How to Stop Rearing in Horses

If your horse rears, you risk being unseated, struck, or fallen on, and the horse risks losing its balance and injuring itself. A horse that rears while hitched to a carriage can fall on the driver and passengers, injure itself, and damage surrounding equipment and objects.

Once a horse learns to rear to avoid work or express frustration, it's hard to stop. If you're a beginner rider, it's extremely dangerous to tackle this issue alone. Instead, seek help from a professional.

Why Do Horses Rear?

It's crucial to understand why your horse is rearing before trying to eliminate the behavior. First, consider possible physical problems. Soreness from an ill-fitting saddle or harness and overgrown teeth are common issues that can make a horse act out.

• Girths: Poorly placed or too-tight girths or cinches can make your horse irritable.
• Health issues: A veterinarian can help identify physical problems.
• Dental or vision problems: Have a professional check for painful dental and vision issues. A horse with dental pain or impaired vision may rear to express panic.
  
• Poor training: If equipment is comfortable and there's no physical cause for rearing, consider gaps in your horse’s training that could make it feel frustrated, confused, or overwhelmed by your requests.
• Under- or overstimulation: Is your horse eating too much grain and not getting enough exercise to burn off energy? Horses that spend most of their time in a pasture are less likely to blow off excess steam by rearing, bolting, or bucking. Horses bored with their routine may also act out.

What to Do If Your Horse Rears

Usually, a horse will give a sign, such as balking, that a rear is imminent, giving you a few seconds to prepare. However, sometimes there's no time to react.

If a horse rears while you're riding, keep your weight forward and centered, and lean into his neck to maintain balance over the horse's center of gravity on two feet. Avoid pulling on the reins, as this could pull the horse's head back further, causing it to lose balance and fall backward.

Alternatively, you can bailout. An emergency dismount is appropriate if you feel unsafe, but be sure to move quickly to avoid being hit by the horse as it comes down. The drawback is that if you dismount every time the horse rears, it will learn this behavior gets you off its back.

How to Prevent Rearing

Only attempt to handle a horse that rears while ridden or driven if you know the proper techniques. You should know:

• How to work a horse "long and low," avoiding training that involves keeping a horse in a frame and collected.
• How to actively urge a horse forward.
• How to engage and disengage the horse’s hindquarters.
• How to handle the reins gently.
• How to sense when a horse is about to settle on its haunches and recognize the behaviors and triggers that precede a rear.
• How to train a horse effectively by giving it your full attention.
• How to remain calm at all times.
• Which bits might help and which might worsen the problem.
  

On the ground, avoid pulling harshly on the horse's head as punishment, as this can worsen the situation. Any training causing a horse to back up or raise its head will be counterproductive. Instead, recognize what triggers rearing and take steps to prevent it.

Punishments like hitting, yelling, yanking on the lead, raising your arms, or waving a whip may worsen the situation. Punishment rarely solves behavior problems.

Get Professional Help

If you're a beginner or intermediate rider, seeking help from a professional trainer will be safer.

Request and check references. Are the horses from this trainer well-mannered both on the ground and under saddle or in harness? Are the owners satisfied with the results and successful with their horses, whether for pleasure or performance? Some trainers may avoid working with a horse that rears.

Should You Buy or Keep a Horse That Rears?

If you're considering purchasing a horse and it rears while being ridden or tested, don't buy it. No matter how appealing the horse is otherwise, rearing should be a deal-breaker. If you own a horse that rears, consider that it might not be the right horse for you.