my horse bucks

Question
hiya, my name is clodagh i am 14 and i bought a 4yr old 15hh chestnut mare
in december. she is a sweet natured mare and is quiet for her age but when i
ride i usually have to lunge her before i ride her because she bucks. i am
really frightened of her bucking and she knows it. When i ride her in the arena
after a 20min lunging session she still feels tense and ready to buck. she
knows that i fear her bucking because her bucks come without warning and
are frightening. she mostly bucks after a jump as she loves jumping. i can't
really school her because she isn't motivated and i was hoping you could give
me a solution to take her mind off messing about and concentrate hard on
her flatwork and getting her to work from behind etc. thank you so much
much appreciated.

Answer
I think she might have more motivation than you give her credit for!  She is young and should have plenty of curiosity and energy yet!  It seems to me as if she is bored and doesn't think of you as the herd leader.  You definitely want to change this!  However, I wouldn't be so concerned with forcing her into a hard concentration at this point.  Remember that you bought a 4yr old mare!  Mares are lively gals and all 4 year olds have a bit of playfulness.

I am going to tell you exactly what I see here with no frills and tenderness.  There is a very definite pattern going on here and your surprised reaction to her bucking without warning, is actually something you are missing.  She is providing you with all the clues.  

I have more tough love for you.  At your age of 14, if you are genuinely scared of her you have two clear cut options.  You can either let go of your fear, or you can sell her and find a less green horse more suitable to your needs.  Take a moment to really consider these options.  You don't want to get seriously hurt.  If you think she is going to put you in harms way, then I would suggest at the very least to hire a professional trainer to school you both for a while as you build your confidence.

All that being said, now I am going to give you some good news.  Have fun with your mare!  You two are only young once!  Spend a bit less time on the lounge line and a bit less time in a rigid format.  Play around a bit and maybe experiment with some funny looking jumps or some silly mounted games to keep the two of you focused on the positive.  If you do this, the two of you will develop a deeper bond and her bucking will likely stop.

Before I forget!  Be sure to check your tack!  Make sure it is all properly fitted.  Have a vet look at her to be sure pain is not causing any of her behavior.  These two things are a horseman's rule of thumb.  Always check these before training and behavior modification!