…
Has a vet looked at him to determine why he is refusing and bucking? What does your trainer think?
Sounds like you may not be the best match for one another.
Best of luck. I hope you and your horse find suitable partners soon.
…
Get a good trainer/coach who will ride him and help you.
Check saddle fit, teeth, try out a good chiropractor/acupuncture, test for lymes and ulcers, etc. Evaluate what you are feeding him, his turnout situation, riding routine…
If you rule all of the above out, maybe then it is time to find him a more suitable match, or a different trainer.
From your post it sounds like you are competing but not taking lessons.
If this is true then the horse is teacting to your riding and the next horse will end up the same in a few years and you will get into a cycle of this.
I would say no more competing until he is going well for you at home and I will suggest getting lessons on him.
[QUOTE=jumperqueen21;8034925]
He has no conformation or unsoundness issues… before he came to my barn he was passed around trainers quite a bit as no one wanted to ‘deal with him’ so I think it is just all around behavioral issues… he has been doing this the whole time I have ridden him.[/QUOTE]
Well if he has behavioral issues, how would it be possible to sell him? I don’t think there are many buyers out there looking for a gelding TB-cross who rears and bucks, isn’t rideable or showable?
Your trainer thought this was an appropriate mount for a 13 year old?
Is this the rescue you’ve jumped 4’ on and shown 3’6" at your provincial summer games?
I’m not trying to be snarky, but this question is sort of the horse equivalent of asking “help, I’ve been married for five years and my husband is driving me crazy. Should I get a divorce?”. There are dozens of things to consider in the mix, and only you will be able to decide how to move forward. Others have already mentioned the classic things to rule out - pain, saddle fit, stable management issues. That’s definitely good advice. You say this has been going on for a long time - both with you and with previous owners. Usually, the longer a problem has been going on, the longer and more complicated it is to fix.
If you don’t have a trainer, my recommendation would be to get the best pro you can find to evaluate him. If they think it is a fairly simple training issue, see if they can work with him and you to resolve it. (Use the money you would be spending/throwing away on showing to focus on getting this fixed.). If it is a more deep seated issue – is he very talented but quirky? Another rider may get along better with him, and a pro might have the connections to place him in the right hands. If he is difficult but not all that talented, you face some hard decisions – either you grit your teeth and try to keep going with him with GOOD professional guidance, or move him into a job where he is happier, or give him an extended break and start from the beginning. What you should NOT do is try to sell a confirmed bucker/rearer without full disclosure.
Good luck with your decision.
…
Sounds like he/she doesn’t like to ride out on own. Herd bound. Ie If he is ok in flat classes with other… Fix is patience & training … It maybe a show thing too…, riding from his group, the ones he hauled in with
If you have truly ruled out health issues, it might be a good time for you to invest in some pro rides for your horse, both at home and at shows. A good pro should be able to give your horse the ride he needs to learn how to do his job reliably.
I also have a DWBxTB cross who has epic temper tantrums, pretty much so he can get out of work. He did have some health issues that we needed to work through, but he also has a very strong stubborn streak. While he is now fairly well-behaved, I have to give him an assertive, but fair ride pretty much every time I ride him or he starts testing the waters little by little and then I get a horse that starts tuning me out and thinking he can dictate how much work he actually has to do.
If your horse is anything like mine, a tactful ride is very important. If you are 13, no matter how good of a rider you are, I would very strongly recommend putting him in a pro program to help you through this rough patch. After a period of time, your pro will be able to tell you whether he or she thinks this horse can work for or if it is time to sell and find a new horse. If you do decide to sell, this pro training will be very important in helping you move the horse along.
[QUOTE=jumperqueen21;8034925]
He has no conformation or unsoundness issues… before he came to my barn he was passed around trainers quite a bit as no one wanted to ‘deal with him’ so I think it is just all around behavioral issues… he has been doing this the whole time I have ridden him.[/QUOTE]
If I were your parents, since you are 13, I would do 3 things:
-
put the horse in full training, most likely with a cowboy type.
-
Vet check (concurrent with above)
-
unload the horse as soon as possible, not to another kid.
