# One Word: Bucking.



## My Morgan Genevieve (Jun 16, 2011)

Whew.. okay. My horse totally had three bucking fits last night. The last one she threw me off, but I landed on my feet, (thank God). lol She is a Morab and can get pretty temperamental. I've been around horses all my life, but this is the first time I have had a young one, I'm thinking she's around 6. Any suggestions as to cure bucking? I already have hobbled her and still made her lunge in a circle and done different exercises with her. But for when I'm on her back, what would you do?


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## LadyNeigh (Jul 16, 2011)

When she starts bucking, pull her head up from her knees as high as you can get it. Sit right back, push your heals forward and when she stops, set her off at a trot and do a few circles with her. Its hard to buck at a trot. have her back, tack and teeth checked as these may be causing pain leading to bucking.
Don't get angry with her (e.g shouting at her, slapping her etc)


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## My Morgan Genevieve (Jun 16, 2011)

Okay thanks! She is actually quite talented. She was bucking in a trot. And she managed to buck while being hobbled too. I didn't hit her or shout or anything until she threw me. There was a storm yesterday so maybe that threw her off too.


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

You may want to investigate the cause of her bucking (i.e. tack fit). Is this bucking something that is new for her? How long have you had her?

Just a couple of queries:



My Morgan Genevieve said:


> I already have hobbled her and still made her lunge in a circle and done different exercises with her.


Did you lunge her _while_ she was hobbled?




My Morgan Genevieve said:


> And she managed to buck while being hobbled too. I didn't hit her or shout or anything until she threw me.


Were you _riding_ her hobbled?


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## My Morgan Genevieve (Jun 16, 2011)

This came out of her for the first time while I was on her back yesterday. I've only had her for three months, so i think some of her ugly side is coming out.  She was a rescue horse, so I have no clue what they did to her either. =/ It's rather sad. 

Lol, i did make her run while hobbled, but only for a few minutes. No, I was not on her back while she was hobbled.


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## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

You could, um, break her legs by making her move hobbled. The point of hobbling is to teach a horse to stand still.

I think you need to call in an outside trainer to assess. This sounds to be beyond your experience level. I also very much question a pain response if the bucking has just started up suddenly.


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## Jumpehunter (Jul 29, 2011)

It may have been the storm if you say she doesn't really do it much. My one horse Stetson is a nice sweet and gentle horse but when there is a storm in the area he can go crazy. He's almost thrown me off when we were riding outside before a storm hit. He gets super sensitive to everything and spooks and almost everything. And he normally is an almost bomb proof horse


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

My Morgan Genevieve said:


> This came out of her for the first time while I was on her back yesterday. I've only had her for three months, so i think some of her ugly side is coming out.  She was a rescue horse, so I have no clue what they did to her either. =/ It's rather sad.
> 
> Lol, i did make her run while hobbled, but only for a few minutes. No, I was not on her back while she was hobbled.


Being a rescue does not equate to bucking so I wouldn't even factor that thought into the bucking issue.

If you have been around horses all your life why on earth did you lunge her while she was hobbled? That's incredibly dangerous and completely contradictory.


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## My Morgan Genevieve (Jun 16, 2011)

@Jumpehunter. That's how Gene is too! She is usually SO diligent and willing to learn, and oh so gentle. But yesterday, 'I' even felt that she was off. 

@Bubu13.


> I think you need to call in an outside trainer to assess. This sounds to be beyond your experience level. I also very much question a pain response if the bucking has just started up suddenly.


__________________

She is not passed my experience level, sorry.


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## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

My Morgan Genevieve said:


> She is not passed my experience level, sorry.


Then why are you asking for help on a forum? And why do you not already know how to stop bucking (hint: it's not with hobbles)? And why are you jeopardizing your horse's tendons/ligaments/bones/welfare?


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## My Morgan Genevieve (Jun 16, 2011)

The only reason i did was because she is pretty hot sometimes and she was not listening to me. She was turning and kicking out at me, i was only lunging her. She's fine when she's doing what she wants, but when it comes to me asking her to do something, she acts out.


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## My Morgan Genevieve (Jun 16, 2011)

I'm not asking for someone to TELL me. lol. I was simply looking for suggestions.


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## My Morgan Genevieve (Jun 16, 2011)

@Buba13. And I'm not trying to stop her bucking with hobbles, that's silly. That was a totally different circumstance.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

bubba13 said:


> I think you need to call in an outside trainer to assess. This sounds to be beyond your experience level. I also very much question a pain response if the bucking has just started up suddenly.


