What are some tips for young horses that have begun to buck?

A young horse that has begun to buck is sending one of the clearest messages in horsemanship, and the first job of the rider and trainer is to listen to that message before responding to it — because the response appropriate for a horse bucking from pain is entirely different from one bucking from freshness, which is different again from a horse bucking from a training gap. Stop riding and call your veterinarian if the bucking appeared suddenly in a horse that was not previously bucking, or if it occurs consistently at specific points in the work. Sudden onset bucking in a young horse that was previously going quietly almost always has a physical cause. Back soreness, sacroiliac pain, hock issues, gastric ulcers, and ill-fitting saddles are among the most common culprits. A veterinary evaluation that finds and addresses a physical cause resolves the bucking completely in many cases without a single additional training session. Saddle fit deserves particular attention in young horses because their bodies are changing rapidly during the first several years of work. A saddle that bridges — with pressure at the front and back of the panels but a gap in the middle — creates acute discomfort when the horse rounds his back at the canter or during transitions, which is precisely when most young horses choose to buck. For the young horse whose bucking has a training rather than physical root, the cause is almost always one of three things — too much energy from being fresh or inadequately exercised, a canter cue associated with an aversive experience, or a gap in the early foundation work. Fresh bucking from excess energy is the most straightforward — lunge the horse before riding on days when he is particularly fresh and build up demands gradually. For the horse that has developed bucking as a genuine evasion, keep the horse moving forward, use one rein to bend him out of the buck if it escalates, and return immediately to the work that preceded the buck without drama or punishment. Professional help is not a sign of failure — a trainer who has started many young horses has developed the tools, position, and timing to address bucking correctly and safely.