My husband has a 7yr old walker gelding. He is just little at barely 14hds. But he has a lot of energy. He likes to gait and will go all day long. But, when you ask him to stand he gets light on the front end. He warns you by crow hopping a little then he will go all the way up. I have had horses all my life and it really isnt a scary rear. He sit back on his honches and he dosn't feel tippy at all but it isn't real fun when you are with a group. Any suggestions.
Thanks, Amanda

First I would make sure there is not a pain or mechanical problem. Has his teeth been done recently,has his wolf teeth been pulled, is he sore at all on his feet (doesn't sound like it but have to ask), saddle fit problems, sore back, etc. If all that checks out than I would have to say it is just him being naughty. We have a mare that is very light on her front end, when she doesn't want to due something up she goes. I had a trainer friend work with her for 30 days and put a little more of a handle on her. The first thing you have to due is get the horse moving and moving forward. If they are moving forward they can't go up. Get that hind end moving due circles. I know with our mare in the beginning was she got away with a lot because my husband is an inexpierenced rider and she had scared him by going up. She new what bothered him and pushed the issue. Now He is more confident and can correct her before she ever gets that far. Yours needs to be corrected before the crow hopping starts. Does he act up when he is tied? If so the other thing I would due is saddle him up and leave him tied in either the stall, arena, or a round pen for a couple of hours. It's good for them to stand tied.

He needs to learn that stopping and standing is a reward and if he can't stand quietly then it is time to work.

Even though he is not a big horse it is a VERY Dangerous problem.

Hope this helps.

I have checked everything numerous times and his equipment is fine also his teeth have been floated recently. I appreciate your prompt response but, I feel like making him go so he doesn't rear is rewarding his bad behavior. Because that is what he wants. You have to understand the mentality of this horse. If I were to make him work when he doesn't stand still it could take hours and hours. This horse would make an excellent endurance horse. We took him on a trail ride last labor day. We went about 15 miles a day and he was still ready for more on the third day. He loves to go, Not run-away just go, go, go. I have talked about him on Dennis Reiss' forum and everyone says make him go but, that is what he wants.

No horse can go full tilt forever. If it takes hours and hours then I wholeheartedly suggest you invest those hours. Probably save some time if you make make him travel small circles instead of whole-arena sized ones. Make him back up a couple hundred feet at a time, bend him both directions, do a bunch of rollbacks in a row - you don't have to cover tens of miles but MAKE HIM WORK harder than he wants to. If you don't have that bargaining chip in your pocket, the horse has no reason to listen to you. You don't have to make it unpleasant for him, just a hair less pleasant than standing still. Release is the only thing they really understand, so you have to have something to release them from.

I wouldn't suggest lots of backing, since that lets the front end become light making it easy for them to go up. But you have to get the hind end engaged and the weight on the front. So yes doing small circles asiking him to move the hind end around without making him go back or to tight as to make him fall over on top of himself. This is what most trainers would suggest. The only other thing I could offer is to change his diet. You would be suprised what a little diet adjusment could do for a horses attitude towards working. What are you feeding him?

I feed him clover and trefoil pasture in the summer and timothy trefoil hay in the winter he doesn't get any grain... mainly because he doesn't need it I ride at least 3-4 times a week in the summer and he has always been in good shape. He is the horse in my profile picture. Gravitysfool he was never taught to back but, we have been working on it.. I agree with P8ntCrazy in the fact that I need to go more forward then backwards because he will have more oppportunity to rear in reverse. The reason I believe he doesn't need any grain is because he is a hot horse to begin with and I realise there are less protein grains out there that won't add too that but, I have never felt there was a need for it. If he were to lose weight or there be a change in his disposition then I would say yes.. II really like the horse and 99% of the time I ride by my self because that his my stress relief but the other 1% of the time when I am with others it can be irritating. Thank you for your suggestions... Here's another picture of him...

IslandGirl,

I am not sure what trefoil hay is (different sides of the country) But I would suggest an all grass hay diet but it sounds like that is what he is on. He looks great by the way. You mentioned that he only does this when you are in a group... So he doesn't rear when you ask him to stop and he is by himself, he just does this while he is in a group.. When he does this are you the only one stopped and the others go ahead? If so sounds like he is a little herd bound when you are with other horses. I had a walker once that when we were in a group he had to be in front and was a bear to ride if he wasn't the lead horse, but when we were by ourselves he was quiet and walked slow and calm. I had some tired hands but I made sure that I rode in a group even if it was 1-2 other horses and made him walk behind, and not right behind but back a ways. If he only does this in a group I would try working him as much as possible around the other horses. See if they would have a few of them stand 30 feet or so away and you make him stand quietly if he begins to through his tantrum then begin do the circling exercise. The only other this is you may have to enlist the services of a trainer in your area. But good luck and hope this helped.

If he's not comfortable backing, then I agree - don't tempt him to rear. The main thing is, as P8nt sez, to disengage the rear end while making him work more than he wants to. I think small circles - even at a walk - while pushing the hip to the outside until he has to cross over, will help.

Hopefully you've got him figured out.
Your RIGHT, the more work you give him the more endurance he builds up before tiring out. This takes time, he needs to learn to " stand your ass still, because I said so".
It's easiest to start on the ground. Use any word[whoa,stand,quit] and as soon as his feet move, put him exactly back where he was. Use the same teaching method once mounted. Start with the easiest for him, somewhere he's not anxious and after a work. Make it progressively harder[mentally] before work/longer/around other horses. It is a slow process, but once he learns it, you will have a horse that will hang out on a loose rein.
PS-Try not to get on and directly ride off. Remember horses learn through consistant repetition. And nobody said that you actually have to "ride" after tacking up and mounting. Don't give up.