How do I stop her from rearing?

[Phaedra1]

I have a 22yr mare I am eventing with. As soon as my butt touches the saddle, she rears up high enough to freak everybody out, but she has never been close to flipping. After she rears, she won’t do it again until I need to get on. I go out for lessons every week, and she will be high-stung but doesn’t rear. Before I started riding her, when she was eventing several years ago with her other rider, she would do airs above the ground.
I don’t feel unsafe with her, but it’s an inconvenience. Shes 14.2, so I can get on from the ground. I know she’s doing it because she’s excited.
When she started doing it, I thought maybe because she had been to the one venue before, but then she went to a new venue last week, and she did it to
It has become something I expect, so when I go to get on, I make sure nobody is in the way. At events, she is now known as The Chestnut Mare.
I was wondering if there was something I could do to channel her energy or something.
I don’t think at this point, with her being older, it’s something I could train out of her, though.

Thoughts?

[amymoyer1]

Have you tried ground work first? Lunging, turning her away from you, etc.? I know it’s not always easy when you’ve trailered somewhere, but even if you have a long lead (10 foot+), you can try to get her feet working before you get on.

[Eclectic_Horseman]

@Phaedra1

I don’t think at this point, with her being older, it’s something I could train out of her, though

Can’t you pull her head way around to the knee pad of the saddle so that she can’t get her front end off the ground?

I find that preventing a behavior from happening in the first place rewires the conditioned response.

[Scribbler]

@Phaedra1

I have a 22yr mare I am eventing with. As soon as my butt touches the saddle, she rears up high enough to freak everybody out, but she has never been close to flipping. After she rears, she won’t do it again until I need to get on. I go out for lessons every week, and she will be high-stung but doesn’t rear. Before I started riding her, when she was eventing several years ago with her other rider, she would do airs above the ground.
I don’t feel unsafe with her, but it’s an inconvenience. Shes 14.2, so I can get on from the ground. I know she’s doing it because she’s excited.
When she started doing it, I thought maybe because she had been to the one venue before, but then she went to a new venue last week, and she did it to
It has become something I expect, so when I go to get on, I make sure nobody is in the way. At events, she is now known as The Chestnut Mare.
I was wondering if there was something I could do to channel her energy or something.
I don’t think at this point, with her being older, it’s something I could train out of her, though.

Thoughts?

First what does your coach or whoever owns the horse think about this?

I stopped my horse from walking off or trying to bite my ass mounting by having her wait for a treat every time. But that needs consistency.

[BrownDerby]

Turn on the forehand. Get her mind and legs engaged. And it’s pretty hard to rear when a hind leg is crossing over.

[NancyM]

You don’t “stop her from rearing”. You figure out why she’s rearing, and change/solve that issue for her, if you can. If you can’t figure out why she’s rearing, but you are OK with the rearing, then you just go with that. The issue would become a true problem if it gets worse, and becomes dangerous for you, for her, or for people/horses near you when you get on. And it may do that in time, if you can’t find the source of the problem. Soreness somewhere, under the saddle, in her mouth… or somewhere, may be the key. Or it may not be. It’s up to you and whatever coaching or help that is available to you in person to figure it out, if you can. Good luck with it. Problem solving is part of horsemanship. And sometimes it’s not easy to get into their heads.

[fivestrideline]

@NancyM

If you can’t figure out why she’s rearing, but you are OK with the rearing, then you just go with that. The issue would become a true problem if it gets worse, and becomes dangerous for you, for her, or for people/horses near you when you get on. And it may do that in time, if you can’t find the source of the problem.

Or if she goes over someone could die. She may never even mean to - all it takes is for her to slip or miscalculate or unseat her rider and get pulled over.

[NancyM]

That’s true. But so far, it appears that the OP is not concerned about that. My point was… that you can not “stop” her from rearing. Either you can solve her problem for her, or you can’t. And you can continue as you are, doing some rearing that may freak some people out about what it may lead to one day, or you no longer ride her (if you can’t solve her problem).

[beowulf]

Have you considered her saddle does not fit or her back hurts? It sounds like she is only doing this when first mounted?

[c0608524]

How is she once you’re on? Does she continue to “act up” throughout the ride or is it one rear, done, then happy to continue on with her job?

Those more experienced than I can correct me if I’m wrong… but if she’s continuously misbehaving throughout the ride she’s trying to tell you something - and it’s up her people to listen. I agree with the above poster who suggest looking at saddle fit or a lameness evaluation. Maybe it’s purely behavioural… but perhaps it isn’t.

On a side tangent regarding rearing…. Earlier this year I had an older teenager chatting with me at the barn who was going away to school in the fall. She was trying to figure out what she was going to do with her horse. I asked if he was lesson horse suitable. Her response was along the lines of “oh he’s great but if you add leg and pull on his mouth he rears. I taught him that’s the cue for the trick!” I smiled, nodded, walked away… and felt bad for the horse who now has a dangerous “trick” installed in his toolbox.

[FjordBCRF]

@Phaedra1

Shes 14.2, so I can get on from the ground.

Do you regularly get on from the ground? I use a mounting block even though my fjord is 13.3 so I don’t torque him in any way. If you mount from a block does she still give you the reaction?

[Angela_Freda]

I’m of the mind that rearing is dangerous. Fullstop.
I don’t care if it’s predictable and her routine.
All it takes is one miscalculation and someone gets seriously hurt.

Who’s horse is this?

