# Ride through bucking or stop for ground work?



## jimmyp (Sep 5, 2013)

It just depends on the situation, a little bit of spring time roaching of the back and kicking I'll sit it out and push them through, head down crow hopping and spinning like a Bronc and I'll ride it as long as I can, then see where the mood takes me. But, for the most part I'm inclined to deal with most issues from the saddle. I'm not very talented from the ground.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

So horse bucks and you discipline and move on or horse bucks and you get off... Which of those seems better to you?

Yes if you are in danger do get off, safety first, but pushing though and disciplining (from the saddle) is correct. Otherwise you are rewarding the horse (getting off) and not fixing the issue in the first place.

It's not an English/Western thing, it's proper horsemanship.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Agreed^^^^^^^


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

I ride through bucks regardless of the discipline the horse goes.

You don't mention specifically, but how much legging up has the horse had before today? Before working on canter departures and such? The horse may have been objecting to being required to be collected or putting forth real effort while it is still soft from a long winter.

I generally spend two or three weeks getting horses in better condition in the spring before doing those types of maneuvers. And most of the horses I work have been on pastures of several thousand acres. They move, but still are out of shape when we start back riding in the spring.


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## Herdof2 (Nov 24, 2012)

Thanks for the replies. Ride on, it is.&#55357;&#56397;&#55356;&#57340;

I didn't mean for it to sound like I disagreed with working out issues from the saddle, I was just curious what others did bc I never forgot the trainer saying that (about lunging through it), and I got to wondering today if Maybe I was missing something&#55358;&#56596; 

My daughter will be pleased that she was right lol.


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## Herdof2 (Nov 24, 2012)

Boots, you're right, maybe that could be some of it, although we've been riding 4-5 days per week since April; trail and indoors. She has a 39 acre pasture, not quite what you're used to! Nonetheless, maybe it was too much. Something to consider


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Ride on through it but get it stopped as quickly as possible. When I have one that starts to pitch a fit, I take one rein and bend them into a tiny circle and use my inside leg to disengage their hindquarters. Then, I push them hard and keep them spinning in the tiny circle until they are huffing and puffing and begging to stop. If I start to get dizzy before I feel they have learned what they need do, I will swap reins and spin the other way.

That's how I teach my horses that, no matter how fresh they are feeling, bucking or crow hopping is NEVER acceptable.


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## flytobecat (Mar 28, 2010)

^^^yeppers!
When I first saw the subject of this post my initial response was "I didn't know there was option of not riding through it."
If your horse is frisky, you can work them on the ground or in round pen to take the edge off. 
But if you are in the saddle when it happens, getting off only rewards the behavior.
Be safe about it though.
Check your saddle fit too, since that can contribute to bucking.


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## Spec (Jun 13, 2015)

I would normally side with your daughter on the 'riding them out' part, but a week ago on an unfamiliar horse, that philosophy majorly backfired on me... Some horses are very violent buckers. Others are just being testy and can be easily shut down with a one-rein stop. Depends on the horse and the situation IMO.


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

Depends.

No matter what I do, I NEVER just stop. I always do something to make that horse very uncomfortable for bucking.

Usually we can ride it out, but what I will do is disengage them by taking them on a faster, tighter circle, or taking their head and kicking their hip away. If it's just a little frisky hump from being fresh I probably will just keep loping forward.

If I had one who wasn't responding to this, I would jump off and run at them. When you jump off really quick, it scares them. They don't expect it. I'd jump off one, grab the end of my rein and give them a good whack on the hip and go right into a tight circle with maximum pressure. No matter what, it's uncomfortable, whether I'm on the horse or not.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

Herdof2 said:


> Boots, you're right, maybe that could be some of it, although we've been riding 4-5 days per week since April; trail and indoors. She has a 39 acre pasture, not quite what you're used to! Nonetheless, maybe it was too much. Something to consider


Naw. If she's been getting ridden four or five days a week since April, she was just being a stinker-doodle and feeling fresh, most likely. 

I just couldn't tell from the first post.


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

To me it depends 100% on the horse and the situation. You have to know or suspect strongly why the horse is bucking. If you hit soft sand and the horse goes whoopee, or just landed after a jump, it seems obvious to stay on and give a stern reprimand. Ground work in itself is not very helpful. I'd say rather to evaluate if there might be a tack or back soreness problem, and if so better get off and try to fix it. 

If I'm on a solid horse that never bucks and suddenly bucks, I strongly suspect a tack issue and get off to inspect. Especially if I just changed something, just got on or just started a canter for the first time with some new setup. It might be a twisted strap, something wrong with the pad or the saddle suddenly doesn't fit and is pinching. In that case it would not be fair to just keep riding.

If a horse is panicking because they got stung by a hive of bees, it would be stupid to try to ride it out. If a horse is a very good bucker, there is no choice, you will not be able to ride it out for long. 

Also, it's different if a horse bucks a time or two versus will not stop bucking. To me the question itself is tricky...most of the time if a horse is fresh or grumpy they will buck once or twice. So there's not really an option to "ride it out," it is self-limiting. You can't really dismount easily from a horse that keeps bucking. So it's not so much a choice but rather depends on how long and hard a horse is bucking, and whether you come off. Regardless, you always need to know "why." 
Never known a horse that did prolonged bucking for fun, and a little silly buck or crowhop now and then is no big deal. So it's either a case of something is seriously wrong, or tell the horse to shape up and move on.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Yogiwick said:


> So horse bucks and you discipline and move on or horse bucks and you get off... Which of those seems better to you?
> 
> Yes if you are in danger do get off, safety first, but pushing though and disciplining (from the saddle) is correct. Otherwise you are rewarding the horse (getting off) and not fixing the issue in the first place.
> 
> It's not an English/Western thing, it's proper horsemanship.


