# Bucking On Lungeline? How Do You Deal with It?



## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

I allow sillyness, i usually just use the lungline to let her let out extra energy, which also includes bucking


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

Bucking can easily turn into a habit if you allow it. I make the horses change directions whenever they start bucking.


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## eventerdrew (Mar 13, 2009)

I am one of the "let 'em get it all out on the longeline" people. I don't have a problem with them being a horse on the longeline as long as they don't do it under saddle. And in my experience, it's always been better to let them do it while you're not on them


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

I'm fine with it as long as it's because of excessive energy and not to establish dominance. And usually it doesn't go long anyway. Some run-off energy and back to work (without bucking).


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## EveningShadows (May 18, 2009)

I'm sorry but bucking can be done while they're in the pasture. I don't tolerate it EVER on the lungeline. In the round pen off line is a little different, especially when introducing new tack or tack for the first time, but I don't let it go long. Throw a couple and then change direction. How to buck is not something I want them learning while I'm anywhere near them and certainly not how to perfect it undersaddle. First couple saddles are the only time I see it as "acceptable" to throw a buck into their step. After that, there are more than 20 hours for you to work out your kinks with your horse pals in the pasture...no need to demonstrate! That being said, all my horses are pastured outside year round. They're NEVER in a stall, mostly because I lack a barn...but that's besides the point. I suppose if I had a horse boarded somewhere where they took the horses in at night then I could see it if you work with them in the morning...or if they're on stall rest, heck...I'd take them to a pen just so they could blow off some steam! But for MY horses, no bucking on the lunge.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

It's easy to spot the people that let thier horses buck on the lunge line. They are the ones I'm riding past while they lunge thier perfectly well broke horse. After the first thirty days I never put a horse in the round pen and I never lunge them. I don't feed horses so that I can watch them run around me in circles.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

^ Ditto. I never lunge proper, and I only use circling on the lead rope now to help with breaking in my youngster. My older horses I don't at all. Don't have any practical use for it - I own horses to ride them.


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## IslandWave (Nov 25, 2009)

The only horse I lunge is my horse, and that's usually just once or twice a month. Knowing her, there is never any bucking involved. =P
However I would allow bucking on the lunge unless the bucks are being aimed at me. In that case I would work the horse's butt off.


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## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

^haha same, or i long-line, which is fun! , but bucks on the longline are a big no-no


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

i do let me horse buck on the lunge when shes not working with tack & side reins. its so icy out shes not moving around past where the hay is thrown by the gate. she doesnt ever truly buck though, but she will sort of leap


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## kassierae (Jan 1, 2010)

I only lunge to get energy out before a ride and when breaking a youngster. On a horse that does it consistently, like the halter horse I worked with at a barn I worked for, he always got a chain under his chin. He would literally yank you across the entire arena, chain or no chain. When he would start to buck I would yell first, and if he didn't stop I gave a sharp yank on the lung line to make him whoa, then change direction.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

I would never want my horse to get teh energy out before I got on. You should channel that energy into something productive rather than waste it.


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## rocky pony (Oct 5, 2007)

I allow it as long as it's just playful and not close to me. My horse has a LOT of energy and doesn't always know what to do with it, so when he gets turned out he doesn't always release it all. No way would I want to get on him with that excess energy still pent up. If he needs to do his thing while I'm lunging him, it's okay with me because he's an intelligent guy and knows the difference between lunging and being ridden. When I'm on him he's a saint, so that's all that matters to me.
If he ever does do a more "dominant" buck or gets too close to me, I give him a firm "NO", change his direction, and make him work extra hard for a few seconds. Seems to work out fine for us.


