Horse Bucks

Dear Cherry,

     I have recently purchased two QH, ages 2 and 3.  

       I am a novice rider but am fortunate to have neighbors of mine who are knowledgeable about horses and training themselves.

     My question is about the 3 year old. He likes to buck when mounting and dismounting. He also definitely has a more frisky personality than the 2 year old.  Could this be a "crazy horse" or was he not broken properly? I'd hate to get rid of him because his conformation is beautiful and I think could be a great horse. But at the same time, his acting up can hurts somebody one of these days. Any advice would be appreciated. Z

Dear Z,  

     It sounds to me like his friskiness is a combination of his individual temperament, his young age, and his the type of training he has received so far. It might also be a reflection of the skill of the person working with him. Does he buck with everyone who rides him?  

     At three years of age, he is still considered green or inexperienced and he needs more professional training in the basics - that is, good overall manners for the simple things like mounting!  

     A good trainer will be sure to use a correctly fitting saddle (so the saddle would not be the cause of his bucking) and would allow you to take lessons as the horse becomes better trained.  

     You are correct to be concerned that this type of behavior could cause someone to be seriously hurt and you should takes steps to have a competent trainer help you with this problem.  Good luck.