Big Ditto!
The idea is to have basics on your horse so he never bucks under saddle, just because he is feeling fresh. You also put enough body control on a horse, to hopefully be able to diffuse a buck. A horse has to engage his rear, to buck effectively. Thus, if you can take the head away, boot those hips around, you can make bucking more difficult, and also to have consequences
If you just ride it out, either you or your horse gets better at it! Horses are creatures of habit, and they can also learn to throw in bucks, whenever they feel like it, if bucking is not made to have negative consequences-take that head away, and spur those hips around!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I'd also say to ride through only if you're pretty sure you can. I'm no bronc rider, so I'd be doing what I could to pull the horse up to make it stop bucking. but, I'd only get off if I thought I was in danger of coming off. in which case, I'd hand the horse off to someone who CAN ride through it.

but, I do appreciate what Gottatrot said, . . . that there is always the possibility that there is some tack malfunction. this would be more in the case of a horse who has never bucked before, but suddenly, out of the blue, starts to buck. such a situation warrants getting off and checking things out.


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## Textan49 (Feb 13, 2015)

gottatrot said:


> To me it depends 100% on the horse and the situation. You have to know or suspect strongly why the horse is bucking. If you hit soft sand and the horse goes whoopee, or just landed after a jump, it seems obvious to stay on and give a stern reprimand. Ground work in itself is not very helpful. I'd say rather to evaluate if there might be a tack or back soreness problem, and if so better get off and try to fix it.
> 
> If I'm on a solid horse that never bucks and suddenly bucks, I strongly suspect a tack issue and get off to inspect. Especially if I just changed something, just got on or just started a canter for the first time with some new setup. It might be a twisted strap, something wrong with the pad or the saddle suddenly doesn't fit and is pinching. In that case it would not be fair to just keep riding.
> 
> ...



Very well said./ I feel it is always important to know the reason for the behavior first.


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## jimmyp (Sep 5, 2013)

Maybe I am cold and heartless, but I won't allow a tack issue as an excuse to buck, my children ride these horses too. I will do my best to ride it out. I will deal with any underlying issues if there is such a thing when the horse acts like it has some sense.

Jim


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

Herdof2 said:


> Well the little pistol was bucking during the lope. My daughter rode through it and it never "got bad", but it made me think of a previous trainer who said you don't ride through a buck or rear. You get off and lunge and get the behavior you want on the ground before you get back on and expect it in the saddle.
> 
> 
> 
> So my question is: what do you do, and why? Is this just personal preference? Is it coincidence it's the western riders who say ride on, while the English riders say go to groundwork?


In all my years of riding, I have *never* gotten off a horse to correct them for bucking. In my opinion, I do not want the horse to have any association of _bucking = rider getting off_ (even if I would be dismounting to whoop their butt).

With that said, there may occasionally be a situation where it is in the best interest and SAFETY of the rider to bail. Won't happen very often but it certainly could. In those cases, my safety is certainly more important. 

I agree that you don't necessarily just want to "ride out" the buck, but you want to make it stop. This is usually achieved by getting their nose around and disengaging the hindquarters. Note that you don't want to stop the horse's forward motion exactly, but you want to stop the bucking while still continuing to make the horse work. Let the horse know that just because they are throwing a tantrum, isn't going to allow them to stop and rest. 

I agree that if there is a pain cause to the bucking, of course that needs to be addressed and resolved immediately, as you don't want the bucking to escalate. But in the heat of the moment, that horse is _still_ going to be reprimanded for bucking -- even if they are bucking out of pain. Bucking is never okay for any reason.


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

How would one get off a bucking horse safely to do groundwork? Will the horse know the groundwork is a punishment for bucking? Wouldn't you have to stop the horse, get off, get a lunge line etc.? Where is the bucking connection?


I'll ride through the bucks but the horse won't like it.


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

The view from the other side....I do not allow bucking. Period. But, apparently, I am pretty good at stopping it before it starts, because I have never felt that I "rode through" a buck. 

If a horse FEELS like it is going to buck, I say whoa, get off, do some circles, check tack. Get to a positive place, then get back on.

ETA..Natisha, we were posting at the same time, so this was not a direct answer to your question!


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

I don't understand how one has an option. None of my horses, by their nature, have been serious buckers. But once a horse starts bucking, how does one simply "dismount"?

Or is the idea that when the horse stops bucking, you then either ride on or stop for groundwork?


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

greentree said:


> The view from the other side....I do not allow bucking. Period. But, apparently, I am pretty good at stopping it before it starts, because I have never felt that I "rode through" a buck.
> 
> If a horse FEELS like it is going to buck, I say whoa, get off, do some circles, check tack. Get to a positive place, then get back on.
> 
> ETA..Natisha, we were posting at the same time, so this was not a direct answer to your question!


:wink:

Your methods are correct for a young or untrained horse- a blank slate, so to speak, or ones who never learn bucking is an option.
When I think of a bucker I think of some spoiled brat who has learned that bucking can intimidate & get them out of working. Most of those don't give much of a warning.


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

jimmyp said:


> Maybe I am cold and heartless, but I won't allow a tack issue as an excuse to buck, my children ride these horses too. I will do my best to ride it out. I will deal with any underlying issues if there is such a thing when the horse acts like it has some sense.
> 
> Jim


I agree to an extent.

