# Young horse bucking (pain response)



## em15 (Aug 26, 2017)

I was riding my green 4 year old gelding last monday in a flat lesson and all was going well. We warmed up, started to do some trot work and he was doing extremely well with no problems. We then gave him a walk break for a few minutes and when I asked him to trot he instantly started to swish his tail, his ears were going back. Giving a annoyed and frustrated response. I was asking him to trot like I normally would, soft hands, gentle squeeze with my calves, voice cue, no whips. 

He usually responds to this cue extremely well (it is what works best for him). It was later in the lesson, when we were first asking him to canter he started to pop his bum up in the air (i don't have experience with dealing with bucking horses, since my horse has never bucked under saddle before on me or my previous lease horse and when I rode my barns lesson horses). 

My trainer thought this was quite odd, as she saw me ask for the transition and saw nothing abnormal of what I was doing and not like him. She said to take him back to a trot, take a step back for a minute, recooperate and try again. I asked him to canter from a trot again as I did before, he kicked up and kicked the wall behind him. My trainer thought this may be a pain response but wanted to make sure. I got him back to a nice steady working trot and then asked him gently with more voice to canter. He bucked, so my trainer concluded this must be or most likely be a pain response. 

She then suggested it may be muscle tightness from it being cold outside.( I warmed him up for 15-20 mins walk trot, and the 2 days before when I rode I walked him out for 25 minutes and made sure he was not still warm and fully ready to go out) She then proceeded to suggest that i should trot him around on a loose rein to stretch him out a bit and see if he will be happier, she said take both legs completely off and just let him move. Going one way, he was perfect, happy. We switch directions and I still have no leg on (being aware i dont accidentally squeeze) and reins are loose down to the buckle. 

He was trotting along great then when we turned a corner out of the blue he started bucking, spinning, and crow hopping. My trainer said there was no heads up it was going to happen. I slid off the side of him and landed on my feet. He walked over to me after looking and acting normal. My trainer then said it has to be a pain response since I had no leg on, light seat, and longest reins possible. 

I was walking him out on the ground after and he would occasionally pin his ears and kick at the air. I put him in the cross ties and started to feel for any heat in his joints (even though he was moving fine, was cooperative with his body up until that point) and nothing. No back pain, saddle fits quite well, no rubs, no unusual lumps.(Stretched him out and no resistance) It was then when i stroked his stomach up towards his sheath he got mad and kicked out at the wall. Me and my trainer think he may need his sheath cleaned (has not been done since May last year). Vet is coming out on wednesday (writing this on saturday). Haven't ridden him since in case I case more discomfort. Lunges and moves fine. 

In conclusion, I just want to know if from the story told is it most likely a sheath problem? I have never dealt with this horse needing his sheath cleaned while being worked under saddle. First time seeing him react to something dealing with his sheath. He is usually and always been the most sweetest and most cooperative boy under saddle. Trainer said I was riding normally, he was moving normally and acting normally until that point so it is not from wanting to not to work. He has shown no other signs of discomfort or pain since then. 

I've worked him on the lunge line with tack on, complies happily. It is not colic, but from that outburst and reaction i am not too certain it might just be his sheath. From seeing what happened, I am worried it may be something else too. I know vet is coming out but I'm just nervous about it (If something else is going on)!!! If anyone has had a situation like this or has a idea about what's going on please let me know !!!! *****Not due to weight, way I was riding, what I was asking, all were as normal and as usual. Reaction and out of the blue outburst was completely abnormal for this guy. Just worries me since its the first time anything like this has happened since i have owned him.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Typically for the bean to be bad enough to cause pain and behavioral changes (bucking) it impacts the stream also. Watch him pee. Usually if there is a significant bean the flow sprays and doesn't stream.


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## ApuetsoT (Aug 22, 2014)

Has it been unusually cold? They can get tight from being cold, they also don't sleep as well if its miserable outside. You could try warming him up in a cooler next time in case it is a case of muscle soreness. There's also a chance he tweaked something playing/slipping that only hurt when going into the canter.



> I still have no leg on (being aware i dont accidentally squeeze) and reins are loose down to the buckle. He was trotting along great then when we turned a corner out of the blue he started bucking, spinning, and crow hopping.


You were inviting a reaction like that. He had already shown he was being a little dirty that day, so by riding him with zero support you were inviting him to pull another move. You can ride without interfering but still keep them focused. If he hasn't been self exercising enough outside(due to cold/weather), there's always the chance it's a case of the sillys.


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## em15 (Aug 26, 2017)

Already ahead of you haha his pee streams have been normal and he hasn't shown any difficulties peeing or discomfort from what I have seen.


