# Horse bucks when bareback..



## lubylol (Aug 8, 2011)

Back pains have been ruled out. 

When Buddy gets ridden in the saddle, he's the coolest pony ever, but if you wanna get on him bareback he squeels and bucks once or twice with his butt!

The other day, I was cooling him out and wanted to cool him out bareback so I went to jump on him, and he did his squeel thing and Amanda and Jordyn were like omg are you ok!? And I was laughing too hard to tell them what happened. I tried it again just to show them and he did the same exact thing...

So I asked Jordyn to get on him because she's a daredevil, and he was actually fine. Didn't buck, and she trotted him around. She stopped him and and doing all these weird things, hopped off, got on and kept going to the other side, then she got on him again and turned around and he bucked her off....where's the video camera when you need it lol. 

Anyways, I'm wondering if there's a solution to this? Today I'm going down to ride, and of course I don't have my saddle so I have to ride him bareback...but I'm going to try with a saddle pad this time. 

And also, I've seen other horses like this at my old lesson barn. If you even thought about riding bareback, they'd have a heart attack. 

I remember one time Old Jim was about to be ridden BB and the girl had one leg over and he bucked once, it was pretty big, and she fell off and hit the step up. It sounded like it hurt, but it was so funny. 

So, any advice on this?
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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

Get his back checked over. A saddle can hide some soreness problems as it distributes your weight more evenly over the back, where as bareback your weight is directly over the spine which can put undue pressure on the back and cause a negative behavioural reaction.

Please don't encourage the behaviour and laugh it off .... its only funny until someone ends up in ED with broken bones.


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## Cintillate (Jan 8, 2012)

I would have his back checked again. After that try pressing on certain points. Horses will buck if you sit to far back because it is painful and is a weak spot. They usually buck to push the rider more forward. If your not doing that, well in my opinion bareback is not always comfortable for horses or their riders. What kind of pants were you wearing? There is friction and the fact that all the riders weight is direct and not distributed. The riders balance tends not to be as great or the same or they ride a bit differently. This may be new/awkward or annoying for him and not comfy so he doesn't like it. This is just from my experience with it. After you get off is his coat where you were sitting all messed up because then it could be friction and pressure that is bothering him, just not use to it. I'm not sure what to do about bucking if the reason is different. My horses haven't bucked unless I jump on the without warning.

When does he start bucking? Like when you just get on bareback or when you ask him to move?


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## lubylol (Aug 8, 2011)

Kayty, whenever I'm with my friends and one of us falls off, or the horse does anything bad in general, it's always funny...it's just how we brush things off.....then we check if we're ok. Even on our way to the ER, we would still be laughing (luckily has not happened!)

And Cin, we were both wearing breeches. The owner also said she put her kids on him, an 8 year old, and a 6 year old at the same time, and he didn't buck, but he took a step or two and the little girl screamed (8yr old) and he threw and small buck. She caught both kids lol. 

And Cin, he starts bucking as soon as you try and get on him. I actually never got to sit on him, just try lol. Jordyn however trotted him bareback no problem.
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## pintophile (May 18, 2011)

lubylol said:


> Back pains have been ruled out.


What exactly have you done to rule out pain? Normally I'm the last one to say 'check for pain', but I agree with Kayty - saddles distribute weight more evenly than your butt does. The saddle could be covering up a physical issue.

Does he buck with the saddle or has he ever tried to? Do you reprimand him when he bucks (if you stay on)? Do you always get right back on after he bucks you off? With no snootiness intended, I wonder if your 'it's okay, it's funny when he bucks' sort of attitude makes him believe there are no repercussions for doing it, except to get these kids off his back


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## WesternBella (Jan 7, 2012)

You'd think it would be a relief to have just the rider instead of a rider and saddle but maybe he just isn't used to it??
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## goneriding (Jun 6, 2011)

There are a lot of nerves running along their back. And you have your butt bones directly on top of them. Some horses won't tolerate a bareback rider, some will. I would definitely be thorough in ruling out any pain first.


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## Cintillate (Jan 8, 2012)

Hmm, well kids are smaller and lighter. But since he bucked at a scream. I think he needs to get use to the idea of you getting on without tack, sorry, I can't see the horse, how much he is bucking and I don't know him. Just sounds to me like he is not use to it. It may sound funny but the horse is probably thinking. Why is she jumping on me? The saddle, where is it?...it is just out of routine. Maybe takes things slowly and get him more confident because he sounds a bit easy to frighten if the kids screams make him buck. It's not good if he continues to buck because he has found a way to get you off and might take advantage of it if he hasn't already. Just be careful, maybe ask for help if you can. As for the breeches, what are they made out of?

What do you think is making him buck? Does he look more afraid or rebellious/annoyed?


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

First, the saddle distributes weight.

