Balking / Rearing while heading home

[Catalyst]

Hi everyone,

Long-time lurker finally posting in hopes of someone else having more insight to my current issue than I am.

I have a 24 year old gelding who is turning occasionally balky. This balking occurs only when heading home. He is in moderate work and we do a combination of ring work and trails. He is very fit and is pasture boarded with access to grass and free choice hay at all times.

We move out at all speeds while on the trail, but balking has only ever occurred while we are walking home. He is perfectly fine out by himself, and this has only happened when with other horses. We were all together too, so it’s not as though he was being left behind. He will plant his feet and refuse to move. I can take his head and bend him either way - he will flex all the way around to my boot but still will not move. Hitting him with a crop sends him into panic mode where he just throws himself around and shakes. The last time he balked, I dismounted and got after him with my split reins and made him work. he will stand quietly to be mounted again.

Yesterday was the second time this has happened. I got after him 3-4 times and made him move, but the last time he balked he paused for a moment - not even long enough for me to get off - and he reared up, came down, and immediately went up again. At this point we were close enough to the barn that I beat the crap out of him, took him back into the ring, lunged him, rode him there, and then took him back out on the trail. Not a toe out of line. We returned, I gave him water, and tied him up for 40 minutes before going back out, this time with company. He was fine.

This is only the second time this has happened in 8 years of owning him. He was a retrain project I fell in love with. He is not spooky and on the trails is a very confident horse. I want to shut this down hard so it does not become a habit. Did I do anything wrong? What would you suggest? Nothing of his has changed - vet was just out, teeth are fine, tack has remained the same.

[Lilykoi]

It is odd he does it coming home, almost like he wants to stay out on the trail. My old mare was anti-barn sour. I would haul up to a friend’s to go trail riding. On the way back, she always wanted to make the turn away from home and keep going. We thought it was funny and she never objected to me saying no, it was time to go home. She would plod oh so slowly home though, not react like your guy. At home, she always returned to the barn more slowly then heading away. If we were with friends, she led all the way till she knew she was going home, then she would let someone else lead. Funny girl.
Have you tried turning him back around and riding away from the barn for a bit, then returning homeward? My mare was also independent and went the same with or without company.

[Calamber]

Does the terrain change at all going home, meaning are you going downhill?

[Catalyst]

[QUOTE=Lilykoi;8208350]
It is odd he does it coming home, almost like he wants to stay out on the trail.

Have you tried turning him back around and riding away from the barn for a bit, then returning homeward? My mare was also independent and went the same with or without company.[/QUOTE]

He willing leaves the barn/trailer/friends behind when we go out. He’s very happy on the trails and in general is a very pleasant horse. He has lovely ground manners and has never balked in the ring.

I do turn him around and work him the other way if I feel he needs it. I do circles, serpentines, change of speed, and suppling exercises when I do turn him around. I’ve never tried it when he’s been balky, but I have used it when he’s been a bit full of himself and needed a reminder. He does have quite the motor and likes to move out. I’m going to try being proactive and do that when I feel him start to get sticky.

[Catalyst]

[QUOTE=Calamber;8208379]
Does the terrain change at all going home, meaning are you going downhill?[/QUOTE]

Yes, there’s a slight grade. The first time he did this, however, was on flat land - we were moving from one field to the next. Yesterday’s event happened relatively close to the barn, and it is a little hilly.

[Catalyst]

Double post

[psb]

My horse will do this too. He even used to do it on the property if we were riding outside and I would try to get him to return to the barn to ride indoors. I just figured that he liked to get out and about rather than stay home. If I got off he would easily lead back, but I really think he just wanted to stay out longer.

[Flash44]

He has an issue with go forward. I too think it’s strange that it happens on the way home. He’s an older guy, and it does not seem like he needs the crap worked out of him. Do you do ever do groundwork? It’s my go-to issue fixer since it encourages the horse pay attention, learn, and stay calm. I like to make sure the horse will stay out of my space, go forward on cue, move the shoulders, move the hips and back up with just minimal cues from me. It’s something I stay on top of with every horse on a regular basis. Do you ride in the ring, or work on flatwork? I know it’s boring, but it has it’s uses in getting the horse soft, flexible and going forward.

