This habit is not good, and should not be encouraged, as sooner or later it can lead to serious trouble. The result of such horse behavior can be an injured rider.
Why does the horse kick? The answer is obvious - she doesn’t want anyone sitting on her back. You've probably seen the rampant mustang at a rodeo, but this is just a show. But if your own horse turns into such a mustang, this is a completely different story.
Usually horses kick for one reason - they don’t want to ride on them, and try to throw the rider from their backs. And they don’t like it when they are saddled: a poorly fitted saddle squeezes the horse’s spine and rubs its back. Maybe your horse kicks because of the unpleasant sensation of a leather saddle resting on an unheated back? Perhaps the horse had never walked under the saddle before, or the riders were inexperienced or cruel. If once in the past a horse experienced negative feelings, it will never want to endure a rider. And it happens that the horse just has too much energy. If your horse has stood in a stall for 3 weeks, it is likely that it will start to kick from an excess of feelings.
Whatever the reason, kickback is a habit that should be stopped. Here are a few steps you should take to do this.
Warm the saddle before placing it on the horse’s back. If your back is not warmed up, place a sheepskin sweater under the saddle. You can also put a saddle on the horse’s back 15-20 minutes before planting so that it warms him.
Make sure that the seat is well fitted. It should not rub the withers or press on the spine.
Do not let the horse bow its head. While her head is raised, the horse cannot kick in full force. She can suddenly jump forward or to the side, but she will not be able to buck with the force that could knock a confident rider out of the saddle. If the horse tries to lower its head and kick, pull the reins firmly with a sharp upward movement so that the horse raises its head.
Correct the horse’s behavior in hot pursuit. Do not punish her after she has stopped kicking. She might think that she was punished precisely for what she stopped doing.
In general, it is not necessary to apply physical punishment to horses. Use positive reinforcement to correct her behavior. It will require a lot of patience from you, but it will be rewarded. Physical punishment ultimately only reinforces the horse’s bad behavior.
How to fix a horse’s behavior without hurting it?
- The movement that you are trying to teach the horse should be as painless as possible,
- Obedience must be rewarded,
- Individual cases of resistance should not force you to deviate from the intended plan,
- Working with a kicking horse will require a lot of patience from you. You may need to seek the help of a professional.
At first, a kick can look like an innocent sin, but then it will turn into a serious vice. If you are unable to cope with this problem yourself, seek the help of a professional trainer or horse behavior specialist. Do not let your horse turn into a rampant mustang.
If reared
If reared
When there is such a tendency, it is important that the rider knows how to determine the moment when she is going to do it.
Before standing on its hind legs, the animal always stops, then its hind legs slightly forward, under the body, then it is sharply repelled by its front legs and makes a sharp and characteristic head movement.
If the rider has determined that this will happen now, it is wise to send the horse forward, using a shankel or spur, not letting it fall.
Usually, after making several unsuccessful attempts in a row, she will gradually begin to abandon this habit.
In extreme cases, when it is not possible to solve the problem in the usual way, a special part of the horse harness - the dowel can be used.
A situation is possible when the rider missed the first signs of movement. In this case, it will help if the rider loosens the occasion to allow him to lower himself to his front legs. It will be useful if the rider during this movement, leaning forward, hugs the horse's neck with his hands.
If she topples over, the rider is in danger of falling from the horse, and it is necessary to free her legs from the stirrups and bounce to the side without letting go of the occasion. As soon as she rises, you need to jump on her and send forward.
If he doesn’t let himself sit down
The reason for this reaction may be that the horse is very young and is not used to being under the saddle. Perhaps she lived in the herd more recently and perceives the rider with hostility.
Other reasons are possible. For example, in some cases the horse is simply afraid of tickling. Another possible reason may be that his back is damaged and he is in pain from the rider.
If this happens, using force and forcing to submit is wrong.
If he doesn’t let himself sit down
If the animal is shy, it will be reasonable to calm him down, to treat him with something tasty. If you do this fixation regularly, it can develop into a conditioned reflex, and behavior in relation to a person will change.
One of the sources of such a problem may be that the animal simply stagnated. This does not happen so rarely. In this case, it is recommended to start by driving the animal on the cord before sitting on it.
In the latter case, it is recommended to start by allowing him to move with the gait that is convenient, and then gradually accustom him to moving at a trot or a step.
If he drops the rider
This can be done in various ways:
- throwing ass
- "Goat", jumping in place, keeping legs straight,
- jump to the sides
- There are several other options.
If the horse is trying to "bite", you need to sharply forward, raising its head up. At the slightest weakening of attention, she may try again and, possibly, the person will fall.
In order to deal with this kind of habits, you need to work a lot on it. Then they lead with their hands. The next step is walking with a load on the cord. Only now can we teach her to ride under the rider.
If not standing still at the request of the rider
When this happens, this, first of all, indicates that it was previously incorrectly worked with. To correct this behavior, you need to educate the corresponding conditioned reflex. It is important that, at the command of the rider, she calmly stop and wait for the next command.
If not standing still at the request of the rider
One way to work is the following. First you need to drive it on the cord. As soon as fatigue appears, you must definitely give her a break. It is necessary to reassure her with a gentle conversation. As soon as it stops, you need to feed her something tasty. If you conduct classes with the animal constantly, gradually it will learn to stop calmly at the request of the rider.
If throws
Here we are talking about a situation where a horse, having encountered an obstacle, makes a sharp turn on its front or hind legs to dodge to the side.
