19/09/2026
6-year-old Irish Cob gelding
His owner came to us for help with one specific issue: whenever someone sits upright in the saddle, he bucks.
For us, that means going back to the basics and finding the reason behind the behaviour rather than simply trying to stop it.
Nick spent time getting him comfortable with mounting and gradually introduced him to the feeling of weight and a rider’s upper body over his back. In the beginning, he found it very scary, but after several repetitions, he started to stand quietly and accept it.
Nick then mounted several times, focusing on giving him the opportunity to relax. As soon as he lowered his head and showed signs of relaxation, Nick got back off.
The goal is to help him understand that a rider getting on does not mean something scary is about to happen and that he doesn’t need to stay tense or react defensively.
A great first step, and we’re already looking forward to the next training session! 🐴