Colt Starting

[ropinbulls]

got me a peppy san badger colt and he has come along way...long story short I have got on and off him quite a bit. On the lunge line he goes bronc when I ask him to lope but gets his few bucks out and lope's off fine. The flank cinch just hits him in the gut and scares him for a minute. Anyway I asked him today to move forward after making him bend each way numerous times. I touch him with my spurs and tap him of the rump and he moves off, takes one step and goes into a fit. My stirups were a bit long so I baled after 5 or 6 bucks and got back on and sat him again. My question, what is the best way to get him to walk off that is not a drastic as spurs or and over/under?? I have broke a few colts but most are more then willing to go forward off my leg....thanks for any advice
Griffin

 

[chippie]

Are you sure that your saddle fits?

A poor fit can cause a horse to buck & throw a fit.

 

[flaboy-]

I got one similar but he don't buck until you get him to a canter. I would get rid of the spurs for a while. Try to get him to move his feet by using direct rein and inside heel pressure. In other words, pull the left rein in and heel with the left foot or same for the right. Just try to get him to move one step, stop and praise him, then do it again and again.

You can always do what I did and I got that info from this board. I put a flank rope on him and a heavy lounge line and sent him off and then pulled the flank rope tight and let him go at it. Pretty soon he realizes he isn't making any progress.

If he starts to buck as soon as he moves use a one piece rein and loop it over the horn tight so he can't get his head down. He may still act up but you should be able to ride him through it since he would be able to get to full song.

 

[spinandslide]

got me a peppy san badger colt and he has come along way...long story short I have got on and off him quite a bit. On the lunge line he goes bronc when I ask him to lope but gets his few bucks out and lope's off fine. The flank cinch just hits him in the gut and scares him for a minute. Anyway I asked him today to move forward after making him bend each way numerous times. I touch him with my spurs and tap him of the rump and he moves off, takes one step and goes into a fit. My stirups were a bit long so I baled after 5 or 6 bucks and got back on and sat him again. My question, what is the best way to get him to walk off that is not a drastic as spurs or and over/under?? I have broke a few colts but most are more then willing to go forward off my leg....thanks for any advice
Griffin

Sounds like this colt needs more desensistizingand possibly a saddle check.

Also, it sounds like he has ticklelish flanks(evidenced by the way he acts with the flank strap) Did you perhaps spur him back abit further then normal?

Take your spurs off..if you are JUST starting to ride this horse..My husband's doesn't put spurs on til they are greenbroke and need it.

Do you have a roundpen? and a person on the ground? Get on the horse and give him the cues to walk off, trot off,ect, when he doesn't respond, have the groundperson reinforce with a lounge whip.

As for the bucking, turning the horse's head around throws him off balance and he will stop bucking. My husband does this when mounting for the first time, he pulls their head around, it helps him keep control.

And lastly..Peppys have a notorious reputation for being cold backed

 

[ropinbulls]

Thanks for your replies guys, Im pretty sure its not the saddle fit causing the bucking because its only at a lope when he throws a little fit, and he only throws that for for about 15 seconds. After he quits buckin he lopes off likes its no problem. I will get rid of the spurs and have someone on the ground and see what happens, Im gonna hike my stirupps up a bit and ride him out this time. Thanks guys...
Griffin

 

[flaboy-]

Thanks for your replies guys, Im pretty sure its not the saddle fit causing the bucking because its only at a lope when he throws a little fit, and he only throws that for for about 15 seconds. After he quits buckin he lopes off likes its no problem. I will get rid of the spurs and have someone on the ground and see what happens, Im gonna hike my stirupps up a bit and ride him out this time. Thanks guys...
Griffin

Ha, you didn't say that before. At the lope is exactly where my Bronco Skip gets nuts. That too is where he started to buck with the flank rope. He did not buck with the flank rope at a walk or trot. He has tried to throw me about 15-20 times. He finally succeeded once. I got back on him and he has not bucked since. Knock on wood. I haven't rode him in a couple week due to a sore back from lifting poles that were too big for me.

I think if you can get comfortable enough to try to ride him through it, you can fix it. Step up in the stirrups a little so the saddle doesn't bat you in the can, be prepared for the bucking, get a good short one piece rein, get one hand on the horn (I know) and when he starts, try your best to pressure him to GO! even if you can only kick him with one foot. It is really hard to do on my boy as he rivals anything I have seen in bronc competition but if you can get through it I think he will be better.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

flaboy you got to let that saddle horn thing go. thats what its there for dont make someone less of a cowboy to use it once in a while.. ropin bull you need to lose those spurs if your not too handy with em. they can get you hurt. them peppy horses have plenty of spirit.it came i think from grey badgers side. id put him in the round pen and do the ground work

 

[TXBobcat]

flaboy you got to let that saddle horn thing go. thats what its there for dont make someone less of a cowboy to use it once in a while..

I agree. I'll hang on to whatever I can to stay on top of a bucking horse. Instead of grabbing the horn, I have a night latch on my saddle. You can get a better grip with a night latch.

http://www.cowboyshowcase.com/cowboy_night_latch.htm

 

[flaboy-]

flaboy you got to let that saddle horn thing go. thats what its there for dont make someone less of a cowboy to use it once in a while.. ropin bull you need to lose those sturrips if your not too handy with em. they can get you hurt. them peppy horses have plenty of spirit.it came i think from grey badgers side. id put him in the round pen and do the ground work

Ha see.......I even recommended it. :lol: That's why I put (I know) in there. I have already said I am too old to worry about style points anymore. Hang on anyway you can and ride him through it.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

flaboy you got to let that saddle horn thing go. thats what its there for dont make someone less of a cowboy to use it once in a while..