The thing is, I do expect a horse to tolerate anything I do to them. If the saddle is a little bit ill fitting, yeah I expect them to tolerate it. If something is stuck in the boot, I expect them to tolerate it.

However, those are things that are MY responsibility to prevent. It is MY job to find a saddle that fits, it is my job to be sure nothing is stuck in the saddle pad, my boots, nothing pinching in his mouth, his teeth are good, that he is as good as can be chiropractically.

And it is my job to notice the warning signs too. Horses don't just explode one day from a pain issue, and a good minded well trained one will not react explosively even to a sudden change (Something stuck in the saddle pad for instance). You'll see them toss their head, swish their tail, chomp the bit, twitch their ears, refuse to go forward, pin their ears - Even something as subtle as one side of their face being a little tighter than the other. It is my job to notice that. If it has escalated to bucking, I have done something wrong and ignored my horse.


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

bsms said:


> I don't understand how one has an option. None of my horses, by their nature, have been serious buckers. But once a horse starts bucking, how does one simply "dismount"?



Lol, BSMS, sometimes I can do a graceful dismount and sometimes I fall on my *** and have to jump back up and get after them.

I was starting a filly for a friend a few months ago, and stupid me trusted her judgment instead of putting work on the filly myself - So I get my pony rider, a big old cowboy guy on a big horse, ponying the filly. I don't like to start colts like that, but I thought, whatever - The filly seems fine. The cowboy fella was being very cautious, obviously thinking "Oh, this little girl is scared. Don't want to get her hurt."

Got on her, was rubbing her, feeling good - Asked my pony rider to take her forward.

Well that little *****, one step in just immediately exploded. I followed her for a while, then I thought, "Forget it!" and went to step off left - Well, then that filly jumped left INTO me. So I bounced off her butt, landed on my rear, and I swear to god I've never sprung up so fast. Yelled something to the account of "STOP IT!" and I swear both the cowboy and the filly froze and looked at me.

I declared very irritably that I was getting back on. Cowboy looked at me like "Holy cow, she's tougher than she looks." and I got back on the filly. She bucked again. This time I did manage just to step off, and I grabbed the rope out of the guys hands and got after her. She figured it out. I rode her that day and the next day gave her back to another guy who works at the barn who is more into that bucking thing than I am. He bucked her out for a good week afterwards. Not really how I like to start colts, I think if you start them right, they don't buck - But it wasn't my barn and I was just a guest helping so I shut my mouth and went on with my day.


I laugh so, thinking back on how ridiculous I must have looked the first time I tried to step off. Probably caught some really good hang time.


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## jimmyp (Sep 5, 2013)

SorrelHorse said:


> I agree to an extent.
> 
> The thing is, I do expect a horse to tolerate anything I do to them. If the saddle is a little bit ill fitting, yeah I expect them to tolerate it. If something is stuck in the boot, I expect them to tolerate it.
> 
> ...


I agree, my point is, this seems to have just happened. if it is pain it has been building, if its is tack it was likely an ooops. But, all warning signs aside I do not expect them to blow up.


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## oh vair oh (Mar 27, 2012)

In the spring when my horse can be a bit cheeky I like to do a bit of groundwork before I get on just as a "pre-flight check". I don't like to "longe" but I check all the transitions a couple times each direction. I think a little pre-riding groundwork helps avoid a lot of problems and gets the horse mentally and physically prepared for riding. Once I get to the point where the groundwork is good each time I stop doing it and just get on and go. 

Once I am on I generally stay on but I am a coward and I don't enjoy riding through nonsense, so my groundwork is usually very thorough to make sure of it. I have gotten off a few times when me and my horse are at a complete loss of communication and go back to square 1 on the groundwork. I have to humble myself and say, I'm not making any sense to my horse, even though I have to get off I think I can explain it clearer on the ground and be safer. I don't think anybody "wins" when you are both extremely frustrated under saddle and the rider is too proud to get off and take a moment to go back to the start. 

Generally if there is a "problem" under saddle it means I have not prepared my horse to answer the question properly. I may ride through it the first time but go back a step and see what I missed. Like for a horse bucking through a transition, I may go back to the jog transition, check my forward, check my softness, check my lateral, etc. before attempting it again. Like I said, I'm a big chicken and I'd rather be thorough than brave.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

There can also be holes, that the trainer, in this case me, left out !
I took a nice colt out on one of his first trail rides. I always carry a slicker, but in this case, had never really sacked this colt out with a slicker, afterall, no rain in the forecast!
Well, it started to really pour. Again, i took a short cut! On a horse I have never ridden with a slicker, I will get off, to put that slicker on, and would have run that slicker over him at home a few times, during training.
BUt he was 'so quiet', so I put that slicker on, or at least tried to, as I would on a broke horse. I thus drapped those reins in a bridge over his neck, used both hands to un tie that slicker,and then started to stick both arms through the sleeves.. I got one arm through, and when that slicker fell down the colt's sides, he started to buck. I got the one hand, out of the sleeve I was just starting to get it into, and got hold of the reins. Hubby told me afterwards, it looked kinda funny, as I was trying to get that second arm out, while the horse was bucking, so I could drop that slicker. The minute i succeeded in doing so, he quit bucking.
I then did the right thing, got off and put that slicker on.Of course, no punishment tot he horse in this case, just an apology for my laziness, that could have set his training back!
Rode back fine, and learned a lesson-don't skip things just because a colt is quiet!