I’ve heard the term ‘Untraining’ used about trail riding, since the rider can be sitting there not really interacting with the horse much, especially if you have a good horse who quietly goes on down the trail with no fuss or no spook. With little input from the rider, the horse essentially becomes the leader and even though he may be making the right decisions, he still is making the decisions, which undermines the rider’s authority. So I try to do a little ring work before I head out on the trail, or on days it’s too muddy to trail ride.

Hope you figure him out, he sounds like a nice horse other than this little glitch!

[candyappy]

I don’t have any experience with it, but could he be tying up? Beating the crap out of him is unproductive, especially when it causes him to shake. If he is agreeable in every other instance then it might be a pain issue, especially since it has just started out of the blue. At 24 he needs to be treated gently.

Also, the other horses you are riding with, the one closest to him could be giving a signal that you can’t see, but that he doesn’t like.

[Catalyst]

[QUOTE=psb;8208658]
My horse will do this too. He even used to do it on the property if we were riding outside and I would try to get him to return to the barn to ride indoors. I just figured that he liked to get out and about rather than stay home. If I got off he would easily lead back, but I really think he just wanted to stay out longer.[/QUOTE]

He leads easily and well, even after he balks. If I get off and lead him the way I want to go, he will walk without prompting.

[Catalyst]

[QUOTE=candyappy;8208709]
I don’t have any experience with it, but could he be tying up? Beating the crap out of him is unproductive, especially when it causes him to shake. If he is agreeable in every other instance then it might be a pain issue, especially since it has just started out of the blue. At 24 he needs to be treated gently.

Also, the other horses you are riding with, the one closest to him could be giving a signal that you can’t see, but that he doesn’t like.[/QUOTE]

I don’t beat him with a crop because I know he’ll panic. I don’t ever use one on him because I know it makes him extremely anxious. He was an auction horse I purchased from someone, and have no other history on him. Someone along the line must have beaten him with one, because when I first got him he used to lose his mind if anyone around him picked one up. Even the lunge whip would frighten him.

I beat the snot out of him for rearing. When I would get off him after him balking the goal was to make him move his feet - I went after him with my split reins on his butt to get him moving, and as soon as he did I made him stand and remounted. He was not shaking at any point.

*Edit - Also, you have me wondering if it could possibly be a saddle pad thing. I have two main pads I use, and I believe I was using the same pad both times he did this. It’s a wool western pad. I use it quite frequently as he never shows any discomfort signs nor does he seem back sore when I check him, but I’m going to evaluate everything tonight.

[Catalyst]

[QUOTE=Flash44;8208685]
He has an issue with go forward. I too think it’s strange that it happens on the way home. He’s an older guy, and it does not seem like he needs the crap worked out of him. Do you do ever do groundwork? It’s my go-to issue fixer since it encourages the horse pay attention, learn, and stay calm. I like to make sure the horse will stay out of my space, go forward on cue, move the shoulders, move the hips and back up with just minimal cues from me. It’s something I stay on top of with every horse on a regular basis. Do you ride in the ring, or work on flatwork? I know it’s boring, but it has it’s uses in getting the horse soft, flexible and going forward.

I’ve heard the term ‘Untraining’ used about trail riding, since the rider can be sitting there not really interacting with the horse much, especially if you have a good horse who quietly goes on down the trail with no fuss or no spook. With little input from the rider, the horse essentially becomes the leader and even though he may be making the right decisions, he still is making the decisions, which undermines the rider’s authority. So I try to do a little ring work before I head out on the trail, or on days it’s too muddy to trail ride.

Hope you figure him out, he sounds like a nice horse other than this little glitch![/QUOTE]

I do ground work and a lot of flat work on him. If I’m not riding, I’m working on ground work. I do a lot of laterally work, both in the saddle and on the ground (such as over poles, hip work, turns on the forehand). When I first got him he was very stiff, and now I do a lot of suppling work just out of habit. He “sends” well on the ground, too. He tests boundaries with other people by crowding and touching, but I don’t have than issue with him.

We’ve both also done a little bit of everything - jumpers, started some reining work, some minor cow work, and now I ride with endurance riders so my trail rides are almost never just ambling down the trail. I do a lot of rating on the trail, combine fast and slow work, and try to mix it up since riding the same routine gets boring for me too!

