Why Do Horses Buck? (Explained!)

My friend has a horse he loves dearly.

The horse is healthy.

It lives in the countryside on a beautiful farm, with a clean stall and large pasture in which to roam.

My friend and his horse have a great bond… but the horse has recently developed a terrible habit.

It has started to buck.

My buddy is terribly distraught because the horse has always been well mannered; they’ve never had any behavior issues at all.

He knew something was wrong. There had to be a reason for this random act of aggression, but he couldn’t figure out what it was.

I looked into it, and was surprised to find that…

Bucking is a natural behavior in horses, and there are multiple reasons for it. They might be energetic, bucking for fun. Horses will buck when their tack is too tight. They might also buck to avoid listening or performing what they find to be an undesirable task. Bucking is dangerous and the behavior needs to be corrected immediately if it’s unrelated to pain.

Horses, like humans, need to burn off excess energy.

If a horse is pent up in its stall for longer than it’s used to, it could be bucking to blow off steam.

A horse bucking in the field can be interpreted as a harmless expression of joy or annoyance, but in the saddle is an entirely different story.

If your horse is generally well-behaved and has started to buck out of nowhere, they’re probably trying to communicate that they are in pain.

They could be trying to buck the rider off to relieve spinal pressure, or there could be an underlying physical issue like ulcers.

If they are only bucking in the saddle, it’s likely there is some back-related problem, and you should consult your veterinarian right away.

It could also be a foot problem that forces your horse to buck.

A horse with troubled feet could be encouraging you to dismount.

Be sure to inspect your horses’ hooves before and after every ride to avoid this issue.

 

Sore mouths can also cause a horse to buck.

If they are unable to relieve the pressure by throwing back their head, they might try with their feet.

Check your horse’s mouth to be sure nothing is present that shouldn’t be and that all teeth are in good condition.

You may need to switch their bit if the problem persists.

 

Ill-fitting tack is a prominent reason for a bucking horse.

Horses can lose and gain weight just as easily as their human riders, so it’s important to be sure that they are not being pinched or squeezed by their equipment.

 

Lastly, it could be your riding style that’s threatening your horse.

Perhaps you’re not clearly communicating with it, or not listening to its body language.

This could be as simple as mumbling cues that they don’t understand or sitting too heavy in the saddle.

Work on the trust and communication between you and your horse to try and figure out what’s not working for it.

 

What Kind of Horse is More Likely to Buck?

Pretty much any kind of horse can be inclined to buck, especially if they are athletic, but the horses you’ll see most in rodeos are full or part Quarter Horse.

Other breeds you might see in rodeos include Paints, Mustangs, and Arabians, and Appaloosas.

Almost always, horses that find their ways to rodeo contain American Quarter blood, but there is usually no breeding restriction.

Most professional rodeos employ horses that are specifically bred to buck.

 

How Do I Stay on a Bucking Horse?

The most important thing to do when you’re on a bucking horse is to stay calm.

Horses are very intelligent creatures and can easily sense your fear, reinforcing the idea that they are the ones who are in control.

When they’re bucking, they are trying to establish that you are the one in the saddle, not the other way around.

Though it is a terrifying experience, the best way to handle a bucking horse is to gain composure so that you can think properly about what to do next.

 

Breathe, speak to your horse using gentle language, and don’t grip them tightly with your legs.

This will further their inclination to buck.

Keep your feet down to center your gravity.

This will help you stay on the horse.

 

Keep the reins short, and bring one tighter than the other so you can see the side of your horse’s face.

Don’t yank, as this can throw you both off balance.

 

With the inside rein, instruct your horse to step inside of a sharp turn.

This will make it more likely for your horse to stay on its feet. A horse cannot buck if it is spinning in circles.

 

Next, ask your horse to move forward.

This brings the motion once again away from the hindquarters, directing it to move onwards.

 

If these steps don’t work and you feel unsafe continuing the ride, it is advised to go ahead and dismount.

You can try again when you’ve both calmed down.

 

How Can I Stop My Horse From Bucking?

As explained above, it’s important to source the reasoning for your horse’s buck.

Double check with your veterinarian that there is nothing in your horse’s food that’s causing them to act up.

Add more turn out or pasture time to their routine if they seem bored or anxious.

If you’ve made sure that their diet and exercise is fine, your riding technique is good, their equipment fits properly, there is no underlying health issue that they’re trying to communicate, and they are still bucking… then you may need to do some retraining.

 

Go back to basics. Break tasks into small steps and reestablish trust.

Get your horse used to routine by taking daily rides and making them engage in steady work.

Solid communication is key.

If your horse respects you and knows that you have control, the problem should solve itself.