Mar 17

My Horse Bucked :( Why?

  • I have a really good gelding I mean he is so docile and gentle, our trainer said even if he tried to make him he would not buck or rear or do a single thing to harm you. Anyway today me and him went to 4-h like we always did. We had bought a new head stall which we had an experainced person put on. Anyway so I hopped on his back and he did good. Before he had a problem with being lazy he would shake his head up and down and want to go to the gate but my trainer worked with him and he hasnt done that for a few days. Anyway I noticed he kepted wanting to trot so i let him and he did not stop good he would slow but would not hold a stop. He was swishing his tail no there are no flies. to cold and it was indoor anyway it felt like he tripped but not sure. Anyway he was becoming so bad he would not stop swishing his head around etc worse on what he has ever done and he kept pulling up his lips like he was smiling. Then he was just standing there and he bucked lucky i didnt fall i went forward and almost went off. Anyway what would cause him to buck the new head stall was perfect not to to tight or to loose. Nothing spooked him when he spooked he will side jump it was nothing like this. I didn't get off i continuted the evening so he would not think if he bucked i would get off so he would buck everytime. Anyway what could of caused this?


  • Well it could be the new headstall, but I think he would have acted bad the whole time. If he had his lip up he was smelling something he had never smelled before. Where there any new mares, and mares in season, etc.? If so was probably what it was, even if he is a gelding he can still be interested in mares. Was it colder than usual? Any new changes? He might have just been having an off day, if it continues I would get your trainer or vet to just check him over :)

    Good Luck :D


  • The problem is that the trainer knows how to handle the horse, he knows how to be the horse's proper leader and he knows why the horse does what he does - you don't.

    I can't make this problem any simpler than that. If you must ask us all why the horse bucked, you don't know why and until you do you can't fix the problem. There's so many things that could be happening, we can't possibly solve your problem from here. YOu need that trainer to work one on one with you doing some problem solving and situation avoidance in order to get you able to prevent the buck.

    It sounds to me like the horse KNOWS the trainer is the leader - and it KNOWS you are not. It does OK, then it gets bored or it doesn't like what your doing, how you're doing it or something - it tests you and finds it can win because you won't correct it properly - he tests further and further and even tries a little hump up to see if he can get you unseated, he nearly does, so he tries harder until he succeeds or until you learn to avoid the situation or take hold of it and control it.

    A horse by nature constantly tests the leadership of all around him. In any interaction, he needs either to be the leader or the follower - if you're not strong enough to lead, you're the follower - and if the horse is the leader, he's going to do what he wants which will usually be go eat or find other horses to interact with or go stand quietly. If he's the leader, he certainly isn't going to do what YOU want him to do.

    You've been on here asking questions - I remember you asking how to avoid a buck - and I've told you these things as well as others telling you similar things - we've told you how to fix the situation and how to avoid the situations - I've personally told you some books and videos that would help you, but you don't seem willing to take advantage of that knowledge, you just keep getting on and the horse keeps winning. Get with that trainer LEARN the nature of the horse and USE what you learn to become the leader - go get that trainer and ask him to explain to you EXACTLY why he has no problem with the horse, but you do - it's not the horse, it's you - it's not that you're stupid, it's that you are ignorant of the knowledge needed to properly be a leader to your horse. Ignorance becomes stupidity when someone's tried to teach you what you need to know but you ignore what they're tring to teach you - don't be stupid - go learn.


  • Some people have already given you good answer on potential causes.

    I just wanted to say that you totally did the right thing by staying on him and teaching him that a buck does not get him out of work. Good job.

    I'd get your trainer to look at the new headstall. There may be some fit issue going on there that is not readily apparent.


  • Perhaps something (saddle,cinch, bridle) slipped/became altered during the ride and he was in pain/uncomfortable? I am constantly performing safety checks when I ride, just to be safe.

    Since he is characteristically a puppy-dog type, I'm betting it was an equipment issue.

    Also, was he favoring one of his legs? Perhaps he got debris in one of his hooves? Could also be that he had something poking him under the saddle and 20 min into the ride maybe the saddle slid back just enough for him to notice?
    His hair also might of been pinched by the cinch. A good routine it to stretch his front lets out every time you tighten the cinch to make avoid this happening.

    It could also be that the bridle was twisted or had something pokey on it and the trainer didn't notice. Maybe the chin chain/bridle were too tight or the bit was accidentally put in improperly/placed under his tongue... things like that????

    It could be a number of things, but one thing is for sure. Whenever your horse starts acting moderately unusual like that, immediately dismount and perform a safety check to make sure everything is intact and that he tack is not hurting him in any way.


  • my horse, used to be perfect, then i got her a new saddle, she swished her head around and everything, then she started bucking, i just thought she was being a toad so for about a month kept telling her off, turns out the saddle didnt fit proply, and before i brought her the new saddle she had strained a muscle in her back which was still causing her great discomfort, so my bet is the new thingy you brought your horse is hurting him, and the head swishing was to warn you, then he finally resorted to bucking


  • Like others have said, it doesn't really matter if the headstall was on perfectly - he wasn't used to it. Couple that with a bad day, a bad night's sleep, etc., and you've got a horse that's a little ticked. Continue working him, but if he still acts like this the headstall may have to go, or it may have to be re-evaluated.


  • Your horse my not like the fill of the head stall. It might rub his years or the side of his face. Another thing might be that the cool weather might be getting to him. I know it does my horses. You might have to start lounging him before you ride. Lounge with the saddle and head stall on. Let him get a fill of the tack before the ride.


  • There are tons of reasons he could've bucked.

    Horses have bad days just like people. Perhaps he just woke up on the wrong side of the stall today. If so, try again another day and he'll be fine.

    Another issue could've been the new headstall. Even if it fit correctly, there may have been something about it he didn't like. The head swishing and lip action could definitely be a sign that it's something on his head that's bothering him. Next time you ride with it, notice if he behaves the same. If he's still acting up, try riding without it and see if his behavior improves. If so, that's your problem.

    He could be in pain. One buck while standing still doesn't ring any alarm bells, but it could be that he's just a little bit sore and finally got fed up with you riding him--but because he's normally so docile, his behavior isn't all that terrible--just a little worse than usual. Ask your instructor or an experienced friend to check his back...if they notice any sign of pain, give him a few days off and if it doesn't improve, call the vet.

    I wouldn't panic too much :). Try again tomorrow, see how he does; if he's still bad, try changing something--like the headstall--or checking for pain. Chances are he's just having an off day and will be fine tomorrow.


  • From you previous questions you've posted about this horse you really need to take him to an equine professional or an equine sports medicine center. You've mentioned he's had health issues here recently which is most likely the cause of his behavior. No one on YA can give you a correct answer on what's wrong with him.
    Your previous questions point to health related misbehavior. No amount of training is going to make this better unless you fix the problem relating to the behavior.
    Please get him checked by a specialist. A sports medicine center will evaluate his teeth, legs, back, eyes, and everything in between.







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