How to Stop Rearing in Horses

Alternatively, you can bailout. An emergency dismount is appropriate if you feel unsafe. But you need to get out of the way quickly so the horse doesn’t hit you on the way down. The downside of this is that if you bail every time your horse rears, it will quickly learn that this is how it can get you off its back.

Bear in mind that no rear is exactly the same and what has worked previously may not work the next time as a horse's balance can quickly shift. As best as possible, use your best judgment. Your goal should be to stay safe

How to Prevent Rearing

Only attempt to deal with a horse that rears while ridden or driven if you know how to handle it properly. You should know:

• How to work a horse "long and low," avoiding schooling that involves keeping a horse in frame and collected.
• How to actively drive a horse forward.
• How to engage (and disengage) the horse’s hindquarters.
• How to use your hands softly.
• How to feel if a horse is inclined to settle on its haunches and recognize the behaviors and triggers that lead up to a rear.
• How to school a horse effectively, giving it 100 percent of your attention.
• How to keep your cool at all times.
• Which bits may help and which may exacerbate the problem.

On the ground, don't be tempted to pull harshly on the horse’s head as punishment as this may make things worse. Any training that makes a horse back up or put its head up will be counterproductive. You’ll need to recognize what triggers the rear and take steps to avoid it.

Any punishment that includes hitting, yelling, yanking on the lead, throwing your arms in the air, or waving a whip may make things worse. Punishment rarely works to extinguish any behavior problem.

Get Professional Help

If you're a beginner or even an intermediate rider, you'll be safer if you get help from a professional trainer.

Ask for references and check them out. Are the horses that come from this trainer well mannered from the ground and under saddle or in harness? Are the owners happy with the results and successful with their horses, whether they're pleasure or performance oriented? Some trainers won't want to work with a horse that rears.

Should You Buy or Keep a Horse That Rears?

If you're considering purchasing a horse and it rears while you're watching it being ridden or trying it out, don’t buy it. No matter how appealing the horse is otherwise, consider rearing to be a deal-breaker. If you own a horse that rears, come to grips with the possibility that it isn’t the right horse for you.