Stuck in a rut with my OTTB- bucking while mountins

[bornfreenowexpensive]

If you ruled out pain with the vet…I’d send him to a PRO. Not a cowboy per se but just a good professional trainer. If you are going to show him, send him to someone who will get him out and competing a bit for you and who has experience with OTTBs and green horses.

After as bad of a fall as you had…any normal person will have some nerves. To me he sounds like a lovely horse who is sensitive. And a horse like that will sense your nerves and may be more likely to overreact. The only reason I may consider more of a cowboy, is that I know of a really good one who is great at working calming through these issues. And it sounds like this may be a horse who needs some training in not over reacting to something being not in perfect balance on him. I don’t want to say, desensitivity training…as you want them to be sensitive, but you just don’t want the reaction of the broco you got. Especially not since you have been hurt. I would suprised if he couldn’t be trained given the right time and with the right person.

And just basically, he needs his confidence built up by a rider who doesn’t have the baggage. I doubt it will take too long, but let a good pro get him over this and put some miles on him in more atmosphere so you can be confident in him as well.

[omare]

My naughty boy required a helper on the other side of the fence (with a quick release strap) to hold him and the fence would protect them if he lurched- a well padded up saddle that would not slip if he bucked and a bucket of treats ( I am a wimp) held by helper to distract him while I mounted and a Pelham to get his head up (he was wicked at slamming his head down). (I shook while I mounted but I don’t think he knew-- I think I read somewhere horse don’t picked up on riders nerves!)

If pain is not the issue, you can not do him alone-either you need to be a ground man with a good rider-- or you need a good ground man to help you.

[Beam_Me_Up]

So was he out of work between Sep and now? Assuming that the show incident was an isolated event, new and exciting situation, do you think it might just be the time off?

I am going through something similar. Fell off my older horse in Sep, got cleared to ride at New Years. I had about 6 months of riding on my younger OTTB, who was quite playful, but tractable. 4 months of eating, growing, minimal handling, being bored without a job, and he has been quite a beast to bring back. My trainer is south, I’ve been doing a lot of groundwork and some riding, but having him out of work and me not feeling 100% has been a major setback.

Do you have a trainer (not necessarily a cowboy, just a pro) you could send him to? Just to get him back going again and assess what’s going on? If he has been on vacation for a while I wouldn’t necessarily assume pain. I’ve had a couple horses that were very smart about mounting–recognized your second of 1-footed vulnerability.

Good luck! I know how you feel.

[Jealoushe]

1. Pain

2. Saddle

3. Pain and saddle pain

I am positive on this because I have been through it, with the whole pain denial thing too.

If all options exhausted, my suggestion is buy John Lyons book “Lyons on Horses” and do the chapter on mounting for 30 days straight.

[foundationmare]

Ivy, who was your dairy farm horse? Some alarms are sounding in my head.

[ivy62]

He is my retired guy that lives in a field. He was turned out in western jersey before bringing him in for training… why?

[foundationmare]

I sold a tb to a dairy farmer several years ago and he was turned out with cows. I wonder aboit him often.

[PeteyPie]

Let me preface this by saying I do not have the knowledge or experience of many CoTHers who have given you advice, but I do wonder: when you say you have ruled out tack problems, have you or anyone else tried mounting him bareback? It just seems like it would be a pain issue, perhaps with the saddle or girth.

Is he trained to stand quietly next to a mounting block and have you mess with him? I’m thinking, you standing on the step and placing a blanket, taking it off, replacing it, reward, etc. Any movement forward he gets a warning growl and is asked to step back into position.

I really look forward to your solution. I am sorry it is causing you a headache, but the small silver lining is that problems like this can be such a learning experience for everyone.

[visorvet]

[QUOTE=bornfreenowexpensive;7397840]
If you ruled out pain with the vet…I’d send him to a PRO. Not a cowboy per se but just a good professional trainer. If you are going to show him, send him to someone who will get him out and competing a bit for you and who has experience with OTTBs and green horses.[/QUOTE]

+1000
A few episodes at the mounting block do not make the horse a rogue, but given your injuries I strongly recommend that you use a professional trainer to address this problem. Your health and welfare must come first.