Second, the saddle partially "absorbs" the bounciness of the rider who is not balanced enough. The boney butt slumming the spine is not pleasant for the horse. 

So my advice if the pain is completely ruled out is to ride with saddle.


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## lubylol (Aug 8, 2011)

The vet did a check on his back to look for pain and he was cleared. 

I tried today with two pads and he swooshed his tail and wasn't in the mood to fight with him so I put him away. 

The first time I rode him he bucked me with a saddle, it was only at the canter....I'd smooch him, he'd throw 3 medium bucks and we'd be on our way lol. Happened most of the time, so I was hesitant to ride him again...but ever since that he was fine. When he bucked I made him canter twice as long as normal, so out of the 6 times I cantered, he bucked probably 4 times out of the starts....so at the end he stopped bucking and I didn't canter him the extra 30 seconds or so. 

Buddy looks more annoyed when he bucks, like ayyy get off my back young child! And we didn't do anything about it, because you can't even get back on without him bucking...so yell at him for his bucking. 

I'm no sure what they were made of. Mine were the tuffrider starter breeches, and Jordyn's were tuffrider pull ons. 

As for riding with the saddle part KV, I was just curious because I didn't have my saddle today and sometimes I forget, so I'd like to have a second way to ride, instead of riding just Rocco, which ended up happening today.
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## livestoride (Mar 30, 2011)

It sounds to me that the problem isn't when you are on him so much as getting there. How do you approach him? Do you just giggle and run and jump at him? I would buck you off too. Or do you calmly give him a pat, let him know it is ok, get on a step and slowly place your leg over his back, sit down as gently as possible to avoid pain and pat him again? 

If you want to ride him bareback, then spend the time to teach him what it is. Work on making him stand perfectly still when you mount. After that slowly get him used to you putting more and more pressure directly on his back. Eventually he should be able to stand still, get a pat form you to let him know its ok, and let you calmly and slowly get on. After that work on him slowly moving out at a walk. 

Realise that riding without a saddle feels very different to him. You arei n direct contact with his body and he will feel every shift in balance, weight and pressure and react. 

One more thing - if you try and he bucks you off and you are unable to get on, there is still other work you can do. I would immediately start free lunging him as soon as I got up from the ground. Make him work. Once he calms down, try again. If not, make him work. Once you finally get on him let him just stand. Don't ask for anything. It will teach him that it is more work to have you on the ground than on his back.


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## lubylol (Aug 8, 2011)

Well when I first tried to get on him, I just tried to jump up, and he freaked. I gave Jordyn a leg up, and that was when she trotted him. She then got off and jumped on him like I did, and he didn't buck until she turned around, then today I stood on the fence and layed my body over him so I could bail if he freaked, but as soon as I tried, he swished his tail and swung his butt away. 

And today I lunged him just to get his wiggles out so he wouldn't be tempted to buck...so next time if he does I'll free lunge him around.
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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

Ok, after reading the last few reponses by the OP, I change my opinion. If the OP is telling the truth that the horse's back has been checked and there is no pain - I now very much think this horse absolutely has pulled the wool over your eyes. 
When he bucks you off, you kids think it's great fun. He doesn't get reprimanded for the behaviour, so each time he does it, you have instilled further into his head, that bucking removes pressure, and therefore is a positive behaviour. Then by getting him ready to be ridden, and not getting on because he swished his tail, another feather in his cap. 
You have taught the horse to buck. Now its your job to fix it. Good luck.


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## lubylol (Aug 8, 2011)

Oh great lol. I'll have to get Jordyn to do this because she's such a daredevil. 

Thanks for the tips.
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## Roperchick (Feb 1, 2010)

id say hes just trying to get outta work. you said that when he swung his but away you didnt want to fight him and just put him up...well thats his reward for bad behavior there. my mare always tried to buck me off when i was getting on bareback but she was perfectully fine in a saddle. and it was only for the mount she would let me run and jump on, climb on from a step or fence, or get a leg up but as soon as i tried to make her work she would buck because she knew that was the only time i would come off her is bareback. so i would get bucked off like once every two or three days i rode her bareback but u gotta get back on... eventually she stopped because she knew i was still gonna get back on.
even though your friend is a daredevil and could get him to behave, if you arent confident enough to ride out his buck then hell know he can get away with it with you.


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## Cintillate (Jan 8, 2012)

I agree with Kayty.

I wouldn't give in so easily. Especially that time when you said you weren't in the mood for a fight, you basically let him win. It can get worse. Also it is nice that Jordyn can help you but he will just learn to respect her and not you so unless you want to be able to ride him bareback yourself you'll have to gain his respect but be safe. I too wish you luck


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## Country Woman (Dec 14, 2011)

I would get it checked out too, could be a hidden injury


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