What the Buck? How to handle bucking - with the help of a Click & Connect Neck Strap
Sorry to have to relive this. It's not always our favourite element of riding. But inevitably at some point your horse is going to buck.
What happens?
He puts his head down.
He reduces his forward motion as he puts the energy in to buck.
Uh oh, here it goes. You lean back, but his backend ejects you forward towards his stationary shoulders.
Worse still, he might even drop a shoulder.
Or he might twist or turn.
You try to pull the reins to bring his head up but instead his head goes even lower, are you ready for the whopper?
You survive, you pull the rein again but now he's not going forward at all, his shoulders are so far down, his back side so high.
You hear sit up, lean back, pull his head up, kick him forward... you try leaning back in the saddle but you just get whallopped up the bottom and ejected out of the saddle.
To try and ‘ride out’ a buck, you want to lift his chest up, bring his neck out, send him forward and the straighter he is, the better chance you have to stay on.
With the Click & Connect Neck Strap;
- Pulling the neck strap up will help lift his chest up
- Pulling the neck strap up will employ the connectors and help keep him straighter (especially if they are clicked onto the girth on each side)
- You can hold the neck strap with your reins so you feel secure but you’ll not stop him from going forward
- You can raise your seat and shoulders high, reducing the risk of his bucks ejecting you from the saddle.
- You can kick him forward if you need to
- And if your horse is a habitual bucker, you might prefer to connect the neck strap to the pommel D's. Now you can shake the connector while remaining in a defensive position to warn him not to buck, or if he's getting anxious and bunched up, you've got another form of communication with his brain other than using the rein.
Phew, this gives you the best chances of sticking together! Thou we are also fans of safety stirrups, grippy seat breeches and superglue!
If his bucking was for fun, he’ll be glad you were with him!
If his bucking was through fear, that you stayed with him would also be good for your combined confidence.
If his bucking was through discomfort you can try and assess where that discomfort lies.
Next time your horse bucks, you'll be glad you had your Click & Connect Neck Strap there for you. Good Luck, for every Buck!
Leave a comment
Comments will be approved before showing up.
