He's bucking!!

[Toodlestoo]

OK, Oreo, big fat draft cross, has started bucking when we ride him.:mad: I got on him and he was fine but as soon as I ask him to walk, he bucks. Every time. What should we do? Do you ride out the bucks and hope he calms down (I think I'm too scared to do that), get off, what! We think it may be the saddle because even when we tighten it, he tries to bite us. But, once again, we don't want him to get away with bad behavior but we didn't know whether to tighten up on the rein, loosen the rein, ride him in a circle, etc.

I am going to call a friend that breeds and rides quarter horses and have him check out the saddle, bit, etc. But, we just weren't sure what to do at the time.

So, we chickened out and unsaddled him. I walk away and he walks right after me and when I turned around, he puts his head in my chest. Help!

[WashingtonBay]

Definitely check the saddle first. If it's pinching him every time he moves, you're asking a lot for him to not rebel against that.

Take some good pictures of him with the saddle on and we can tell if it's in the ball park.

Beyond that, what's his age, training and recent history? i.e. How much has he been worked recently?

[vicklynn]

Saddle fit is the first thing Id check. Then medical issues. IF those all pan out right, as soon as you ask for a walk, and if he bucks, circle him, keep pushing him though. Start to straighten out, if he humps, acts like or bucks, circle and push, both directions. Eventually he will not want to spin and be ready to ride out. I do this with City, you may not see the hump, but its there. The last 2 times Ive been on him, no hump. I do, if only a little, ground work first, then neck work and response work in the saddle before I think about moving out. I also use long reins with poppers, that gets Citys attention, via the butt.

[Toodlestoo]

He's 9, has been with us a year and hardly worked at all.:rolleyes: We had an Aussie draft saddle on him and he didn't buck but it slipped to the side all the time so when we started using a Circle Y saddle on him, which we really could tighten, he started the bucking. So, I think it is the saddle. :cry: I'll get pictures later and post them.

He was sound asleep in the field and I had to wake him up to go riding. Do you think he was just mad at me? lol

[Toodlestoo]

Oooo--thanks Vick. That's the kind of advice I was looking for!

[42many]

The only time my now-5yo horse gave me any problems with bucking in training was about 1.5+ years ago and turned out to be due to chiropractic needs. He only did it for 2 rides, 2 days in a row and it was so "off" a thing for him to do that I just set him out to pasture while I waited for an appointment. The chiro said that many younger horses just going through training have need for adjustment due to working different muscles, etc. He had also had an incident getting out of a 2-horse trailer that I thought was likely a huge culprit for mal-adjustment (got turned around in 1 side of a 2-horse and popped out like a cork!).

Anyhow, just a point that pain in general (due to whatever -and in your case it is likely saddle issues!) can cause a normally mellow and amiable horse to do bad things.

I felt so bad with my boy's issues, because the first day I figured it was just bad behavior and pushed through it (rode it out) since he didn't *seem* to be in any pain. The 2nd day, though, I started thinking - that was SO not like him, what could be the problem? I'm glad I didn't keep riding through it and assuming it was a training issue (as I originally started to do) because he was back to his normal self after a little adjustment!

I'd personally give him a few days off (and maybe some bute?) to try and alleviate any lingering back pain, then I'd try some "tests" such as riding bareback, putting on a lunge line with and without a saddle, with different thickness and type pads, with and without a rider, trying different saddles, etc. If you aren't experience in the nuances of what you are looking at when you check things like that, though, you should just skip straight to a professional (vet/chiro/saddle fitter/etc).

Good luck!! Hope he's doing better soon!

[WashingtonBay]

Well, some horses are better than others for going long periods with no work and then starting cold. The ones that can are gems, in my book! Others need more regular work to keep on their best behavior.

Saddle needs to be ruled out before I'd ride him again. Can you get pics today or soon?

[cloedoll]

If the Aussie saddle slipped on him, maybe it was too wide or maybe that's just his build, but there are a ton of spiffy non-slip pads out there that help loads with this. I shouldn't be saying anything yet, though, I agree with WBay, get those pics up please! :D

[vicklynn]

Yup, WB, you got that one right. Im blessed with those type horses, give em a couple minutes to get the play out, get on, work up and go. I say blessed cause they are both still rather young.

I also agree with saddle being ruled out first.
Oh and if you own 2 different saddles, different pads may be needed per saddle.
For both of Citys saddles, they each fit, but different, so each has a different pad.
I let him lunge with a change out, if the saddle hasnt been on him in awhile.
Get him used to the feel of change, and remembering.

[Cat]

If its the saddle you don't want to "ride it out" - that is not fair to the horse. Don't ride him until you get a saddle that fits. Once you do that I bet you won't have any more problems. Draft and draft crosses can be very hard to fit properly and typically your standard Circle Y isn't going to fit properly since its created more for a QH back.

If the other saddle fit but just slipped and he went well in it - it could be due to his build. A non-slip pad (I have a New Breed for my haflinger) and a breast collar work great in a situation like that.

[Toodlestoo]

Should I try riding him bareback?

[Palogal]

sounds like the saddle most likely. If he continues to be a jerk with a different saddle that fits do what VL said. Aside from medical issues, there's NO REASON to accept bucking in the saddle.

[Palogal]

Should I try riding him bareback?

I'd rather have a saddle if he's bucking but if you sit on him bareback and he behaves you know it was the saddle.

[Toodlestoo]

Well, we went up and I rode him bareback and he still bucked! That's some scarey stuff!!! We have a bridle/halter combo and hubby was holding him by a lead on the halter. Thank God--I think he would have ran off with me. We were in the ring. So, I lunged him for 5 minutes and he trotted and cantered the whole time with a few bucks.

So, first thing tomorrow, I going to look for a trainer to maybe put some miles on him. I think he may just be spoiled:innocent:

[vicklynn]

Im glad you didnt get bucked off. Nothing wrong with getting a trainer. Id like to get one, put a few finishing things on City, and Id like a couple classes myself. Hopefully come Spring. Hope you find the right one.

[Palogal]

I'd have his back checked. Those big dudes have a very high pain tolerance so it may be something that's hurt him for a while.