# What to do after a horse bucks?



## Muppetgirl (Sep 16, 2012)

Provided I'm still on the horse and not on the ground.....I get the head up as best I can and ride them forward aggressively and depending on the nature of the buck I may spank his butt.....I don't like pulling in circles because It makes me feel like the horse isn't moving forward, nor is he bucking but he may become unbalanced....it's just a personal preference.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

I call the kind of bucks you're talking about "Bunny Bucks" because a rabbit would buck harder than the horse is. That doesn't mean they're ok, just that they aren't a huge deal because they're generally also not really meant to be naughty. My guy is very green too, and has done that type of buck after he does a spook, usually because he was really surprised. I just make sure I have his head up and I spur him forward, HARD, one time. As soon as he gets going forward again without any further naughtiness, I just let it pass.


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## Dreamcatcher5 (May 15, 2012)

Alright, thank you! 
Next time he does a "bunny buck" (awesome name for those bucks btw ) instead of making him turn around, I will spur him forward ONCE. 
Thanks for the advice, you two!


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I agree with getting after him and making him work hard whenever he tosses one at you. I do like to turn them in little tiny circles when they buck (providing terrain is safe enough) and then let them straighten out and go right back to what we were doing before.

ETA: Be careful about "spurring" him forward, especially if he's never been bumped hard with a spur before. I've seen a lot of times...and had it happen to me, where a rider bumps a hopping horse with a spur and suddenly finds themselves right in the middle of a _real_ rodeo.

I prefer spanking their butt with a bridle rein because I've found that tends to encourage forward better than legs do.


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## Dreamcatcher5 (May 15, 2012)

Oops, I don't know why I said "spur him on"....because I don't use spurs :lol:
He's a horse who responds well to leg aids WHEN HE WANTS TO but if you combine leg aids with voice commands he's great. A little circle after bucking would be hard, since it's on a hill and he could get unbalanced, but I'll try making him go faster next time he bucks....which I hope he won't! :shock:

My sister's horse did little crow hops when he cantered, but that was because my sister instinctively leans forward when a horse is going too fast for her or just going fast at all. He didn't like that so he crow hopped. It quickly became a habit and I had to go on him and correct that behaviour. And I do remember now that I made him go faster instead of slowing him down...

But yeah, I'll try making Luca speed up after a buck.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

Muppetgirl said:


> Provided I'm still on the horse and not on the ground....


Funny, I read the title and the answer that came to mind was "Get back on" 

With the Greenie bunny bucks, as long as you are sitting them OK, you may find that just swearing loudly is enough:wink: I had one off of Ben, and I just told him to quit it, it was while I was asking for impulsion on a circle, so he found himself working VERY hard on the circle for a couple of minutes, poor boy! But the telling off was enough, don't overreact if it is just little ones.


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## GamingGrrl (Jan 16, 2013)

My boy will do occasional bucks, mainly from excitement on windy days, and I just give him a sharp "HEY!" In a growly voice and work his butt in a circle or figure 8, then carry on as we were doing. If its a buck because he's being ****y though, he gets a sharp smack on the butt along with the growl and being worked hard.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Dreamcatcher5 (May 15, 2012)

Hmm, the swearing or growling might actually work! Luca responds very well to voice commands and when I say a loud "NO!" he knows exactly that it means "quit it!" and he will stop doing whatever he's doing (he keeps testing me by trying to nip me, but I've sorted THAT out already).


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

This post is SO timely for me today.

My coming 3 yr old has been doing super, all month long. He gets ridden 1-2 times a week, although I am working towards riding him more consistently. Buy anyway, today he spooked a couple times and the first time he sort of spun and put his head down and stiffened up like he was going to buck but didn't. 

But he second time he spooked, my friend's horse who was in front of us sort of sunk into a hole and kind of lunged out of it and my guy kind of freaked and bucked twice with me. He sort of bucked in place and didn't go anywhere and I stayed on him just fine. But it left me feeling so disappointed that he bucked with me at all, know what I mean? It WAS windy today but he was also windy yesterday when I rode him and he didn't buck yesterday. :evil:

He spooked with me last fall and I was wearing spurs and I got bucked off and it shook my confidence, even though it was largely my fault. 

This year he has been doing great and I was just disappoint that the buck is still in him. It was mild bucking...bunny bucking as you say. I just hollered at him, pulled his head up and kept on riding. Hope that was an okay response. I certainly don't want to encourage it. 

But anyway, I am happy to read this thread and see that this is sort of normal in greenies. I think my guy has about 4 months on him (two with the trainer and two with me) max. 

My best friend assures me he is a baby and will have baby moments and to keep on riding and not worry about it. So this post is timely for me.