Ding ding ding.
We have a winner.

The more the OP posts the more this answer is truly the only correct one.


*AB knocks around the troll theory.


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

My Morgan Genevieve said:


> I'm not asking for someone to TELL me. lol. I was simply looking for suggestions.



Asking for suggestions does involve TELLING you something.

Working a youngster is not the same as working an older horse.

Since you don't know her background you should start from scratch and treat this horse as if it never had a rider or handled before and take it one step at a time.

If you are in a hurry then get a professional that can "do it" in one of those 30 day turnaround promise programs.:wink:


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

Alwaysbehind said:


> *AB knocks around the troll theory.


I second this and would love to know exactly where you got your hands on a Morab??


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## LadyNeigh (Jul 16, 2011)

Right please people stop bugging him/her with the hobble danger!!
As a rescue pony you must NEVER please never hobble her (no pony should ever be hobbled anyway)
she will be in pain. get her checked out as soon as possible


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## lacyloo (Jul 1, 2008)

Sounds like you missed the signs of a pain issue and she finally had enough. Horses just don't decide one day to have outbursts. Either you were pushing her beyond her level of training (aka- confusing) or she was in pain.


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

My Morgan Genevieve: I think you need to swallow your pride, grow up, and take the advice of the very knowledgable and very correct members on this forum. 

SaraHVR, Bubbu13, and Spyder all hit the nail on the head. I suggest you re-read their advice and take it.


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## reiningfan (Jan 7, 2008)

LadyNeigh said:


> Right please people stop bugging him/her with the hobble danger!!
> As a rescue pony you must NEVER please never hobble her (no pony should ever be hobbled anyway)
> she will be in pain. get her checked out as soon as possible


I'm wondering why a rescue horse, or any horse for that matter, should not be hobbled. It is a terribly useful thing to teach a horse, if done properly. Also does not cause pain if taught and done properly.

As for the bucking thing. As has already been addressed, if this is a recent thing, tack fit and pain issues would be the first thing to look into. If the horse just doesn't behave when she wants to do things you want her to that she doesn't like, that's a lack of respect. Separate issue from a possible pain issue though. The lack of respect should be dealt with before it gets worse.


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## MsBHavin (Nov 29, 2010)

I really cannot understand why anyone would Hobble a horse and then lunge it!


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## reiningfan (Jan 7, 2008)

MsBHavin, I have decided that there is no understanding why some people do things. If I tried, I think I would need to buy stock in the company that makes Advil.


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## MsBHavin (Nov 29, 2010)

reiningfan said:


> MsBHavin, I have decided that there is no understanding why some people do things. If I tried, I think I would need to buy stock in the company that makes Advil.


I think we ought to hobble them and chase them around for a bit. Maybe they'd get the idea it hurts to run when your legs are confined!


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## reiningfan (Jan 7, 2008)

As fun as that would be, you can't fix stupid.

My Morgan Genevieve, what method did you use to teach your horse to accept hobbles? I disagree with trying to make a horse move in hobbles due to it being totally contradictory to it's purpose, regardless of the issue you are trying to fix. 
I hobble train mine, but it takes several sessions and a horse that is accepting of things around it's legs and losing control of where they are put.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Actually, part of training a horse to hobbles would be asking it to move, letting it feel what the hobbles feel like and how to move in the way that works. Hobbles are designed to allow slow, careful movement, and if you are training the horse to hobbles, you might want to have them try moving in a controlled environment first, so that if they panick you can assist them to calm down and keep from hurting themselves. If they are never moved in hobbles, and they try it for the first time on their own and freak, that is not the time to feel out the boundaries of what hobbles are. I am not saying lunge them but ask them to move a little, or make a small commossion so that they move on their own, and they learn how much they can move and how to do it.

OP, if your horse is well behaved only when doing things that she wants to, then you will need to open her horizons some , too. Most horses don't want to work, or lunge or do dressage or whatever, until we convince them that doing these things is actually easier for them than not doing them. That means that if your horse is nasty about it, you have to knock that right out her thinking.

If you are lunging her, and she kicks out at you, then snake the rope right out at her and get her bum going forward. If she bucks, let her, but only in the round pen or on the lunge, and don't make her bucking behaviour change your demands on her even one bit. You said "go forward!" she bucked or kicked out or pinned her ears. Who cares? you keep insisting she go forward, ignore her opinion and get serious. Do whatever it takes to get the response and then let her have her opinion, but she must go forward.

