Case Study 'Jason': Sophie Ostler, Equine Behaviourist and Healer

Case Studies

Sunray Supremacy (Jason)
15.2hh, 6yo, Anglo Arab Gelding Ridden: Rearing, going backwards Problem with the farrier Accepting his bridle
With his present owner, Jason had reared, and two of those times he had fallen over backwards onto his rider. He was a champion small riding horse - but his rearing had become a huge problem.
He had been sent to two producers yards to sort out his problems - the advice was to shoot him, his owners were told that he was scared of his own shadow and was useless. He had been checked for physical causes for his behaviour and given a clean bill of health. When I was contacted to help, Jason would by now only go backwards when mounted. I started by putting him on a long line; he charged around for a mad 10 minutes or so, while I patiently waited for him to get it out of his system, there are no negative consequences during this because I like for the horse to realise that excitable behaviour gets no response - it is powerless. When he calmed down I started the groundwork with him. All aimed at improving his confidence, by him easily understanding what was required of him and therefore not failing to do the "right thing". First circling, and then pointing, (whereby he learns to move in the direction that I am pointing) this is so easy for them to learn and is a great confidence builder, not to mention useful tool for all sorts of situations.
I thought that Jason was rearing because when he had got scared he had felt that he was blocked from going forwards, and being unable to use his natural flight instinct, the only directions left for him to go were up, or backwards, and maybe he resented the bridle for this. My methods involve sorting the problem from the ground first, even a ridden problem - the problem isn't that a horse rears, the problem is why a horse rears and the answer to that lies in the horses head, (having ruled out physical causes) so that's the area I fix. I have found many times when I ride a horse after the groundwork sessions, the ridden problem ceases to exist.
I didn't think that would be the case with Jason though. So, in preparation for riding him, I played a circling 'game' with him, I asked him to turn by placing pressure where my foot would eventually be and turning his head towards me, when he turned his body I removed the pressure, he then stopped and I rewarded him with a rub - somewhere I would be able to reach whilst mounted. He very quickly got the hang of this.
Then, came the time to get on and ride him. I walked him to the fence and he stood quietly while I mounted, then true to his reputation he started walking backwards! I didn't ask him to go forwards, instead I used pressure on one rein only and my inside leg and we circled like we had on the ground, I removed the pressure and he stopped and was then rewarded with a rub. He instantly relaxed, his confidence grew as he understood what I wanted from him, and at least we were circling forwards - it beat going backwards! I wasn't going to ask him to go forwards, that decision was up to him, when he was ready. We circled alternately left and then right, three times we circled left and then as I was asking him to circle to the right for the third time it was like something clicked in his head and he just started walking forwards, yes... FORWARDS! he decided he'd had enough of circling. He walked calmly around the school as if there had never been a problem.
His owner rode him and he went beautifully for her, but she'd had some scary experiences on board him and couldn't shake off the image of him rearing, so they put him up for sale... and I bought him. A few days after he came home to me, I took him out for his first hack - wearing only a headcollar and leadrope, he loved it and walked out calmly and bravely. His problem with the farrier completely disappeared due to his mental state improving.
I rode him everyday for nearly a year after buying him, and he just got better and better. Then one day, I had tacked him up but he didn't seem himself, I lined him against the fence to mount and he moved away from me... this was very unusual for him, he loves working. I lined him up again and told him to stand still, swung my leg over his back and he did a little bunny hop, I asked him to walk forwards and he put in a little rear. I thought 'oh no, not rearing again' I called to a witness "there must be something wrong with his back" and I leaned forward to dismount, but this seemed to place pressure on his back and cause pain because he reared up fully vertical. I attempted again to dismount but every time I did he reared up, eventually I could see no way out other than letting myself slide off... that is a scary thing to do, let me tell you! The comment from one of my witnesses that day was "he hasn't got a bad back, once a bad horse always a bad horse.."
I had two back specialists out to see him and he DID indeed have a bad back. The moral of the story?... Jason tried to tell me nicely that there was something wrong, but I wasn't listening. Today, at the age of 9, Jason is as chilled-out as a cucumber... I have used him in many demonstrations, he aquired the nickname "Jason, the wonder horse" I am hoping to show him sometime soon. Jason taught me horses hold all the answers - we only need to listen. UPDATE! March '08: Jason's breeder has got in touch after 4 years of searching for him!! We will be keeping in touch and Babs will be coming to visit Jason soon Sunray Anglo Arabian Stud Above: A small video of Jason. Featuring some of the groundwork, the first time Jason was ridden (backwards - blink and you'll miss it) and also when Jason walked forwards. Unfortunately, my husband didn't film the bit between Jason walking backwards and then walking forwards! Click once to view the video, double click and you will be taken to the 'YouTube' website.

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