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

My big girl doesn't bunny buck when she bucks. They're HUGE. She's only gotten me off once but in my eyes once is too many times. She's always genuinely terrified when she does have a go at it but she's in the process of learning that bucking is unacceptable under ANY circumstance. [edit; she's very green, too - 2 1/2 and with under 30 rides. Some bucking is pretty normal with most greenies, especially if they didn't buck during the breaking process]

Simply put, you haul their head up, push them forward, and ride them through it. If you have to, bridge your reins, because then the horse is only fighting against itself for head down.

The best way of stopping the buck is to feel it coming and bridge your reins BEFORE the horse can get its head down. Keeping the head up removes all the power out of the buck [not that a bunny buck HAS any power!] and then it becomes much easier to ride out.

One of the girls I ride with has a pony that bucks her off with monotonous regularity... someone really needs to teach her how to handle it when he does buck or he's never going to stop...


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## RacingAustralia (Aug 7, 2012)

Bridging of the reins won't stop a horse getting its head down and pretty much will do nothing against a bucker except help you keep your hands low and even. It's a method used in horse racing so the horse can't pull on the rider. Note it doesn't even stop the horse pulling only saves the riders arms.


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## toto (Mar 3, 2013)

I dont mean to 'call' anyone-- but ive been on several horses that would buck with their head pulled up, lol. 

I Know i do it the less desirable way but- when a horse bucks me ill kick them to let em buck it out- why? because i want them to know their little tantrum did nothin but make them work harder doin what they thought would put an end to things. never let them think theyve gained anything by bucking and it wont be a problematic habit. 

Horses that use the excuse of spookin to buck do lots of work too.. im not easily fooled, lol.


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## RacingAustralia (Aug 7, 2012)

toto said:


> I dont mean to 'call' anyone-- but ive been on several horses that would buck with their head pulled up, lol.
> 
> I Know i do it the less desirable way but- when a horse bucks me ill kick them to let em buck it out- why? because i want them to know their little tantrum did nothin but make them work harder doin what they thought would put an end to things. never let them think theyve gained anything by bucking and it wont be a problematic habit.
> 
> Horses that use the excuse of spookin to buck do lots of work too.. im not easily fooled, lol.


If the head is up its a pigroot. If the head is down its a buck. Some horses can do massive pigroots though hence why a lot of people will call it a buck.
Also depends on the legs too, if all four leave the ground, or the horse does the seesaw motion, then yeah it's a buck.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

For me it depends on the reason of the buck. 
In the OP's case it sounds like a "feel good" jump. Having fun running up a hill and some wind in the ears. I would probably spank his bottom and make him do something a little more strenuous to get the point across that it wasn't acceptable.

On a horse more serious about bucking but still feeling good I would hold up a rein to tip the nose and keep the head up and run his *** off if the ground permits. A horse still might try to get something done but it's hard to get any power in the buck with a hollow back and staring at the moon. If the ground is bad it would be ideal to feel it before it starts and bend him around much like I would do with one that is cold backed to talk him out of it. Beware of the switch of directions, they will try to sneak one off then. The switch in directions needs to be quick yet smooth as not to snatch at him or allow him time to get straight.


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## GamingGrrl (Jan 16, 2013)

Can someone explain to me what "bridging the reins" means? I've never heard that expression before.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

Here you go a link horse back riding | EQUINE Ink | Page 5 explains it better than I can:wink:


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

It really depends on what kind of buck you are dealing with... With a buck after a slip or something, I wouldn't worry about it too much, but as a rider, you should be able to feel these things coming and already have your hands up to get the head up before he has a chance to get his bum up.
That's how I tell a really good rider - not if they can sit a buck, but if they can prevent a buck. Sometimes a rodeo is going to happen anyways, but if the horse is a bit hot and a rider can ride tactfully and with good timing through it, it's far easier than dealing with a buck.

With a horse who is "feel good" bucking, I kick their little butts into high gear. Like move it buster!! That's not allowed 

With a horse who is bucking at an aid, like the changes, or something, you have to be quick enough again to prevent the buck, and whatever comes after it. In the changes it's usually a buck and then a bolt - so when they buck you half halt them forcefully onto their hineys and keep the aid for the change on. Eventually they figure out that bucking gets them in trouble AND the aid doesn't go away.

However, if you don't have the timing for these things, I would really highly recommend getting someone on the horse who does. A poorly timed correction is worse than no correction and as was pointed out, can actually make the issue worse.
Good luck!


