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Re: [RC] I'll take your rearing horse - Karen Sullivan----- Original Message ----- From: "Andrea Day" <fetlocks@xxxxxxxxxxx> most of post deleted, just great, wonderful advice, however comment on following: If you can feel the horse beginning to rear, gig him with your heels and try to get him moving. A horse can't rear if he's strongly moving forwards. If he goes up instead of forwards, you probably have a more serious problem than his just testing you. Figure out why he rears--is he afraid, hurting, being a shit, doesn't like water? Andrea, again, it was a very good post and I agree with tons of it. However, I have seen a lot of horses that develop the rearing habit due to the following: Horse tries it once, for whatever reason (being a shit that day, or being held back when buddies are going ahead, etc, etc). Goes up in air a little....and rider gets scared, and ignores it (does not discipline or correct horse). Horse then tries it a second time, with a little more effort, again, rider gives up on whatever it was the horse was supposed to do. Happens a few other times, rider now avoids those situation that will cause the horse to rear (can't ride it off property,etc). Horse has now learned rearing habit as protest to ANYTHING it does not want to do. From that I have seen, horses either rear becuase they are being held back too hard....or refusal to go forward. Both can be "diffused" by circling the horse right before it goes up. In the case of a horse that rears when being held back....sending him forward is giving him exactly what he wants, in the case of a horse that might rear because his buddies are going away from him. If you send him forward...he is getting his way. Does that make sense? Yes, he won't rear if he gets to go along with the group....but that isn't solving the problem if he rears when you try to separate him...and there is no reason horses can't be trained to be left behind or go away from a group. If you can't do this safely, then the horse is NOT trained! When in group situations, especially with green horses, it is a lot to expect that they stand still when groups pause or people separate. Best thing to do, if they have so much energy or anxiety they can't stand still, is to allow them to move, but in a circle you can direct. If they are disengaging their hind leg by circling, then can't rear or buck...and this can be done in a quiet, gentle way. If the trail is too narrow....and you can't do this, you shouldn't be out there on that particular horse on that particular trail yet! Karen =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= http://www.endurance.net/ads/seabiscuit.html Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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