Hi paddyluv123,
Can you explain what your horse does exactly? You say he bucks and rears, I can't believe you think he doesn't want to hurt you. This sounds dangerous, especially if you say you had a few falls. Try to describe what he does, as if you were a camera and registered what happens exactly. This is the only way to understand what could be done about your problem. Give it a try!

Heya
I'm guessing you mean the gate you go out of to go hacking/ trail riding? I had this exact same problem when I brought bob back into work, I could get to the other side of the road then he'd spin, back up, piaffe by the gate and buck. My horse never intends to hurt me, he still does excited bucks out hacking and some of these are really quite impressive (he literally puts his head between his knees sometimes), I've not fallen off hacking yet (woop!) but I've been bucked off in the school when he got a bit excited and put in a dinky one and I just went flop. These bucks are harmless, there isn't an ounce of malice in him. He'll just stop dead and wonder how I ended up on the floor! I can count on one hand the times he's bucked out of sheer naughtiness wanting his own way and meant it! having felt the difference I know it's obvious when a buck (or rear) is designed to ditch you or not.

I know exactly what you mean when you say he doesn't want to hurt you however these bucks and rears they do at gates etc.. are dangerous, not because the horse wants to deliberately hurt you, but because hes not listening to you at all and thats when people get hurt. Bob was dangerous when I brought him back into work, I'd go out with a leader and he'd shove him into hedges, buck and try and bolt home across a busy road, at this point he had no interest in doing what I asked, all he cared about was getting home to his friend.

Bob's problem was caused by severe separation anxiety, does your horse worry about going out without company or will he do it when you have company as well? What is he like on the ground?
If hes doing it because hes not confident on his own then I'd do a few hacks out with another horse if you can, and then some with someone walking. try and find circular routes so he doesn't go home the same way as he goes out, so he'll work out that in order to finish he has to go round.

With bob being how he is I can't ever let him get away with anything, if he gets away with it once he will do it next time and the time after etc.. so I had to make him work even when he was behaving like he was.
Where we are we've got a barn you can ride all the way round which is grass on most sides, and a long gravelish driveway so before I got him out on a few rides with another horse I'd ride him up and down the driveway and round the back of the barn as he couldn't see any other horses round the back. Things improved dramatically after we got a few rides out with another horse.

do you join up with him?

Also please, please stay safe and wear a hat and body protector if you have one. There is absolutely no shame in having someone lead you out or getting off to finish the ride on foot, so long as you are safe. The last thing you want is to lose all your confidence and get hurt.
would be good to have a bit more info on exactly what he does.

Thanks for that. Yeh he does alot of things hes alright on the ground just not that goof mannerd like. but on the rads i dont feel as safe as in a filed or whatever. He used to be fine on his owne then after rideing with one other horse the next time i tried to take him out he just wouldnt go and then thats when it started. wverytime we try and led him it gets wors and wors he does full rears on the roads when you try to lead him, i always wear a hat and a ody protectr expecialy as they saved my life ealier this year after a terrible fall and going to hopital. the good thing is though he will always stop and come to you to see if you are okay but its just not exeptable for him to be nappy at all. an the thing is he gets worse and worse eveyrtime now and he is a strong horse as wel. i have never had bad falls due to his naping but some worse then otheres i always get back on. we found a way but its not as easy as it should be, we have to walk him 100 yards up the road before mounting then he will be fine and wont nap, he will try a bit to turn round but thats it.

thats odd that he's started after going out with another horse, does he have any equine company where you keep him?

Makes me wonder what happened on that ride that didn't happen other times - apart from having another horse with you. Did he form a special bond with another horse? Did it try to boss him as you set off? Is any horse calling for him when you leave? *Something* has given him this strong conviction that it isn't safe/fun to leave the yard alone. If you can figure out the cause, then maybe it would be easier to remedy it?

It might be a problem of responsibility and confidence. I would start to go out with him by foot with the Dually. If you go first he will feel less responsible and will start being more confident in you. You will also learn where his problems are.

Well there is a mare with him she doesnt call for him at all but if she goes out then he will gallope around and call for her. Well he is normaly incharge and bosses the othere around.

How dominant was the horse you took him out with and does he live at the same yard?

yeh they live at the same yard. he used t be fine all the time but after that just naps now.He has always been incharge and the other horse like just follows or whatever you know.

Are you able to have someone out? If you are in the uk then there are lots of recommended associates - www.intelligenthorsemanship.co.uk - all over the country. I think in your case it might be worth getting someone out who can have a good look at the situation as its hard really to guess why he's suddenly started doing this without seeing it, plus a professional will be much more likely to be able to help sort it.

yeh we have someone. but we just found there is something wrong with him and like is unrideable for now.

I'm so sorry to hear that, really hope he gets better soon. x

thanks. and thanks for trying to help