It is not that she is over your experience level, but if you have conitinued bucking episodes, then you might need some outside help. No shame there.

AND, sudden bucking to me really does sound like a pain or tack issue.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

LadyNeigh said:


> Right please people stop bugging him/her with the hobble danger!!
> As a rescue pony you must NEVER please never hobble her (no pony should ever be hobbled anyway)


I'm not fan of hobbles, but I don't see what can be so wrong with using them (given horse is trained correctly to accept them, which usually takes time and patience to teach). However lunging (or riding) with hobbles on IS dangerous and may end up with broken bones (or even neck). 

OP, horses don't usually buck out of blue (at least violently). Check for the pain first, than saddle fit. If all is fine then very likely horse is just lacking the training (so you may want to consider working with the trainer dealing with problem horses).


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

I imagine from this photo of your horse, that your saddle is not fitting correctly. 

http://www.horseforum.com/horse-health/can-27yr-old-arabian-mare-pregnant-89507/#post1070735


I still cannot wrap my head around lunging a hobbled horse, that's just plain crazy.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Alex, you think the horse in this thread is the 27 year old rescue mare?


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

Oh I did until I reread the OP based on your post Tiny. 
My apologies.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

LadyNeigh said:


> Right please people stop bugging him/her with the hobble danger!!
> As a rescue pony you must NEVER please never hobble her (no pony should ever be hobbled anyway)


Wait.... No one else is allowed to say anything about hobbles, only you are?


I see nothing wrong with using hobbles and training a horse to hobble. It is a very useful tool.
Lunging a horse in hobbles, now that is a different story.


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## DutchFeather (May 9, 2011)

.:headdeask:. 
OP - Pain sounds like a very good option. And the second, is her throwing a temper tantrum because she doesn't respect you/didn't understand what you were asking since she's young and green.

Either way, you should seek professional help. Have the vet out, have saddle fit checked, and ask a trainer to help you. My 3 year old bucked once out of a temper tantrum/repsect issue because she didn't want to go forward, but I made her do it anyway and we haven't had an issue since. If you allow her to keep bucking, and bucking you off, she will learn that if she bucks and you fall off, it's a way to get out of work. I wouldn't allow that to become a habit.


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## My Morgan Genevieve (Jun 16, 2011)

Okay, okay. I didn't have both legs hobbled. She was being very dangerous and I didn't want to get hurt. She was squealing and huffing and she was very angry. (Mind you, this is not the time she threw me) So I Just hobbled, ONE leg up and made her lunge for about 30 seconds, then took it off. i would never hurt my horse, she's been through enough as it it. 

As for when she threw me off, I did get right back on and just walked her out, just kind of let her cool down a bit. Now looking back at the situation I think I know why she did. We have two horses, besides her. We had just gotten a new round bale and the other two were over stuffing their faces while I was making her work. I think she just got frustrated and threw a fit.  But horse fits are big. lol Plus, as I've said before, we got a storm that day and she was feeling really good.


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

My Morgan Genevieve said:


> She was squealing and huffing and she was very angry. (Mind you, this is not the time she threw me) So I Just hobbled, ONE leg up and made her lunge for about 30 seconds, then took it off. i would never hurt my horse, she's been through enough as it it.


So you tied up one leg and lunged a 3 legged horse. I am not surprised that she is very angry, it sounds like she is still going through a lot. 

Do the horse a favor and get a trainer who can work through her issues .


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## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

Did you get your training program straight out of _The Horse Whisperer_? :shock:
That's not "hobbling"--it's "tying a leg up"--and for the life of me, I don't know what that's supposed to accomplish. Wowza.

You can't punish her for buckking in that scenario. An experienced horseperson would likely have seen the warning signs and gotten her feet moving to avert the whole disaster. I suggest that, as a start, you pay closer attention to her body language.


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

My Morgan Genevieve said:


> She was squealing and huffing and she was very angry. (Mind you, this is not the time she threw me) So I Just hobbled, ONE leg up and made her lunge for about 30 seconds, then took it off. i would never hurt my horse, she's been through enough as it it.


Call me a bleeding heart but asking a horse to lunge with one leg tied up IS hurting your horse, no idea where you came up with that idea or what you thought it would achieve.

To be perfectly honest, it sounds like you should take her back to the rescue, I feel sorry for her. 

