# What should you do when a horse broncs with you?



## Paint it Lucky (14 July 2010)

Sorry if this is a silly question but I had quite a scary experience yesterday where the horse I was riding suddenly set off broncing across the school and I didn't know what to do!  

I had never ridden this horse before so didn't really know what to expect (I thought he was quite laid back but obviously not!)  I got on and thought I'd walk him round on a long rein, get him to do some stretches etc and have a look round.  He was fine until we got to the far end of the school and there was a pole he didn't like the look of.  I had been expecting him to look at it as it was new, so naively was giving him a longish rein so he could look.  He spooked, leaping sideways and then began broncing (bucking then leaping forwards into the air then bucking again) (this is how I define broncing, I find bucks fairly easy to sit to but this was something different!)  I knew I was going to fall off as he was flinging me out of the saddle and making me more and more precariously balanced with each leap.  He wasn't just play bucking, he wanted me off!  All I could think was 'I don't know how to stop this,' he is a ver big chunly horse and I am only a small person (don't know if this makes any difference!), I tried to reach his mane to hold onto it but I couldn't and I didn't know if shortening the reins would help or make it worse as he had his head right down.  Basically I didn't know what to do, and because of this I didn't really try to hard to stay on and sort of allowed myself to be thrown off.  (I'm sure I would have fallen off anyway but I knew he wasn't going to stop and so I think this made me less determined to stay on).  

After I'd hit the floor he carried on broncing and leaping about wildly across the school, then set off galloping laps madly round the school, and as the school has no gate he then set off charging round the yard and it took along time to catch him again!  

I can think of lots of reasons why he started broncing, even though it was out of character I think that if I'd acted differently he woudn't have done it in the first place.  But I have never had a horse try so hard and successfully to get rid of me before and I don't know how I should have ridden it once he started behaving like this.  

So in case I ever have the misfortune to ride a horse that does this again please can you tell me what I should do!

Sorry if this post has gone on!


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## Roasted Chestnuts (14 July 2010)

I tend to try to drag their heads up by any means possible.

Nikki xxx


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## TheMule (14 July 2010)

Keep his head up so he cant get it down in the first place and then if he does, pull it up asap!! Turning a circle can often help a lot


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## kerilli (14 July 2010)

yank its head up as hard as you possibly can, with jerks of the reins rather than a solid pull if necessary, anything to get its head up. Yelling "NO" can also help, at least it distracts them. shove feet forwards, lean back, and pull on the reins, basically.
once their head is up, they can't bronc...
I can't be doing with people who say "oh, he's just expressing himself" when they do this... he can do that the other 23 hours of the day as far as i'm concerned. If he's being rude and broncing, i'm allowed to be rude back and sock him in the chops to get his head up...
glad you weren't hurt, hope it doesn't happen again.


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## Abbeygale (14 July 2010)

Agree with the other replies about trying to get the head up, and then just try to sit up tall and into the saddle as much as you can.  

I generally find that yelling at the top of your lung "you are not effing well getting me off you old bag" also assists with the staying on the back of the horse during broncing...


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## millitiger (14 July 2010)

agree with the others- get it's head up by any means and then i would firmly kick on!


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## Paint it Lucky (14 July 2010)

Ok thanks guys!  I will remember head up for next time (hopefully there won't be one!)


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## MiJodsR2BlinkinTite (14 July 2010)

Ehmmm, after getting the head up, sticking some glue on your breeches, etc etc., my first action then would be to get the saddle checked!  Sorry, someone else will say it if I don't ....., but seriously, whilst broncing can often be just a bit of spring grass or high spirits or whatever, if its an ongoing problem then there's a need to find out what's happening. So saddle check first, physio/vet or whatever next, not necesarily in that order.


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## Carefreegirl (14 July 2010)

I'm going for the obvious - if it's not your horse don't ride it again even if you are being paid. Not much fun being in a wheelchair for the rest of your life !


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## Paint it Lucky (14 July 2010)

Thanks


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## skint1 (14 July 2010)

My daughter's horse can throw the odd buck and went through quite a bronc-y stage a couple of years back her instructor recommended that she bridge her reins and  sort of rise up out of the saddle, she described it as rising above it whilst there is all hell underneath her.


