Slight bucking going to first barrel

[Rheatta1]

I have a 5 y/o gelding that I have trained very, very slowly.  I spend a lot of time just trailriding him also.  Sometimes, he will make a few half-hearted bucks going into the first barrel with a tail swish or two.  He has no gate or alley issues & has never refused to enter the arena.  He's not hyper or goofy in anyway.  If I breeze him to the first barrel & then push him through the rest, he's fine.  I don't ride with a whip or any kind or spurs & never have.  I have a Circle Y NBHA saddle that fit's well and a wool pad.  I use a rubber non-slip type girth & don't cinch it tightly.  I can place my hand in between the cinch & his side w/o diff.  The saddle doesn't slip in any way.  The buckle is egg but with a flat wide surface next to him.  It cinch's up about a hand's length from the bottom of the pad.  It's about 5 1/2" wide.  I run in a Lynn McKenzie long shank type snaffle (kinda like a tom-thumb) copper mouth piece & not very skinny.  It has a rawhide pinky sized noseband.  The bridle fit's properly & he responds to it well.  I have no issues reining or stopping him.  He works well off of leg ques.  He doesn't seem to mind the bridle @ all.  I am afraid to push him to the first barrel because I don't want to get thrown.  He will eat all of the other's up like there's no tomorrow & never offers to buck @ anything else.  This problem doesn't matter if I run left or right - it's the same thing.  It's not a a mean buck like he's tryping to hurt me, almost like he's just feeling his oat's.  But it doesn't matter how warmed up or cold he is, it's alway's the same thing.  Any suggestions?  (I have had him vet checked & was told he's fine.  No wolf teeth & they were recently floated too).

It's time to stop the nonsense and put your foot down about this problem or expect it to get worse if you don't.  First off, you need to teach this
horse what a one-rein stop is - then I would take the horse out of the arena and teach him to run when I asked him.  Sprint him down a flat, safe area for about 75 yards, slow him down, stop him, walk him out until he settles and then do it a couple of more times.  I would probably only do this once a week until both of you feel very comfortable with the speed and he is staying completely under control - going when you ask him and stopping or slowing down as soon as you ask.  Then go back to the barrels and ask him to speed up going to the first. If he tries his nonsense with you, immediately do a one-rein stop and disengage his rear end and then go right on to the barrel as though nothing happened.  Let him know that you are going to make him uncomfortable any time he wants to play.

Martha Wright