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## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

rockyxpony said:


> I allow it as long as it's just playful and not close to me. My horse has a LOT of energy and doesn't always know what to do with it, so when he gets turned out he doesn't always release it all. No way would I want to get on him with that excess energy still pent up. If he needs to do his thing while I'm lunging him, it's okay with me because he's an intelligent guy and knows the difference between lunging and being ridden. When I'm on him he's a saint, so that's all that matters to me.
> If he ever does do a more "dominant" buck or gets too close to me, I give him a firm "NO", change his direction, and make him work extra hard for a few seconds. Seems to work out fine for us.


 exactly


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## kassierae (Jan 1, 2010)

I would rather get the bucks out on a lunge line than have to attempt to ride out the rodeo my gelding gives, potentially falling off and potentially teaching him that backing DOES get me off.


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## kiwigirl (Sep 30, 2009)

When my horse was very green I knew when it was fortuitous to put her on a lunge line and let her get the silly crap out of the way before I tried to get on with work. I used a lunge line because I have no round pen, yard or arena.

Nowadays I know the capabilities of my mare eg I know I can sit to any buck and sillyness that she has so I don't do the lunging anymore. However I am still an advocate of lunging and letting a horse get the bull out of the way in a fairly safe and controlled way. If a person is riding a horse that has more buck than they can handle and they can read that horse well enough to KNOW when a bucking fit is imminant better to let the horse get on with it on it's own. The sort of bucking fits that I am talking about by the way are the fresh and feeling good bucks that a young horse is prone to when they are first caught on a lovely crisp morning.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

That's why I teach them not to buck, period!


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## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

rena knows when bucking is acceptable and when it is not. there is a big line that tells her how far she can go before shes misbehaving. as long as i am clear about when im fine with bucking, then we have no problems


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## kiwigirl (Sep 30, 2009)

kevinshorses said:


> That's why I teach them not to buck, period!


 How do you teach a young horse that is feeling frisky not to buck? This is a genuine question by the way. I have found that by doing the lunging long after it is comfortable my horse then settles nicely into work after initially being very full of herself. Doing this has definitely discouraged bucking and she is no longer inclined to be too frisky and full of herself. Like I said I no longer lunge. How do you stop bucking, what is your method?


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## ReiningTrainer (Dec 30, 2009)

I don't do bucking on a lunge line for a few reasons. I feel it is dangerous to the horse as they can lose their footing or get tangled in the line if they 'play' just right. It can be dangerous to others sharing the arena if the horse should pull away. And most importantly, I try to be as utterly consistent with my horses as I can, thus bucking is bucking is bucking.

If I have to give a lesson to a student and put the horse on the line, how fair is it to now scold him for what I just told him was fine and even encouraged the day before. I prefer turn out for horse play and when I am attached to a horse in anyway, I need him in control, soft and giving to my lead/rein/line, for my safety, his safety and innocent bystanders safety.

Horses are very intelligent, but can only be as consistent as their handler. If the horse should start bucking, I simply shrink the circle down to a size that I can regain the horse's mind and as he softens and gives, I feed the line back to him.


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## sandsarita (Jan 20, 2008)

It depends on what I am doing with the horse. If it's a youngster that is learning proper respect, no bucking allowed. However, when showing at the circuits, it is common to be at a show for seven days, with no place to turn the horses out at. My show horses have learned that time on the lunge line is like turn out time. As long as they move, and they don't pull on me or kick at me or somebody else, they can do what they want. Oftentimes, this becomes play time on the lunge line, just as if they were playing in the pasture by themselves. It relaxes their mind, and keeps them happier when no turnout is available.


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## kiwigirl (Sep 30, 2009)

Thanks Reining Trainer, so does that mean that you pull a bucking horse into yourself? I have always felt more comfortable getting some distance from a bucking horse but this is just a personal preference.


