# My Worst Rodeo Ever (Believe it or not; long story short)



## BluMagic (Sep 23, 2007)

Yesterday I went to our annual rodeo. It was the youth day. I was riding Blu double with my friend and he was doing fantastic. Nice and calm with all the other horses around. I was happy.

Well, later in the day he started acting up. Throwing his head, prancing around, etc. A friend from out of town kept asking to ride him and I repeatedly said no. He got on Boo anyways. i told him to stay close to me because Blu was being unpredictable. He didn't. I was standing on the racetrack with my other friends. He rode Blu into the track on the outside of the arena. (arena is inside track) 

After awhile, I got paranoid and went to find Blu and my friend, AJ. Out of nowhere Blu takes off with AJ. AJ isn't a rider so he didn't know what to do....even though i told him a million times!!!!! Blu ran at least a quarter mile and went into the street. AJ managed to stop him and get off. I rode Blu back to the track and he took off on me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :evil: 

He would not stop for anything. Thats when I got desperate and started pulling his head to the side for a one rein stop. Nothing. He would almost rear up and do a 180 turn the other way so I was doing some crazy serpentine. He was out of control. He stopped when he hit the track fence, a thick bar to his chest. I almost flew over him. 

I decided to walk him home. My friend I came with wanted to stay. She said I would be fine. On the way home Blu continued to get aggitated. Throwing his head, prancing, crowhopping. So I got off. Then he was walking on me and nipping me. 

I was so frusterated it brought me to tears. This is by far the WORST Boo has ever acted. I'm not sure what to do. Matt, guy who is helping me, suggested I switch to a dog bone snaffle time with short shanks. I told him I can't count how many bits I've tried but we'll see. 

Mom is afraid I am going to get hurt more than emotionally. I'm going to ride at the rodeo again today. Pray for us.....

i


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## americancowgurl31391 (Jul 9, 2007)

aww im so sorry to hear that. Just dont let anyone get on him tomorrow. Your friend should've listened to you. You know Blu best. Better Luck tomorrow!! Keep us updated!!


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## BluMagic (Sep 23, 2007)

I meant to post this yesterday. So tomorrow is today. lol. I'm sorry.

This all makes me look like an EXTREMELY horrible rider. It hurt so bad when my Gram told me that Blu might not be completely controlable.


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## americancowgurl31391 (Jul 9, 2007)

Dont worry. It doesnt matter what she says. Its you and blu. Thats weird though how he just did this all of a sudden. When is your rodeo today? And no your not a bad rider!! Stuff happens, we all have our bad days. Good Luck!! Think Positive!!


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

You're not a bad rider- Blu is just hard to control...he sounds like he was being a handful! :evil: I know how that can get.
It is odd that like, all of a sudden he acted like that, I have to agree...hmm.


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## mlkarel2010 (Jan 27, 2008)

Aww (((hugs)))

Try working with him one more time and if he's still bad then it would be time to make a decision.


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## Mercury (Nov 25, 2006)

I'm new here so I don't really know your history, but did you check all of his tack and make sure there wasn't anything under his blanket, or a rub or something that could be hurting him? If this is unusual behavior, I might have a vet come out and check him out if it continues.


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## Small_Town_Girl (Feb 15, 2008)

*Hugs* I'm glad you're okay!  

We've all had our bad experiences riding, trust me.... 
bad experiences scare us and even can embarass us in
front of other people (Oh boy, have I been embarassed  ).
But it is just something we learn from and understand 
things like that just happen sometimes... :wink:

I admire you for being brave and going back out to the
rodeo with Blu to try again! Let us know how it goes! 8)


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

A common mistake that is made by most riders is to overbit your horse when he start acting up. The fact that a new rider was on him might have been the issue. What the fellow on his mouth during that time he was on?

You would be surprised to see how severe even the simple snaffles can be. See if maybe you can get your hands on the following book. It will give you a totally new perspective as to how you see your horse.
http://www.rods.com/p/1309,92_A-Whole-Bit-Better.html

If he's behavior was really unusual compared to how he normally is, it would tell me something was going on. Something changed that afternoon.
He might have suddenly been sore somewhere, he might have been in pain. His agitation, and taking off might have been him trying to tell you something was up. Even his behavior with you later that day.

Horses are naturally not mean. If there is a sudden behavior change, that means there was a sudden change on his end of things.

How is he now? getting a vet to come out to check him out might be a good idea, re-assessing his tack. A different or stronger bit is not what he needs. Something else is going on.


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

I agree with M2G. I'd get a vet out...if Blu isn't usually anything like that there possibly is something wrong with him.
Don't overbit the horse....it won't fix the problem at all, and could make him hard mouthed...which u don't want. 

I'm glad you are alright and didn't get hurt. I'd definately be frightened to tears.
Bad days happen to all riders, and we get scared out of our pants...it's only natural. Even the most well-mannered horse will bolt, or rear, or whatever...why? because they are animals and sometimes that's their way of telling us something is wrong with them. It's our job as their owners to figure out what that rear meant or waht that buck meant.


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## BluMagic (Sep 23, 2007)

I REALLY REALLY appreciate everyone's replies. 

