The Horse Forum banner
Status
Not open for further replies.

Might be a stupid question bt any idea how to tell when your horse is about to rear??

2K views 22 replies 12 participants last post by  Joeys rose 
#1 ·
I was told when a horse rears to lean forward and hold on to the main but will this gaurantee that I will b able to stay on? And if there are any signs I should keep an eye out for to give me the heads up before she rears?! So I'm not completely caught by surprise??? Any help greatly appreciated!!:)xx
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#2 ·
Some 'any help' for you: not buying a horse that's a known rearer+don't push her so far that she might rear? :wink: :)

I've found with my mare (who is a recovered rearer) that she'll start arching her neck down and sort of 'dancing' around, then she'll start rearing if I don't redirect her.
from Youtube videos I've seen of horses rearing undersaddle, it seems like the usual thing is throwing the head up, jigging a bit, THEN rearing.

I've found, with my rearer, that rearing is directly correlated to a refusal or inability to go forward.
For instance, if I hold the reins too tightly and don't give her a good release, or if there's something scary in front of us and she's not comfortable going forward, but I won't let her go backwards and I've tightened my grip on the reins (because I'm nervous).

I found that if I immediately loosen up the reins and urge her forward (or in a circle, or anything that gets her mind thinking about something other than the issue) I can generally get her out of that state of mind. That's actually how I "cured" her too - I redirected her every time she thought about rearing and now she'll usually redirect herself vs going up.
However, she's kind of like a recovering addict, I have to make sure I don't put her in situations where her only reasonable option is "up" because if she reaches the end of her ability to internally calm herself (through redirection and trying again) she WILL go up.
 
#3 ·
What I did when I was retraining Dude was bring his head around (all the way around to my boot) and kick him to spin. He tensed up before he reared, which is a given in ANY rearer, some stay tense longer than others though before they go up. I knew Dude reared, and after 3 actual rears, I took his head away and got his neck bent before he could rear. A horse can't physically rear with their neck bent, period. They mayy decide to go over sideways and flop, but I'd MUCH rather that than over backwards on me.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#8 ·
It is horrible alright but if she rears just to get me off her back which is possible why she did the only way to cure that is to stay on and not fall off which I did the last time chances are she won't do it again and if she does that's a whole other kittle o fish! Ya ave to try these things anyway
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#6 ·
Ha thanks when I bought her she wasn't known to rear and it was a family member I bought her off and they said she was very quiet but she is 15years old and hadn't been ridden in ten years but I had her over a year when she reared... Now it wasn't a big rear but enough to knock my balance Landin me flat on my ****.. Bt she gave no indication atal... Nothing appeared to spook her I think she just decided she was done workin and off I went! She's not done it since but want to be prepared because she's a lovely pony otherwise! Glad to hear it can be corrected anyway!:)
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#9 ·
This post answered my question :) I'm not judging you I'm just really concerned because rearing is scary business. My horse reared on me thrice (little jump rears the night of my car accident) and even then I was scared. I just kicked his hiney and turned his nose in.. told him to cut it out and he did. He also offered no warning.

Do you have access to a trainer?
 
#7 ·
Because ill try anything instead of headin into the situation delirious, this kind of advise helps reassure me ... Each to there own I suppose... Ive had one rearing incident and Will take any advise goin internet/no internet...Curiosity cured?
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#11 ·
rearing is a hard fix. If its her go to response to "i don't want to..." the only two things I have found to stop rearing is forward motion, forward motion, forward motion, and then more forward motion.
The other way to stop rearing...stop riding aka sell her. I am not a big fan of rearing horses but then I have had a few lose it and go all the way over. I can deal with a lot of problems but when it's rearing I start thinking there are way to many good horses out there.
Ask yourself is it worth a saddle horn in the gut? Just my opinion that's all
 
#12 ·
Ah I know I'm very aware of the risks but this is the first time she ever done it and hasn't done it since and selling her is not an option... Too attached and too much sentimental value will go with her couldn't let her go! So if she does it again all I can do is try and correct it
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#13 ·
You'll feel a resistance to go forwards and the front end lighten, sometimes they will 'walk on the spot first as their head goes up.
I wouldnt hang onto the mane because that might encourage you to pull backwards but lean forwards and push down hard on the neck
Its better to avoid the rear altogether - if the horse is refusing to go forwards bring its head right around to your foot and this will stop him going up and if needed move his hind end around in a circle - This distracts them, 'gets their feet moving' and focuses their minds on something else.
We had a wonderful jumping pony that went from competing with my kids to become my hunting pony for a while and he reared all his life but was as safe as houses as he knew what he was doing and didnt do it as a resistance but more of a show off - however I really wouldnt recommend a rearer to an inexperienced rider so please be careful and get help if it happens again
 
#14 ·
You need to develope your "feel" for the horse. Horses are unpredictable but when you get to know your horse and it's habits, you can tell when its going to do something wrong.

When people tell you to "be the boss", do you know how to be a horse boss and how to relay that message to the horse?

The others are right when they say the only thing that really corrects rearing is forward motion. Its a downright refusal and up they go. You need to know how to get a horse past that refusal and go anyways.

I'm not going to give you any training advice because you are inexperienced with the habit and there is a big chance that if you don't know how to ride it out and correct it, this will hurt/kill you. My only advice to you is to get her teeth checked, and check her body for pain by a vet. If she comes out clear...

GET A TRAINER
 
#15 ·
I'm not going to give you any training advice because you are inexperienced with the habit and there is a big chance that if you don't know how to ride it out and correct it, this will hurt/kill you. My only advice to you is to get her teeth checked, and check her body for pain by a vet. If she comes out clear...

GET A TRAINER
This...
 
#17 ·
Did she only do it the one time?

As for feeling the rear, with my old guy... I can feel a bunching in his shoulders and a rounding of his back before the rear.

If you feel that then you need to get your horse moving forward because she can't rear if she's moving forward. Keep her busy and keep her occupied.

The key is to figure out why she did it in the first place since you said that she's a quiet horse. At fifteen it would be kind of odd to pick up a new habit like that.
 
#20 ·
It's a tough call. Getting off the horse might provide the release it wants and encourage it to rear in the future, but nobody wants to get hurt.

My boy gives me plenty of warning that the front end is thinking about coming up, so I drive him forward hard and fast and we work, work, work.
 
#21 ·
Your horse should Always be obedient to your aids. When you ask for a halt, he should stand and await further instructions. When you cue to move out, he should go at the gait your asked for, on cruise control, until you ask for something else. WhenEVER you horse is tense, whenEVER he stops "listening", and/or freezes, it's an indication of a rear or a buck or a bolt, or maybe, all three. GET OFF IMMEDIATELY!! Better the horse runs back to the barn than take you off on a tree limb or swipe you off on a fence and break you.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top