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horse rears

4K views 23 replies 14 participants last post by  hemms 
#1 ·
My horse rears at random times but mostly when. She doesn't want to do something, and only when I'm on her. The worst has been getting her to go over a 1/2 pvc pipe on the ground. I've worked her in the round pen running walking and trotting and she's flawless with it but when I'm on her she is scared of it and rears sometimes any suggestions?
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#4 ·
She has reared full out 3 times the other times were half rears or less the first few times were my fault I pulled to hard the other times I think would be afraid of something, so far I havnt let her get away with it we keep going at it until she does what I want I just know the rearing is dangerous so I'm trying to fix it I just know a lot about this area of training
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#3 ·
is she maybe in pain somewhere? where are your hands right before she rears? i have a gelding who rears, his previous owners would get scared and pull on his mouth when he did something that startled them, which would startle him, and hed go up to get away from the pressure of the bit. anything from a couple inches off the ground to full on omg hes gonna flip type stuff. they'd get more scared and get off, thus rewarding the behavior. so now, when hes done working, he throws his head and does these little pop rears.
 
#5 ·
Which is why the best and ONLY advice with full on rearing is get a trainer, if you don't know how to fix it, you probably haven't got the skills either.

That is in no way saying anything bad about you, 90% of us would send a horse like that to a trainer. 5% would risk injury by doing it themselves, the last 5% have both the skill and knowledge that they need.
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#21 ·
Which is why the best and ONLY advice with full on rearing is get a trainer, if you don't know how to fix it, you probably haven't got the skills either.

That is in no way saying anything bad about you, 90% of us would send a horse like that to a trainer. 5% would risk injury by doing it themselves, the last 5% have both the skill and knowledge that they need.
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Well said! get a trainer to help you. you do not want to spend a lot of time messing around with rearers. the more times they think about and do a rear as an answer to their anxiety about going over something, or going forward into an area that worries them, the more they will keep doing that. It becomes a habit, even if it is not ulitimately successful.
Don't mess around with this, get it fixed pronto!
 
#6 ·
Totally agreeing with the need of a trainer.

It's hard to give advice without seeing what is going on. One common way a horse learns to rear is when it stops at a scary thing: the rider pushes forward (leg) and then rider is unsure/afraid of the horse's reaction, and holds the reins back at the same time.

You need to go back to basics, work on the ground. Make sure the horse moves the hind legs sideways on cue. Then in the saddle, when facing a refusal, keep the horse working: disengage the hind, turns on the shoulders, backing etc. Then relax when facing the obstacle. Wait for signs of relaxation before asking to go forward.
 
#12 ·
OK so now she associates mouth pain the the pvc pipe. I am going to suggest you put her feed pan about 15' on the other side with a few treats and lead her across. Do this at least 3 times so she associates crossing the pipe with a reward. Be sure to do it in both directions so she's crossed the pipe at least six times. Now trot over to the treats, again a min of 3 times each direction. The number 3 is very important as that is often the number of repetitions it takes to teach a horse. It hasn't a clue the first time, the 2nd time it's sorting it out and the third time - ah, that's it. Give the horse a break or leave it for another day then repeat a few walkovers before saddling. Be sure to have the treats waiting in the pan. Just center her (side to side) as her to go forward and leave the reins alone if you can. She should head for the pan. If she hesitates at the pipe, don't interfere. She's deciding how badly she wants to cross to the treats. It's her decision. If she turns away, that's ok. Walk her around and approach again. She's dealing with a big issue and the less you influence her the better.
 
#13 ·
Ok, I've got the pipe problem fixed I just worked her in the round pen until she would go over the pipe both ways in all gaits easily that one didn't take me long to figure out, but the pipe isn't the only thing she's reared at, but I'm starting To think maybe I've been using mouth pressure to try to correct it when she afraid of something because it makes her feel trapped. So if that's the case then everytime she's reared has been my fault which I'm ok with because that gives me a new angle to work at it from.
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#14 ·
You need to learn how to anticipate the rear and block it. The SECOND you feel her getting light in the front end, cue a turn on the forehand. If her weight is on the front end she cannot lift it in the air. Practice this 3 million times in an area where she has absolutely no reason to rear whatsoever, practice it to the point that the second you cue, her immediate response is to do what you said. Doing this will accomplish a couple of things. First, it gives you a safe way to stop a rear before it truly starts. Secondly, it'll help fix the underlying issue which is your mare thinking she doesn't need to do what you say.

