Horse ridden vices are those stereotypy behaviours that occur whilst the horse is ridden. These can include bucking, napping, rearing, and bolting amongst others.
Ridden vices are unpleasant behaviours that your horse may exhibit when you ride. These behaviours often have underlying reasons that need investigating and putting right. A happy and confident horse is far more pleasant to ride.
This article investigates the reasons behind unwanted ridden behaviours, and looks at ways to manage and even eradicate the problem. Read on to find out why your horse may be displaying unwanted ridden vices.
Napping
Napping, whether it’s a horse wanting to return to a group of other horses, turn towards the gate, or home if you’re on a hack, can be frustrating.
Spinning and planting can also be behaviours described as Napping.
Horse napping problem
If you have problem with your horse, the first thing to do is ask yourself the following questions:
- Is my horse napping or spooking? – spooking through a fear reaction is very different to a horse that is deliberately misbehaving and requires an alternative management programme
- Where does my horse nap? – does your horse nap in the school, out on a hack, in company, or only on it’s own? Or perhaps your horse naps in all scenarios
- When does my horse nap?- If your horse only naps for a short while after tacking up or only when exercised in the late afternoon/evening, it’s triggers may be different from a horse that naps at every opportunity
Once you have really thought about when and where your horse naps you may find that there is a single connecting event before all napping behaviours. Once you realise what that trigger is, you are half way to managing and hopefully eliminating the problem.
Ridden vice reasons
- Pain
- Learned behaviour
- Lack of confidence – both of the horse and picking up on the confidence of the rider
- Lack of respect
- Boredom
Pain
If your horse demonstrates ridden vices, the first thing to do is to check the following:
- Back – physio and vet using x-rays
- Saddle fit
- Bridle fit
- Feet
- Ulcers
Learned behaviour
Even if you check all of the above and rectify any issues, your horse may still associate being ridden with pain for some time.
Lack of confidence
The horse itself may lack confidence and need a confident rider to convince him that no lions are hiding in nearby hedges. Groundwork, especially long-lining and in hand hacking can greatly improve the trust that the horse has in his handler and rider.
Lack of respect
If your horse does not respect you then it’s unlikely that he’ll give you his all and listen to you. If this is the case and your horse will happily work sensibly for someone else, then invest in lessons and remember to be consistent in your training and responses. Go back to basics and ensure that he is forward off your leg and that you keep his brain active and forward thinking.
Boredom
Don’t always do the same thing every ride. Don’t always go on the same hack every time. If you have to do the same route, change where you ask for different gaits, use transitions and shortening and lengthening of strides to keep your horse listening to you and interested in what they are doing.
If you’re in the school, use poles, and different pole set-ups and don’t always finish and get off at the gate. This can lead to napping towards the gate or the ‘finish line’ as the horse will begin to think.
If you can, increase your horse’s turnout time and encourage movement in the field: Horse track system
Why is my horse napping?
When a horse is refusing to go where you ask it, walking backwards, planting, or spinning etc. it may simply be a one off, or fear of the unknown if the behaviour occurs on a hack.
Unfortunately, napping can also become ingrained behaviour and every horse will have it’s own story and training needs to remove the unwanted behaviour.
Some horses are naturally highly strung. Soothing herbs can help keep them calm; Herbs for horses
Spinning
Spinning to face the opposite direction can be unseating for many riders. Even if your seat is stable enough to remain mounted, whiplash isn’t fun, and spinning is often followed by a speedy exit home.
Some horses learn that spinning whilst dropping a shoulder can remove the rider and that after that they are not required to do any further work that session. If this happens more than a few times it can be well ingrained in the horses memory. Therefore, getting back on in this situation is almost always advisable even if for a short period.
Planting
Trying to ride a horse that plants can be one of the most infuriating things in the world. You can virtually guarantee that the horse will choose to plant on the one day that you have to be elsewhere soon and just wanted a nice and peaceful ride beforehand!
Try the following:
- Allow enough time – Patience is a virtue.
- In hand walk/longline – if planting is due to confidence, then leading the horse in hand or long riding the chosen route a few times may allow a more enjoyable ride when you do get back on
- Company – Some horses are simply more nervous than others and take confidence from there being others around. If you have the opportunity for someone to accompany you even if only on foot or bicycle, then this might help you and your horse
On your own….
- Forward momentum – If your horse always plants in a certain area try to be in a good workmanlike trot well before you reach that section. It is always more difficult for a horse to plant if he is moving forward off your leg
- Wait it out – You know your horse. Sometimes one good kick with a loud ‘walk on’ will work perfectly. Other times sitting and being patient is the best option. Give your horse 2 minutes to look around and fully assess the situation before asking them to move forward. Ideally off they’ll go and crisis averted
- Any movement forward is good movement – even sideways movement is preferable to going backwards
- Backwards – if your horse goes backwards, maintain a contact and ask for a forward movement. The moment this is given loosen the reins, this gives relief and is positive for the horse. Quite often a rider loosens their reins when a horse goes backwards without asking, which only cements for the horse that backwards is better
- Circles – If your horse does want to go forward and you have the space and it’s safe to do so, turning circles may help. Keep the circle quite tight and maintain contact until the horse is going in the desired direction at which point a loosening of the rein can be applied for a lighter contact. So ¾ of the circle is with a keen contact whilst the ¼ of the circle which was going in the direction you first wanted is on a looser contact more appealing to the horse. If you do several circles on both reins not only will you get closer to your destination, by this point the horse will have realised that planting simply means harder work and that it’s easier to simply move forward when told
With a friend….