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## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

Depending on the horse, I will get off. I had a wreck with a horse Bronco bucking. I rode the bucks out all the way across the arena before being dumped on my head. 

I find it is far safer to deal with a violent bucker on the ground. Move those feet, get the resistance out of them, remove that excess energy... put a tie on them so they can't throw their head to the ground or buck on the lunge. 

I've found it is far easier to get off when working through issues. If the horse refuses to walk through water, hop off and lead them. Make them do whatever it is they are refusing to do... if they are protesting the canter- get off and make them gallop.

It is not a reward if the horse has to work just as hard or harder. What you don't want to do is get off, go to the barn to get the lunge line, and let the horse think he's getting away with something. It needs to be immediate. 

My mare is a known bucker but hers is pain related. I know if she bucks I can ride it out. I also know not to push her. If she doesn't feel like cantering, we don't canter. Her bucks do not get me off, nor is that her intention. I spent a small fortune trying to get a diagnosis, but no luck. It feels like she kicks out with one leg at the canter so I suspect that is where the problem is. I asked about doing blocks but I think the vet I was using is scared of her.


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

IMHO if a horse is giving a few bucks, not too serious, it is not enough to ride it out, this horse needs to know that this type of behaviour is absolutely not appropriate. I would ride it out but the horse would get a good correction and know enough not to do it again.
Dismounting (voluntary) from a seriously bucking horse is usually not an option so the only thing left to do is ride it out if possible.

A little story about a nice mare that started with a few crow hops. An older lady had taken riding lesson for a few years and wanted to get her own horse and she bought a lovely young paint mare, my advice to her was to get and older well broke horse but this is what she bought.
After a few months the mare started crow hopping and she hired a young lady at the stable to work with her. I went over to see the mare ridden and she did crow hop a few times, the rider just sat it out and continued riding, my thought was this horse needs correction to know that this is not the way to behave but it didn't happen. A better rider had no problem sitting it out but this was not solving the situation.
In the end the horse was sold (at a big loss) because the bucking escalated some and the owner was afraid to ride her. This could have been stopped if the horse had been corrected the first couple of time she tried it.

Some other posts on how to handle this problem are good ones.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

As others have suggested, it depends on the situation.
But I think most situations warrant staying on, riding through, and disciplining.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

The only time Cowboy bucked - and a 13.0 hand pony can't buck very hard - it was because the saddle had slid onto his shoulder, which probably hurt like the dickens. I didn't realize that until he had stopped bucking, and I dismounted, and realized what had happened. My fault, not his, so I figured I needed to 'eat' the bucking.

He hasn't bucked since, so I guess he didn't learn any bad lessons from it. Bandit does crow-hopping when he gets frustrated - "hopping mad" - and I just try to make his life miserable because he's been known to get hopping mad while next to cactus. But I can't imagine dealing with horses doing what y'all are discussing! It is interesting, but utterly foreign to anything I've ever done!


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Now that I'm older so know that I'll break easier I prefer not to hit the ground or be hero so if I've got a horse that's had a long break and I know that it can be a bit of a divil when that's happened I will give them a few lunge sessions to get their heads back in gear again before I get on - that isn't about racing them around to tire them out its about discipline and reminding them who's in charge
If a horse actually bucks when I'm riding then I ride them through it because you can't just jump off in the middle of a bucking session and a horse has a matter of seconds after the event to be corrected and then its forgotten why its being corrected.
When I'm riding a horse that feels 'fresh' and likely to explode I work it through a good series of exercises at walk and trot before going into canter work or heading out on to wide open acreage


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## jimmyp (Sep 5, 2013)

bsms said:


> The only time Cowboy bucked - and a 13.0 hand pony can't buck very hard -


I broke a 13hh POA mare about 2yrs ago who would buck like a bronc and over the course of a week, managed to unseat me more often than not., I mean getting up off the ground with her head down and screaming like a wild animal bucking....... we finally came to an understanding, and she has made her owners a dang fine mount, but that little girl could get it done!!!!


I think the difference in what people see for horse antics, depends heavily on what a person chooses to deal with. I enjoy taking on projects others have given up on, and I enjoy starting young colts. I do not enjoy ground work or round pen work so my horses tend to have less manners than some folks until they get right. 


Jim


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

W used to buy and sell a lot of small ponies and I can say without a doubt that I've had more falls of naughty ponies than I've ever had off big horses, they just seem to disappear from underneath you - the only consolation is that there isn't so far to fall