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## CrazyMare (14 July 2010)

Head up. By any means possible - kick, pull, grab, shout, yank. Once head is up, it can't bronc any more and you can be a bit politer back.

All dignity goes out of the window!!


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## cobon (14 July 2010)

I have a horse who does this at parties  Really, echo the others, keep the head up and bridge your reins so he can't shove his head down again. Ride through it (and lunge it into the ground before you get on.... )


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## Cedars (14 July 2010)

This is totally what I've been told and not what I'm capable of doing!

Ye, head up. Also yanking one rein really REALLY sharply right round can break the tense muscle and stop the bronc cycle.

But I really would NOT ride him again. Broncing when determined to get you off is a sign of something bigger. xxxx


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## Little_Miss_1 (14 July 2010)

If it happens again, hands up to get the head up and then leg on. Then get back / saddle / teeth checked. If that is all good - get tough! Keep those hands up and solid and really make the horse move forward. if it has its head up and is going forward, it physically cant buck! Good luck - broncs are never fun!


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## Chestnuttymare (14 July 2010)

just another wee suggestion, apart from hang on flippin' tight 
Instead of pulling the head up, try bringing the head round to the side, say the left, as far as you need to and then use your left leg to push him round so it disengages the back end. You need also to loosen your grip of the right rein or you will stop him turning. If they are in that position they physically can't buck. Well that's the theory anyway.  Hopefully you won't need to try it. Don't get back on him. Sounds like it was pain related doesn't it. Hope you're not too sore now.


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## Farma (14 July 2010)

Mine is a broncer and did this only last week - she plunged to bronc and meant it so as she started - i really yanked on one rein only upwards and with my schooling whip walloped her down the shoulder and she just stopped - i have come off many times through her broncing but yanking one rein upwards and fighting back has stopped them getting past about 5 seconds whereas b4 i would let it get to far and had no chance of regaining control.


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## wellsat (14 July 2010)

I tend to spin Lil if she thinks about broncing. Its quite a forward motion so turning them sharply round will often snap them out of it.


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## charliechalk1 (14 July 2010)

Definately agree with everyone else I always find if they ever take off with me I find turning them in a circle always helps! Basically fight and don't give up!


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## emma69 (14 July 2010)

Horses head up, your heels down, and a 'Oi prat frace beeping stop that beeping now your beeping beeper' is my usual MO! Agree with others who have said if this is a riding school horses, ask for something else - my 'ride anything' days are over now, but as a teen I would, now I am far more aware of my own fragility!

I don't agree that a broncing fit is a sign of something bigger in all cases. I had a great horse I rode on a semi regular basis, he was huge, IDxDinosaur I believe, and one day, from nowhere, he had the scariest broncing fit I have ever seen, handstands and all - he was trying to turn himself inside out, he wanted me OFF. Once we had calmed down (the rider perhaps more so than the horse!) I checked him over to see if he had been stung, if some tack had caught, etc. I had the YM check him over to see if she could see something I was missing but nothing at all. The next day I rode him, he was a bit huffy puffy (on his toes) for a few minutes in the same school as the previous day, but then back to the big cuddly giant I knew and loved. He didn't do it again in the several subsequent years. I can only think he saw or heard something that frightened the life out of him, that was inperceptible to the humans that were around (although there were other horses in the school too, and they didn't flinch at anything).


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## Natch (14 July 2010)

As another person has said, if it is out of charachter for that horse, it suggests he was in pain, so whoever the owner is should be getting those things checked out.

If the horse is trying to get you off and is in pain, perhaps the kindest thing to do IS do as controlled as possible flying dismount 

Horses who bronc with me get kicked on, and I sit UP. Kicked on because the more a horse is going forwards the less he can be going up and down, or put in a twist/spin to the side, and sit up because no matter if the horse's head or tail is down or up, upright is the most secure place to be. No good leaning back, as if the horse then puts in a rear or exuberant leap to start the bronc you're going off the back. 