That is your primary issue, your mare has learned that rearing gets her out of doing something scary. I speak from experience, my gelding used to rear due to herd bound issues. He would rear if I tried to make him go too far from home, if I held him back and let another horse go, if I didn't let him run home, and such. This is not a quick fix, but if done correctly is a pretty darn solid one.
 
#15 ·
Here is my cents and I know it will be ignored but here it goes. First, you need a trainer or at least someone who can help you with your horse. Rearing is the worst habit to break and once it becomes ingrained (at this sounds like it) it makes retraining a bit more difficult.

I'm still leaning on pain/tack fit, but for arguments sake, let's say tack and bit are just fine and she's got you buffaloed.

Start learning confidence and learn to instill confidence in the horse. I have a "confidence course" built but you can make your own and put it up and down as needed. I have 5 elements up at all times and another 10 that I rotate around. I always start with an easier task and build up to more difficult questions and then back off with an easier element.

example:
1) walk over 4-5 poles over the ground
2) walk over 5 poles set up in a star pattern (use a dressage whip or driving whip to encourage the horse to bend and use her body.
3) walk over pool noodles on the ground
4) have those used car sales flag runners set up in a 10' aisle (flags on both sides)
5) end with poles over ground

I have more elements from those statue geese, mail box (with balloons) and I have pool noodles set up for them to push through also. Tarps, have plywood on the ground, (simulates a bridge) and other obstacles.

Work on the ground with this course until you both can walk the course with no problems. Repeat with the addition of tack and bridle. Repeat with you riding.

If she starts to rise stay off her mouth and keep your balance, as soon as she hits the ground move her forward. Horses can't normally rear while moving so keep her feet in gear, never give her the opportunity to rear.

Horses just do not rear for no reason, pain and fear are the normal culprits, have her teeth, back, and feet checked out by a massage therapist and get a more experienced rider to help you through this.
 
#16 ·
This really is a hard one. I do agree with the need for a trainer but if it is not possible then you need to go at this with as much calm and understanding as possible. Rearing, as you know is very, VERY dangerous.

The biggest thing is forward motion. If your horse is moving forward, he cannot rear. Do not allow it to back up or stop. From what I'm reading, I don't think you have a fear or a pain issue, rather than a horse that is saying no. You will want to work on forward forward forward...
 
#17 ·
Ok she will do the turn on the forhand very well, I havnt tried that yet, it makes sense that it would work.
I have done the "confidence course" that's how I got her over the pipes so yes that does work to get her over the fear of pipes but hasn't stopped the rearing, she's only scared of white things in front of her on the ground ( pvc, ropes etc)
She will step over sticks logs and things like with no balk at all but like I said I've got her over the pipe fear.
You hit the nail on the head when she's scared is the only time she says no to anything I ask her to do. So I need to keep her moving forward and try to anticipate when she's going to rear and push her out of it, but being carefull to stay calm and and go easy with it.

Alll the advice has been great I appreciate it a lot and have lots of things to work with her on this coming week the fresh ideas is what I needed, cause I was stumped:)
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#19 ·
My mare has tried to pull rearing a couple times.
And I know from my own experience that 'keeping forward' is not always an option. If I put my leg on (loose rein), she would rear, if I tapped her up, she would rear. Sometimes that doesn't work. To prevent her from actually doing it, I one-reined her in a circle.

In that particular instance she was extremely panicked in a new area and I only circled her so I could dismount.
Since then I do loads of groundwork and getting her full attention and trust with me only before attempting these things.

M
 
#22 ·
I think you should have a vet eliminate pain as a potential source. I also think that this horse may have your number. I also think the fact that this horse goes all the way up is a bit worrisome. If you have eliminated pain as the source, and are left with a behavior issue that is much harder to fix. The problem with rearing is that sometimes you don't know you are in over your head until you are landing on it. I would go with caution. One rein stops/circles can be good but I have seen that go horribly wrong. I rode with someone whose horse was in the habit of circling when it wanted to rear. This seems like a good idea until the horse started to circle in a forest and slammed its rider into a few trees. Once that horse circled itself and rider off a hill and fell about thirty feet down a river bank. The rider was unharmed but I always think of that when I am considering replacing one bad behavior with another.
 
#23 ·
You got a deadly problem there, even if it's just a temper pop for now, this horse has figured out threatening to go up means successful evasion, ergo, you're screwed. Please get some help before this horse goes over backwards and crushes your body.
 
#24 ·
Chris Irwin's approach really helped me with a light-in-the-front gelding. My trainer put in on him and I maintained it through consistent handling. All but erased the habit by circumventing the triggers and employing endorphine techniques. Good luck & be safe.
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