My husband and I recently broke my 3-year-old mare to ride. The first few times she rode like a dream, then she caught on to the idea that when we catch her, she has to work, and she has gotten a bad attitude. Her new antics include bucking. I’ve been bucked completely off twice and the other times I managed to stay on. The times I went off I always got right back on. We want her to like her job–any ideas on things that we can do to get her out of this habit before I get hurt?      via e-mail

My recommendation for a horse such as this would be to first have a very thorough veterinary examination to be sure this horse is not hurting somewhere. If possible, the exam should be done both before and after a ride. This will give the veterinarian a chance to pick up changes with work. Another possible reason for a horse to sour on work is that something about the tack or riding technique is hurting your horse when you ride–that might be the girth, the saddle fit, or something about the bit or how it is used. These things can be difficult to pinpoint in most cases. A good trainer can often spot a problem or help you systematically evaluate possible sources of discomfort.

Another strategy to try to better understand the problem would be to start working your horse with minimal tack, say in a round pen or on a longe line. Just do fun things with her that keep her moving and working in a positive manner. If all goes well, you can gradually add tack and a rider. Look carefully for any changes in attitude, ear positions, or expressions that might indicate discomfort. If you can, put a video camera on a tripod and tape the sessions so that you can carefully review the process and compare one day to the next.