By all means grab the pommel if you want to, or if the horse is wearing a neck strap go for that: pommel being my favourite as mane or neckstrap will be going up and down with the broncs too


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## Paint it Lucky (14 July 2010)

Thanks for all the advice everyone.  I am fine by the way, just a bit sore where I landed but otherwise ok (had to get up and run after him afterwards which probably helped prevent me from getting too stiff!)

The horse actually has an injury to one of his hind suspensories but vet is insisting we keep riding him (though only meant to be walking!), it wouldn't surprise me if this is causing him pain which might have triggered the episode, though also he never gets to go out in the field   because of dodgy leg so he probably has far too much pent up energy as well.  Fortunately he is going for an operation soon to try and fix his problem so hopefully it will work.  He is normally sensible so I can't blame him for acting this way knowing his current situation.  I won't be volunteering to be first back on him once he's had a rest and comes sound though!


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## Mavis Cluttergusset (14 July 2010)

The last time I rode a horse that properly bronced, all I remember doing was whimpering quietly to myself as I clung on by any means possible!  Mine wasnt going forwards though, he was doing it on the spot facing the large yard gate, backside into the road - proper rodeo style broncing. I remember someone telling me I should have been walloping him - hello?!!! Have you ever tried to sit on an alternately bucking/rearing horse who was doing it all vertically!? Removing one hand from wherever you have rammed it to cling on, to thump a horse goes against all your instincts.  With a bit of forward movement it should be easier to yank (hard) upwards and kick hard.  In this horses case it was intense pain related - but my old 14.2 pony I had as a teenager used to bronc seemingly for the hell of it.  If you sit enough of them you get better at staying on! (and they subsequently lose the will to do it if you dont fall off!)


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## Paint it Lucky (14 July 2010)

Ha ha, totally agree Mavis .  I knew i should be doing something, (eg.trying to shorten the reins, cling on to his mane etc), but the thought of actually moving and upsetting what little balance I had wasn't very appealing!  I also didn't particularly want to yank his head up as I was worried this would just upset him further and so make matters worse!  (Might have tried it had I been in a secure position but as I was struggling to stay on anyway I don't think it would have helped!)


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## BarmyC (14 July 2010)

kerilli said:



			yank its head up as hard as you possibly can, with jerks of the reins rather than a solid pull if necessary, anything to get its head up. Yelling "NO" can also help, at least it distracts them. shove feet forwards, lean back, and pull on the reins, basically.
once their head is up, they can't bronc...
I can't be doing with people who say "oh, he's just expressing himself" when they do this... he can do that the other 23 hours of the day as far as i'm concerned. If he's being rude and broncing, i'm allowed to be rude back and sock him in the chops to get his head up...
glad you weren't hurt, hope it doesn't happen again.
		
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I completely agree with this one!!!


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## thatsmygirl (14 July 2010)

I school horses with such issues and with broncing I find head up, feet forward and sit slightly back. If you sit up right your not in balance and will tip forward. Iv never fallen off by a horse broncing and by doing this can just carry on sitting the little buggers. They are easier to sit if they move forward at the same time and don't do it on the spot


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## Kellys Heroes (14 July 2010)

Thanks for this thread..just in time!
Got jumping lesson on YO's horse tomorrow morning, she's big and chunky and I'm a short a*se with no chance of stopping her should she start broncing! (and she is reported to be a little erm, cheeky once she knows people can ride!)  I haven't jumped in months due to own horse's injury and haven't ridden a broncer since my mum's cob - can't really remember what to do, except head UP so thanks very much!!  I will bear in mind....


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## MissMincePie&Brandy (14 July 2010)

Oh I've got one of these 

As soon as I feel him 'puff out' I raise my hands and pull his head up as high as I can. At the same time I shove my feet forwards, lean back and sit as deep as I can into the saddle, wrapping my legs tight round so he can't unseat me.  9 times out of 10 I stay on board.  Although I have had a few nasty falls because of this.


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## Mike007 (14 July 2010)

Lean back hard raise head with one rein (support with other if there is a risk of the bit running through the mouth,fulmers are wonderfull).If you pull un both reins you stand a very good chance of being shot out the saddle. And kick him forward as hard as you can . Then turn him sharply and keep him on the turn change reins if you like but a straight line is what he needs to buck. Try not to hurt yourself if you fall off. Some bucks are simply unsitable.Body protector please.


