Can I let my horse roll? Question:
My horse has rolled under saddle before. He has rolled once with someone in the saddle, and twice after someone has just gotten off. There has never been anyone around to show me what to do when he does this. I know it's wrong. But, in the instances when I'm leading him, I would prefer he not roll. I'd like for him to know the difference. Is that feasible?
Answer:
It is feasible for your horse to know when it is appropriate to roll and when it is not. The first and most important thing to establish is clear defined roles of leadership and partnership. Without a clear definition of roles between the horse and human the horse will test who the leader is by taking over the position whenever they feel like it. A person who does not set firm respectful boundaries will inadvertently reward undesirable behaviors and confuse a horse about whether behaviors are appropriate or not. Through consistent application of several simple ground exercises a person can establish confident leadership in a safe, non-threatening way. Reading the horse and being able to respond appropriately with clear communication will cause the horse to understand when things like rolling are acceptable and when they are not.
Sometimes it is ok to let your horse roll. Like after you have taken the saddle off and he has some itches to scratch. Use common sense. If your $2000 saddle is on his back it isn't a good time. There are times when it is appropriate for you to ask him to wait and there are times we can allow rolling. It depends on the circumstances and the reason the horse is choosing to roll.
Another time it is appropriate to let your horse roll is right after you take him out of his stall before you ride. A horse often needs a bit of a run and a roll after being cooped up for a long time. This simple preparation exercise often sets your ride up for even more success because the horse feels better.
I remember one winter in WY when our horses had been on ice for what seemed like months. We went to ride in a nice sandy indoor arena. The minute our horses felt the sand they dropped and rolled. We were anticipating it, so we hadn’t saddle yet. We wanted to give them an opportunity to just be a horse and feel good before we put them to work. There is nothing wrong with allowing your horse to just be a horse. It will help develop the relationship. But once saddled we expected them to be respectful of the saddle.
Another reason a horse may roll is avoidance of a task or to get rid of his annoying rider. This kind of rolling is inappropriate and should be corrected. I have seen horses lay down to roll in order to throw a fit like a 2 year old. Most people with any observation skills can tell the difference between an honest “I got a scratch roll and giving you the middle hoof roll”.
I've only had two horses give me the middle hoof roll. One did it to me several times before I figured out what I was doing. This horse was going very catatonic (withdrawing into himself) because I was putting way to much intense pressure on him with no relief. He didn’t understand my communication. I was yelling at him instead of finding a way he could understand my requests. Once I changed my approach so he understood me and gave him relief of pressure the moment he showed signs of understanding he stopped flopping down on the ground and rolling in frustration.
The other horse was a mare at a clinic using rolling as an avoidance and defiant behavior because she didn’t want to cooperate. She was used to being in charge and wasn’t going to give up her position with ease. I ignored her antics and went right back to doing what I was like it never happened. Because she didn’t get a rise out of me, she gave it up. Through ground exercises we were able to establish a leadership position with her. She gave up her tactics of rolling in order to get her own way because it didn’t work for her any more.
We can prevent rolling whether we are on the ground or riding by picking up the head then giving a simple forward cue the moment the horse acts like it is in their thoughts. The better your forward cue is and the sooner you catch them the better it will work. A person has to be paying attention in order to prevent rolling. If you are in la la land then you will have to do more. Less sooner is always better than more later.
Happy Trails,
Sherry Jarvis
