Comments on: Horsemanship How-to: Ride Through a Rear

By: twoponys

twoponys — Fri, 05 Jul 2019 22:05:15 +0000

In reply to jockeygirl!. I didnt see anybody even suggesting "whipping" a horse on top of the head or breaking bottles on their heads to stop them from rearing. A paper towel tube is thin cardboard. I have bopped my kids with a paper towel tube. It makes a noise is all. I rode an Appaloosa named Hotshot who had been taught to rear under saddle like the lone Ranger's Silver. When he was sold and wound up as rental horse, he did it to intimidate riders. He tried with me-once. I smacked him good on his neck and said NO in a loud deep voice and turned him in a circle. he never did it again.

By: Kim Jones

Kim Jones — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 17:20:22 +0000

I know all too well the bad results of being on a rearing horse. When I was 18, I was riding a friend’s horse & he reared with me. At the time I knew a whole lot less about horses than I do now. I don’t know if he lost his balance or I pulled him over, but he ended up falling on me. Thank goodness he wasn’t a big horse as I ended up with a broken pelvis & a 6 week stay in the hospital. I am now 66, still ride and don’t have any problems from my accident. However, if one gets a little light on the front end now, I immediately dismount.

By: kris

kris — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 05:38:11 +0000

Tie downs do not help a rearing problem in my own personal experience. It may slow it down but it will not stop it from happening.
This article is a good article and give good advice especially at the very end about smacking a horse between the ears.
Teaching the horse that moving forward is the only only good answer for him. You may have to establish from the ground at first.
Learning to ride with one rein.
Learn a one rein stop.
Learn to move him in a circle, a small circle.
Teaching the horse to disengage his hind quarters.
Use a bit that has lateral action and no shanks.
Keeping your hands light.
You may need some spurs that roll.
You may think of using a running martingale or a training fork rather than a tie down.
Get his feet moving, they don’t rear if they are moving. However, they rear as soon as they STOP.
Good luck.

By: Ginette

Ginette — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 15:20:36 +0000

I have had this situation with different horses. When the horse is down on the groud I make him rear , and rear , rear until I feel he his tired and He ask to go forward, they never make me rear again …. forward is better, rear only when I ASK to.

By: Monica

Monica — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 19:52:37 +0000

We had a Peruvian that didn’t want to go forward or leave the property out of his site or ride alone. Also a cross Arabian same thing didn’t want to go forward. Sometimes a crop between the ears does work when it’s a discipline problem.

By: William

William — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 16:14:47 +0000

I stopped my horse from doing it, by keeping a tie down on him. If he can’t lift his head he can not rear.

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 13:00:48 +0000

Had a young stallion rear and flip over on me. I was lucky and came out of the saddle. He came down across my knees and tore my mcl. It could have been much worse.

By: Judy

Judy — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 12:43:20 +0000

I respectfully disagree with the “tip your upper body slightly forward, into your horse’s neck. This will help your body stay in sync with the motion of your horse”statement. If a horse, young or old, is of a mind to stand on his hind legs the most critical thing to do is to go as far forward as possible even putting your arms around his neck even if your body is slightly to one side. Otherwise your weight and the bulk of your body is still tipping back with him. A good position is standing in your stirrups with straight knees and kissing his ears. Also when he comes down and begins again, the one rein pull around (stop) can tip him over onto his opposite shoulder and your leg with considerable pressure. There is little you can do to correct a horse’ habit of rearing without riding it through and letting him know he accomplishes nothing.

By: Sandy

Sandy — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 11:59:49 +0000

While I agree with the bulk of this article, I disagree with the advice not to lean to the side. If you stay exactly centered, you risk getting hit in the face with the horse’s head or neck when he comes up. This can easily knock you out or stun you long enough that you can’t get off him if he flips over. While you should not lean way over, you should move your head and shoulder slightly to the side. I also would advise against holding on. It’s better to be thrown clear if you can’t stay with the horse than to be clinging to him if he should go over backwards. Falling off is painful, but falling and having a horse land on you is much, much more dangerous.

By: Carolyn Breza

Carolyn Breza — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 04:57:56 +0000

excellent Article. no nonsense, just great information