I agree. I'll hang on to whatever I can to stay on top of a bucking horse. Instead of grabbing the horn, I have a night latch on my saddle. You can get a better grip with a night latch.

http://www.cowboyshowcase.com/cowboy_night_latch.htm

i got a custom made night latch a feller give me several years ago. looks sorta like a bare back riggin handle.

 

[MillIronQH]

I took an old rope and untwisted it in a couple of six foot section and then flat braided five strands back together to fit my hand. Got to admit I've stretched that nylon some over the years.Z

 

[hayray]

got me a peppy san badger colt and he has come along way...long story short I have got on and off him quite a bit. On the lunge line he goes bronc when I ask him to lope but gets his few bucks out and lope's off fine. The flank cinch just hits him in the gut and scares him for a minute. Anyway I asked him today to move forward after making him bend each way numerous times. I touch him with my spurs and tap him of the rump and he moves off, takes one step and goes into a fit. My stirups were a bit long so I baled after 5 or 6 bucks and got back on and sat him again. My question, what is the best way to get him to walk off that is not a drastic as spurs or and over/under?? I have broke a few colts but most are more then willing to go forward off my leg....thanks for any advice
Griffin

You are assuming he knows that the spurs mean to go forward, when actually the horse is balking against the pressure of the spur, something horses do naturally, i.e. the fly shaker response they do with there skin. You need to while you are lunging to use the voice followed by a tap with the lunge whip to make him go forward. Then when mounted you use the voice (usually a cluck), then followed by the whip, and once the horse is stepping forward from those aids you can then start following those two aids by the use of the spur - (DO NOT APPLY ALL THOSE AIDS AT ONCE!). This is just a matter of you skipping some basics on the ground before you got on him.

 

[hayray]

Thanks for your replies guys, Im pretty sure its not the saddle fit causing the bucking because its only at a lope when he throws a little fit, and he only throws that for for about 15 seconds. After he quits buckin he lopes off likes its no problem. I will get rid of the spurs and have someone on the ground and see what happens, Im gonna hike my stirupps up a bit and ride him out this time. Thanks guys...
Griffin

Yes, I agree, doubt you can blame much of this on the saddle. You could take the rear cinch off in the begining.

 

[tukie]

I start all our colts out with full rigging, back cinch, breast collar, etc....that way they get used to it all at once....I doubt it's the saddle fit, sounds as if he is just young to me. We have colts that start crowhopping at a lope then stop....To stop this as soon as we ask him to lope, we know he's gonna do it...as soon as he starts, I pull him up, and then start him forward again into a lope. They figure out pretty quick it is more work to stop and start then just do it right the first time, and they usually quit after about 2-3 times.
T.

 

[CowpokeJ]

flaboy you got to let that saddle horn thing go. thats what its there for dont make someone less of a cowboy to use it once in a while..

I agree. I'll hang on to whatever I can to stay on top of a bucking horse. Instead of grabbing the horn, I have a night latch on my saddle. You can get a better grip with a night latch.

http://www.cowboyshowcase.com/cowboy_night_latch.htm

A thick, long dog collar works too.

 

[flaboy-]

You guys never cease to amaze me. Night latch? Never heard of it. Its funny I was thinking about doing just this very thing for Bronco Skip. I actually told my GF yesterday that as soon as my back heals I am going to put a strap through the gullet to use on Bronco Skip instead of the horn. The horn is not a good bucking aid in my book anyway. I was just going to call it my butt saver. :lol:

 

[tukie]

You guys are so funny, bucking straps, and night latches...never heard of a night latch. I don't hang onto the horn if they buck, but judging by what you guys are saying, I have apparently never been on a BIG bucker...don't know....they all seem big when you're up on one.
:roll: even the ponies...lol.
What is a night latch.
T.

 

[flaboy-]

You guys are so funny, bucking straps, and night latches...never heard of a night latch. I don't hang onto the horn if they buck, but judging by what you guys are saying, I have apparently never been on a BIG bucker...don't know....they all seem big when you're up on one.
:roll: even the ponies...lol.
What is a night latch.
T.

From Alacowman - Night Latch link
http://www.cowboyshowcase.com/cowboy_night_latch.htm

Well tukie, I didn't use to either but that was MANY a year ago. My old body is just not as flexible as used to be and head-darting into the ground at my age will not be fun. So my thought is stay on him so I can ride him through and out of the buck. I want to force him to go instead of buck. This used to be easy when I was in my 20's and 30's and maybe even in my early 40's. I saw 50 several years back I'm afraid to say.

There is a BIG difference between a little hopping or crow hopping and what my big boy does. I swear he was a rodeo bronc in an earlier life. :lol:

I have a friend who is a bull rider and he don't want to climb on this boy. :shock:

 

[tukie]

lol...I can relate to that now...I am 44 and my fiancee' has a Percheron 2yo that wants to take off now and then...I wouldn't want to be on her when she goes....My appy is bad enough.
T

 

[ALACOWMAN]

You guys are so funny, bucking straps, and night latches...never heard of a night latch. I don't hang onto the horn if they buck, but judging by what you guys are saying, I have apparently never been on a BIG bucker...don't know....they all seem big when you're up on one.
:roll: even the ponies...lol.
What is a night latch.
T.

you ever get on one that will sho nuff jar your teeth loose. you'll grab leather thats for sure .