# He bucks when mounted!!



## JessicaGDA (Dec 21, 2009)

JessicaGDA said:


> Okay, so I'm having a slight problem and need some advice!
> 
> I'm working with an APHA gelding who hasn't been ridden in 1 year.
> 
> ...



Oh, I forgot to say that when I got off of him, his owner was holding the lead rope, and he reared up and pulled the rope out of her hands, but when he got away he cantered off and acted like he did something that was good... if he could, he would had been smirking.


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## White Foot (Jun 4, 2009)

Well, you just got on a horse that hasn't been ridden in a year? for that you deserve a good buck. As far as I'm concerned you should just start like he's a horse that has never been ridden.


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## PechosGoldenChance (Aug 23, 2009)

I've ridden horses before that have gone a year or more without a rider and none of them has ever bucked. This makes me think, he might not have been well trained from the beginning, or it could be a medical issue. Or, he just needs to find his balance again, but the bucking is totally uncalled for, in my book.

I would just start him from the beginning, as if he has never even had a rider on him, since that's the way he is acting. Lots of ground work with and without a saddle. I'd even have another person out there with me to lunge him around with me on their back...after lots of ground work. Before I get on though, I'd put some weight on him such as sand bags or something like that to put over the saddle and let them hang on either side of him, and work him like that before I'd get on, just to get him used to some weight and find his balance that way too. Tie the things down though, so they're not hitting him or so it doesn't fly off if he decides to buck. Good Luck, and stay SAFE!!!!


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## Curly_Horse_CMT (Jun 8, 2008)

Has his saddle fit been checked? Any back or teeth problems? If all of that checks out, I would start him from the ground again. A refresher may be what he needs to get back on track, along with consistancy. Good luck =)
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## JessicaGDA (Dec 21, 2009)

That's the thing y'all, his owner told me that he was still fine to ride and he was okay medically. That's why I thought he was fine to ride, and when I untacked him, he was galloping out in the field bucking, kicking and playing with his pasture buddy.


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## barrelracer892 (Apr 3, 2010)

Maybe try free lunging him in the round pen before you ride him would help to get some energy out.


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## PonderosaMiniatures (Oct 2, 2009)

Back to basic's, ground work and respect, Im a huge fan of the round pen., or smaller area....get his eyes.....work him so riding is a pleasure...He will soon figure out, that being ridden is easier than working....


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I have to agree that starting from the beginning is where I would start. After you have done all the basics and you think he is properly prepared for a rider, get on. If he starts to buck, then take one rein and keep his nose to the side. He will still be able to buck a little bit but being bent will take away all of his power. You can look up videos on youtube, one of them is titled "one rein stop for the bucking horse" or something like that. It is an invaluable tool to have and utilize.


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## koomy56 (Jan 19, 2008)

It's called being "coldbacked". It came from the idea that a horse bucks because you get on him when his back is "cold", or hasn't warmed up. One of my horses is coldbacked. His case was that in his first trainings the saddle probably didn't fit, and he was mounted before his back relaxed and before he was mentally okay with the idea, which stemmed the behavior of feeling the need to buck when mounted. 
Its most important that your saddle fits. It will only worsen if it doesn't. All I have to do with my guy is long-line or lunge him for a few minutes before mounting to give his muscles a chance to warm up. It's also important to not lunge in a way where he is bucking and carrying on. The goal for the lunging should not be to "get the energy/bucks out", but more to relax him. So only do as much as possible without raising the energy level, otherwise it's counter productive. Get him to walk and trot and possibly canter with his head lowered and an increasing sense that he is getting more and more relaxed. 
A useful thing I have done with my guy is to gently take the stirrup and push down on it, like it would feel if you were putting your weight into the stirrup to get on. If he gets tight, or reacts, or moves around, only release once he makes an effort to stabilize himself and stand with the pressure. Once you can do that from both sides, and he is okay with you putting pressure on both stirrups that's a better place to get on from. Make sense? 
Another thing you can do is put him out on a circle around you and take hold of his stirrup. As he is walking, gradually pull it towards you and hold. You want to get the feeling that you can gently pull his ribcage towards you by pulling on the stirrup to help him cope with the different pressures on his back muscles. When you release the stirrup, do it gradually and don't let it bang him. Just keep pulling and releasing until he can walk freely and get pulled out of balance and be okay with it. Do this both directions. If you have a lot of issues with these simple exercises then you probably shouldn't be riding him due to the holes in the training.
The action of mounting can be hard on their backs, so always use a mounting block.


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## SilverSpur (Mar 25, 2010)

JessicaGDA said:


> That's the thing y'all, his owner told me that he was still fine to ride and he was okay medically. That's why I thought he was fine to ride, and when I untacked him, he was galloping out in the field bucking, kicking and playing with his pasture buddy.



yes but that was a year ago when they rode him, did you actually get a vet check?

eliminate pain first! then start from the ground up with this horse and bring him back into work slowly.

to get on a horse you dont know and that hasnt been ridden in a year is a massive ask for the horse and im not surprised by his reaction.


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## Icyred (Mar 31, 2009)

If all else fails, hobble train him and ground drive. Once you can successfully ground drive the horse and do pretty much everything you plan on asking him in the saddle, then you can ride him. The first time you get on though you double hobble him, then he can't do anything. Make sure you work with hobble training before that time though.


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## rush60 (Aug 21, 2010)

I have had a similar situation and the problem was chiropractic. After two sessions and following Dr. E's advice on work the horse have been fine. A lot of bucking is the horses attempt to fix himself somewhere.


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