Hi all,
So I've acquired a new boy, 10 year old ex-racer, finished when he was 7. Clearly re-trained very well, but for the past year has been in a home with no turnout, no hacking, and he's been over fed and hardly worked.
I've taken him on and have been able to jump straight on- he's calm and accepting in the school and doesn't make you feel unsafe (yet to canter but doubt that will be an issue either).
Now we went on a hack last night, for the first time, it was super windy and involved road work and a forest. He was a GEM on the roads, and walked out very fast, but behaved. Rushed a bit more as the hack went on, we just had a walk and I could feel that he wanted to go, but he didn't bomb off at all... almost like he was waiting for me to say 'Ok now canter'. HOWEVER.... when we reached the track that takes us back to the yard, he looked the other way and reared up twice, then continued the way I wanted him to go. He didn't unseat me, and I didn't loose my stirrups but my friend said it was a full blown rear. After this, we were walking along on the road, riding on the buckle, being good as gold again.
My question is: Did he rear up as a 'but mum I don't want to go home because I like this and I don't know if we'll do it again', and once we've been out a few times he'll realise he will be hacking a few times a week, and it won't be an issue, or do you think it was something else?
My concern is that I've never dealt with a rearer before, I can deal with bronching etc... but this is my first experience of a rear, and from what I understand it's a refusal to move forward. How do I handle this if it happens again? What if it's worse? What else could it be? I rode him in the school again this morning, and he was foot perfect.
I want to reiterate that this was the only problem I have faced with him, and he has been solid for the rest of the ride, both before and after the rears. I'm not scared of him, but he's a big boy, and I don't want to become scared of him!
Many thanks,
From the idiot that keeps ending up with chestnut thoroughbreds!!!!
So I've acquired a new boy, 10 year old ex-racer, finished when he was 7. Clearly re-trained very well, but for the past year has been in a home with no turnout, no hacking, and he's been over fed and hardly worked.
I've taken him on and have been able to jump straight on- he's calm and accepting in the school and doesn't make you feel unsafe (yet to canter but doubt that will be an issue either).
Now we went on a hack last night, for the first time, it was super windy and involved road work and a forest. He was a GEM on the roads, and walked out very fast, but behaved. Rushed a bit more as the hack went on, we just had a walk and I could feel that he wanted to go, but he didn't bomb off at all... almost like he was waiting for me to say 'Ok now canter'. HOWEVER.... when we reached the track that takes us back to the yard, he looked the other way and reared up twice, then continued the way I wanted him to go. He didn't unseat me, and I didn't loose my stirrups but my friend said it was a full blown rear. After this, we were walking along on the road, riding on the buckle, being good as gold again.
My question is: Did he rear up as a 'but mum I don't want to go home because I like this and I don't know if we'll do it again', and once we've been out a few times he'll realise he will be hacking a few times a week, and it won't be an issue, or do you think it was something else?
My concern is that I've never dealt with a rearer before, I can deal with bronching etc... but this is my first experience of a rear, and from what I understand it's a refusal to move forward. How do I handle this if it happens again? What if it's worse? What else could it be? I rode him in the school again this morning, and he was foot perfect.
I want to reiterate that this was the only problem I have faced with him, and he has been solid for the rest of the ride, both before and after the rears. I'm not scared of him, but he's a big boy, and I don't want to become scared of him!
Many thanks,
From the idiot that keeps ending up with chestnut thoroughbreds!!!!