- Follow – If you get a friend to ride out with you you may find that your horse plants less in the company of a confident horse. The herd instinct normally takes over and when the lead horse is getting further away instinct will tell them to catch up
- Overtaking – To help your horse is the long run try gradually riding alongside until your horse is comfortably keeping up with the confident horse. Then you can start asking your horse to lengthen and be in the lead for a few steps. The other horse should then trot on ahead slightly so you can ask your horse to trot to catch up. That way both horses are thinking forward rather than asking your horse to slow or stop – the thing that you are trying to avoid. Using this method should eventually allow you to be leading the hack and happily travelling out alone
Bucking/Broncing
A horse bucking with rider, especially if those bucks turn into determined broncs can be very hard to sit. Some horses have a great line in putting their heads between their legs and sharply removing the rider with a quick rise of their back legs.
Remember that there is a difference between a horse that bucks a little when fresh or excited, and one that is determined to get rid of the rider.
Once you know the difference between these type of bucks for your horse you’ll be able to investigate a course more quickly and not let things spiral out of control.
Bucking can be as a result of a painful back, feet, or girth. So always get professionals to check your tack and ensure that the saddle fits correctly. If the horse has been in less or more work than normal their shape may have change and the tack now pinches. It could simply be that a younger horse has had a growth spurt and now needs adjustments to be made.
If your horse bucks on the lunge as well as under saddle then ulcers or hoof problems could be the cause.
It could simply be that you’re asking too much of them. A horse doesn’t have many ways to tell us how they feel. Bucking may be the way your horse is telling you that the jumps are a little high, that dressage movement is a bit out of their ability range etc. Listen to your horse and go back to movements that they are happy with before trying again at a later date. Sometimes you may have to admit that the horse you bought with perfect bloodlines for 5* eventing, is actually only going to be happy at local gymkhanas popping 60cm. Each horse is different and should be treated as such.
Rearing
Rearing, when being displayed in the Spanish Riding School, or by professionally trained horses is quite an amazing sight. However, for most riders rearing is one of the most frightening vices a horse can have. There is always the possibility that the horse will topple over and come crushing down on the rider.
Why do horses rear / rear up / with rider
Rearing, as with most ridden vices, can come about for many reasons, including fear and pain. Rearing can also be a show of dominance over the handler, trying to intimidate the rider or handler into letting the horse do, or not do, anything he likes.
How to stop a horse from rearing
The first port of call after checking for physical problems and tack, is to go back to groundwork. Forget riding for a while and just spend time working with your horse on the ground until you are happy that they are respectful of you, don’t try to invade your space, and move when and where you ask.
If the rearing is due to a lack of confidence, then doing more desensitization work will help the horse be happy with more objects, and the groundwork will enable them to look at you for leadership if they’re unsure. Both of which will reduce the likelihood of rearing when you get back on.
The only way to stop a horse from rearing is to move their feet and engage their brain as soon as you notice the familiar cues. Once you can recognise the signs that your horse is going to rear you can start more rigorously making sure that their brain is engaged and thinking about other things, and that their back legs are moving. If they are moving and thinking about where they are putting their legs, they aren’t thinking about placing them in a comfortable rearing position.
Bolting
There is a difference between a horse that bolts, and one that is strong and runs off with a rider. Many horses are described as bolters when really, they are simply strong and not listening to their rider. Horses that truly bolt are rare, and are those which could be described as running in a blind panic that nothing at all will stop, even a physical barrier.
Whilst a horse that runs off can often be stopped by a one rein stop, or other methods, it’s less simple with a bolter. This is especially true of bolters who give little indication that they’re going to misbehave.
With a true bolter there is often a medical reason which should be investigated.
Pulling / head-shaking
Pulling the reins out of your hands and head-shaking aren’t often considered in the main tranche of vices, but is worth mentioning.
The first thing to do in this situation, if the horse is not being naughty simply pulling at grass, is to have the horse’s teeth checked. Once the teeth have been checked and the bridle fitted correctly, a change of bit may alleviate the problem.
If the pulling and head shaking is due to an allergy, hay fever tablets and the use of a nose net could be invaluable and make your horse more comfortable.
For those horses and ponies for which grass is simply too tempting, grass reins are often used.
Conclusion
If your horse has, or has developed a ridden vice, checking that they are medically fine and the tack fits appropriately is your first port of call. Once physical problems have been ruled out, going back to groundwork should be a priority. Not only will this help your horse understand boundaries but also will build and strengthen your bond whereby the horse looks to you for leadership.
