Re: RC: Rearing

[DESERTRYDR1@aol.com]

As your friend has already discovered, rearing is EXTREMELY dangerous.  
Riding a rear can be really tricky, because the first impulse is to pull 
back, which can put the horse over backward on top of the rider.  If I were 
going to tackle another horse that reared, (did once--a paint mare)  I would 
go somewhere the footing is good, and its is open and flat.  No sense taking 
more chances than you have to until you get the problem worked out (if it can 
be).  When the horse starts to rear, you have to make it go forward.  Rearing 
is a failure of forward motion.  I leaned forward a LITTLE, in order to 
weight her forehand, and drove her on with either my heels or a whip (little 
spanker--just a couple of taps to ask for forward.)    I also would turn the 
rearing horse in a circle if it wouldn't jump forward.  Obviously you have to 
have a lot of confidence that you can stay in balance with the horse before 
you try to correct a rearing horse.  

I also have a noise I make whenever a horse I'm working with does something I 
don't want it to do--AAH AAH very sharp.  It usually gets their attention 
back on you.  It also lets them know before you have to discipline them that 
they did something unacceptable.  Most of the horses I have worked with 
caught on real quick and would quit doing the action just with the sound if 
it was something minor that they were just testing me about.

If your friend is a good rider, she may be ok, but sometimes when a person 
gets hurt, they have a little residual fear that the horse can sense.  It 
might be better if your friend had someone else work with the horse to try to 
solve the problem.  She could end up making the situation worse, and getting 
hurt again.  OF COURSE SHE ALWAYS WEARS A HELMET WHEN SHE RIDES THIS 
HORSE--RIGHT?  Good luck  jeri