# Regaining confidence after horse roles with rider



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

When you've had some time not riding him, it's best that you do ground work before getting on, so that you know that he IS listening to you and obeying you.

I'm thinking that you may need to carry a whip, or have long rein ends, so that if he starts sniffing and kicking him forward won't work, you nail him hard and fast with the whip or the rein ends.
I am not big into whipping horses, but that's kind of an emergency, so you need to make a big impression, fast!


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## PaliPoncho500 (Jul 20, 2017)

Thanks for the reply tinyliny! I always do ground work before riding or he will buck! He was abused at his previous home and is terrified of whips. But I do have pretty long reins and will try that!


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## redbarron1010 (Mar 11, 2017)

That is a very scary experience. If he is afraid of whips/crops, just carry a small crop and if he starts to sniff, tap his shoulder or wave it and give him leg. But is it also possible for him not to get his head down? I wouldn't give him quite so much freedom in the reins. he needs to be "on the job", no sniffing allowed.


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## pearlhope (Jul 21, 2017)

Not really answering your question but could you get the safety stirrups that have the bands that will break if your foot gets stuck so you won't get trapped? And although it won't stop him doing it again you won't have to worry about getting stuck if he does do it?

My pony has done the same before but I was just sitting on her tackless in the field after a long ride and I can't blame her because she always rolls after long rides and so she walked up the field tackless and decided to lie down with me on her and roll but she was very gentle about it and didn't start rolling straight away when she lay down, she let me step off to the side first ? This isn't very helpful advice either but my Shetland loves belly scratches when she rolls and it makes her fall asleep and she completely stops rolling and now whenever I see her rolling I run over and scratch her belly because it's so cute and she falls asleep with her head in my lap ?She's kicked me a few times because I've got in the way of her legs but she has tiny little legs that don't hurt but I can imagine with a big horse they'd be a lot more scary! but if he does it again and you get stuck it's worth a try scratching his belly incase it makes him stop rolling for a few seconds while you have time to get out???


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## george the mule (Dec 7, 2014)

Hi Pali!

One, don't let your boy roll if you're on his back; make him pick up his nose and move. I don't generally carry a crop, but I have been known to break off a switch in times of need  And two, if you feel a roll is inevitable, bail off and get out of the way as a priority.

My big TB Oily loves to roll in the sand, and sandy spots in the trail are just _so_ tempting . . . I have actually made him move past a "sandbox", then dismounted, pulled his saddle, and led him back for a satisfying roll. George likes to roll maybe even more, and he generally takes advantage of a lunch break on the trail to do so. It's the little things . . .

I also let my boys get a roll if they want (and they usually want) after a long ride, as soon as I pull their saddle off. Lots of places, I simply turn 'em loose while I get the truck ready to go.

Steve

fotos: Oily at Dawson Butte, George at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. "It jus' don' _get_ no better . . ." :-D


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## mmshiro (May 3, 2017)

george the mule said:


> fotos: Oily at Dawson Butte, George at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. "It jus' don' _get_ no better . . ." :-D


Holy smoke! As far as I know, there aren't many horses flexible enough to sit like a dog with outstretched forelegs!


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## elkdog (Nov 28, 2016)

The next time he rolls, jump on his head and hold him down. Like a predator would do. Pinch his nose shut if you have to. Make him work for air. It'll be the last time he does it! Make the wrong thing hard or even scary for him. Throw a towel over his head so he can't see. I despise the use of whips! They should only be used for cat toys and on riders.
Scratching his belly is just flat dangerous in every way imaginable.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

I'd desensitize him to whips - part of him building up trust in you. The whip isn't the scary thing its the person holding it that's going to misuse it that's scary
A short crop/bat is all you need. You have to keep him on a short enough rein to have his focus on you all the time and the moment his legs feel as if they're buckling ready to go down you give him a good crack with it
I'm no fan of using whips for the sake of it but when its to prevent dangerous behavior like rolling on a rider than the ends justify the means.
Dangerous horses end up on someone's dinner plate.


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## pearlhope (Jul 21, 2017)

It would be dangerous to scratch his belly normally but if you're stuck in the stirrup and in danger of being crushed it's worth a try, you wouldn't be able to get to his head to jump on it and that sounds nasty!


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

I rode with a girl whose horse had learned to lay down with a rider on to get out of work. Her Dad put horse show nails in pieces of leather and tied them to her front legs (this was 30 yrs ago) and when Montana laid down she would poke herself.

I know this sounds terrible but the horse learned very quickly that she could not lay down when she had those on.

Sounds like this horse had learned a sure trick to get his rider off.


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## sarahfromsc (Sep 22, 2013)

mmshiro said:


> Holy smoke! As far as I know, there aren't many horses flexible enough to sit like a dog with outstretched forelegs!


You would be surprised what a pony that is stiff as a board and not the most athletic of equines can do when the have an itchy spot on its belly.

Kinda embarrassing when he scratches his belly in the front pasture because it looks as if he is getting friendly with the ground.


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

Your horse sounds like he has very little respect for you if he won't respond to kicks and pulling to get his head up and he bucks, too. Work on teaching him to move his feet when you ask, and that means MOVE not think about it and maybe move. Unless he's colicking, a horse trying to roll under saddle is pretty darn high on the disrespect ladder. You can't do anything about his abused past. You CAN work on getting him supple, responsive, and safe. Look into the groundwork videos of Chris Cox, Buck Brannaman, Clinton Anderson, Stacy Westfall, etc. Get him respectful and responsive on the ground before you ride him again.

Rather than a crop, I'd tie about a 4' length of rope (yacht line, lariat rope, etc.) on the horn/pommel of your saddle so you can over/under him if he tries this again. Do it hard enough and he WILL move his feet and not roll with you. He needs to learn that this is not acceptable in any way, shape, or form.


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## PaliPoncho500 (Jul 20, 2017)

Hi, sorry for the delayed response! Thank you all so much for the replies, they have helped a lot. I rode him in my lesson on monday. He did attempt to role but I tapped him with my reins and he kept walking. I hung a whip in his pen for him to get used to on his own terms, so he is ok with it now. I will carry that when i ride him in the arena that he roles in. I have way too long reins, but they are great for tapping him with if needed. Once again thanks for the replies and suggestions!


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