My horse is much much more careful of me when I ride aside.
“I think I’ll just toddle along real careful cuz when you fall of that thing I don’t want to catch the blame…”
[QUOTE=Sunsets;7959653]
As for me, I always figure it’s better to let the frustration out vocally than it is to yank or spur.[/QUOTE]
my problem is that i forget to yell. 
witchy mare was throwing little bucks last lesson, and i was just trying to get her head up. hollering at her actually works (at least with regard to her trying to walk away when i’m trying to mount) but i keep forgetting to do it once i’m in the saddle. i confess to having more of a desire to rack the reins into one hand and just plain wail on her with my other open hand. :uhoh: but, not my horse, so i can’t do it.
i was perversely glad to hear she’d been doing this in her earlier lesson, and then proceeded to do it in her later lesson too. (along with two other horses who decided to buck that day.) so i was glad it wasn’t just me.
If you send me your email adress I will send you an ebook in word called A Different Arena.
I will have to email it to you.
It is on the computer at the moment so hopefully I can transfer it to my phone to send it to you and anyone else who wants it.
Finding an Instructor for you is so hard. We have all been through it.
[QUOTE=SmartAlex;7960079]
My horse is much much more careful of me when I ride aside.
“I think I’ll just toddle along real careful cuz when you fall of that thing I don’t want to catch the blame…”[/QUOTE]
I think mine just doesn’t like it. She’ll tolerate it, but she seems relieved whenever I bring out the cross saddle.
Oh well, now that I’m learning how to ride astride more comfortably, I’m okay with it. There’s something special about riding in a sidesaddle though…<sigh>
Thank you, SuzieQ! I’ll PM you right now.
I figured out how to get it from my computer to the phone and then into Gmail, I have sent it.
Personally I think the horses prefer us to ride astride as we are easier to balance and don’t have all our weight on one of their sides.
Who’s got time to remember all that - riding a buck comes from lots of practice, unfortunately, and instinct. I just pull a circle - sounds unhorsemanlike, and shows heavy hands, but that’s all I’ve got the nerve to do.
My mare is very energetic and isn’t getting ridden as much as she’d like. She’s been doing some bucking but it’s more “yeeee-hawwww! Do I feel good!!!” Except for the episode where a woman drove up after a little bucking spree and informed me that Angel had a tumbleweed caught in her tail. So far I have been able to stay on which I attribute to my good balance, long legs, and that she isn’t seriously trying to buck me off. I found that putting my feet in front a little on the butt high part of the buck helps. I also tell her “quit it” in my mean voice.
my thoughts exactly!my mare tends to take me by surprise,she hasnt managed to get me to fall off yet…but its probably coming:cool: and she also does it when she feels like NOT doing something I asked of her!!:yes:
My beloved idjit used to dump me with some regularity, so on particularly iffy days I’d ride in my western saddle. He never did get me off in that saddle. So that may be something to consider if you are going through a bucking spell.
I have a couple of western-only friends who call my English tack “that sissy stuff”. I keep telling them, western saddles are for when you’re scared to ride English.
NB: This is good natured joshing between friends, so don’t anybody get their knickers in a twist.
I’ll repeat the sage advice as someone who had a horse that bucked with the best. Eyes forward, pull with one hand up and out and keep those pony feet moving!!! Even better, ride bucks out on a hill going up, they’ll just keep you in the saddle. But avoid the downhill- that’s almost a no hoper! But with almost any type of bad behavior- rearing, balking, bolting, spinning, and bucking two things help- keep the forward and circle.
Sit up , look up, heels down and laugh this helps you relax and go with the horse plus keep in mind forward as this separates the back legs and it takes an amazing horse to actually really buck when their back legs are not together. If you watch a bronc bucking or anything else they have to put their back legs together to really buck so separating them by pushing forward makes it hard for them to buck.
Hedgy
These have ALL been great suggestions, everyone. Thanks!
I like the one about laughing. I never thought of that, but I can see how it would release the tension in your body. If nothing else, it would make for a softer landing. 
I didn’t start riding until I was in my mid-forties, too. So I know how you feel.
Fortunately, My horse doesn’t really buck much – he’s more of a crow hopper when he’s unhappy, but he can get going sometime.
My method is the same as HedgeW’s: Sit up, lean back, kick his butt forward and laugh at him. I’ve been riding this opinionated little beast for 10 years and he’s not really trying to get me off. Just trying to get me off my game and onto his.
Good luck.