To echo Salymander, I’ve seen some TOUGH Dutch horses. I board with a “cowboy” trainer (actually he’s Amish) & have seen many times what it takes* to fix “bad behaviors.” A horse that “trainers don’t want to deal with” is not something that I’d want a 13 yro riding, even if she’d started on a pony at age 3.
*a lot of patience & a complete disregard for your own personal well being :lol: while not allowing a horse to quit
You say you’ve changed his diet, but have you scoped for ulcers? Treated for hindgut ulcers? (Not visible on scope)
Also- how is your position? Are you harsh on his face? Do you release adequately? Does your horse like a ride with a lot of contact and micromanaging or want you to stay out of his way? Are you a soft rider? These can make the horse uncomfortable, and he may buck or rear to avoid pain/discomfort. You may tense up at shows, and that may cause discomfort on your horse’s part.
My retired horse used to be a total idiot at shows (I was a 13 y/o on a bucking horse; luckily only doing 2’), and it took lots of schooling shows (showing with my number flipped) to get him to settle and trust me. He really settled when I talked to him while riding (a variety of talking, purring noises, clucking, etc.), show bonnet to muffle outside sounds, lots of contact and micromanaging every step, and minimizing stressful events at the shows (avoiding schooling rings, not over-warming him up, etc.). Eventually, he became comfortable enough he could go on auto-pilot, but it took many shows to get him there.
However, hindsight is 20/20 and I think 99% of his problems were ulcers.
Ditto what the others have said above. That said, the nastiest horse I ever had was a beautiful DWxTB who had a huge buck, a nasty stop and was known to strike out on the ground. He was talented but was prone to temper tantrums especially at shows. After extensive vetting, saddle fitting, pro rides, I found that we were fighting (and I do mean fighting) an uphill battle with him and I moved on. He went on to a companion home in his later years and lived a great life until an advanced age but never could be trusted with his temperament.
OP, it sounds like you are out-horsed. It sounds like this horse would be better off with a very seasoned professional, not a 13yo.
That is not a slap in the face to you, but what you lack is experience. Experience riding lots of horses, experience troubleshooting, experience knowing when and where to quit with a particular horse, whether that means on a given day or all together. You might be a very good rider, but you lack years in the saddle and the grey hairs that come with it.
If the horse has been cleared physically, then this is a training/behavioral/exposure issue, which may require the experience of an older, more seasoned rider to fix.
It also sounds like you are looking for permission to say “I don’t want this horse anymore”, for whatever reason. It is fine to admit defeat, that you’ve gone as far as you can with a particular horse. It is also okay to move a horse on that is not a good fit for you or that can’t do the job you need it to do. But you ABSOLUTELY have the responsibility of making sure the horse is rehomed with complete disclosure of why he’s being sold and what his issues are, and that the buyer is an appropriate fit (I.e, no kids, no amateurs…)
Yes. Sell him. Sell him to someone who doesn’t want to jump. There is no reason to keep banging your head against a wall. Sell him and get a horse that is happy to do the job you want it to do.
Yes, sell him or give him to someone trustworthy that can handle him. Also, have this discussion with your trainer and parents.
I had a horse that taught me a lot, but he was pretty uncontrollable up until the 3’3 jumpers, if he was having a good day or if he was tired. He just got exhausting for me to ride, and I was so tired of fighting with him constantly. At the time, I didn’t know what I do now about saddle fit, chiropractic, and so much more. I was just a teenager saying “screw it”. We finally had a decent show season, and then I decided to give him back to the woman I bought him from.
I was in a lucky situation, but I did loose some money and a lot of time. I was also heartbroken for a while, but it has turned out for the better for BOTH of us.
[QUOTE=HealingHeart;8035282]
Sounds like he/she doesn’t like to ride out on own. Herd bound. Ie If he is ok in flat classes with other… Fix is patience & training … It maybe a show thing too…, riding from his group, the ones he hauled in with[/QUOTE]
If you know of a horse that will work for you for the price you can sell him for then yes. Why spend money on something you are not enjoying?
