. Alone.'
She's fantastic now, hasn't come up in ages, and is actually one of my favorite horses to ride outside! | |
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 Worst.Housekeeper.EVER.
Location: Missouri | I had a horse rear and fall on me when I was 13. It took me a month to be able to ride again. Our next race, he reared at the first barrel but I was able to let go just as he came over and his head hit at my feet. Never, ever, ever would I allow my child to ride one that came even an inch off the ground with his front feet.
If I had to ride a horse like this, I'd work that sucker until it was begging to stop, and make it go more. I'd make the alley the only place it could catch wind, then do it all again, until it stood quiet and thankful NOT to move. I wouldn't run barrels until this was completely resolved.
But, probably, I'd just get rid of it. Rearing scares me to death.
IMO, I'd rather my daughter on a slow horse pushing to go, than on one that steals her confidence and joy. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 669
Location: Central Texas | porky - 2016-02-23 12:46 PM
ampratt - 2016-02-23 11:35 AM
First let me say rearing is not a good habit at all but my barrel horse is a little on the hot side. I learned that sitting anywhere around the alley only made matters worse. He would get hotter and anxious to make a run. He will pogo stick hop down the alley and sometimes launch up and out when he starts his run. However he has never reared up with me. An experienced rider can handle him making a run with no problem. I have learned to keep him away from the alley until it's my turn to run. Some person's definition of rearing could be what I described or it could be actual up in air teetering on 2 back legs. Not knowing exactly what your little mare is doing I would suggest putting your child on another horse so she doesn't develop a fear of horses. Let the older kids ride her. I don't send any animal to a kill pen, I will have them put down myself if they are truly dangerous, nor would I run one through an auction where someone else may buy it and get hurt.
Yes that's exactly what we've done, got her on an old horse and e neighbours 9 year old has been hauling the pony to junior rodeos, she pony is kind of a bluffer acts hot then once she gets to go all is well......the other older kids who ride her do great on her so she will. Sold In the meantime I'm riding her to tune her up .
From what I am getting it sounds like you are saying the horse is not truly rearing but just getting on the muscle and lunging up and forward maybe. She's probably just not the horse for your daughter at your daughter's current level of experience. Happens alot. I see adult people on horses that they probably shouldn't be riding. As others said, if she truly starts to rear up, do not start backing her or popping her on the head. I've never seen those actions do anything but cause a worse reaction in the horse. Get her away form the stressful situation as soon as possible. I've also never seen trying to correct a rearing/stressed out horse in the area that has stressed it work out favorably either. Get them away, calm them down then try and bring them back. Try keeping her away from the alley as much as possible even if the older kids are handling her. My experience with my horse is it only made him hotter making his stand in an area that was a trigger for him. Not all animals are the same just like not all people are the same. They all handle stressing/exciting situations the differently. Of course this is all my own opinion and nothing more. | |
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Expert
Posts: 1898
| ampratt - 2016-02-23 1:15 PM
porky - 2016-02-23 12:46 PM
ampratt - 2016-02-23 11:35 AM
First let me say rearing is not a good habit at all but my barrel horse is a little on the hot side. I learned that sitting anywhere around the alley only made matters worse. He would get hotter and anxious to make a run. He will pogo stick hop down the alley and sometimes launch up and out when he starts his run. However he has never reared up with me. An experienced rider can handle him making a run with no problem. I have learned to keep him away from the alley until it's my turn to run. Some person's definition of rearing could be what I described or it could be actual up in air teetering on 2 back legs. Not knowing exactly what your little mare is doing I would suggest putting your child on another horse so she doesn't develop a fear of horses. Let the older kids ride her. I don't send any animal to a kill pen, I will have them put down myself if they are truly dangerous, nor would I run one through an auction where someone else may buy it and get hurt.
Yes that's exactly what we've done, got her on an old horse and e neighbours 9 year old has been hauling the pony to junior rodeos, she pony is kind of a bluffer acts hot then once she gets to go all is well......the other older kids who ride her do great on her so she will. Sold In the meantime I'm riding her to tune her up .
From what I am getting it sounds like you are saying the horse is not truly rearing but just getting on the muscle and lunging up and forward maybe. She's probably just not the horse for your daughter at your daughter's current level of experience. Happens alot. I see adult people on horses that they probably shouldn't be riding. As others said, if she truly starts to rear up, do not start backing her or popping her on the head. I've never seen those actions do anything but cause a worse reaction in the horse. Get her away form the stressful situation as soon as possible. I've also never seen trying to correct a rearing/stressed out horse in the area that has stressed it work out favorably either. Get them away, calm them down then try and bring them back. Try keeping her away from the alley as much as possible even if the older kids are handling her. My experience with my horse is it only made him hotter making his stand in an area that was a trigger for him. Not all animals are the same just like not all people are the same. They all handle stressing/exciting situations the differently. Of course this is all my own opinion and nothing more.
Taking a horse way from a stressful situation because of bad behavior does nothing but promote bad behavior in a stressful situation. | |
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Member
Posts: 48
| If this is an "on the muscle" situation you've had some good points from people. No more running this horse until the issue is resolved tho. LOTS of alley work at the practice pen and in exhibitions at the jackpot. LOTS of what I call scoring. Walk in walk out. Reward good behaviour by un-cinching in the alley. The second the horse starts to act up in any undesirable way in the alley maintain forward motion and double it down, which means turn it very tightly one way or the other and for numerous rotations, basically til your dizzy. This doubling down should be difficult and not something your horse wants to do, so make it work at it and get after it while doubled around. Once stopped proceed forward, if the horse goes willingly great, if not double around again this time other direction. Praise it up when it moves forward willingly and quietly like you want and immediately reprimand any bad behaviour by doubling down. Once in the arena calmly walk the pattern, I wouldn't run this horse til the issue is resolved as running it just gets its motor running hotter. Reward calm behaviour in the alley by getting off and uncinching while in the alley. Make it the horses goal to want to behave in the alley so that it's done for the day, uncinched and put up. | |
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