Even my trainer of 40 years is stumped on this one... What can i do!? and what caused this...?

Question

I bought my horse about a 1.5yrs ago-- hes VERY well mannered, never kicks, never bucks and is friendly with other horses: he trail rides fine with them, takes great lessons with them, does great in a packed show ring... u cld ride another horse up his butt & he'd be fine.
BUT
recently, within the last month or so he has started bucking...The first time was in a private lesson, where my instuctor he was just mad at me for making him work after a weeks break, & that problem cleared up by my next lesson...
BUT
I recently went on a trail ride with my friend & her horse whom he knows very well, and he kicked out at her! He has now done this several times & now is doing it to other horses.
I have no idea what to try-- i have been punishing him & getting after him for this bad habit by making him do tight circles etc... but now we are sort of at loss what to do... he isn't in pain and his tack/everything is fine! He is only doing this at the canter
What could have caused this!?

What could have caused this and what more can i do? Everyone is stumped so i was hoping you guys could help out. Anyone else experience sudden bitterness of a horse? He only does this at the canter... and its a very new habit. THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED! I have consulted the vet, ferrier, my instructor and they say im doing all the right things. I've been riding for 6+ years and know how to handle rowdy horses... but i have never had this problem with him before, i know him very well...

Thanks for trying to answer my question but i have already stated he has been checked out by a vet, chiropractor and the ferrier.

Thanks seagirl: but if you read closely i have done all of that, his tack is fine, and everytime he does that i make him stop and do tight circles, i give him a good kick and a slap too.. i think we are all at loss for what to do but thanks!

It is only when he canters around other horses... not usually by himself.

Answer 1

Here are my suggestions/thoughts.

What is his body language during this? ears pinned or up?- he may be feeling more comfortable with you (and picking up a playful vibe) so he kicks out for fun. My mare never kicks at horses, but if we are cantering (she does this by herself in the field as well) and she feels great- she will kick at other horses in play when running. Once we stop running, she goes back to her old self.
Canters are also a faster speed- he may have a competitive edge starting from running on the trails and not want the other horse to pass him.

As for the bucking- it is quite possible that he did it from a week off- some horses do not do well with breaks. At one extreme, a mare at my stable has to be ridden 3 times a week. If she has even just one week off, she becomes wild and unridable- all cues are forgotten and she just bucks and runs the whole time. Basically she has to be retrained everything for the first 2 rides.

Answer 2

First I want to ask how is he, and I just want to clear it up that he is a gelding?? If he's an older horse, then he might just be getting fed up with younger horses and their attitudes. If he's still a stud and he's fairly young, it could just be his hormones kickin in for a while. If those aren't factors then hmmmmm....
When he bucked the first time, I'm assuming you punished him for the first buck because you said that you have experience with bad behavior in horses. If you didn't he might be thinking that since he got away once he can do it again. Maybe when you see him start to lower his head and act like he is going to kick or buck go ahead and punish him. Make him think that even thinking about doing that is bad. I have got to admit this is a tough question. I'm not sure if these suggestions are right or even close, but I hope they might have at least sparked an idea for you. When you do figure this out I would like to know what it was and how you handled it. Thank you! Good luck.

Answer 3

I have a gelding that did this exact same thing. And the cause was his hocks. He was extremely straight in the hock (like a lot of western pleasure horses are) and as he started growing and filling out and I started working him harder, his hocks got sore. And this was the sweetest horse until this happened. If you touched his hock, he kicked and would buck going into a canter because it hurt. I took him to a racetrack vet who diagnosed this problem since my usual vet was at a loss. He had his hocks injected and the same sweet horse returned. I have had him for 4 years and when the grouchy starts, I have his hocks redone. Good Luck and I hope this helps

Answer 4

From what you said- I will have to say medical. Even though you've already had him checked by a chiropractor and veterinarian this is the only conclusion that anyone can come to on your horses sudden change in attitude.

Take your horse to a specialist. At my ranch we offer hydro-therapy and have a treadmill. When an equine therapist puts your horse on the treadmill he'll hook your horse up to different receptors and start the treadmill at a walk and warm up to a soft trot until your horse is at a slow lope. Different receptors will be able to tell you which part of your horses body is sore or out of place.

