Re: Rearing Horse

[owens <owensall@sierranet.net>]

spencer wrote:
> 
> When horses rear my dressage instructor says to make them go forward.
> Easier said than done.  I am in  similiar situation with my 9yo green broke
> arab mare.  She did fine during winter, but now tries not to leave home. I
> am wondering if it is related to spring heats starting as she did so well
> before they started coming into heat.  I have had to be firm and use my
> riding whip on her butt.  Each day it was getting shorter--like from 20
> minutes to 5 min.  Then , because I work one week on and one week off, it
> has been starting all over again.  She gets herself into lather during this
> and then after she figures out I am going to make her go, she cools and
> goes like she is supposed to.  She has been doing this whether or not I am
> riding alone.  I am planning to take her elsewhere to see if it is the
> same.  In past with other horses, I have just worked thru it using english
> spurs or pelam bit with short shank to give them negative reinforcement for
> the sudden bad manuever.  It ended up taking 2x a much time to go away from
> home as returning to home.   It is called barn sour.   I haven't heard of
> any quick fixes.  John Lyions has a way of going about it a few months ago
> in his monthly magazine.   It is time consuming and I actually feel that
> the horse has suddenly found out he has to WORK for a living and sees goind
> away from home as having to work.  Good luck.  You can always take to
> trainer, but you will probably have same problem when you try to leave HOME
> again when she returns.  Any other endurance riders had this problem?
> Mary Ann
> Zavalla, Tx
> 
> ----------
> From: G & J Thom <thomlabs@netbistro.com>
> To: ridecamp@endurance.net
> Subject: Rearing Horse
> Date: Thursday, March 19, 1998 9:14 AM
> 
> Hi everyone,
> 
> This is not entirely endurance related tho the horse we
> are having trouble with was to possibly be started in
> endurance rides this year.  My friend has a 5 yr old
> arab mare .  This mare goes very well under saddle in
> the arena and around the yard.  As soon as we head away
> from home always in the company of another horse, we
> get a certain distance out never the same spot and this mare
> will all of a sudden start rearing and striking with her back legs
> and will refuse to go on.  Even when you get off and continue
> to walk her in the direction you want to go she will rear for a
> few steps.  My friend and I are not horse trainers and were
> wondering if 1)  If this is something we should tackle ourselves
>                   2)  If a trainer fixes the problem is it something that
>                        may start up again later.
> This horse has lots of potential for endurance and we were taken quite
> by surprise when the mare started this.  This mare is bottom of
> the pecking order in the herd and has never really indicated that
> she had a temper like this.
> 
> Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Julia
Dear Julia;
If the problem is a sour horse that doesn't want to go out, I have an
idea that works really well for my horses.  People comment that my
horses don't want to go HOME!  I bring treats along on the ride, and
feed from the saddle whenever I want to get their mind off whatever it
is they're starting to balk at.  Of course, you don't reward for bad
behavior, but my horses know that there are treats OUT THERE and do not
get fed right when they get back, so no reward there.  I usually stop
several times on a training ride and give them some goodies, to keep it
fun.  All they get once at home is a bath and turned back out with their
friends.  Consequently, they love to go out and will walk right past the
gate coming home and pretend that they don't see it.  I have to make
them turn!   Seems very simple, but I have seen when people give no
treats on the trail, and only give them when they return home, and the
horse ends up so barn sour!
I know that there is a bigger problem than this, probably the horse does
not recognize the rider as the herd boss, but this may help.
Good luck,
Katee