Unsubscribing.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I think lunging a horse with a leg tied up has the potential to be dangerous to the horse. Had you ever done that before? I really think one should not do that unless you have a very experienced horse person helping you. I am not sure I see the value, but I know it has been used in the past as a training tool.


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

I too think you should take her back to the rescue she was obviously far safer there!


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## My Morgan Genevieve (Jun 16, 2011)

You know what? She was doing all this before I tied one leg up. I was simply making her submit to my authority by tying her. She wasn't submitting before. And I know of famous horse trainers that ride out bucking horses with one leg tied to break them. Oh any btw, I do have professional help from a train with 40+ years experience. They said what I did was fine. It did no damage to Gene. All it did was make her submit. I don't see a problem with it. I'm sorry if you do.


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

It did a lot of damage to her psycological state I can promise you that. Tieing a leg up on a horse is extremely old fashioned and IS cruel, by tieing a leg up she is not submitting to you because you have authority, she is submitting because she is in PAIN and utterly terrified and has no other option. It is doing exactly the same as thrashing a horse into submission with a whip! cruel, unnessecery and unproductive in the long run

Take away the restriction and you will end up with an angry horse who's problem realy hasnt been solved. 

What you did was CRUEL!!!!!

You've probably also damaged her back because horses musculature was never designed to walk on 3 legs and she will have pulled muscles in her back and legs, she could also have done severe damage to the tendons in the leg opposite the one you tied up!


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

My Morgan Genevieve said:


> I don't see a problem with it. I'm sorry if you do.


Why not share the name of the rescue you got her from so we can call and get their opinion on it?


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

My Morgan Genevieve said:


> Oh any btw, I do have professional help from a train with 40+ years experience.


:think:

If you have a trainer why did you not mention it when you getting a trainer was brought up before?

All you had to say then was this horse is not above your abilities.


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

My Morgan Genevieve said:


> You know what? She was doing all this before I tied one leg up. I was simply making her submit to my authority by tying her. She wasn't submitting before. And I know of famous horse trainers that ride out bucking horses with one leg tied to break them. Oh any btw, I do have professional help from a train with 40+ years experience. They said what I did was fine. It did no damage to Gene. All it did was make her submit. I don't see a problem with it. I'm sorry if you do.


Your 40+ trainers at think the physical restriction of a horse by cruel and abusive methods are fine should be tied up, left in the cellar for a week to experience just how it feels.

GOOD horsemanship is not directed at getting the horse to "submit" to authority but to understand that what we want from them won't hurt and will build a relationship where both parties look after the needs of the other.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

My Morgan Genevieve said:


> Okay, okay. I didn't have both legs hobbled. She was being very dangerous and I didn't want to get hurt. She was squealing and huffing and she was very angry. (Mind you, this is not the time she threw me) So I Just hobbled, ONE leg up and made her lunge for about 30 seconds, then took it off. i would never hurt my horse, she's been through enough as it it.
> 
> As for when she threw me off, I did get right back on and just walked her out, just kind of let her cool down a bit. Now looking back at the situation I think I know why she did. We have two horses, besides her. We had just gotten a new round bale and the other two were over stuffing their faces while I was making her work. I think she just got frustrated and threw a fit.  But horse fits are big. lol Plus, as I've said before, we got a storm that day and she was feeling really good.


Get a knowledgeable trainer. Just simple as that. Sorry if it sounds rude, but it's the only way to not get hurt yourself and not hurt the horse. (or return the horse back if it's way over the head and you can't find the trainer)


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## My Morgan Genevieve (Jun 16, 2011)

You know what guys? I really, truly appreciate all your comments.  I've learned a lot, and yes, I have swallowed my pride. I guess that the majority rules against tying.  And I'll listen. I won't EVER do that again. Gene is just going to take a lot of patience to work with. [: Thank you guys again! <3


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## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

Please, who is this famous, wonderful, respected professional who breaks horses by tying a leg up and bucking them out?


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## pintophile (May 18, 2011)

My Morgan Genevieve said:


> You know what? She was doing all this before I tied one leg up. I was simply making her submit to my authority by tying her. She wasn't submitting before. And I know of famous horse trainers that ride out bucking horses with one leg tied to break them. Oh any btw, I do have professional help from a train with 40+ years experience. They said what I did was fine. It did no damage to Gene. All it did was make her submit. I don't see a problem with it. I'm sorry if you do.


There are just too many things wrong with this paragraph that I can't even begin to explain. 