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## Enfys (15 July 2010)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QavGQQsa2as

No advice from me, I would fall straight off. I don't do bucking horses.


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## cindydog (15 July 2010)

As all have said, also a gate or a pole closing in arena would be good as a loose horse can bring other problems.


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## annaellie (15 July 2010)

Keep the head up if poss and sit up. Easier said than done I must admit with some horses, One of my mares used to this and it was neigh impossible to keeo the head up and it came from no where  She done this every day for 18 months and continued to bronc on top of me while I was on floor, I was riding her the last time she done it to me and she winded me so bad  though lucky thats all that happened to me, when I finally got my breath back I snapped I had 18 months of it and I have to admit to I leather ed her she did have whip marks  she never ever done it to me again and turned out to be the best most loving horse I ever had. She came with me to equine college the staff were warned as she continued to bronc with any other rider than me, she done it to one of the students and unlucky  quite badly hurt them.
I would not advise giving the horse a good belting, as I never done it before or after and as I said gone through 18 months every single day. It was a last resort.


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## Switchthehorse (15 July 2010)

I have one of these as well, and sympathise!!! She generally starts it out of completely nowhere, normally when at high speed, the head goes down and off we go! People think i exaggerate but I have been so high out of the saddle before i have caught my foot on the top of it on the way back down, and even once had a chance to 'reposition' myself in the air to make sure I land back in the saddle on the way down!!  Managed to stay on the last couple of times and hope to break the cycle soon - trouble is you cant recreate it - some days she is an angel then out of the blue she is off! was the horse young you were riding? i have been told she might grow out of it...

Totally agree some horses do this because of pain etc, but mine has had EVERYTHING checked rechecked and double checked and it has become apparent she does it when she is overexcited its almost like her head explodes.  Agree with the keep head up, kick on etc but shes 'a big strong mare' as my instructor keeps telling me and its almost impossible to get it up when its down - i just squeak a lot and pray i stay on frantically!!!

Anyway well done for jumping off!! I wouldnt have had the balls!!


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## bj_cardiff (15 July 2010)

lol - echo the others, pull up his head asap and don't let him have it back again, if you know a horse is likely to bronk, bridge your reins first and don't let him have his head at all! 

I'd be very suprised if that was the first time the horse has done it and I'm equally suprised you weren't told beforehand..


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## LuckyRed (15 July 2010)

I'll go along with the general 'get his head up' advice - but once you're off and everything has calmed down, I'd agree with the earlier advice to get the saddle checked and also get the back checked.  An initial quick and easy check is to make sure that the saddle cloth doesn't have any sharp bits in it (grass seeds, splinters etc) and that the girth wasn't pinching.  I'd also suggest that it would really be worth getting his back checked out as well.

If it's not your horse, think very carefully before riding it again - as someone else has said, spending the rest of your life in a wheelchair or brain damaged is not worth it! 

Glad you're ok and survived without too many bruises!


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## Christmas Crumpet (15 July 2010)

I am in the process of selling a horse that bronced with me - I broke my leg badly after being bronced off and had to have it pinned. He hardly ever does it but the fact of the matter is that I got hurt quite badly once and I'm not willing to repeat it again. He has tried to do it once with the guy who has him in for schooling to sell and I don't think he'd dare do it to him again but this guy is about a foot taller than me and is used to naughty horses. I am not brave enough to take my hand off the rein to give him a wallop because I need it to hold on. 

I have only fallen off him twice. First time broke my leg, second time absolutely fine but it was enough for me to decide I didn't want a horse that bronced no matter how amazing he is going to be in the future. I just want a safe horse that I can enjoy and not think "is today going to be the day I get pinged off again". Perhaps that's being weak. I don't know but I do know life is too short to keep getting put in plaster!! I think I sat through about 10 broncing sessions. The one where I broke my leg I managed about 12 actual broncs then got ejected!!


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## Sarah1 (15 July 2010)

millitiger said:



			agree with the others- get it's head up by any means and then i would firmly kick on!
		