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

While I never want to ride a horse if I know there is a pain issue, I also know that very good minded horses that are broke, will put up with quite a bit of physical discomfort, and don't really accept a horse bucking because of the slightest discomfort, as is often seen in posts.
A good example is my husband's present trail horse. When he was green, hubby just swatting at a fly on his rump, could send him into a buck.
Now, he is very solid. About a year or so ago, we went out fall riding for a few days, Hubby is always happy to stay in camp the first day, setting up the tent and stove, ect
We went out on a Sunday, and at noon my friend came out, for a ;short; afternoon ride, not bringing her horse, but just using hubbys.
My son also came,separately bringing a horse.
The three of us set out for that short afternoon ride. Hubby is anal about anyone using his tack, or whatever, so my friend brought her own saddle. Since she had bought a full brother to hubby's horse, built the same, I thought , no problem, for a short ride esp. I gave her hubby's breast collar to use, as he seemed okay with that . In hinds sight, I did not watch her tack up, look at what cinch she was using, and failed to notice until we were on our way, that she rode without a back cinch
We decided to explore a new trail, that seemed to amke an eventual loop, that would bring us back out somewhere along that forestry road to the Panther crossing, where we were camped at.
The trail winds through thick trees, will lots of hills, but we all knew we would need to cross the Panther river again. 
As we rode, thinking we were making that correct loop, and started to hear the river, we decided that we must be on the right trail. It was getting dark by then, we crossed the river, only to realize that the road we came out on, was the one to the Ya Ha Tinda, and that we had crossed the BIG Red, and not the Panther!
Too dark to ride that trail through the woods, so we had a long, long, ride back to where we were camped.
Every once in awhile, Rubix would back up some, if we stopped. Thought maybe he had a problem with night vision, so did not worry about it
Got back to camp well after 11 at night,w here hubby was just sitting around that warm stove, sipping whiskey, wondering if he had to mount a search party in the morning!
Anyway, we just blanketed the horses in the dark and hung their hay bags.
In the morning, taking the blankets off, poor Rubix had an open cinch gall. My friend must have set that saddle too far forward, then locked it in place with that breast collar
We had to go home, as no way could Rubix be ridden . All hubby said to me friend, 'you are lucky that you were not riding Rubix a few years ago, because he would have bucked you off'
Another lesson learned-don't , check equipement yourself, regardless of who is riding one of your horses.


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## Herdof2 (Nov 24, 2012)

This is why I love this site , so many good stories and great opinions...

I'm on the same page as everybody here. I do enjoy groundwork and know it's important, at least to my horse. I know she wasn't in pain, we are double and triple-checkers of everything before we warm up, then again after we warm up (the US Pony club way is forever drilled into me) and I checked again after in case something moved. I think she was just feeling feisty and her age, which is only 6. I DONT want her figuring out that bucking can result in us getting off her back, she has only crow hopped a few times ever and that was when a trainer was working on loping for the first time (bought her when she was 10 mos) . Her bucking is normally a pasture behavior- And that's where I plan to keep it. I learned last year I take too long to heal now that I've ticked past 40.

Oh, I never tried what the trainer said so I never considered how you'd get off a bucking horse safely. ha. All I know is all the riders at the rodeo tell me they don't get hurt while their on the horse, it's once they come off!

And a few people mentioned ponies, she's a short 14 hh but she's a fierce little thing, so I hear ya.

Thanks everyone, if you were here, I'd buy ya a beer.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

tinyliny said:


> I'd also say to ride through only if you're pretty sure you can. I'm no bronc rider, so I'd be doing what I could to pull the horse up to make it stop bucking. but, I'd only get off if I thought I was in danger of coming off. in which case, I'd hand the horse off to someone who CAN ride through it.
> 
> but, I do appreciate what Gottatrot said, . . . that there is always the possibility that there is some tack malfunction. this would be more in the case of a horse who has never bucked before, but suddenly, out of the blue, starts to buck. such a situation warrants getting off and checking things out.


I agree with tack issues and what not but I would definitely treat thebucking the same BEFORE getting off.

Knew a "trainer" where one strap of the girth broke and the horse pitched a fit and threw her pretty badly. If he knew bucking wasn't ok he could have found a "nicer" way of letting her know something wasn't wrong.

Oftentimes you can tell the reason for the buck, so if it seems unusual may be worth further investigation.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Also, there is a difference between "ride through" (let the horse buck until it stops) and stopping/disciplining the bucking then moving on. I always do the latter and would only ride through sometimes tiny as an "mistake" (though only one chance for it to be a "mistake" lol). I would never advocate riding through as a training method unless you are a cowboy on a colt, in which case I'll still prefer a different technique!


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

For me I try to prevent it in the first place. If I have a cold backed horse or a colt I might gyp them on the end of rein or lead rope then ask for their nose and bump their hip out with my stirrup on both sides to break them loose before stepping on.

If something wants to hump up with me while I'm on them, depending on the situation, I'll try to talk them out of it the same way I break them loose on the ground or I'll keep their head up and push them through it. Either way, I try to keep it from happening and turn it into work and get their mind somewhere else.

Sometimes, sh!t happens and I try my best to stay on. I'm not thinking about trying to step off and do ground work. Matter of fact I got bucked down day before yesterday. I don't blame the colt it was laziness on my part, hadn't been on him in over a week, hopped on headed down the railroad tracks before I headed to the arena, was lazy and didn't take the time or effort to get his mind on me and he was fresh. Train came around the corner, I had his head bent but he blew up, pulled quite a bit of slack out of the reins, train blew its horn, I made a few good jumps and I was getting behind, decided to check out and he is bawling(that is just not a sound effect they do in movies) I came off the right side but held onto the left rein which never works. Off he goes bucking down the road along the train with my stirrups clapping together over the top of my saddle..LOL Pretty impressive. He bucked for over a half mile. 
Thank gawd he didn't bust up my snaffle rig, got him caught, got back on and away we went. All of that could of been prevented but I still worked his butt off until his eye got soft, not being mean or revengeful though. He's an extremely smart colt, probably the smartest I have ever ridden and not very forgiving. I don't want him to ever think he can buck me down and get out of being ridden. Yesterday he received his gold star


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

I started a shetland/welsh cross pony this year and let me tell you, I have come off her twice.

Neither times was because she bucked, but because she's so freakin' tiny, she can just disappear out from under me. 

One time I was riding her bareback (I didn't have a saddle small enough to start her in, so I did the first week or two without one) and all was well, until we were trotting along and very suddenly she was just gone. No spook, nothing bad, she just was out from under me. Huh, how did that happen?