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## Seahorseys (Nov 14, 2009)

It should be work time when it's work time and play time when she's with her friends. By now my horse knows that the indoor or riding arena is sacred for work. If I want to play or fool around with her I'll take her into a paddock and make her move around. We recently went through a rough patch when I moved her to a new barn and she had tons of anxiety. She began to buck and became all speedy when we were going through our transitions on the lunge. I began to do alot of ground work, before hand, yielding hind/forequarters, backing up, changing directions, tons of transitions. If you give her something to think about, I find she does better than if I just resign myself to standing in the middle and letting her run around me. Lungeing is an art form, and can be very helpful but it is what you make of it. I usually dealt with bucking by pulling her in to face me and yield her hindquarters, disengaging her ability to buck and then moving her off in the opposite direction.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

ReiningTrainer said:


> I don't do bucking on a lunge line for a few reasons. I feel it is dangerous to the horse as they can lose their footing or get tangled in the line if they 'play' just right. It can be dangerous to others sharing the arena if the horse should pull away. And most importantly, I try to be as utterly consistent with my horses as I can, thus bucking is bucking is bucking.
> 
> If I have to give a lesson to a student and put the horse on the line, how fair is it to now scold him for what I just told him was fine and even encouraged the day before. I prefer turn out for horse play and when I am attached to a horse in anyway, I need him in control, soft and giving to my lead/rein/line, for my safety, his safety and innocent bystanders safety.
> 
> Horses are very intelligent, but can only be as consistent as their handler. If the horse should start bucking, I simply shrink the circle down to a size that I can regain the horse's mind and as he softens and gives, I feed the line back to him.


 
Totally agree!!


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

I'm with Kevin - I want all my horse energy focussed for the job at hand, not let out on the lunge. I don't accept bucking or any other dangerous behaviour anytime I am meant to be in control of the situation.

All my horses soon learn that if they have extra energy I will soon work it out of them :]


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## paint gurl 23 (Jan 26, 2009)

I started this thread because I wanted to hear what everyone had to say. Very interesting as I thought it would be!


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

kevinshorses said:


> It's easy to spot the people that let thier horses buck on the lunge line. They are the ones I'm riding past while they lunge thier perfectly well broke horse. After the first thirty days I never put a horse in the round pen and I never lunge them. I don't feed horses so that I can watch them run around me in circles.


Just curious, how do you exercise them if you can't ride? We don't have round pen to free lunge (just an arena with some somewhat dangerous obstacles so I can't even let them free there), and I can't ride sometime because of the back issues (or Kiara couldn't be ridden last year because of the bump right where the girth goes).


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## Gillian (Aug 2, 2008)

I didn't used to lunge a lot. The first time I did with Zeus was to watch him move from the ground after a trim, because he felt a little sore under saddle. Turned out he was, but not too badly. It just allowed me to see for myself what I was feeling under saddle. He let out a couple of bucks and I drove him forward, letting him get it out, but keeping him working and moving at the pasce I wanted him. However, I have started to lunge him a few tiems a week in side reins (loose) to help him build up his topline, and I do NOT tolerate bucking in those. Can be very dangerous. He knows that in the side reins he is expected to behave and work. I do what ReiningTrainer does if he does buck or goof off, pull him into a tighter circle, get him focusing again, than give the line back to him and drive him forward.

So overall, no, I do not really tolerate bucking on the lunge.


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## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

kitten_Val said:


> Just curious, how do you exercise them if you can't ride? We don't have round pen to free lunge (just an arena with some somewhat dangerous obstacles so I can't even let them free there), and I can't ride sometime because of the back issues (or Kiara couldn't be ridden last year because of the bump right where the girth goes).


They are not stall pets, they live outside(mine anyway), so they get the work out they need naturally. Plus Kevin uses his horses for work, so anytime they get off is used for rest anyway. When you ride your horse outside of an arena on un level footing, hills, brush, working cows, and anything else you can imagine, they get plenty of work out. I think your question is kind of a hard one to answer more than that because it is mostly two very different types of horse we are talking about, working horses and pleasure/show pets.