My Morgan Genevieve said:


> You know what guys? I really, truly appreciate all your comments.  I've learned a lot, and yes, I have swallowed my pride. *I guess that the majority rules against tying.*  And I'll listen. I won't EVER do that again. Gene is just going to take a lot of patience to work with. [: Thank you guys again! <3


WHO in this thread said ANYTHING against tying? Nobody is AGAINST tying. What we're AGAINST is TYING YOUR HORSE'S LEG TO ITS BELLY AND THEN RUNNING IT.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

I'm sorry, but you have utterly disgusted me. This horse needs to be taken right back to the rescue you got her from. How the heck did they sign her over to you when you see methods of cruelty and abuse as common and practical?


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Subscribing. 
OP, if you truly work with someone that ties legs up to get them to "submit," I highly suggest you run away as fast as you can and find a new mentor. Real life isn't The Horse Whisperer. Real life takes time and effort. 
First off, WHY is she bucking? Have you had a professional saddle fitter out to check the saddle? Have you had someone check out her back and legs? Until those two things are complete, I hate going beyond that advice. Most people prefer to skip right over my "spend money to figure out if the horse is in pain" advice, and go straight to "how do I fix it without considering spending a penny on making sure they aren't overlooking pain. Some people can check the basics themselves - but it takes a trained eye, and my gut says you don't have that yet.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

JustDressageIt said:


> Subscribing.
> OP, if you truly work with someone that ties legs up to get them to "submit," I highly suggest you run away as fast as you can and find a new mentor. Real life isn't The Horse Whisperer. Real life takes time and effort.
> First off, WHY is she bucking? Have you had a professional saddle fitter out to check the saddle? Have you had someone check out her back and legs? Until those two things are complete, I hate going beyond that advice. Most people prefer to skip right over my "spend money to figure out if the horse is in pain" advice, and go straight to "how do I fix it without considering spending a penny on making sure they aren't overlooking pain. Some people can check the basics themselves - but it takes a trained eye, and my gut says you don't have that yet.


 
This says all that needs to be said without being nasty to the OP.


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## Ray MacDonald (Dec 27, 2009)

I agree Tiny and JDI! But I do want to good job to My Morgan for listening to advice  Most people just huff and puff and leave the forum when they are told they are wrong.


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## SamboStar (Sep 18, 2008)

O.O All I'm reading here is nasty people saying nasty things...can we all just swallow our pride and opinions and work out our differences without eating each other?


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## Tymer (Dec 28, 2009)

One question...How does a horse run and buck with one leg tied up? I mean, I imagine its possible but extremely difficult. I'm really starting to hope the OP is a troll. If not, I really hope they get a trainer.


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## MsBHavin (Nov 29, 2010)

SamboStar said:


> O.O All I'm reading here is nasty people saying nasty things...can we all just swallow our pride and opinions and work out our differences without eating each other?


If this is 'nasty' you'd better leave the internet before you find 'really' nasty. Being concerned for the safety of human and horse is NOT nasty.


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## SamboStar (Sep 18, 2008)

Well, I'm just saying, if telling someone to their face they're cruel isn't "nasty" even if it's with the horse's best interest in mind, maybe we should back off. Some people (I'm not stereotyping the OP) are hard-headed and stubborn and will take something like that personally. Yes, he/she asked for help/advice, so we give it to him/her and leave it there - it's not your or my say if he/she actually uses it or not. I have asked for advice multiple times, gotten good, sound advice, and then not used it. We aren't here to discipline horse owners - we are here to give advice and be content with that.

Otherwise, no comment.


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## MsBHavin (Nov 29, 2010)

SamboStar said:


> Well, I'm just saying, if telling someone to their face they're cruel isn't "nasty" even if it's with the horse's best interest in mind, maybe we should back off. Some people (I'm not stereotyping the OP) are hard-headed and stubborn and will take something like that personally. Yes, he/she asked for help/advice, so we give it to him/her and leave it there - it's not your or my say if he/she actually uses it or not. I have asked for advice multiple times, gotten good, sound advice, and then not used it. We aren't here to discipline horse owners - we are here to give advice and be content with that.
> 
> Otherwise, no comment.


Tying a horses leg onto it's body and forcing it to run around IS CRUEL. No if, ands, or buts..


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

Right it is absolutely cruel. And in that circumstance I am more concerned about the welfare of the horse, than hurting the abusers feelings.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

SamboStar said:


> Well, I'm just saying, if telling someone to their face they're cruel isn't "nasty" even if it's with the horse's best interest in mind, maybe we should back off.


