Okay. So now he bucks.

BeachRiding

BeachRiding

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Aug 26, 2004
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My trainer went ahead and rode Gitcha for me in canter last week. She said that she could feel him tensing and wanting to buck the entire time. Great I think. Just what my confidence needs.:rolleyes:

That was last week. I rode Gitcha today, He wasn't walking on so I used the crop (which he hates) he then proceeded to trot fast and take up canter. I haven't cantered him in a while as I am not allowed to. Anyway, I felt his back tense and then he let out a small buck. Which suprised me but didn't unseat me.

My trainer has checked his back and said she could find nothing wrong, infact she thought his back felt great. Plus,I used to canter him all the time last summer and he was always loose and never bucked on me.

So what could it be? Confusion? Behavior?
 
Freshness? If you haven't cantered in a while, although he doesn't buck when you are free-schooling...?
Did the fast-trot unseat you a little? You might have bounced off the saddle maybe. I know when horses run into canter like that its easy to loose your balance and bounce on the saddle just as they pick up the canter :rolleyes: rode a lot of bouncy ponies all week!
 
I am sorry to hear about the new development. But how awesome taht you found a trainer that's also a Massage Therapist! Where we live those are really hard to come buy. Wonderful that you found a person that's trained in both. I am sure it well help a great deal in figuring out hwo to approach this
 
How does your trainer know for sure that his back is okay? Is she a vet, chiropractor, massage therapist, or something else of this sort?

Personally, if the problem persisted, I would want a professional's opinion on that sort of thing. I have the chiropractor coming out to see Dolly in the next while because she has been acting a bit funny. She may be absolutely fine for all I know, but I want a professional to tell me that before I jump to any conclusions.

ETA: I posted at the same time as KarinUS and missed the fact that she is a massage therapist (which is why I was asking the question)! So disregard my comments!
 
Oh I just assumed she is a massage therapist. If she weren't I am sure she would be very reluctant to diagnose things she is not qualified to diagnose and WillieLove wouldn't count on her to make the diagnosis in the first place, right?
 
Saddle fit. I know you are ridding in a newer wintec with him, and it would be prime suspect numero uno as it's something that has "changed" from when you used to canter him all the time.
I could be wrong, but when a new and dangerous behaviour crops up out of the blue.. the first thing to be examined is anything that is different.
 
Bucking is done for a variety of reasons, in the order that you want to examine them

1) Pain. Back pain from the saddle, the rider sitting funny, pulled muscle, whatever.
2) Irritation or confusion. The rider is not making her aids clear enough for the horse to understand
3) Bad behavior. Rider is asking the horse to do something that the horse finds tough or doesn't want to do.
4) Good spirits and fresh

So what's up to you is to find out which reason works best. I'd rule out pain first, and then work your way down. Whichever reason you find fits the best, you obviously need to find some corrective ways of handling it - but if you're trainer is even half decent, she should definitely have some ideas
 
No, she is not a massage therapist as far as I know. I trust her judgment though. She has been working with horses for along time and seemed really intelligent in that area. I HAVE had a massage therapist out before though. She said he is stiffer on one side than the other. But he never used to buck when this was going on.

StormArion- I am inclined to think that because of my confidence issues before I used to ask for canter and then hold him back, which confused the hell out of him. So I am inclined to think he was either confused or he was irritated from the crop.
 
Once you've ruled out all the physical aspects, it most likely is just down to confusion. As you've said, you've always held him back from cantering.

So when you used the whip it annoyed the hell out of him, reason enough for the buck. Why do you think he is so lazy? Just being naughty? Any changes in his diet?
 
I have no clue why he is lazy. I only suspect it is again a problem from when I was at a confidence low and used to hold him back while asking him to go forward. Now that I want him to go forward he thinks why bother?

No changes in his diet.
 
I bought a Wintec. 6 months later joePony was tense and bucking in canter.
He didn't show much sign of the sore back either when checked.

Wintecs are renowned for it. They're too curved from front to back - too banana shaped. We talked about this before you decided to buy the Wintec. You bought the Wintec. 6 months later Gitcha is bucking in canter. Ho Hum.

6 months later, joePony isn't in a Wintec and he doesn't buck in canter. Ho Hum.
 
does he buck in canter tacked-up on the lunge? i have the same saddle as you and ive not had any bucking problems but then it was professionally fitted and is regularly checked (i realise thats difficult in your area). its not bridging on his back or anything is it?

could he have been objecting cos your trainer is new and he maybe didnt like/isnt use to her style of riding? maybe he wants his mummy to ride him :D
 
WillieLove, Just a thought, could he be doing too much schooling? Maybe he's become soured of it...

Do you hack him out? Does he do it out hacking?

Have the problems only started since you had this saddle? Is there another saddle that you could try on him?

Maybe it would be worth getting out a back person, or saddle fitter, if he's not just bored schooling;)
 
WillieLove said:
No, she is not a massage therapist as far as I know. I trust her judgment though. She has been working with horses for along time and seemed really intelligent in that area. I HAVE had a massage therapist out before though. She said he is stiffer on one side than the other. But he never used to buck when this was going on.
Click to expand...

I would be very wary of the opinions of anyone who is not qualified, especially in this area.

I have come across someone on an old yard who went round 'fitting' saddles to all her horses - most of them were ridden in the same saddle, and she said she could tell if it was a good fit or not and she had done a saddle fitters course.

Gitcha is telling you something - maybe you should listen to him over your RI
 
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CurlyWurly- nope he doesn't buck at all on the lunge or free-schooling 4 foot.
He didn't quite like my new trainer because she told him what to do . Bit of a shock for him.

Sheryl- He does do a lot of schooling. It's a thought,but I vary my routine. I don't hack him as he rears and bolts out hacking. He has been fine in my wintec he only just started this behaviour.

ride134- I really trust my RI more than the qualified massage therapist I had out.
 
WillieLove said:
CurlyWurly- nope he doesn't buck at all on the lunge or free-schooling 4 foot.
He didn't quite like my new trainer because she told him what to do . Bit of a shock for him.

Sheryl- He does do a lot of schooling. It's a thought,but I vary my routine. I don't hack him as he rears and bolts out hacking. He has been fine in my wintec he only just started this behaviour.

ride134- I really trust my RI more than the qualified massage therapist I had out.
Click to expand...

What did the actual therapist say? And when did she come? i hope this sorts itself out....
 
She really didn't say much. She did say he was stiffer on one side than the other, but that's because I have a back issue from my car accident and I have to sit slightly crooked.

He tried to bite her the entire time. He HATED his massage. He love my massages though so I don't think it was because of pain.
 
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