I find I am much better at sticking with her now, but for a while there it was very difficult. There's no horse there to grip onto if you move the wrong way. Much more challenging than riding my normal size animals.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

I'm pretty sure ponies are the devil.
Have you guys seen the bucking ponies they use for rodeo?

Not the best video but the first one that came up in my quick search.

https://vimeo.com/91685296


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

I ride through it. 

If a horse persists in trying to buck I will take it to a really steep hill amd work it up that and down again at the canter, they soon realise that it is easier to not Buck!


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

I used to ride them through it, but now, rather not go there in the first place, so work more towards avoiding bucking in the first place, or having enough body control, to diffuse a buck, before putting a horse in a situation where they might buck
I don't wish to experiment, as to how my knee replacements would fare, on bad landing!
However, sometimes, one does not have a choice, and 's..t' still happens, as when Charlie got run into and accidentally jabbed with a spur, in a warm up ring. Happy to admit, that after three huge leaping bucks, that took us from one side to the area tot he other, I was quite happy she stopped, when I got her head checked around, and yelled, 'whoa'
In the past, I found lopping a horse around a plowed field was great for getting the idea across that bucking results in hard work.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

I agree with Smilie, not to let them get there in the first place!

I did have a TB come in for breaking. He was soon a favourite of mine because he was very intelligent, athletic and no push over! 

When I started riding him he loved it, going out on his own and never bothering about anything. He was soon three quarters fit, feeling very well and loving work. When cantering he started to buck. It wasn't a buck to unseat the rider just one of joy but it had to stop. 

I took him out and cantered him along a grass headland, he bucked most ot the half mile to the end so, I cantered him up the steep hill in plough. At the top he was breathing heavy but I turned him around and cantered him back down. Halfway along the grass track he bucked. Turned and repeated. I must have gone up that hill at least four times. The last time I got to the end of the grass without him bucking, leant forward and patted him and was rewarded with a buck! 

I put one of the lads up on him and he was dropped three times just going down the drive! When he got really fit he was fine.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

SorrelHorse said:


> I started a shetland/welsh cross pony this year and let me tell you, I have come off her twice.
> 
> Neither times was because she bucked, but because she's so freakin' tiny, she can just disappear out from under me.
> 
> ...


COMPLETELY agree!! Ponies are so much harder to ride and definitely buck harder. A 17hh may have a ton of movement but they are nowhere near as nimble. Not that I would want a horse that big to throw a fit on me lol but they are definitely not as tough as ponies and easier to ride in general!


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Foxhunter said:


> I agree with Smilie, not to let them get there in the first place!
> 
> I did have a TB come in for breaking. He was soon a favourite of mine because he was very intelligent, athletic and no push over!
> 
> ...


Sounds like a fun horse, but credit to your riding if other people were popping off left and right! lol


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Ya, I used to have a 'lad', when I first got older and my knees got bad, called my son!'
Unfortunately, they grow up and move away! He is still a great colt starter, but has his own life, job and lives some distance away. He still started a few colts or me, that were left over from when we stopped breeding, and I realized that my time for starting colts had come to an end!
I had him help me when he was 13, to start colts, and gave him his first two year old to train then. Unfortunately , buyers from Germany, picked that particular filly, and I had to be an "Indian giver' ! I did give him another one, plus several more over the years, for his help in starting the colts.
I had him ride a stallion we had, that was the type, one can apply, 'no brains home to', on his first trail ride. That was in a time I fell under the mistake of breeding to a halter stallion- Crimson War bred, and running AQHA on the mare side. The horse was very athletic,, but also 'hot'
Well, first chellege is crossing the stream out of the campground, and never having crossed water, he did a flying leap into the middle, then proceeded to buck
Next, the ride leader took us on a short cut, which was a muddy climb and steep decent. "Rambo', that stud;s well earned nickname, leaned against a tree at the top of that decent, and refused to move.When the other horses got to the bottom, and with my son applying spurs, Rambo suddenly came leaping and bucking down that slope, while I yelled, 'get off!'
I can still re call my son's reply, 'I'm committed' !
Did I mention that I did not baby my son-hey, I helped make him the rider he is today!


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

I remember being screamed at to bail off a mare that was going berserk with me - she had crashed her way out of the arena rails and then back in again. As I went past my instructor screaming "Get off!"

I just screamed back, " How.?"


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

Yogi - many better riders than me but few could ride a buck like me!


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Foxhunter said:


> I remember being screamed at to bail off a mare that was going berserk with me - she had crashed her way out of the arena rails and then back in again. As I went past my instructor screaming "Get off!"
> 
> I just screamed back, " How.?"


 Yes, that 'how, can be a problem!
Actually, the chance of being hurt, go up, with being more able to stay on! If, and when you should come off, chances are, you will be hurt more, driven into the ground more, then the rider that came off in that first buck or so!
I re -call a story from one neighbour. he bought a horse for his wife, at a sale, that appeared very quiet. The wife then informed him, after a day or so, that the horse bucked with her.
Noncence, thought the husband, and got on that horse, with his work boots, that he has just come out of the field with.
Well, that horse lit into bucking big time, and he found that his feet were stuck in the stirrups, so no option to bail. He thus had to ride her to a standstill, to get his feet out!
He then spent several days on the couch, before he could move without pain!
Found out she was a past well known rodeo bucking horse, or daughter of one-can't remember.
Must have been drugged for that sale!


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

COWCHICK77 said:


> I'm pretty sure ponies are the devil.
> Have you guys seen the bucking ponies they use for rodeo?
> 
> Not the best video but the first one that came up in my quick search.


