How to manage a rearing horse

be and bear in mind that this is not an exhaustive list there are lots of potential causes to be on the alert for
Tooth or dental pain
Hoof pain
Kissing spines
Soreness in the girth area
If your horse is prone to rearing or suddenly starts doing it contact your vet and rule out pain as a cause is the first thing you need to do. Once you have confirmed that pain isnt the problem you can move on to considering whether diet andor training are the underlying causes. Other reasons a horse may rear include
Rider holding on to the reins too tight.
Horse is in panic mode.
Rearing up is a natural reaction when a horse is stressed or fearful a barking dog snapping at their legs for example.
Horse is being dominant or aggressive.
Horse is overexcited.
The horse is young or lacking confidence and rearing up because they dont want to go forward.
Rearing up can be evasive action for example in a young or green horse being asked to do something they dont understand or are confused or frightened by. Rearing in this scenario is the horse saying a very loud no.
Exuberance from overfeeding and not receiving the right amount of exercise.
How to cope with a rearing horse
Zero emotion from you as the rider is the ideal approach to dealing with a rearing horse that rears. Think of it as a mix of confidence and an I can deal with this attitude. Shouting which is easy to do when youre scared only makes it worse. Our intellect makes us focus on the horse rearing but this isnt the right thing to do advises Zana.
What to do after a horse rears
If you do find yourself sitting atop a rearing horse as soon as they have their front feet back on the ground ride them forward and away from that spot.
This is why we say not to grab all the way around a horses neck if theyre rearing. If you do youre not in a great position to ride them forward when they land you will have tipped forward on to their neck and this is a crucial step explains Zana. Instead stay in the normal riding position as the horse rears. A secure lower leg will keep you in the saddle and you can relax the contact rather than pulling on the reins. As the horse lands tell them to walk on and ride a circle with only a light