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## em15 (Aug 26, 2017)

@ApuestoT It has been getting a bit colder the past few days here but when that happened, I think it may have been a little bit colder than usual but not significantly. Thanks for the info, will try warming him up in a cooler next ride. And yeah that is definitely a possibility he tweaked something!! And thank you for letting me know about me inviting him to react. Will definitely be mindful of that. Won't make that mistake again if a situation like this happens again


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

While it is good to make sure there isn't a pain response, what exactly did you do to CORRECT his behavior? It sounds like you just let him get away with it. 

Yes, it's my duty as the horse's owner and rider to make sure the horse is comfortable and happy .... but that is still no excuse for a horse to buck or act badly. I will reprimand them to let them know that is not okay.

I say this so that you are prepared when you ride him the next time. Chances are, he'll try it again. So see what the vet says on Wednesday ... but be prepared to correct him when you ride him again. You stated you've never rode a horse that has bucked before, so it may be wise for your trainer to ride it out. 

It's also possible he just simply had a "bad day". He's 4 and he is young. That wouldn't be out of the ordinary. But good to check his sheath and have the vet give him a general look over.

Also inspect the underside of your saddle. Make sure no nails or anything have come loose and/or are poking out.


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## WhattaTroublemaker (Aug 13, 2013)

I agree with the above. Get the vet out and prepare to crack down. He's a young fresh horse and he's going to pull some strings and test some boundaries. I just went through this and it sounds exactly the same scenario. Trotting out on a loose rein, leg off and he threw a buck - the difference here is I came off :lol: and I put is **** to work after, trotted him out until he got that idea out of his head.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Almost convinced it is a green horse thing, except fr the kicking out , pinning ear when led.
How sure are you there was not a partial impaction? Living in Alberta, with severe winters, I have dealt several times with impaction colic. Is his manure output normal, or does it appear dry, with the balls being smaller and distinctly separate?


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## em15 (Aug 26, 2017)

@beau159 Thanks for the help. I will for sure be aware and be ready if he does it again. My trainer feels we worked it out in the lesson, but like you said, chances are he will do it again. Thanks for the advice!! And I already asked my trainer if she could hop on him first before I ride him to properly school him since I don't have enough experience with bucks to do it myself yet. And I'll look at my saddle tomorrow for sure!


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## em15 (Aug 26, 2017)

@Smilie From what I have seen, his manure has been normal. Will look out for any changes. Thanks for the help!


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

Personally I would question your trainer. 

I have had many horses that have had big sheath beans - non have ever bucked or messed around because of it. 

Also to tell a rider to let a horse have a long rein and keep legs off on a young horse that has just 'performed' in a disrespectful way. I agree with allowing the horse to stretch down *but* the rider does this by allowing the hands to go forward and being very aware that the horse might well mess around again, the rider's legs remain on. Should the horse buck the rider is in a position to get the horse's head up and legs are there to drive forward and help the rider remain in the saddle.

I would say this is a young horse thing, testing the water.


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## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

He sounds young and sassy, as was previously mentioned. I was up on a young gelding that tried this on me the other day. I do the opposite of what your trainer asked you to, we did a ton of focused work at the trot, small figure 8's, circles, the start of basic roll backs on the fence in fast succession. 10 minutes of that and he lost most of the sass and got down to business.


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## Kristopher (Jan 30, 2018)

From my experience. I have had just plain lazy horses when training where with what they though was comfortable was great. If asked to trot or canter when they did not want to or pulled the attitude that we already did that, would crow hop or kick up. I would agree it is more of a green broke issue. Need to ride through it. Get him moving before he develops sticky feet. I trained a lazy horse that turned out fantastic. I usually don’t ride with spurs cause my own horses are willing partners. But with this one had to put my spurs on. After rolling my spurs on her she got the message to listen to my legs. ( not aggressive roll. Don’t jab). Sounds like there matey up few holes in the training of your horse. I usually like to start horses with a lot of forward movement. Walk trot and canter right of the start. If you are not comfortable with riding him out get some else to do it. But you should probably gain your confidence so you become better a better rider. If you do not feel confident your horse won’t. Quick story. I fixed a horse that had small issues but the rider had more issues. The horse was a 4 year old and was a wonderful horse. I could do whatever I wanted with that horse. When she got on him she treated him like he was not broke and was scared to ride him cause of her insecurities and it reflected through the horse. She would get upset when I tried to build her confidence and always blamed the horse. Till this day she probably walks that horse down a hill or whenever she gets nervous ,crippling the horse in his abilities. Long story short. It’s easy to blame other factors such as pain,ill fiting saddle, sometimes it is the bit but that’s a different story.
Usually it’s the rider and knowing how to get passed the bad stuff and get to the good stuff!!! I am a firm believer that a green broke horse is not for a green rider. Know your capabilities and get the right horse for your riding confidence. Then you both can succeed.


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