# Horse bucks when going into canter



## DarkChylde (Nov 13, 2008)

I know you said the saddle fits, but it still sounds to be an equiptment issue, and it may have other reasons other than her being a monsterbrat. I would get her saddle fitted (I have become a HUGE advocate of that of late) and if you round pen, you could work with her on her canter without getting bucked off.

Also, if she is ear pinning that isn't a sign she is tired, it is a sign she is either in pain, or irrated, but that isn't a sign of tired. If there is no OTHER behavior issue with the horse, and she moves out in a trot for you ok, then it may be a pain issue, and not from the saddle. Some horses need the chiropractor thing, I have seen that work with some horses with riding issues.

Do you ever lunge or round pen her and get her to canter from the ground on command? I try to conquer most problems from the ground, I am too old to be getting bucked off.

Do you warm her up before you ride? Have you done any cavaletti with her to help you both work on spacing?


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## Angel_Leaguer (Jun 13, 2008)

My April did that bucking thing. She wasnt being rubbed by the saddle, and she would be just fine saddled in the round pen. When i would ask for the lope I would hold her back to ensure collection and she would fight me on that (not sure if that made sense...lol) Anyways everytime she would kick out/buck, I would but her through a bunch of circles, turns... made her work hard. Then I would settle, ask again, and repeat. It would take a few of these to get her to stop... and over time of riding she has stopped doing it. April is 5 and was basically started at 3-4 years so she still has some issues with testing me. Just remember that if you start to get frusterated go back to a walk/trot till you get relaxed and try again.


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## KateS (Jul 3, 2008)

Actually I have been having this same problem with my horse. He used to only buck once and only occasionally when I would ask him to lope but on saturday sometimes he would buck 5 or more times before he would settle and then the next time he would just move into a nice lope with no problems. I know its not the saddle cause I know my horse and he is just having a problem with me being the one to tell him what to do. I don't know why your horse is doing it but with my horse I know its just an attitude thing. Which is something that I have to work on with him.


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## G and K's Mom (Jan 11, 2008)

I agree, the first thing I would look at is a chiropractic adjustment. If it's not the problem your only out a few bucks, ( no pun intended).

If she's good, then I would really pay attention to my position is the saddle, she may be trying to balance herself and you could be in her way, especially if she canters on a lunge line quietly.

Maybe have someone video you, balance issues really come to light once you see yourself on a screen.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Thank you All!!

I do NOT think it's a pain or saddle issue. Because if I ask her to lope when she's fresh she's doing it without any bucking (in fact it's hard to keep her FROM going into lope when I just start riding). The problem is it's not good to start with the lope, so I walk/trot quite enough before doing some lope. As long as she's more on tired side she refuses to do that. May be it's just an attitude. She's also much more willing to canter when we go to the big arena (the one I'm using in winter is my neighbor's one and it's pretty small). May be the confinement issue?


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

G and K's Mom said:


> If she's good, then I would really pay attention to my position is the saddle, she may be trying to balance herself and you could be in her way, especially if she canters on a lunge line quietly.


That's a great advice! I'll ask someone to take some pics to see how lope with me on her looks like. I know I do lean forward sometime... :shock:


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## FGRanch (Feb 9, 2008)

My stud did that for the longest time when he was tired. Just push her into in and make sure you never let her stop on her terms, your term only. How ofter do you ride her? Is she is good condiiton?


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## G and K's Mom (Jan 11, 2008)

I was going to add as well, if your noticing that her ears are pinned your looking at her head. Even the slightest shift can unbalance a horse, especially a younger one. 

Sit deep, half halt, take a deep breath on the exhale squeeze.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Thanks, folks! Yes, I'm sure it's more about me than about her. May be I have to switch back to western saddle for while (I'm not really used to english saddle). Another thing to consider I havn't been really working/loping her for about month (2 weeks of bad weather, and for 2 weeks before that I went to the park without real work just trying to catch nice weather and relax). So may be she's pretty unfit at this point.


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## mayfieldk (Mar 5, 2008)

My horse can get this way too.
Take a dressage whip with you when you ride, and when you ask her to canter and she's too tired, pop her with the whip (I'd make sure she knows that this means go forward!) until she breaks into a canter. Horses can't buck when they're going forward, and as long as she's not in pain, this is a classic case of a horse that just doesn't want to go forward.
Use the whip a couple times until she's jumping into the canter with no buck. If she's a little fast, that's alright, don't punish her. Then try it without the whip. It should fix an lazy attitude quickly.