I guess Tomahawk is just a freak of nature, because I can pull him out of the pasture and take off after weeks of not riding and he is calm as a cucumber... I really think "lunging to get the bucks out" is unnecessary when the horse is properly managed, i.e. (IMO) not kept in a 12'x12' stall all day and turned out for a few short hours... they are not meant to be kept that way and that is why they get that "excess" energy. Graining, sweet feeding, over supplementing, and over calorie loading plays a big part too.

Tom lives outside 24/7, when he wants to buck and play and be silly he does at his own discretion. But he knows that bucking when being led or under saddle is not tolerated and does not do so.


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## paint gurl 23 (Jan 26, 2009)

I lunge. Right now I dont have a choice anyways 
I do it to figure out the horse I am working with before I get on and to establish dominance, teach them respect of my cues, getting the young ones working under a new saddle or tack etc...I have fun on the ground and it makes me feel safer if I dont know the horse very well. The things are endless if your horse knows how to lunge! I do allow bucking but when it gets out of hand and the horse just is doing it to protest or test me, I ask a change in directions. Lungeing is a great way to get out the kinks out so your not trying to ride em out undersaddle


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

I just push them harder when they want to get too goofy...They are loose all day, I figure they can behave on the lunge, and if they don't want to, they can work harder til they want to just do it properly. I rarely have a problem though, to be honest...The first few weeks of learning, the babies got hyper, but now they usually settle down pretty quickly, even when I free lunge them.


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## kiwigirl (Sep 30, 2009)

_ I guess today can be a test of all things lunging and bucking. I am off to do a days stock work, mustering and drafting. My horse is saddled and tied up to the rail as I sit here posting and having breakfast. She hasn't been ridden for three days, she is very fit and it rained last night and is nice and cool this morning. She is fidgeting, pawing the ground and unable to stand still. I know that as soon as she is untied and we are walking to my mounting area she will be a bit unpredictable. _ I have no intention of lunging but it may happen unintentionally as she is a handful to deal with when she is feeling in a full of herself. Anyway am running late for work so better get on with it.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

> Just curious, how do you exercise them if you can't ride? We don't have round pen to free lunge (just an arena with some somewhat dangerous obstacles so I can't even let them free there), and I can't ride sometime because of the back issues (or Kiara couldn't be ridden last year because of the bump right where the girth goes).


I have no arena or pen to lunge/ride in even if I wanted to. My horses live out in pasture 24/7 - If there is a reason I can't ride, they just stay out in their paddock and get as much excercise as they themselves think they need. I have two horses as well - So when I go out, I will be able to ride at least one. The only time I have had horses unable to be ridden was one leg injury and some back issues. In both instances they were just pasture puffs until they were ready to start work again.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

wild_spot said:


> The only time I have had horses unable to be ridden was one leg injury and some back issues. In both instances they were just pasture puffs until they were ready to start work again.


Don't you think they'll be very much out of shape after being "on vacation"? That's my biggest concern usually that it takes a while to put them back to shape so they can do the long rides or lessons.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

It probably won't take as long to get them back inot shape as people think. Horses usually don't get as obese as people do when they quit exercising and they recover much quicker. also I think most people overestimate thier horses fitness. If your horse is only ridden in an arena or on slow trail rides for an hour 5 times a week it is not in any great shape. It should take a couple of weeks to get a horse in really good shape after being unridden for a while but no more than that unless it is a race horse or other very high level competitor.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

> Don't you think they'll be very much out of shape after being "on vacation"? That's my biggest concern usually that it takes a while to put them back to shape so they can do the long rides or lessons.


My horses work hard. I will pull a horse from the paddock, as long as they aren't too fat, and go for a 2-3 hour trail ride. If they start to blow hard then I walk and rest them for a little, then continue on. Straight out of the paddock they can do full days at PC, and lower key competitions.

For proper competition/work fitness? A couple of weeks of good trails, pushing the horse just up to it's limit. My horses aren't at full competition fitness all the time - I keep them at a 'maintenance' fitness and then about two weeks before a strenuous competition will up their excercise.

