Any horse has a tendency to buck and crow hop whether out of defiance or pain or purely out of joy and excitement, you will have experienced a buck somewhere along your riding journey. Though not all bucks will be the same, and each one can be dangerous in its own way.
When a horse crow hops, it will arch its back and hop with all four legs off the ground hanging stiffly under him. These are quick, short hops and the horse’s feet do not come very far off the ground, resembling how a crow will hop away when scared off.
Horses that crow hop generally protest against something the rider asks them to do, but how exactly does a horse crow hop? What does it feel like, and how do you stop it? There can be several reasons for this but let’s first find out how they let out these hops.
How Does A Horse Crow Hop?
Crow hopping in horses is often associated with fat, lazy horses that tend to reject the command the rider is giving. They are not necessarily trying to buck their riders off; they are just showing them their disgruntled views and acting out disrespectfully.
When a horse goes into a crow hop, it will start to arch their backs drop their heads slightly, and stiffen all four legs while taking short hops. The protesting horse will hop with all four feet off the ground and let them hang stiffly under him while remaining fairly close to the ground.
It is a non-violent objection most of the time that is not considered a hard buck but can still be dangerous or become a much more jolting buck that could unseat the rider if the rider does not engage the horse in a forward movement.
What Does A Crow Hop Feel Like?
Most times, the rider can feel the buck coming on or see it if working on the ground with the horse. The horse will start to lower its head, and round its back, in preparation for the stiff little hops, it is about to take.
How To Prevent A Horse Crow Hopping?
A horse that crow hops is rebelling against something you are asking of it. The best way to discourage this negative behavior is to encourage them forward. Engaging their hind legs to move forward and under them will drive them out of the hop.
If you are in a lunging ring, encourage the horse forward with tongue clicks or the sound of a cracking lunge whip. On the horse, encourage them forward by sitting deep in your seat and using your legs to encourage them forward.
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It is not always easy to avoid pulling up the reins and stopping the horse; this is what the horse wants, and by doing so may associate the behavior with a way to get out of doing what is asked of him. Rather push the horse forward and encourage a forward movement.
Conclusion
Horses buck for various reasons, some more violent than others but just like us, horses have bad days where they are just not interested and will protest by performing a few tantrum hops called crow hopping. Although this is often associated with disrespecting the rider’s commands, it is always a good idea to eliminate any possibility that the horse may be in pain.