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Exactly this


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## skychick (15 July 2010)

carolineb said:



			I am in the process of selling a horse that bronced with me - I broke my leg badly after being bronced off and had to have it pinned. He hardly ever does it but the fact of the matter is that I got hurt quite badly once and I'm not willing to repeat it again. He has tried to do it once with the guy who has him in for schooling to sell and I don't think he'd dare do it to him again but this guy is about a foot taller than me and is used to naughty horses. I am not brave enough to take my hand off the rein to give him a wallop because I need it to hold on. 

I have only fallen off him twice. First time broke my leg, second time absolutely fine but it was enough for me to decide I didn't want a horse that bronced no matter how amazing he is going to be in the future. I just want a safe horse that I can enjoy and not think "is today going to be the day I get pinged off again". Perhaps that's being weak. I don't know but I do know life is too short to keep getting put in plaster!! I think I sat through about 10 broncing sessions. The one where I broke my leg I managed about 12 actual broncs then got ejected!!
		
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I am in exactly the same position, i am putting my horse out on loan that does this (to an old owner who knows him inside out).
He broncs when excited, when he doesnt want to do something etc. We have had everything checked, checked again and then rechecked. 
So i have said that enough is enough. Especially after the fun ride where i spent 4 hours of constant broncing, leaping and plungeing. I sat to approx 50 of these (no joke) before coming off and hitting my head and pelvis badly, then he got me off a further 2 times. Then i walked the last bit as it was on a road. 
But i have decided that before i get hurt or before he does it and gets loose on the road and has an accident with a car either hurting him or someone else, i am going to let him go to someone who can deal with it better.
I just want to have fun and a nice ride!.

But echo everyone else.....get the horses head up as soon as you can, by whatever means necessary. Wether its one rein you yank up or whether you really kick it on and growl at it etc, just get it up fast.


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## Serephin (15 July 2010)

carolineb said:



			I am in the process of selling a horse that bronced with me - I broke my leg badly after being bronced off and had to have it pinned. He hardly ever does it but the fact of the matter is that I got hurt quite badly once and I'm not willing to repeat it again. He has tried to do it once with the guy who has him in for schooling to sell and I don't think he'd dare do it to him again but this guy is about a foot taller than me and is used to naughty horses. I am not brave enough to take my hand off the rein to give him a wallop because I need it to hold on. 

I have only fallen off him twice. First time broke my leg, second time absolutely fine but it was enough for me to decide I didn't want a horse that bronced no matter how amazing he is going to be in the future. I just want a safe horse that I can enjoy and not think "is today going to be the day I get pinged off again". Perhaps that's being weak. I don't know but I do know life is too short to keep getting put in plaster!! I think I sat through about 10 broncing sessions. The one where I broke my leg I managed about 12 actual broncs then got ejected!!
		
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My last horse was a bronc'er - he would do it when he didn't want to do something - physically all okay, he was just a little sh*t! lol

I sold him after coming off for the third time, the first two times I really hurt myself, luckily the last time I landed in a nice bouncy crop field.  He used to bronc and then twist, I found it impossible to stay on.

He is much happier in his new home, lots more for him to think about - I am much happier without him!


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## Ziggy_ (15 July 2010)

In addition to what others have said, also keep your own head up and look straight ahead, if you find yourself looking at the floor you will find yourself hitting it fairly soon!

Other than that, just keep fighting - I've never been one who gives in and lets myself fall off if I can help it. 

I used to ride a 17.2hh WB mare who really could buck; one particular day I was hanging off the side of her and really thought I was a goner. Then I caught sight of the ground and realised that if I let go now, I was going to hit a pile of jump wings and fillers - ouch!! Well that gave me the incentive to claw my way back into the saddle much to the amusement of those watching.  However it took me a good ten minutes to stop shaking afterwards and I no longer volunteer to get on horses who buck!!


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## dibbin (15 July 2010)

I was always taught to get the head up by ANY means, sit tight, and ride forward.

And, as others have said, if you don't fancy riding him again, then don't. It's bl**dy scary when a horse does that, even when you are exactly certain why they did it.


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