OH my, never seen that before! That is quite the challenge, mind you some of the 'steers' they use for the junior bull riding are very nippy heifers, they look as hard to ride as the big guys, just less inclined to turn around and try and kill you when they get you off.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

Riding ponies like those in the video Jaydee put up, (without the bucking strap) taught me how to stay on top. 

A friend(?) asked me to hunt a horse she had bred. This woman was an international show jumper and I had every reason to believe her horse would be a good ride. 

Ha ha, the mare dropped me before we had reached first cover, partly because my leather broke. I took her off on her own rode her round and round a ploughed field for 30 minutes until she was totally tired. Then followed hounds - she had several goes at bucking but wasn't use to being spurred forward and cracked with my whip. 

Took her to hounds again four days later, this time I unloaded her an hours ride from the meet and rode her hard to get there, she behaved.

The owner was a great rider but her horses, all home bred from her top jumping mare, were mannerless and the mare's full brother also bucked but nothing like as hard.


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

Yes, notice how the ponies sometimes twist away and back out from underneath the rider. Or even spin. 

My little 14.2 hand mare was such an incredible bucker. I hadn't ridden horses that bucked before her, so didn't know any different. I thought all bucking was impossible to ride. Later, on big horses when they bucked with me I didn't know they were trying to buck hard. I just thought they were kicking out or doing a crow hop. Not that a big horse can't throw an incredibly big, strong buck. But if you stay on, chances are they won't have the speed or stamina to keep bucking as fast and furiously as a little pony. They also are too big to physically twist out from under your leg, and they often buck forward in a straight line. 

My mare would drop her head between her legs, and she has no shoulder. So suddenly you were sitting on the edge of a cliff. Then she'd kick her back legs over her head, so you were being thrown over the edge of that cliff with force. If you got your legs shoved out in front of you, sometimes you'd stay on enough to come up when the front end popped up again. But then she'd spin out to the left or right, sometimes switching directions. The speed of a pony is incredible too. It's like cantering on a big horse versus a little one. The tempo is very fast so there's no time to recover before getting bucked up again. 

I don't usually try to bring the head around to one side, I just pull it straight up with all my core strength. A horse cannot buck well with his head up in the air. A trainer taught me that, and it has been good advice that I've used many times over the years. Pull the head up, yell something in a tone the horses understands is bad, spank the horse on the neck and ride forward. If it's a solvable problem, that works nearly every time. If I think it's tack or back pain, that's when I hop off. 

I felt foolish one time when I was riding a horse I never rode, we came to a certain part of the trail and suddenly I had the impression she was going to buck so I pulled her head up, told her to "knock it off!" and spanked her neck. Those riding with me looked at me like, what? She never bucked. Well, the next time the horse went by that same part of the trail, she bucked her rider off! So I caught it before it happened, but it was going to happen, all right.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Well, depending on how well you can ride, yup, spur them forward, and try to keep their head up.
I prefer to be able to take the head away and disegage the hips, spurring those hips around hard
Far as big horses not being able to buck hard, twist and turn, that totally depends on the horse, and when you get piled into the ground with that force and from that height, 
I'll take a pony any time!
I thought this video was interesting far as getting off, with one cowboy landing on his feet






I'm not afraid to admit, I would not be staying on some of those bucking horses!


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

My only pony:








​ 
For the most part, if you don't want him to buck, all you have to do is get out of the arena. His years as a lesson horse were not happy ones, I'm afraid. And right now, he is kind of chubby to buck much anyways. I'm gaining weight as well, so I guess we both need to get out more! I didn't realize some ponies are more...emphatic! But Cowboy doesn't know he's a pony, so maybe that is why.

I've never had to deal with real bucking. The three horses I own now are not buckers by nature, so I doubt I'll ever have to deal with it. Although we are going in June to visit the ranch Trooper grew up on, and MAY get a chance to ride.

I say may, because they are going to be moving sheep up into the mountains when we are there, and a good way to ruin a 40 year friendship with a rancher is to get in the way when work is going on...:cheers:


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

I actually disagree with some of what has been posted--I've never had a pony ditch me. Yet. xD I find their antics (while more frequent) easier to ride through because their movements are so much more contained. Aaand they're a little more easy to 'man handle' :x


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

The little 11.2 roan welsh pony my boys all rode as did many before and after them was wonderful and totally trustworthy but he started out a bareback 'rodeo' pony in the UK with a dealer called Tom Bowdler who used to go around the County Shows with them, they had to be bareback and in a halter (not the rope type) with just a lead rope clipped too it and anyone wanting to try it had to be under a certain weight. The ponies mostly eventually just got used to being ridden and were then properly broke, schooled and sold on. Our pony's first 'real' home after his rodeo days was in a riding school.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

Zexious said:


> I actually disagree with some of what has been posted--I've never had a pony ditch me. Yet. xD I find their antics (while more frequent) easier to ride through because their movements are so much more contained. Aaand they're a little more easy to 'man handle' :x


Majority of ponies are good but if you get one that has learned how to drop a small rider then they can be little so and so's to stop. 

I bought a top show pony very cheaply because he bucked as soon as he cantered. One stride and then wham and if my niece stayed on more followed. 
I sorted him with getting on him when he bucked her off on the road, I gave him a good larupping and cantered him for about a mile up the road and up a steep hill. He couldn't get his head down because my hands were high and sitting heavy he couldn't get his back up. 

After I returned my niece got on and cantered him in the arena. He thought about bucking but one word from me and he thought again. 