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

kitten_Val said:


> The problem is it's not good to start with the lope,


 
That is not entirely correct. Some horse warm up better via the lope or canter. My grey did. He has spavins in his hind legs and the trot requires much more strain/work than a canter/lope does. Be prepared to open your mind for the possibility that the lope may in fact be the best route as long as it can be controlled.

It could very well be that you restrained her from doing something that is more comfortable for her (lope) so she gets ****ed/mad/irritated or feels she will be restrained when you are willing to do the canter that she tells you how she feels by the buck or refusal.

Not saying this is the answer but a good trainer must be willing to go against normal principles on certain horses.

My own horse is cold backed and as the result we go through a short routine to prevent a rear (what he used to do) and now it simply becomes part of what works for him. Just observation and a willingness to work with what I had in a way that works best for the safety of the rider and comfort of the horse.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Interesting... Thanks, Spyder! That's something to consider. I personally don't think she's cold back, but she certainly overexcited and likes to lope when fresh (whether we are in ring or on trail). It's not a "fly", and usually even slower than her trot. I may try to let her go for little bit to see how it'll work.


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## appylover31803 (Sep 18, 2007)

Spyder said:


> Some horse warm up better via the lope or canter.


When I was taking lessons, there was this one little welsh pony mare that had to be warmed up at the canter. If you asked her to trot she would be off (not sure why though, i was kind of young)

But after she cantered for 5 minutes or so, she'd be fine for the rest of the ride.

But she was warmed up at the canter because she was stiff.


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## DarkChylde (Nov 13, 2008)

That is interesting, Spyder, what do you do for your cold-backed horse?


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

DarkChylde said:


> That is interesting, Spyder, what do you do for your cold-backed horse?


 
If he hasn't been ridden for a few days a lunge is imperative. Otherwise a couple of things really. First upon mounting he faces right and all motion is to the right(I even lunge to the right first). The reason for this is because it is his weaker side so any antics will be minimized on this side. If he is a bit antsy I will hold the right rein when my young rider gets up on him and we let him circle me while I hold the right rein on the ground ( almost like in hand work). The rider pats him talks to him and gives half halts on the outside rein ( the left one) to show she is the one in control and won't bite. By holding on to the right rein I do two things...I can control a possible rear and it will overflex him to the right, in effect put him in an exaggerated bend position. The rider will take up the right rein and slowly move off to the right until the back relaxes.

If I am alone and there is no one to hold a rein then again to the right and I take contact ( walking on a loose rein is NOT an option) And again to the right circle and do any lateral movement that comes to mind...usually leg yields. Again he is overflexed. The reason is that should a rear be in the making I will have control. My horse hates to do anything where he is out of balance and when he did rear a long time ago he could sit on his haunches all day, but perfectly straight so an overbend puts the weight distribution all wrong for him. I would also like to see ANY horse rear with its back legs crossed...hence the leg yields. Again until his back relaxes (about 2-3 minutes).

After that he is perfectly normal and never offers any resistance after the first 5 minutes. All of the above was simple observation over time and realizing just why he reared. I never ever once felt he did it to get rid of the rider but because he was too tight over his back. It just took a bit of time and a willingness to do whatever it took to work with what I had presented to me.

I suppose in a way you could even call it Natural Horsemanship.:wink:


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## bgood400 (Nov 10, 2008)

The horse might be back sore, or there might be an issue with the horses hocks. A horse that was at our barn once started bucking at the lope out of the blue, and he was back sore. Once that was taken care of the problem was solved.


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## Tuffy'sTreatMan (Sep 29, 2008)

My horse Tuffy gets cranky sometimes and bucks going into a lope. Then I get cranky too and work his butt. 

When he starts I lean back into the bucks and load the stirups so as not to go head over tea kettle, and yell "NO!!!", wack him with the strap, turn him if I can, and settle him down, after I've kicked him a few times and cussed. Then I make him do lopes and sliding stops and turns until he gets sweating good, really turn up the heat, work his butt. Then I get off, tell him he is a good boy, and that I still love him. This seems to solve the problem.

One time we had a fight and I'd slugged him in the ribs for kicking at me when I was practicing bareback mounts.
Next day I could tell he was still out of sorts. I always saddle him untied, and when I cinched down the saddle and reached for the bridle, he walked off 15 feet and went into a full scale rodeo bronc, big hump backed bucks, steam coming out his nose and bellering. He then stood there quietly breathing hard, so I bridled him, gingerly got on, and he was fine after that. Felt like he was showing me what he might of done, but didn't, and you know I felt kind of lucky he is basically a good horse.


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