| Despite what you see in movies and on TV, rearing is | | | | area until the situation is under control. Once your |
| an unsafe maneuver and should be avoided at all | | | | horse stops rearing and you can capture him, you |
| costs. While you can do things to prevent rearing, your | | | | should put him on the lunge line to get him used to |
| horse may have other ideas. In these cases, a quick | | | | moving forward correctly. Be very aware of his mood |
| and correct reaction is important to reduce the chance | | | | as you move around him, but do not make the situation |
| of injury to you and your horse. | | | | worse by being tentative. Most horses will calm down |
| The best way to stay safe in a rear is to prevent it | | | | when there is someone trustworthy to take charge. |
| from happening in the first place. A horse's first | | | | When riding, a rear requires quick action. If you are |
| reaction to danger is to run away. When that is not | | | | confident in your ability to do an emergency dismount, |
| possible, rearing puts them in a defensive posture. | | | | this is the time to do it. Once on the ground move |
| Stunt riders use this natural behavior to get those | | | | away, keeping in mind that after rearing, the horse |
| exciting rears in movies. They give an urgent | | | | may buck, so you do not want to be in front or behind. |
| command to move, signaling danger, then they block | | | | Use your voice to calm the horse and wait until he is |
| movement with the reins. The nervous horse can't | | | | settled before approaching. Show your horse that you |
| move forward, so he rears. Avoiding these inputs will | | | | are his safety zone. The sooner you get him calmed |
| avoid the reaction. Keep your legs quiet and your | | | | the better, to keep him from bolting into a dangerous |
| hands soft and your horse will have no reason to rise. | | | | situation or getting tangled in his tack. |
| In the wild, horses can use rearing as a way to | | | | If you did not dismount right away, your best bet is to |
| dislodge a threat on their back. While riding, you are | | | | ride out the buck. Lean slightly forward to help keep |
| precisely in the spot that a predator would attack to | | | | the horse in balance. Do not pull on the reins! Keep |
| bring a horse down. The only reason the horse lets | | | | your seat firmly in the saddle and wait for the horse to |
| you up there is that he trusts you to keep him safe. If | | | | come down. When he does, sit deep, if you have |
| you are wiggling around up there or making strange | | | | leaned too far forward, he may go right into a buck. |
| noises, the horse may lose that trust and he will do | | | | Immediately command the horse to go forward. |
| what he can to get you off. You will know that this is | | | | Knowing that he can move forward gives him |
| the case, because the horse will add bucking to the | | | | something to do besides rearing or bucking. Speak |
| rear to make it as hard as possible to hang on. A quiet, | | | | calmly to your horse to let him know there is nothing |
| confident seat tells the horse that you have everything | | | | more to fear. Getting back to work will help get both |
| under control and maintains that trust he needs. | | | | your mind and the horse's off the recent excitement. |
| You may see your horse rear during free lunging. In | | | | As you ride, take a moment to consider what caused |
| most cases, this is simply exuberance and presents no | | | | the rear. Perhaps you were out of balance, or you had |
| danger. Watch that the horse doesn't go too high and | | | | the reins too tight. Maybe a noise or sudden |
| remains balanced. If the rearing is unstable or aimed at | | | | movement startled the horse. Correct your riding |
| people or horses, you need to calm the horse with | | | | mistakes and help your horse understand the |
| your voice. Do not try to move in on a rearing horse. | | | | environmental causes to that you don't have to go |
| Make sure that any people or other horses leave the | | | | through the rear again. |