I rode again today with my friend. Blu consistantly ignored my asking so I had to command what I wanted at times. He was being high-headed and "spazzing" on the ride back home. He was just excited I guess. But that gives him no reason not to let me get on.

I really don't think its a tack issue. My uncled tried to say its his grain but I know for a fact its not. I'm just so hurt and frustrated.


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

is there a specific reason as to why he is on grain? Tho it doesn't sound to me like that would be it, decreasing the grain he is getting might be a good idea while you try to figure out what's going on


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## BluMagic (Sep 23, 2007)

He's on Ultium Perfomance to keep his weight up and to help his body be in good condition. My mom feeds him in the mornings when she goes to work but doesn't grain him. I am the only one that grains him. So he normally only gets grain every evening. 

I am considering getting the vet out to check his teeth. I don't think thats the problem but it won't hurt to get him a good check up.


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## kickshaw (May 7, 2008)

i have one of those that can get really hot; i switched to a high fat grain that supplied energy through beet pulp instead of corn and oats...it helped tremendously...gave "cool energy" - - Rice bran is also good for that  Just a thought


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## BluMagic (Sep 23, 2007)

I've been wanting to try rice bran but we can't find any! :x


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## kickshaw (May 7, 2008)

i don't know if you have a TSC in your area, but they carry max-e-glo, which is a rice bran supplement - - you could back off the ultium and add the maxeglo to his grain. (also think they carry plain rice bran... I know they carry beet pulp)


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## BluMagic (Sep 23, 2007)

I don't understand how he could be perfect weight. Then I ride him for two days, hardly any work. And he loses weight. Its not alot but his ribs are barely visible now.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

BluMagic said:


> I meant to post this yesterday. So tomorrow is today. lol. I'm sorry.
> 
> This all makes me look like an EXTREMELY horrible rider. It hurt so bad when my Gram told me that Blu might not be completely controlable.


No. Horses are unpredictable animals. Even the best ones act up on occasion. It could have been any number of things that got him so up, weather, excitement, bad mood, pain... anything. 

I'm sure you looked pretty impressive as a rider staying on through all of that. I'm sorry about your terrible day. I hope he gives you a chance to redeem yoruself!


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## BluMagic (Sep 23, 2007)

That does make me feel better. He bucked and I stayed on without holding the horn or anything.  Thank you.


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## xEquestrianx (Aug 30, 2009)

Exactly. We all have bad days, so do our horses. Good luck to both of you! And nice job riding the bucks. Cheyenne (my mare in the avitar) used to have a really bad bucking problem and is the reason I have a seat now...lol. So it actually benefits you in a way. But you handled it all well. good job.


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

I agree...I don't think it's just "he's totally uncontrollable"...

I think your friend was a direct cause of the incident, and shame on him for not listening to you in the first place. However, that is past and now you have to deal with the 'aftermath'. 

When he get's 'uncontrollable' have you ever just pushed him into a run (which it sounds like he might just want to do) and made him run until he is 'begging' you to stop? 

I had a friend a few years back who had a mare who was like Blu; she was uncontrollable, especially if you put her into a trot and then a lope. Once she was loping, it was all over...you better just be prepared to hang on, until she wanted to settle down. So one night, when I wound up riding her, I asked for a trot, but she right away went into a canter; and rather than try to stop, or slow her down, I grabbed one rein, and pulled her into a circle. Eventually I was able to switch directions, but I waited until she was getting a bit tired, to ask for the change of directions. And I just kept her going till a little beyond the point where she was begging me to let her stop. She would try to trot, but I would push her right back into a canter. Finally, when I straightened her out, and asked for a stop, she stopped very willingly; and I asked for that trot again, and she gave it willingly without trying to run out on me. Might be something you could try with him.


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## roro (Aug 14, 2009)

Ugh, I know how you feel. I fell off my horse after he bucked 5 times today (my saddle was stabbing into my spine when he bucked and it hurt so much I decided just to fall off!) because of a thunderstorm. This was during a clinic, 3 other riders were there and at least 7 people watching. I feel like a total idiot who can't ride. Anyways what I would do is try lunging your horse and see how he is on the lunge line, it sounds like he just has some pent up energy and lunging would help get that out.


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## Laralee (Sep 7, 2009)

Ah, rodeos... Why is the most dangerous stuff always the most fun? I have friends that are the same way, always wanting to jump on my horses even though they don't know a dang thing about em. Take care and make sure your friends get some education in equestrianism before they hurt themselves.

As for your horse acting up, a lot of horses know when they have an inexperienced rider on their backs and will take advantage of it. Explain that to people before they get on. If needed, make them watch some youtube videos of riding gone wrong. Lol that'll scare them into listening!


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

How's Blu doing now?


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## SecretHavenFarm (Aug 13, 2009)

your not a terrible rider. I dont know how many times Cowboy pulled stuff like that the first year I owned him. I would just ride him home crying I would get so frustrated. Then we learned to understand each other and he is the best horse I could have asked for. 

How long have you owned Blu? Maybe you guys just havent figured each other yet?


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