lunging, and bucking

Question
When I try to lunge my hors he turns his hind quarters to me and kicks at me.  I have owned this horse for 5 years and this has always been a problem.  I decided to not lunge him.  This summer I team penned with him and he bucked me off twice.  The first time was in a warm up and I wasn't excepting it.  The second time I believe was my fault as I used my spurs in an timed race.  He had the spurs used on him before but it was about 3 years ago.  When I used the spurs he not only bucked me off he continued to buck all the way around the areana.  Both times he has bucked me off I have gotten back on him right away an rode him the rest of the night.  Since this time he has been very aggressive and stubborn.  What should I do?  I believe he does not see me as the leader and need to know what I should do to change this.  He has always been very stubborn but I have always been able to get him to do what I want by persistance.  It seems since he has bucked me off this is no longer working.  Please help me!

Answer
Hi Teri!

I find it unusual that you are having issues with a horse that you have owned for 5 years.  I would think that they would have been resolved much earlier in the relationship or you would have moved him along.

From what you have described he is a hot horse that needs a firm hand 100% of the time.  I think that you should really sit down and ask yourself, "Should I be doing difficult things with him...such as Team Penning or Timed Racing when I have not really established a real working relationship with him?  One based on true dominance, communication and trust?"  Not just, "I wore him down and he just gave in."  That's not going to work and that's why you get bucked off, right?

You are asking him to go to college and he barely got through kindergarten.  You need to go back to square one and change the way he sees you.  He is who he is, pretty much.  You can shave off the rough edges and such but, YOU have to make the big changes here.

Talk to your vet, farrier, or someone at the rodeo about recommending a QH trainer to come out and evaluate your situation and talk to you about your goals with your horse.  Get some help and focus so you can progress in the proper way, the correct way...instead of just forcing him through "wearing him down".  There is the right way to do everything and I feel you and he have skipped some very important steps...and that's why you keep ending up on the ground.  He gets mad and upset by the things you ask him to do because he does not respect you, he does not understand you and he does not want to please you.


So, YOU have to change his mind about you and the fact that YOU are in charge.  Since you have not been able to do this in the past five years by yourself, you need help.  Get a trainer to help you do this.
You will be amazed and pleased by the difference you will see in the relationship the two of you will have when it is correctly based on dominance, communication and trust.

Good luck and remember to always wear an ASTM/SEI approved helmet!

Solange