Do you have any specific ground work exercises you feel may be helpful in my case? Are there any that you like to do out on the trail? I’m wondering if I need to do ground work out there instead of in the ring?

[SmartAlex]

[QUOTE=candyappy;8208709]
I don’t have any experience with it, but could he be tying up?[/QUOTE]

Tying up was my first thought because it happened after working.

[Ibex]

Nothing to add to help fix, but I have another one who is very forward going out, but (figuratively) drags her feet on the way back in. And this isn’t heavy trail riding - it’s some light exercise at the walk, and it doesn’t matter where we are. As soon as she figures out we’re headed back to the barn or trailer, the gas pedal disappears LOL.

[Catalyst]

Can tying up still occur even when there was no hard work done? I hadn’t even trotted him while out yesterday. We walked out to trim the overhanging branches on the trail. It was a bit of standing, shuffling two feet, standing some more, etc. before walking back - and that’s when the balking started.

[enjoytheride]

What happens when you come back to the barn?

[shiloh]

[QUOTE=Catalyst;8208241]

took him back into the ring, lunged him, rode him there, and then took him back out on the trail. Not a toe out of line. We returned, I gave him water, and tied him up for 40 minutes before going back out, this time with company. He was fine. [/QUOTE]

Yes, he needed to be punished for rearing - SO unacceptable, I don’t care what his problem is; but - don’t punish when you get back to the barn. Don’t lunge him, ride him in the arena, then tie him up. In his head he may be turning this into the barn is a bad thing. Now I realize, something rlse set him off but don’t antagonize the problem further by doing this. I would do this for the horse that was too hotsy-totsy to get BACK to the barn. One of my friends has the best line: she calls them barn sweet and trail sour.

But what started this? Maybe his back is sore? Something is bugging him. Be interesting to see what you find out.

And just throwing this out there maybe there is something going on at the barn that is making him unhappy. My last horse, at second to last barn, would buzz right out on a trail ride but drag his feet and try to pitch a hissy on the way home. Finally figured out that he hated the electric fencing around his paddock, the constant click-click-clicking was driving him mad. He had started doing that head jerk thing, I had the vet out and we were watching this poor horse jerking his head and my vet pointed out that he was doing it in time to the clicking. He never did it anywhere else and when I moved he stopped.

[shiloh]

[QUOTE=Catalyst;8208241]

took him back into the ring, lunged him, rode him there, and then took him back out on the trail. Not a toe out of line. We returned, I gave him water, and tied him up for 40 minutes before going back out, this time with company. He was fine. [/QUOTE]

Yes, he needed to be punished for rearing - SO unacceptable, I don’t care what his problem is; but - don’t punish when you get back to the barn. Don’t lunge him, ride him in the arena, then tie him up. In his head he may be turning this into the barn is a bad thing. Now I realize, something rlse set him off but don’t antagonize the problem further by doing this. I would do this for the horse that was too hotsy-totsy to get BACK to the barn. One of my friends has the best line: she calls them barn sweet and trail sour.

But what started this? Maybe his back is sore? Something is bugging him. Be interesting to see what you find out.

And just throwing this out there maybe there is something going on at the barn that is making him unhappy. My last horse, at second to last barn, would buzz right out on a trail ride but drag his feet and try to pitch a hissy on the way home. Finally figured out that he hated the electric fencing around his paddock, the constant click-click-clicking was driving him mad. He had started doing that head jerk thing, I had the vet out and we were watching this poor horse jerking his head and my vet pointed out that he was doing it in time to the clicking. He never did it anywhere else and when I moved he stopped.

[Catalyst]

[QUOTE=enjoytheride;8208972]
What happens when you come back to the barn?[/QUOTE]

What do you mean? Just in general or when he’s balky?

In general, I usually warm up in the ring, do a couple miles in it and then head out. When I come back, I sometimes ride back into the ring and ride a bit more if it was a quick ride, or I’ll chat with the other boarders for a few minutes. I untack, hose him off and let him graze in hand before putting him away.

This is the second time he’s been balky like this, and the first time I acted pretty similar - back to the ring to work and then back out on the trail.

[enjoytheride]

Have you tried turning him out when you get back from the ride?

See if he’s anticipating just having to do more/harder work when he comes back.