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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 520
| How would you all handle this? I have an 8 year old gelding, only had him a couple months. He has a habit of flying backwards when he doesn't understand something or gets spooked, and sometimes will rear up. He acts like he is terrified when he does it like he is anticipating you coming after him and beating him. I can't get around behind him to drive him forward, he does it too fast and he keeps his eyes facing you. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 509
| I usually keep walking them backwards not jerking on them just go right along, the ones i have usually stop. I'd be interested in what others do in this situation, i also desensitize with a flag and a tarp, do a lot of groundwork I'm a buck brannaman fan and any horse I buy even if it's older I will start off with groundwork like there a young one be patient and it should go away,sometimes when they are out in the poll they will be fearful also |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 891
 
| You need to find a professional trainer to help you. No offence but no one here can see the problem you have. Rearing is a serious problem & can cause injury. I don't know where you live, but I would seek a prof in your area. Ask here for a prof in your area. This poor horse has been abused big time in my opinion. Bless his heart, it's not his fault, but you need a prof not a wanna be to help you.
Edited by okhorselover 2016-11-04 7:58 PM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 509
| Are you talking about flying backwards on the ground and rearing? Or in the saddle? |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 520
| On the ground, not under saddle. . |
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Regular
Posts: 82
| Buckles - 2016-11-05 8:12 AM
On the ground, not under saddle. .
I have one that would do this, but hers was more "I'm big and if I want to do it I can"..... She doesn't do that any more :) if she did that I'd grab her lead rope and get her attention then go straight to the tree to tie her. She learned pretty quick that the trees not going anywhere and neither is she. Also it gives them the chance to work things out on their own without a person there to pick at them when they have an attitude :) |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 899
Location: Idaho | I had a similar issue with my gelding, not so much the rearing but the setting back and backing up. I have owned him since he was a baby, so I know that he was not being beat or abused.
I realized he only had this problem around the horse trailer area. When he backed up, I would just back up with him until I was able to reach him and put my hand on his neck, shoulder or head so he realized that he can calm down. But recently, he totally freaked out, backed up into another trailer, he panicked, reared up and lunged and I just go happened to be in the way and he knocked me down then ran off. I still had his lead line in my hand, and he did stop when he realized he wasn't getting away. This was a wake up call for me. For a while, I was really angry and upset.. because he has NEVER done that before. But then, once I calmed down I started to reanalyze the situation.
I realized that we had a lost some respect and boundaries on the ground, because in the saddle he is perfect. So, I decided to go back to basics and ground work and put him back into the round pen. I took a few days of going back to ground work, joining up, just making sure that he is going to respect me on the ground. Practiced good boundaries. After 3 days of good, solid ground work and a good reminder of joining up and reminding him that this is a partnership and he was not a dictator, I haven't had any issues with his backing up.
Horses are constantly looking to move up to the chain of hierarchy. I have owned this horse since he was 11 months old, and he has always tested his way with other horses. He was always working his way up to be the leader, even last year he was in a pasture with 4 fussy mares. The alpha mare was always getting on him, even showed him some manners. But eventually he moved up to being 2nd in the herd, and was still testing limits with the alpha mare. If he would do that with her, why wouldn't he do that with me? So I would take this horse back to basics, try and reestablish where you stand with this horse. Joining up I think is most effective when establishing that.
Another thing I changed with him is his feed. I usually give him 2.5 lbs of oats per day, with Formula 1 Noni and Garlic powder for the ticks. I stopped giving him the oats just to see if it will make a difference. This is my first time with a horse on pasture so I am still learning on how to balance his diet, but I think he might have been getting too much sugar. He seems to be a bit calmer as well.
Lastly, you might want to get a chiropractor our for him. He may be out in his poll.
But I would start with ground work. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 509
| I think we just always need to be particular with how we lead ride everything constant work and forever learning check teeth.I know around here I have to figure a lot out myself we have some real good trainers but they want a long term client not somebody's problems. I love to learn so i usually figure it out my neighbor was a top rider i got to spend years with them. i also rode for a guy who only started coltsand learned a lot,Vby far a pro. But wouldn t call myself a want to be either lol. |
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Addicted to Baseball
 
Location: Where the stars at night are big and bright, TX | Poor guy. I'd do my best to keep going with him to start with and not upset him further initially - sounds like he has confidence issues or previous bad-handling issues, not authority issues. I don't believe in punishing those kinds of holes in handling until they understand what behavior/response we are seeking from them. Are you sure he can see correctly? |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 678
Location: Canada | What are you feeding them?
We purchased an older mare and put her on some good feed to increase her weight and she lost her marbles. She'd be wide eyed and rearing and looked liked she was expecting to be beaten. Once we changed her feed program she was fine. She's not a horse that can handle any changes to her feed without losing her mind so now we know and we handle it accordingly. |
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 Having Smokin Bandits
Posts: 4572
Location: Woodstown, NJ | I agree with groundwork. You want to establish that you are the herd leader and therefore he doesn't have to panic because he can rely on YOU to be calm and in control. Round pen work is great.
Use elasticized ties. Use them with everything. The last thing you want him to do is get it in his head that if he pulls back, he gets away. That reinforces the pulling back. If the tie is elasticized, it gives you time to get there and go with him and get him under control.
A "patient tree" is helpful if there are holes in his tying. Tie a tire inner tube on a tall tree or telephone pole and tie a strong leadrope to that. It should be up high so that if he pulls back, he doesn't hurt his neck. I might leave him there for a couple of hours at a time. If he pulls back, the inner tube will stretch. He can pull to kingdom come and he will learn that it doesn't break and he doesn't get away. He might even sit down on his butt if he starts pulling but he will learn. YOU keep calm. If you are unsure how to do this, most trainers know the technique.
I had a four-year-old who was pulling back. I did all this and luckily it worked. He hasn't pulled back in many years, knock wood, lol. Good luck. |
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