# How to test for rearing tendencys



## Louiseandmaddie (15 January 2015)

Hi All
I'm going back to view a horse for the 3rd and final time, I really like him and ticks all boxes and more BUT last time I rode him I was just cooling him off and very happy with the way we had got on when he suddenly napped near the gate in the school and when I asked him to move on and away he took a few steps back and his front feet came off the floor only by half a foot or so but I'm worried that if it was something he really didn't want to do at a show or out hacking does this mean that his first instinct is to go up (rear). I am a confident rider but don't want to buy a problem. The dealer said hhe's never done it before with them but they've only had him for 8 weeks.  Is there any exercises I can do with him to test the likelyhood of this being aa problem
Sorry for the essay,  just trying to give you the whole picture.


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## be positive (15 January 2015)

Any tendency to nap/ rear is difficult to really assess without being able to go into new situations, ie a competition or new hacking route, he will never have done it before no dealer is going to admit even if he had, I would probably pull out unless the horse really ticked every box and I got a written warranty that if the behaviour continued after purchase I could have a full refund, not a return and swap for another horse, you are not likely to get that but worth trying and gauging the reaction.

Next time ride in the school then do as you did when cooling off, horse is likely to have been schooled since you last tried him so may be tense if anticipating getting told off, if he is ok then go out for a short hack do a few turns on the way, ride past the end of the drive, yard gate when you return and go back in the school to see how he is, I do this with mine routinely and rarely have anything nap, if in doubt walk away napping a little is no fun, rearing when they do it can be dangerous, I dont like horses that instinctively go up as it tends to become their first reaction to anything they are unsure about.


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## paddi22 (15 January 2015)

I'd walk away.  If that's how it reacts then it'd probably how it always does.  They either do it or don't from my experience.


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## MiJodsR2BlinkinTite (15 January 2015)

paddi22 said:



			I'd walk away.  If that's how it reacts then it'd probably how it always does.  They either do it or don't from my experience.
		
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This ^^^ Its a classic ploy to say "he's never done it before", which means that he probably has. Please note, the dealer said "he'd never done it before with THEM", which would immediately raise my suspicions that they're probably aware that yes he HAS done it before, with someone else/previous owner.

Viewing a horse and going back to see it is all about YOU being as happy as you can be with the horse before you start. If there's any doubt at all in your mind, then walk away. Sure, he may tick some of your boxes, but if you're not 101% sure, you might well be buying trouble. 

Yes OK so it might be just the horse could see the end of the session coming up and had anticipated going back to the stable; and there's nothing nasty in his head, possibly, but like others have said I'd be chary of anything that expresses its discontent by lifting front feet off the ground 

If you are REALLY dead keen on this horse: ask if you can see him hacked solo going AWAY from the yard and see what happens. Please note, I say "ask to see him ridden" NOT you do it yourself, as if he IS nappy then that is likely to provoke quite a profound reaction, particularly when he is asked to turn around and go back again. My two horses will both hack totally willingly, if ridden solo, away from the yard, and will be polite and mannerly about the whole thing. 

But if you're in any doubt, remember there are other nice horses out there; why buy something you're not sure about.


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## Bede (19 January 2015)

paddi22 said:



			I'd walk away.  If that's how it reacts then it'd probably how it always does.  They either do it or don't from my experience.
		
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This too.
I would just be grateful to the horse that he did this before I'd bought him and got him home


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## Kikke (19 January 2015)

I don't know if walking away is my first reaction. 
Most horses will try it on occasionally, mine do and from the 3 I own only 1 will not give up without a fight the other two may give it a few seconds and when properly told of stop straight away and get on with what is asked.

Maybe ask someone else to ride if so you can see on the ground what is happening (someone else apart from one of the riders at the dealers yard)


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## Shay (19 January 2015)

I'm not sure I would entirely agree.  If the horse had gone right up - absolutely.  Walk away.  Proper rearing is an unforgivable sin.  However we have had (and still do have) very forward sensitive horses who will go up if there is nowhere else to go.  Not a proper all out rear - just front feet a little off the ground.  If the horse is otherwise 100% genuine and also naturally quite forward then I would be tempted to give it another go.  Sometimes a small rear can be a reaction to having nowhere else and you can work with that partly through schooling the horse so he can think of somewhere else and partly through educating the rider to ensure that there is another option.  But if he spooked you with it - walk away.


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## Kallibear (20 January 2015)

I think I'd be more interested in the horses reaction when you told it NO! Did it quietly continue as asked or did it huff and puff and sulk?

You'll get a much better idea about napping if you take it hacking. You're more likely to get a reaction if you go with another horse but insist your one goes first out the gate.


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## Illusion100 (20 January 2015)

From experience I wouldn't buy anything from a Dealer. 

Purely because I've ridden for Dealers and stopped when I realised their frequency of lying to Buyers through their front teeth about horses behaviour. These horses are ridden by very sticky riders at Dealers yard and often revert back into dangerous behaviour when sold on. 

Walk away.


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## JFTDWS (20 January 2015)

Actually, I'd rather a horse whose "go to" strop was napping and stroppy rearing.  True, dangerous rearers are a different kettle of fish in my experience - the sort which go bolt upright and box - no thanks.  But the more common "No don't want to" type rearing is pretty easy to sit and ride through and work with - assuming they're not actually trying to kill you.


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## JennBags (20 January 2015)

JFTD said:



			Actually, I'd rather a horse whose "go to" strop was napping and stroppy rearing.  True, dangerous rearers are a different kettle of fish in my experience - the sort which go bolt upright and box - no thanks.  But the more common "No don't want to" type rearing is pretty easy to sit and ride through and work with - assuming they're not actually trying to kill you.
		
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Yep, me too, and I'm surprised by the amount of replies that are saying walk away. It just sounds like a bit of napping to me, and if you deal with it calmly and confidently then it shouldn't escalare into anything else.  I'd want to ride it away from the yard on my own, and also ride it past when bringing it back, 2 or 3 times, just to make sure. 

I also wouldn't put all dealers in the same box, there are bad ones out there but there are a few good ones too!


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## paddi22 (20 January 2015)

i'd advise to walk away because the issue bothered the Op at the time. One of my horses is forward going and did a stroppy 'bunny hop' style rear when buying him, but it didn't bother me at all as I've ridden a lot of horses who were worse, so i was confident I could manage it and work through it. If the issue seems like a problem to the OP and she doesn't want a nappy horse, then she should walk away.


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## Pinkvboots (20 January 2015)

I would try him again and put the horse into a few situations where it would potentially nap, like stopping at the school gate then ask him to walk round again, also ask if you can hack him down the road or lane alone and see what happens, I have one that will nap alone while out hacking this is a confidence thing though as he has not done much and never alone, so when he gets worried he stops and can lift his front feet to spin so its a kind of rear, I now try not to take him anywhere too far or scary so he feels safe and I have got off a few times, mine never does it in the school though as this is where he has been ridden most so feels safer, I have only had this horse since November and I know they never hacked him at his previous home so I have to cut him some slack and hope in time he gets better.

Thing is buying from a dealer is a risk napping could be one reason why his being sold, if your a confident rider and not much worries you it might be all he needs to get him through it, if his veen ridden by someone who backs off and gets nervous it will only have made him worse, its a risk but only you can decide if its a risk worth taking.


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## Marydoll (22 January 2015)

If youre having doubts walk away unless youre prepared to possibly take on something with an issue you might need to work with.


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## Louiseandmaddie (23 January 2015)

Hi everyone. thanks for all your help. x


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## SusieT (23 January 2015)

If its feet left the floor I'd have got off an walked away. I have no interest in a crushed pelvis


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