If the rider sees that the horse is going to do this, it is necessary on the side where the turn will be made to press the reason against the horse, and on the other hand, keep it aside and pull it strongly. From the side where the horse is turning, it is necessary to strengthen the action of the shankels.
After he leaves further attempts to turn, you need to send the horse forward.
Usually each particular horse constantly throws in one direction only. It is important to prevent the horse from striking.
If the cause of the incident is the fear of a specific obstacle, then it makes sense to drive the horse on the cord, forcing him to overcome the same obstacle several times. When the overcome passes without problems, you will need to do the same under the rider.
If the horse "drags"
This problem most often has a specific reason. The fact is that if she had a hard reason, the toothless part of the jaw (where the bit is placed) sometimes loses sensitivity. Therefore, she may simply not feel the leash because of this. In fact, in this case, the animal ignores the horseman's signals, continuing to move in the same direction, although this can be called in different ways.
This problem can be solved if you help the animal restore the sensitivity of this place. To do this, it is enough to keep the horse on a hard occasion as little as possible. Sensitivity should be restored as a result.
Another method of exposure will be if every time the pace is slowed down, the leash is slightly weakened. This can gradually become a positive incentive for her to stop bearing.
If the horse "drags"
If not separated from the general group or system
Often this is due to the fact that she is too accustomed to the herd and suffers from loneliness.
You can correct the situation by creating an appropriate habit for her. For this, it is necessary to keep it separate for a long time. At this time, it is recommended at first to take her for a walk. At the same time, she will gradually get used to who is her boss, and will get used to the idea that she should obey his commands.
If bites
Usually this drawback is the result of improper handling of the animal. If he is punished for no reason, mistreated, this can provoke a habit such as a horse’s bite.
In this case, you need to avoid situations where a person can scare her.
If it doesn’t work out by soft methods, the horse has bitten again, you need to start applying punishments. This is done either when she is going to do it, or immediately after.
If "suffered"
So they say, if a mad horse has ceased to obey the rider, switched to a high gait and rushes, not taking the road apart. At the same time, the bit, which should be in the toothless part of the mouth, the horse tightly clamps his teeth. As a rule, we are talking about a nervous breakdown. What to do if the horse suffered, often does not even know the experienced rider.
Standard behavior is as follows. When she bore, you first need to free your legs from the stirrups. The body in this situation must be tilted forward. It is recommended that you firmly grab part of the mane with your hands.
It will be effective to ensure that the bit is returned to the toothless part of the horse's mouth.
There are two ways to achieve this:
- Strengthen in the saddle and loosen the reins. The animal was expecting another, and this could weaken control over the situation. Having chosen the reins with a jerk, you can again get the opportunity to manage.
- Pull alternately for the left, then for the right occasion. Gradually, the grip will weaken, and the bit will return to its original place.
Next, you need to quickly stop the animal.
How to rid a horse of dangerous habits
You need to work with her, softness and affection gradually accustoming to the correct behavior. If she tries to bite a rider, often this is a consequence of the fact that cruelty was shown to her.
If dangerous incidents are to occur, they must, if possible, be avoided. If they happen, it is necessary to minimize the risk of adverse consequences and injuries for the fallen person.
For example, if a horse stands on its hind legs, you need to try to stop him, otherwise a falling horse can injure a rider.
If she sees that certain actions cannot be done, the habit of doing so will gradually weaken.
Fear of a horse after an accident
Usually it occurs after falling from a horse. It must be borne in mind that the chance that this can happen always exists and you need to be prepared.
If the horse kicked, it can lead to grave consequences for the rider. However, there must be a reason for this to be determined.
On the other hand, any deviation in the behavior of an animal has its own cause. Even if the horse kicks. You need to be able to understand it, find a common language. In some cases, the cause may be the rider's incorrect behavior. In this case, it is important to correctly determine the cause of what happened and not to allow it in the future.
Important! The right attitude will overcome the fear of horses.
The ability to understand the horse and establish the right relationship with it is the basis for the phased elimination of deviations in its behavior. If this is not enough, you have to work with her to rectify the situation. Thinking how to stop being afraid of horses, you just need to establish a kind of partnership with them and strive to understand them.
Bear roll
When a horse transfers weight from one front foot to another, the head and neck sway from side to side. In the process of swinging, the front legs are apart, which can lead to undesirable overstrain of both legs and hooves with the risk of excessive wear and even injury. There are special frames with a small hole for the head and neck, which do not allow the horse to sway from side to side.
Rearing
Standing on its hind legs, the horse suddenly raises its front legs up. This is a sign of aggressiveness and nervousness. If a rider prevents a nervous horse from moving forward, it can stand on its hind legs. Horses prone to this can be pacified with martingale. Standing up can be a sign of not only nervousness, but also an excess of energy.
Playing along
When a horse kicks, it bends its back and lifts its front and / or hind legs off the ground. As soon as the horse standing in the stall for a long time is on the pasture, it starts to run and to buck up from excess energy (play). Kicking under the saddle (playing along) is often a sign of resistance. A horse can kick to shed a rider.
A scared horse is a nightmare for all riders. A horse that has dreamed something is in pain or is very scared. She no longer responds to the commands of the rider and starts at a gallop with all possible speed. It is very important to pacify the horse until the situation becomes dangerous. Martingale and various types of mouthpieces can be useful in this position.
