Barrel Racing/Rearing

Question
Hi, I trained my 10 year old paint horse to run barrels around 6 months ago he picked it up quickly and seemed to like it. He had picked up a habit of switching his lead halfway around the first turn and then rearing because he couldn't make the turn, I got him out of it but he picked it up again and this time I can't get him out of it. I'm afraid he will flip over because he has had issues with rearing in the past but this is the first time he's reared in months. I never over run him or push him too hard around the turns he knows where to go and rears himself. How do I get him to stop that?

Answer
Hello Alicia,

You need to back up a bit and work on some remedial schooling with your horse.Horses are very afraid of losing their balance...it is frightening to them to possibly fall, and it regresses back to the fact that they are prey animals....if they fall the mountain lion can get them.

As you realize, it is never the horse's fault if they are unable to do something that we want them to do.....it is up to use to figure out how to help them. First you have to double check these factors:

1. Is he all right physically?? If he used to do something and then can't,it can be due to his being sore. You ALWAYS have to make certain that there is nothing physically wrong with your horse before you start working it through a problem that is new. For example, I have a client who in the fall was riding her horse regularly. She has no indoor, so started with the horse in the spring. She called me and said her horse was half rearing when she tried riding her. Should she "get after her?" I came there and it was obvious that the horse was lame.....she was diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease and is now fine, but it would have been very incorrect to try to force this horse to be ridden.

2. Are YOU riding and asking the horse correctly? I have been riding for MANY years, and if a horse I am riding is having a problem, I always check myself out first. Is my timing correct- am I using my weight correctly? Are my hands soft or are they causing the horse to misinterpret my aids?   Please send a follow-up question so I have more room to now give you training ideas.   Mitzi