Horses move constantly in the pasture, as well as playing, running and just being silly. As long as there isn't too much feed (And in perpetually drought stricken Australia there hardly ever is!) and they are at a healthy weight and not deficient in anything, they are actually at a decent level of fitness when pulled from the pasture. 

I find fitness isn't the issue when coming back from vcation - It is conditioning those muscles needed for 'specific' manouvers - I.e. fast work, roll backs, haunch turns, hard stops. You can't condition those mouscles for those jobs on the lunge anyway.


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## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

kevinshorses said:


> . also I think most people overestimate thier horses fitness. If your horse is only ridden in an arena or on slow trail rides for an hour 5 times a week it is not in any great shape.


ya a easy slow trail ride doeesnt really do much for a horses fitness, but riding in the arena has nothing to do with how fit your hrose is... the most fit horses i have seen have only really been ridden in an arena, for only 30 minutes a day (6 or seven times a week)
but you cant tell me that horse isnt fit, IMO it depends on how hard youa re working the horse, when we go out on trail rides we try some dressage on the trail too... which can be very hard work for them.
i have agreed with pretty much all your posts i have read, and they have all been knowladgable, maybe i misinturrpreted this onee?


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## Juniper (May 4, 2007)

I agree with kiwigirl, there are certain times, most especially early crisp mornings in the spring when I am absolutely going to do a little lunging before getting on the horse. But no bucking allowed. I do what Rockyxpony does, a sharp no and then some turns. They usually look a little abashed when you say no, like oops and then do some quick turns and they are back to behaving well. But we are lucky in that our horses have a large pasture to buck and play in. If they did not I guess you would have to let them do it on the lunge line. Our horses buck and gallop a bit every day so they must need to do that.


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## FlitterBug (May 28, 2009)

Hmmm....... I actually lunge a horse to find the buck, strange, huh? With all of the buckers that I have worked with, I have always been able to find a reason. The last one I had here had thrown multiple people, sent one to have serious surgery, and he had been labeled as just a "bad" horse that liked to buck. He didn't actually like to buck at all, he had just learned it as a coping mechanism when he was uncomfortable, he confirmed his results by constantly losing his rider, so the bucking became a habit. I'm sure he was reprimanded for it many times, but it was what he had found to take the pressure off of himself.

I brought him back to square one, reassessed his balance, taught him to reposition himself, clarified some cues he was confused on, and then when he was ready with the basics of his own body, I knew I had to find the trigger in order to kill that reflex. I looked for the buck, I do the same thing with bolters, both extreme defensive mechanisms on opposite sides of the scale. This particular horse had to learn to handle corrections and confinement around his body, both things that are regular with riding. It actually took a little while, but I did find the buck in there and once it was there I pushed hard. Bucking is actually pretty hard for a horse to do, and although I've seen horses do a few bucks for fun in the pasture, I've never seen a horse go full out bronc without a reason. I've found it much easier to simulate on a lunge line than ride it out. That horse never tried bucking undersaddle again, it was simply his way of telling people that he didn't understand and the only way that had gotten people to stop riding him. He had many other issues that came before the full out ejection habit had started, but people ignored them until he was basically full out screaming at them. Once he understood what was expected and was taught how to do it, he was perfectly happy to do his job and his whole personality changed.

Another serious bucker that I worked with was a horse that was a former saddle bronc at a rodeo. He was a pretty medicine hat paint that someone pulled off the string for that reason. He went through multiple trainers, as he had actually been taught and rewarded for bucking. He taught me a lot, and once he realized that we didn't want the bucking, he turned into an amazing horse. He knew very well how to get a rider off, he was actually a professional, but he never did again, and I never once "bucked him out".

