Conference noted::equitation

    
    Lunge him first, to get the "friskies" out of him.....
    
    

    Yes, definitely, let him 'play' on the lunge, let him get it out of his
    system there, not with you on his back.  5 to 10 minutes is all it 
    usually takes.  Once your consistently able to work him you probably
    won't need to do this anymore, unless he not worked for a few days. 
    One way to tell when he doesn't need the lunging is when he is quiet on
    the lunge for several days in a row.  Then you can just ride him.
    
    Some people may try to convince you he's being mean and needs to be 
    disiplined, but some horses just have to kick their heels up 
    before they go to work, they'll do it with you, or without you.
    
    Sharon 

    In addition to lungeing about the only thing that I can suggest is that
    you not canter him until he's more mature mentally. Maybe 6 months of
    walk/trot work would give him enough time to mature. One of my old
    teachers used to say "Don't canter a horse before it is doing good walk
    and trot work."
    
    John

    My four year old has been going through the same phase, but he is
    growing out of it.  I didn't use lungeing, because I feel that he had
    to learn that once I put a saddle, or bridle, or even a halter on him,
    he had to put his mind to work.  Play time, when he could buck and rear
    was reserved for being turned loose in the field.
    
    Whenever he rears or bucks at the canter depart, I just ask him to move
    forward.  If he stays in one place I know he can get me off, but once
    he's moving on, those buck strides become very collected canter
    strides, and then a very nice canter.  He hardly does it anymore, and
    when he does it is usually because I've used to much leg in the depart. 
    I think he's saying "Hey, I'm a big guy now.  I know what a canter aid
    is!"

    
    
    Hi,
    
    This is a familiar topic.  Just recently, my horse started rearing and 
    wheeling around (mostly while on the trail when I wanted her to go in a
    direction she didn't want to go in.)  I had another horse years ago who 
    used to pull the same type of naughtiness, so I was kind of prepared to
    deal with it.  
    
    If you can anticipate when your horse is about to rear, take the reins
    in one hand and reach up and put your palm flat against his pole.  
    Sometimes If you just reach out with your hand, they will rear right up
    into your hand and when they feel your hand on their head, they usually
    move away from your hand and will come down.  Sometimes when you feel
    that they are going to stop (right before they rear), you can put your
    hand on their pole and prevent the behavior...nip it in the bud, so to 
    speak.
    
    If you feel your horse is going to flip over, then you might want to
    get professional help before too much time has passed.  Once they get
    the picture that they can intimidate you (or anyone else for that
    matter) by rearing, it's a hard vice to break.
    
    BTW: I found out that my horse was getting @ 1/2 qt of sweet feed in
    her night feed, due to a miscommunication at the barn and she stopped
    pulling the rearing stuff after she stopped getting the "hot" feed.
     
    
    Good Luck,
    
     Simone

    
    
    
    Hi,
    
    Two weeks late, but I would like to add my thoughts.  Lungeing is good
    for some things, but for a 3 yearold, the small circles are hard on
    them, so make sure that you go at the largest circle you can.  
    
    I found one place that I ride, just before the ride, they let the horse
    to a "turn out" paddock to let the horse run and play.  Sometimes you
    can encourage them to have fun, and run/buck/rear or what ever.  About
    all that is needed is about 5-10 minutes of this.
    
    Then Go forth and have fun.  Remember if you are very anxious about his
    behavior, you will transmit this to the horse and make him nervous.
    
    Bruce