If your vet and chiropractor were not able to find something wrong with your horse I'd chalk it up to a pinched nerve or even something as minor as a sore mouth.. They may not have been able to determine this at a stand still or a walk because your horse uses different parts of his body at a trot and canter. Just imagine your own body at a jog or flat out run- your teeth are chattering and your legs become hot and if you haven't been working out in a while even like Jello. You may even start to cramp up or have muscle soreness or have a head ache from clenched teeth. All these things you probably wouldn't be feeling if you had stayed at a walk or jog. The same thing can happen to your equine.

Answer 5

Perhaps he is experiencing burn-out. Have you tried giving him a month off; no training? Spend a month kicking back with him, still do things with him but just have it be more relaxed rather than schooling-like. Like us, even horses who enjoy their job can get burned out and need a vacation. Maybe, with Spring in the air he is feeling frisky (several of my training horses are doing this now and one of them in a way I haven't seen before either). Keep being consistent in expecting manners from him and not tolerating bad manners. It may be also that now that he has acclimated with his "new" home and "new" owner, he's letting down his hair a little. Stick to your guns. I wouldn't stress it. He'll come back around... probably testing limits now.

Answer 6

This appears like this will not be absolutely behavioral or a loss of socialization. This conduct would be from petite mal (absence) seizures and/or from the anti-seizure healing. Seizure issues can rationale puppies to show all forms of bizarre conduct styles. Some of the nervousness could be a pre seizure charisma. Just considering the fact that the puppy is not at the flooring in grand mal seizure does not imply that he is now not having seizures. You have to speak to vet a few extra approximately this. The more thing that you just have to watch out isn't to be inadvertently praising the puppy even as its worried. Petting, consoling, soothing, and so forth. in a puppy's brain is compliment. If you're petting your puppy even as he's freaking out the puppy learns that's what you desire. So preserve your arms off the puppy whilst he is worried. Start being very traumatic in unusual circumstances. This is wherein your sit down keep and down keep coaching will come into play. When your puppy begins getting worried situation him is a sit down keep. He will must gain knowledge of self manage or he's going to holiday the sit down. If he breaks the sit down then you definitely have to provide the right correction. Start sluggish and paintings as much as a few mins. This will educate the puppy to be aware of you and the command alternatively of freaking out approximately his atmosphere. Be very regular. With a few paintings and consistency, your puppy will likely be extra risk-free. I can't assurance that he's going to ever be secure in unusual circumstances however he's going to gain knowledge of a few self manage which can make him more secure. For automobile rides, once more be very traumatic that he have a few self manage and behave himself. Crating him if there may be sufficient room to your automobile for a crate maybe a significant support as there will likely be much less matters to stimulate him. Hopefully, you're studying greater than tips in coaching elegance. You must be studying easy methods to teach your puppy to be a livable accomplice now not a trick puppy. He must be studying a few self manage and also you must be studying easy methods to educate him those matters.

Answer 7

Silva is right but it could just be that he is having some fun. On trail rides they feel free especially when they are running and with other horses. It just makes them feel like they are in the field playing. Just reprimand him and let him know that he needs to keep that behavior for the field. Maybe he just is bored and needs a pasture mate or something or maybe he just needs to be put out to pasture more.

Answer 8

that is a tough question but i am wondering that if he is cut then are the other horses he is kicking at are male also, i think you see where this is going, if that is not the case then if you are the only one that works with him then their is a possibility it could be jealousy, i know it sounds stupid but the bond between the horse and its rider/handler can be great. you of all people should know that. well i hope this helps a little

Answer 9

You could try getting him checked out by a vet. Also have you changed bits or tack lately? Has he changed turnout buddies? If none of these things are it then I would try slapping him when he tries to kick again and kick him with one of your legs in a circle and say no. (harshly) Worked for my horse!!

Answer 10

For a rock-steady horse to suddenly act up like this... what all did your vet check? Does your vet do chiropractic? Because it sounds, especially if you're noticing it mostly at the canter, like he has a nerve being pinched.