I do teach horses not to buck for safety reasons ultimately, but I also see it as my responsibility and in the best interest of the horse to find a reason why the horse is bucking in the first place and recognize the signs that will lead to bucking in the long run. Many buck due to confusion, tightness, imbalance, defense against an underlying physical issue, back pain, saddle fit, or just lack of experience in travel. Most of the time, bucking is the issue that is treated instead of the issue that caused the bucking, some of these other issues (ex.confusion in mind and body) can be resolved in time through good handling even if in a different order, other horses will just learn to silently go lame since any protest due to pain is unacceptable to the rider.


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## Juniper (May 4, 2007)

Wow, Flitterbug that was very interesting. Brings to mind a horse I know who bucks consistently. He gets regular steroid injections for a sore back. Go figure. I know you are not supposed to hijack a thread but one answer often leads to another subject. Can I ask you... which of the above you would say is the underlying cause of a horse who bucks a little bit when galloping up a hill. I tried a horse out and did not buy him when he did that on a trail ride. One person thought he was sore somewhere and another said horses just like to buck if going up hill. 
By the way, before anyone yells at me, I don't make it a habit of speeding up a hill, I know it is safest to walk up. At the time I was with a friend who always rode on the edge of safety and I actually gave up riding with her even though I love her company. 
Also, what about horses who buck when you try to slow them down and other horses are running. I would love to hear your opinion on that. Sometimes in large group trail rides, poker rides etc. you get those few people who gallop around even though the rules prohibit doing that.


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## paint gurl 23 (Jan 26, 2009)

FlitterBug said:


> Hmmm....... I actually lunge a horse to find the buck, strange, huh? With all of the buckers that I have worked with, I have always been able to find a reason. The last one I had here had thrown multiple people, sent one to have serious surgery, and he had been labeled as just a "bad" horse that liked to buck. He didn't actually like to buck at all, he had just learned it as a coping mechanism when he was uncomfortable, he confirmed his results by constantly losing his rider, so the bucking became a habit. I'm sure he was reprimanded for it many times, but it was what he had found to take the pressure off of himself.
> 
> I brought him back to square one, reassessed his balance, taught him to reposition himself, clarified some cues he was confused on, and then when he was ready with the basics of his own body, I knew I had to find the trigger in order to kill that reflex. I looked for the buck, I do the same thing with bolters, both extreme defensive mechanisms on opposite sides of the scale. This particular horse had to learn to handle corrections and confinement around his body, both things that are regular with riding. It actually took a little while, but I did find the buck in there and once it was there I pushed hard. Bucking is actually pretty hard for a horse to do, and although I've seen horses do a few bucks for fun in the pasture, I've never seen a horse go full out bronc without a reason. I've found it much easier to simulate on a lunge line than ride it out. That horse never tried bucking undersaddle again, it was simply his way of telling people that he didn't understand and the only way that had gotten people to stop riding him. He had many other issues that came before the full out ejection habit had started, but people ignored them until he was basically full out screaming at them. Once he understood what was expected and was taught how to do it, he was perfectly happy to do his job and his whole personality changed.
> 
> ...


Great post! very well written, we think alike


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

Flitterbug: That is some good training there!


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## Walkamile (Dec 29, 2008)

FlitterBug, sounds like you have great "feel" with horses. Great post!


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## kiwigirl (Sep 30, 2009)

I always love your posts Flitterbug, they always have me thinking about them hours later. I agree about died in the wool buckers, there is an underlying problem. The guy I do stock work for has a mare she is about 12yrs old now and of all his horses she has been the only one that he has given up on. She is the only one of his horses that has consistently gone rodeo on him, broken his ribs twice, dislocated shoulder, damaged his back. I firmly believe that she has a physical problem I don't know where but if she was my horse I would start at her feet and work my way up. He believes that she is just highly strung.