:shock:

So you would rather we (general we) leave a horse to be treated inappropriately than tell the owner that what they are doing is cruel? Because some how telling the human what they are doing is being cruel to the animal is worse than the human actually being cruel?


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## SamboStar (Sep 18, 2008)

I'm sorry - I didn't mean to say that tying a horse's leg to it's barrel ISN'T cruel - it's old-fashioned, and old fashioned usually didn't have the horse's welfare in mind. Forgive me. But don't you think the OP has gotten the message already? 6 pages of DON'T TIE YOUR HORSE'S LEG TO IT'S BELLY isn't enough? We can tell her this till we're blue in the face, but the OP is the one who has to get out and do it...unless she gives us her physical address, lol XD


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

The vast majority of us would rather try to explain why something does not work than walk around with our fingers in our ears singing la la la can not hear you.

Yes, this thread is six pages long.

If you read back you will realize the OP was giving excuses and such until post #44, which is mid way through page 5. 

That makes me think those first five pages were worth it.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

bubba13 said:


> Please, who is this famous, wonderful, respected professional who breaks horses by tying a leg up and bucking them out?


 
"breaks" being the key word.


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## Oxer (Jul 9, 2010)

i read some of this thread. had never heard of hobbling a horse before... so i go to youtube. I type in "hobbling a horse" and i get a guy turning a young horse in a circle with his freakin' hooves "hoofcuffed" together!!! those things make me claustrophobic just watching them! yikes. no thanks.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

There is nothing cruel about hobbling a horse. This has been done for centuries and is used by many nomadic horse peoples. The OP did not "hobble" the horse but rather tied on leg up to the barrel of the horse with rope and then asked the horse to move around the round pen. 

I will say that I woud not use the word "abuser" with this person. Abuse to me is made with aforethought to be cruel, and the OP did this out of ignorance and being guided by some trainer who espoused this method, ala the "Horse Whisperer" fame. The result might have caused pain to the horse and a risk of injury and I personally would probably never do this, move from fear of injury than causeing pain. We do all kinds of things that cause pain to horses, though usually only for a second or two. 
The Op has admitted a bit of ignorance in this area and actually has been pretty willing to listen to the comments of most posters here.
YOu WILL get a better result from treating an animal OR a person with respect than you will with harsh blows or words.


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## Oxer (Jul 9, 2010)

tinyliny said:


> There is nothing cruel about hobbling a horse. This has been done for centuries and is used by many nomadic horse peoples.


Tiny, can you (or whomever) explain what these are used for?? i seem to be in the dark about this.


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

Oxer, hobbles are used to secure horses when out in the wildness when there is no way to tie them. (I only recently learned this too)

The OP did not use the handcuff looking hobbles, she tied one leg up, like this....











Tiny, this quote does sound to me that she did it with malice, and not out of ignorance. But it's subjective, everyone has their own line in the sand. To me the fact that she made the horse trot was way over the line of excessive. 



My Morgan Genevieve said:


> Lol, i did make her run while hobbled, but only for a few minutes. No, I was not on her back while she was hobbled.


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## Oxer (Jul 9, 2010)

so... i tie your legs together so you can't run away?! haha! this sounds pretty interesting to me. Never knew people did that sort of thing. I suppose the Disney idea of how the natives could whistle into the wind and their trusty steed would come cantering from across the plains... okay... yes... too much television!
Thanks for the info, Alex!


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## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

People also hobble train horses to get them used to the sensation. Then, if the horse is unlucky enough to get caught, say, in a barbed wire fence, they are far less likely to freak out and cut their leg off than they are to stand calmly and wait to be rescued.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Perhaps try just walking her for a number of rides and set up obstacles so she needs to be mindful of where she puts her feet. Try to keep it relaxed. Is she sick of the arena? Do you ride out at all? Horses that get arena sour become quite unpleasant. Many riders will resort to harsh treatment but the horse really just needs a break.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)




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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Oxer said:


> Tiny, can you (or whomever) explain what these are used for?? i seem to be in the dark about this.


In some countries it's used to restrain horses still they can graze around the camp. I went on horse riding vacation years ago and hobbling horses for the night was a normal practice there. Horses were trained, were absolutely fine with hobbles, and they move around without going too far enjoying the lush grass. 

I did some hobble training with my qh (time ago) to teach her to stand still and wait if her front legs would of get tangled in something.


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