Rearing a horse can be dangerous. It’s an undesirable situation that can put you and your horse in real danger. How can you stop horse rearing? There are lots of horse training resources out there but you don’t need to look anywhere else because the answer is already here.
Firstly, you must identify the reasons or causes of rearing. You should also be able to identify how your horse rears. Some of the causes are the following:
• The horse might be releasing extra oats from his system
• Discomfort and serious pain
• Apprehension and fear
• Disrespect or rebellion to the owner
Most horse owners who experience rearing immediately turn to professional help because they are scared of the hasty reactions of their horse. You should not panic because this can bring about more danger.
Some horses have excessive energy. It’s natural for horses to become playful especially the young ones. This rearing is not very dangerous but you should be able to correct it so that it will not become a habit.
When a horse has an injury or is in extreme discomfort, rearing can occur. This is the best time to work with the vet especially if your horse is a loving and docile one. Arthritis and bad tooth can cause the rearing because of the discomfort that the horse feels. The vet is the only person who can determine the underlying cause of the rear. Some symptoms include difficulty in maintaining a steady movement, transitioning troubles between gaits, decreased appetite, and throwing of the head.
Apprehension and fear can bring about rearing. Your horse should not feel tense or frightened because this eventually leads to rearing. Sometimes, the owner is responsible for the behavior. For instance, if the owner forces the horse to do something which is uncomfortable for him or when the owner is very aggressive in handling the reins – this can lead to rearing. If rearing is due to fear, the horse can become fairly aggressive and unpredictable which can harm the horse or the rider.
Check the horse tacks because ill-fitted ones can cause discomfort. Try to observe your horse when mounting. If he rears, you should check the saddle, reins, cinch, and the bit.
How can you stop rearing?
To effectively address rearing, you should determine the cause. Don’t smack your horse when it rears or break a water bag and egg on its head. If you’re riding the horse, you must maintain balance to prevent any injury. Don’t yank the reins because the horse might flip and fall on you.
You need to lean forward and loosen the lead or reins. Make sure that the four hooves are on the ground before you redirect the pressure on the rein. Embrace the horse’s neck and slide off. Once your feet touches the ground, back off because the horse might kick or step on you; the key here is to not panic because once you do, you will not act appropriately.
Horse rearing is already part of horse training. Even if you have a well-trained horse, you should prepare yourself for this kind of situation. You can never tell if your horse will rear. If you know what to do, there is no need to panic. So when your horse rears and you’re riding it, calm down. Think of the next step and do it swiftly.
The training techniques employed during horse training depends on the age of the horse. What if you had a foal, a yearling, a weanling, 2-3 year old horse, or above 5 years? Read on and you will find out.
Training a Foal
Upon the birth of the foal, you can now introduce lessons of good manners and respect. Make the lessons brief to avoid stress. Most of the time, the foal is napping, playing, or nursing; allow the foal to spend time with mares. When you see a foal kick, strike, or nibble at people, let him know that it’s wrong so that he won’t develop a habit. You can already introduce lead training gradually. Some owners prefer not to tie the foal and just allow it to roam free.
Training a Weanling
After weaning, the weanling is ready to learn on its own. You will notice that the weanling has socialization skills but this depends on how weaning was done. Immediate weaning can cause the weanling to have unreasonable behavior. Find an older horse to keep it company. It’s also natural for weanlings to sleep and play most of the time. You will notice them snapping or champing. At an early age, the horse is already learning to be trustful and obedient. Make sure that you give adequate food as overfeeding can also harm them. you can already start short training sessions. Train it for standing still when being groomed, trimmed or cleaned. Routine lead training sessions are also vital.
Yearlings are more commonly called as filly or colt. By this time, the yearlings are fully weaned and more independent. Less hours of sleeping can be noted and they prefer to stand during rest time. They are curious and so you can give them play balls and other safe toys. You need to teach the colt to be more obedient, lead quietly, and acquaint it to the vet. You can start training sessions round the pen or in lunge line but just make it short. Don’t overwork the yearling to prevent joint injuries. After a year, you can introduce the saddle. Ground manners can also be trained at this age.
2-3 Year Old Horse
At this age, you can already teach the horse to be driven or ridden. If you want to breed horses, this is the perfect time to do it. The ground manners should be excellent by now and you can introduce loading a trailer. You can do round pen trainings or perhaps light vehicles.
Above 5 Years
Horses more than five years old are completely matured. You can now join them in competitions. Some horse trainers prefer to train horses at this age which means that the horses are left on their own for the first five years. The decision to start training is up to the owner. To some, it is easier to train when the horse is still young while others prefer to train matured horses.
The decision is yours. Now that you know what you can do for the horse at a certain age, you can either start training immediately or you can wait until its maturity. Extreme care should be observed in case you choose to train early. You must be patient, dedicated, confident, and hard working. These are the qualities required for horse training.
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