For a while he was ridden in a war bridle so he couldn't get his head down and after the the stopped.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

Jaydee, I am sure you remember the grey horse Ted Edgar rode internationally, Uncle Max, he had been a bucking horse in the States or Canada.


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## ChitChatChet (Sep 9, 2013)

Foxhunter said:


> Majority of ponies are good but if you get one that has learned how to drop a small rider then they can be little so and so's to stop.
> 
> I bought a top show pony very cheaply because he bucked as soon as he cantered. One stride and then wham and if my niece stayed on more followed.
> I sorted him with getting on him when he bucked her off on the road, I gave him a good larupping and cantered him for about a mile up the road and up a steep hill. He couldn't get his head down because my hands were high and sitting heavy he couldn't get his back up.
> ...


The ponies I know, work with and use are or have been used as pony ring ponies. They don't buck but let me tell you the smart ones learned to bite. The biters no longer work in the pony ring. 

One my dd overhauled and made her riding mount. 

Another she is going to train to drive. They are great ponies but just too smart to work pony ring. We also use them for packing when we go backpacking.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Many ponies are ridden and even trained by kids, and that is part of their 'pony attitude.


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## KarinNoah (Feb 4, 2016)

Every time I work with a horse, even before I get up the saddle, First of all I see if that isn't dengerus in the area like sharp stone in the sand, rusty horseshoe with nails, pieace of glass, or anything that can make the horse uncomptrable in the middle of the work that can put ME in deangerus. then i go to the longe - In the longe I pay attention to every slight of veird behavior, If the horse is in a bad mood, if one of the hoofs not landing right and he may be lame, if the head moving in a way that indicative of pain, (shaking too much or moving off the normal pattern) 
and regardless, 3-4 rounds of counter to help him spend all that energy detained in him when he's in the cell doing NOTHING. 
So I can get up the saddle and know that the horse is not in pain, there is noting there to risk the ride, and I can only focus in the horse beavhior. 
if he still bucking or rearing out of the blue, maybe I should think what I did wrong, maybe I ask too much for the first time, maybe something about the bridle sit wrong, maybe I pull the rains too hard (yet I will not reward this behavior and I do not ignore it) and if I don't see somthing wrong - 
it's only the horse fault, so I should fix the problem using the reins. But it's only if I can make myself 99% sure that there is nothing else that can indicate of another problem (pain, uncomfortable, etc.).


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## ChitChatChet (Sep 9, 2013)

Zexious said:


> I actually disagree with some of what has been posted--I've never had a pony ditch me. Yet. xD I find their antics (while more frequent) easier to ride through because their movements are so much more contained. Aaand they're a little more easy to 'man handle' :x


Those little ponies move so fast that its almost impossible at times to read them before they react.

My face is proof of that. I have only come off 4 times in 24 years of riding. The last time I was up in air after before I realized what was going on. Riding a little Dales pony that I have ridden a number of miles on in the past. Everything was going good, all calm and peaceful and the next minute I was picking dirt out of my nose. No warning, and lightening fast. I think a bee must have stung him to elicit such a response.

I went back to riding my own small horse that I know I can read. He does buck but I know what his signs are and what causes him to do so. I also sprayed him down heavily with bug repellent. LOL


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## Rob55 (Mar 6, 2014)

Yogiwick said:


> So horse bucks and you discipline and move on or horse bucks and you get off... Which of those seems better to you?
> 
> Yes if you are in danger do get off, safety first, but pushing though and disciplining (from the saddle) is correct. Otherwise you are rewarding the horse (getting off) and not fixing the issue in the first place.
> 
> It's not an English/Western thing, it's proper horsemanship.


I believe this is the proper attitude. Except for the correct in the saddle. Rule 1 for me is only get off a moving horse if it is falling on you. A still and steady horse when I dismount is safer for me and a consistent standard for the horse. If a horse moves when I dismount, I get right back on. We are always training. Right or wrong we are always training. I follow an endurance rider who taught me a new concept, the happy buck. We smile when we turn out a fresh horse in a large pasture and it takes off at a full gallop throwing in a couple of bucks and hops. There is something about a fresh gallop and a buck that go together. A couple of bucks early in a ride during a transition up never bothered me if the horse was moving in the direction intended, and ended up in the gait requested. I never ride to correct it until a dressage instructor told me I was wrong and the horse was misbehaving. Then I just quit laughing and enjoying it when the horse bucked. Since the introduction of the happy buck concept I've gone back to my old ways. Oh and a buck or two will not drop your score at lower levels in the arena badly as long as the horse ends up going in the right direction at the right gait and tempo. A properly warmed up , tired, horse even a young one seldom bucks during a transition. Now real disagreements in direction or gait that result in the horse seriously trying to unseat the rider are a different story, but the rider and horse both benefit from the rider remaining calm and confident while doing what ever is needed to get the horse in a better place and dismount a still steady horse. Respect and leadership are taught on the ground. Riding to correct misbehavior is just riding calmly and confidently. What else does one do to "correct the behavior?" I believe beating or kicking a bucking horse is counter productive. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

"I believe this is the proper attitude. Except for the correct in the saddle. Rule 1 for me is only get off a moving horse if it is falling on you. A still and steady horse when I dismount is safer for me and a consistent standard for the horse."

Not quite sure what the second sentence means lol. While I do agree with the general concept, in the situation of a horse being truly unsafe to ride it's rarely a situation where the horse will be cooperating to stop and let you get off, so you'll just stay on despite being in danger? Emergency dismounts definitely have their place, and it's called emergency for a reason!


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