@Phaedra1

I go out for lessons every week, and she will be high-stung but doesn’t rear. (So riding her where she lives?) Before I started riding her, when she was eventing several years ago with her other rider, she would do airs above the ground. (At events, or all the time?)
I don’t feel unsafe with her, but it’s an inconvenience. Shes 14.2, so I can get on from the ground. (Maybe getting on from the ground hurts her) I know she’s doing it because she’s excited.
When she started doing it, (so she didn’t do this previously or at her home barn?) I thought maybe because she had been to the one venue before, but then she went to a new venue last week, and she did it to

OP are you over 18?

[fivestrideline]

Okay so I didn’t read the OP for comprehension, just responded to another poster.

@Phaedra1 do you own this horse? If you do not, STOP RIDING THIS HORSE. Rearing, in any context outside of professional trick riders (and even then), is the most dangerous thing a horse can do under saddle. Full stop. It is deadly, because all it takes is a tiny loss of traction or balance and the horse flips. That’s why everyone is freaked out when it happens. They’re afraid they’re about to watch you die.

It sounds as if you may be half leasing this horse? Did your trainer arrange or allow this? If so, that is obscene negligence on the part of the pro and you need to get a new trainer. Like yesterday. Any pro who arranges or encourages a person to ride, let alone lease, a horse with a confirmed rear is negligent and honestly at risk of a lawsuit (from the insurance company at least) if someone gets hurt. Those “not responsible for injuries” clauses don’t go far if the horse is exhibiting consistent, repeatable, dangerous behavior. Of which rearing is the worst, IMO.

If you own this horse, my opinion that you should not be riding her stands. However, if you own her, it is unlikely you’ll listen to that and you’re kinda stuck with a problem you either fix, or you put the horse down should she ever have to leave your care (including if she flips over and kills you). You say she rears upon mounting and then is quite hot but not rearing - that is not normal. That is a horse that is either in pain or being asked for something she can’t do comfortably.

Regarding when this started (since you say she didn’t always do it): what changed? Rider? Tack? Injury? Barn? Trainer? It’s unclear from your post - does she do this at home or only at shows?

Horses rear when they feel trapped and terrified and that their only option is to go up. Horses do “airs above the ground” when they feel trapped and terrified and that their only option is to go up. She’s not excited - she needs help.

[fivestrideline]

Also, this is coming from someone (me) who sees a distinct difference between a “rear” - which will scare onlookers and get you a reputation at shows - versus getting “light in front” which might get some attention but is manageable for a very capable trainer. It also isn’t normal when associated with mounting.

A lot of issues at the mounting block (do you use one? You should. Mounting from the ground puts incredible torque on your saddle tree and the horse’s back) can be solved with consistency, patience, and effective clicker/reward based training. But only if the horse is comfortable, not in pain, and not being asked to do things it cannot.

[BrownDerby]

@FjordBCRF

Do you regularly get on from the ground? I use a mounting block even though my fjord is 13.3 so I don’t torque him in any way. If you mount from a block does she still give you the reaction?

This! The English saddle is not designed for mounting from the ground. Ouch!

[Texarkana]

@NancyM

You don’t “stop her from rearing”. You figure out why she’s rearing, and change/solve that issue for her, if you can.

This!

She’s rearing for a reason. There’s a good chance it’s pain or pain memory. Or it could be behavioral: anxiety, excitement, inadvertently taught…

But if you can’t get to the bottom or why she’s doing it, there is nothing you can do that will stop it.

If it were me, I would start by investigating pain related to the act of riding: saddle, bridle, weight of rider, etc. If that produces no leads, I’d go back to basics and school mounting and dismounting to see if you can find the holes in training. (This is a very condensed summary)

[Angela_Freda]

@Phaedra1
What does your trainer say about the rearing?

[Bonnie2]

As soon as your butt touches the saddle? If you are athletic enough to mount from the ground and ride out a significant rear, you are athletic enough to mount and have your horse walk without touching down in the saddle. Practice mounting on another horse without sitting down. Then try mounting “jockey style”. Horse is walking and you are legged up and don’t touch the saddle. Sometimes you have to get creative to keep the hot horses safe. Also agree with above posters to look for discomfort that may be contributing to the rearing. Good luck and be safe!

[Alex_and_Bodie_s_Mom]

Your horse is hurting. She’s trying to tell you that.

Stop mounting from the ground. Use a mounting block. If you’re letting your butt hit the saddle when you get on, stop it. Use your core muscles to lower yourself gently into the saddle.

Have someone who knows what they’re doing check your saddle fit. If it’s too narrow or too wide, it’s hurting her.

When was she last seen by a vet? Lameness exam? Checked for kissing spine?

Do you gather the reins tight when you get on? If so, it could be dental issues.

If you try to “train” this out of her before you exhaust all physical causes, and it is a physical issue, you’ll just make it worse.

[Montanas_Girl]

@fivestrideline

@Phaedra1 do you own this horse? If you do not, STOP RIDING THIS HORSE. Rearing, in any context outside of professional trick riders (and even then), is the most dangerous thing a horse can do under saddle . Full stop. It is deadly, because all it takes is a tiny loss of traction or balance and the horse flips. That’s why everyone is freaked out when it happens. They’re afraid they’re about to watch you die.

This. Stop riding this horse. Immediately. A horse that rears can kill both its rider and itself. I do not ride horses that lack self-preservation instinct. The horse is either in so much pain or so sour that it is willing to die to get you off its back. Think about that.

If you do own this horse, please don’t let anyone back on it until it has had a full lameness and neurological workup from an experienced veterinarian. If it does get the medical all-clear, then a horse like this should only be ridden by an experienced trainer who is well-versed in solving these kinds of dangerous problems.