I do believe that type of behaviour is different to the feeling fresh and excited little bucks and crow hops a horse sometimes puts out at the beginning of a ride. Yesterday my horse was feeling full of herself, I never lunged her, just spent the first twenty minutes of the ride doing basic training to get her to stop jigging and prancing and dancing. She settled down nicely eventually.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

> Most of the time, bucking is the issue that is treated instead of the issue that caused the bucking, some of these other issues (ex.confusion in mind and body) can be resolved in time through good handling even if in a different order, other horses will just learn to silently go lame since *any protest due to pain is unacceptable to the rider.[/*QUOTE]
> 
> My horse had chronic back pain issues when I got him - He was ridden in an ill-fitting saddle with a very heavy rider for about two years. He had learnt to buck in response to the pain. `
> 
> When I got him - You bet I nipped the bucking in the bud. I agree that it is imperative to find the underlying issue - But I don't accept dangerous behaviour, even as a reaction to pain. He learnt to tell me when he was hurting that wasn't dangerous to him OR me.


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## friafreedom756 (Jul 13, 2009)

When I started working with fria she had many many bucks. I NEVER EVER allow bucks when working her. I want to be in control (dominant). If I allow that she takes control. It's gotten to the point now that as soon as I see her begin to buck, I shout UH UH UH and it imediately stops. Even if shes in the green pasture (is left vacant most of the time) and decides to get frisky, A stern UH UH coming even from the door of the barn stops it. She will stop, look at me, and contunue eating grass as if to say "Yes mam, you are in control". When she is out of her pasture or her stall with me, It is my turn. She gets the rest of the time.


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## Marecare (Jan 1, 2009)

Bucking on a line....Ohhhh like this?

What a naughty little girl. Wheeeeeeeee!



























Look what happened...Oh my!


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## kiwigirl (Sep 30, 2009)

Marecare, that is gorgeous!!


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## ReiningTrainer (Dec 30, 2009)

kiwigirl said:


> Thanks Reining Trainer, so does that mean that you pull a bucking horse into yourself? I have always felt more comfortable getting some distance from a bucking horse but this is just a personal preference.


Well if I think the horse is going to go off in a fit, I don't give him the opportunity or put him in turn out. I keep the size of the circle and the speed of the exercise to where I can control the horse. I would also lunge in a full check snaffle if I thought there were antics abrew.

If the horse takes me off guard with a fit I pull him in pretty strongly and try to get the hind quarters to disengage. No popping the rope just a strong pull and get the speed and circle under control again.

Having said this, all horses I train to the lunge know this exercise so they usually straighten up pretty quick. I would never put a new horse on the end of a 30 foot lunge and ask him to lope/canter and hope for the best. We go through an entire lesson plan first. : )


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## kiwigirl (Sep 30, 2009)

Yeah Reining Trainer I know what you mean. I have thought about this and realise that there is two types bucking on a lunge line. The sort of bucking that I am talking about is the feel good at the beginning of a day little farts and leaps. You know, an excess of energy but nothing more than high spirits that burn out very quickly. I don't mind a couple of those from a young horse in the honeymoon stage of riding, I do get less tolerant as time progresses. I am finding it is no longer an issue for my horse and I anyway, she is getting more settled and I am happy to cope with any nonsense on her back.

A full on bronco fit of a horse that is unbroken, scared, upset is a totally different subject.


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## ReiningTrainer (Dec 30, 2009)

FlitterBug said:


> I do teach horses not to buck for safety reasons ultimately, but I also see it as my responsibility and in the best interest of the horse to find a reason why the horse is bucking in the first place and recognize the signs that will lead to bucking in the long run. Many buck due to confusion, tightness, imbalance, defense against an underlying physical issue, back pain, saddle fit, or just lack of experience in travel. Most of the time, bucking is the issue that is treated instead of the issue that caused the bucking, some of these other issues (ex.confusion in mind and body) can be resolved in time through good handling even if in a different order, other horses will just learn to silently go lame since any protest due to pain is unacceptable to the rider.


I like it, all good stuff when dealing with chronic problems we need to go back to the start and lay a foundation of communication and look for the triggers and remove them. Ever see a horse that is soft, giving, and relaxed in a bucking fit? Well written.


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