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## RacingAustralia (Aug 7, 2012)

GamingGrrl said:


> Can someone explain to me what "bridging the reins" means? I've never heard that expression before.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


It's the way all jockeys and trackwork riders hold the reins. Basically you have one rein, take the other and cross it over the top forming a 'bridge' so you should then be holding both reins together in both hands horizontally. 

When you form the initial rein cross you pull the section of rein that's forming a loop to tighten the bridge then you place each hand into the the groove of the horses neck, where the neck meets the shoulder. A simple twist of the wrist will slow the horse up, put pressure on its mouth as opposed to pulling back on the reins. When the jockey does have to pull back its an entire body motion, if in the correct position the body is used as an anchor and no pressure should be felt in the arms at anytime. If you can feel any your bridge is wrong. 

It's very complicated and you would need someone in racing to show you how to correctly do it. An incorrect bridge will do nothing and sadly most people will just cross the reins over and think they know how to do one properly. And even if you can do one correctly without knowing how to correctly use your body with it all it will do is save your arms, won't stop the horse from doing anything etc.


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## Dreamcatcher5 (May 15, 2012)

Well I had another ride today, up the hill again and everything went well. But when I went up the hill one more time, I felt him tense up and put his head down to do a buck and I quickly pulled his head back up, made him speed up and YES! he didn't even get to buck!  I rode down the hill again and back up, no problems! It was just gonna be a TINY buck, but I made sure that he didn't even do THAT, just in case he will reme,her that it's ok.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

I hate to have a horse buck bc it shows that I've skipped parts of his training. :/ 
But, when it _has_ happened, my first impulse is to circle and beat the living snot out of the offending horse. We circle until I decide I'm a little tired, then we circle in the other direction. I WANT my horse to understand that he just committed a felony. Then, I dismount and we school as if we are in advanced stages of preparing for the Tevis Cup!
You HAVE to punish this behavior. The bucking will just get worse and you'll just get hurt. Either you punish it, or put out $'s with a trainer to tease for a buck and punish it.
It's ALWAYS best when your horse NEVER experiences a desire to buck under saddle and just bucks out in the pasture, with his buddies.


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## Copperhead (Jun 27, 2012)

Just drive him forward. They aren't mean bucks, they're play bucks and young horses will kick up their heels sometimes. Don't interrupt your work, just drive him forward. Don't give it any more extra attention other than driving him forward an reminding him of his job.

Remember to sit back, keep your heels down and giggle.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Copperhead (Jun 27, 2012)

Corp, I've ridden plenty of bad bucks where I've punished them with work for bucking. If a buck turns mean, they get it. This is a baby buck. They sometimes get excited because they are babies. 

There's a difference between "get off my back!" And "woohoo! That was fun!". They will grow out of the latter once they learn to control their excitement.

I've seen Grand Prix jumpers buck in the competition arena due to excitement. It doesn't mean that Grand Prix 6ft Olympic jumper is trained badly and missing holes, and you certainly won't see the rider punish for that type of buck. They remind the horse of their job, drive it forward and take the next jump.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## updownrider (Mar 31, 2009)

Copperhead said:


> Corp, I've ridden plenty of bad bucks where I've punished them with work for bucking. If a buck turns mean, they get it. This is a baby buck. They sometimes get excited because they are babies.
> 
> There's a difference between "get off my back!" And "woohoo! That was fun!". They will grow out of the latter once they learn to control their excitement.
> 
> ...


Excellent post Copperhead! This horse is one of my favorite buckers. I appreciate his scope and admire is rider's cool. No one should suggest this horse lacks training.


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## freia (Nov 3, 2011)

Make sure the saddle fits right. A horse will buck if the saddle is pinching or making pressure-points somewhere.

And if the saddle is fine, then...

A horse can't buck or rear if it's moving forward with its head in a good position. Get back on. Any incling of bucking, you pull the head up, give leg to move forward, and a swat with the crop to tell him that's NOT OK.


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## flytobecat (Mar 28, 2010)

You said he was bucks when you canter and when he was doing hill work.
My 1st suspicion would be saddle fit as well.
My 2nd thought is that he is green and hasn't learned enough about balancing a rider.
In that case, I wouldn't make too much of a fuss, give him a nudge and ride through it. I would then repeat the action like going up a hill until he did it without bucking.


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## Dreamcatcher5 (May 15, 2012)

The saddle is a type of self-adjusting multi fit saddle that can change to fit almost any horse. Even so, every time I tack Luca up, I make sure that it all fits well and nothing his pinching him. He has only done a buck on hill work ONCE, the other times were just greenie bucks when I was riding him around a corner and he got really excited so he just threw in some happy little bucks. It has been a while since he's done that. I'm going to do some hill work today, too. Let's see how it goes!


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