Horse has learned to dump people to get out of work.

[Manni01]

[QUOTE=Prettypony88;8738005]
I have to agree with the posters who have pointed out that bigger horses are delicate and can have difficulty balancing themselves.
Just at face value it sounds to me like this horse is saying he needs more time to develop and learn to balance his massive body (if he is 18hh then I’m assuming he has a massive body). 6 is awfully young for most warmbloods, he still has a lot of maturing to do both physically and mentally.
As frustrating as it can be for the rider to keep the horse doing simple things (maybe in this case mostly walk trot), it might be that he is not ready for the canter work. You don’t want to sour him if he is uncomfortable because it might really develop into a dirty habit and not just the protests of an awkward youngster. Better to have him willing and happy in the canter later on when he’s stronger and more together, then getting into a pissing match now that can only get one of you hurt.
When I’ve worked with 17+ horses and some smaller too, I’ve usually spent the first year or two of training including only the brief canter transition in our workouts. When I do start the more serious work I’ll try to begin on a 30 meter circle or larger or even let the horse develop some canter on long straight lines out on a hack. Seems that some get a bit panicked when they feel the confinement of the smaller space requiring more collection and balance.
Just my two cents, best of luck to you and the horse. Keep yourself safe, that’s a long way down!![/QUOTE]

I agree very much!!

[CFFarm]

[QUOTE=Eclectic Horseman;8738024]
But they aren’t saints either. Case in point: Lovely owner who did absolutely everything for her 4th level horse, veterinary, alternative medicine, saddle fit, you name it. She was an intermediate rider who was not 100% balanced all the time, but was gentle, and timid, and did not ask for much at all. Horse would wait until she relaxed then bolt, stop short and buck her off.

He tried the bolting thing with me once; I stopped him. Never tried it again and I rode the horse every day for 2 years. Owner got the same result every time she rode him.

The silent “scream” was the sound of the owner emptying her bank account for a horse that she could not ride. :lol:[/QUOTE]

I’ve been in almost the same situation. Riding the horse through the tantrum was the answer too. We finally figured out the owner wasn’t assertive enough and the horse paniced at being “driverless”. He could feel that the rider wasn’t confident and it scared him. I’m not saying your example was the same but any horse I’ve come across with a dumping defense (and I’ve been dumped by a few) usually had a reason for developing it. I don’t think horse are just being mean. Maybe I just haven’t met the right (wrong) ones.

[Eclectic_Horseman]

[QUOTE=CFFarm;8739602]
I’ve been in almost the same situation. Riding the horse through the tantrum was the answer too. We finally figured out the owner wasn’t assertive enough and the horse paniced at being “driverless”. He could feel that the rider wasn’t confident and it scared him. I’m not saying your example was the same but any horse I’ve come across with a dumping defense (and I’ve been dumped by a few) usually had a reason for developing it. I don’t think horse are just being mean. Maybe I just haven’t met the right (wrong) ones.[/QUOTE]

A horse can develop into a bucker simply out of “high spirits.” Bucking is a form a play that you will often see young horses engage in on their own at pasture. It may be defensive in that since play is often practice for instinctual behaviors, maybe the horse is playing “mountain lion on my back.” If a playful horse bucks the rider off and is somehow rewarded by that, it can develop into a horse who bucks.

There are some mean horses and there are some horses that seemingly have their own sense of humor. Most horses are docile and take the easy road, but there are horses with strong personalities out there as well. Some horses are just big ponies.

Sure we should always rule out pain, if that is possible, and we should consider that the horse is fundamentally a prey animal. Of course. But they are individuals and not all of them are the same.

And in the end, it may not matter. If a bucking problem is not solved, the horse will probably come to the same bad end no matter how it started.