I was trail riding with a friend this weekend.  She was riding my 22yo bombproof gelding and I was on my 6 yo gelding.  As we were going up hill she started to canter and my horse started after them.  The problem is my horse is much faster and the trail was narrow so I didn't want him running up on her and causing her horse to have issues (she doesn't ride often).  As I did this my horse went into a bucking fit.  I did an emergency dismount and he immediately stopped.  I got back on and we walked the rest of the ride.    I don't think he did this to get me off or be mean but I wanted other insight.  I don't usually do much above a walk-trot when trail riding.  He has never bucked before in the 2 years I have had him.  Do you think he did this because he was excited?  What exercises can i do to try to make sure this doesn't happen again?  Thanks!

Sounds like he was just irritated that he had to wait his turn.  My gelding will throw tantrums like this occasionally when he doesn't get to be lead horse and I hold him back when he wants to run.  It's quite naughty and if he does, he immediately gets put to something hard like sidepassing or small circles, disengaging his hindquarters and working HARD.  Solo is NOT bucker either, it's only when he is REALLY riled up and brain fried (like he's had to walk behind another horse for five hours) that the energy finds its outlet in undesirable ways. 

My guess is he was just excited by the little run and didn't want to stop. Naughty boy! LOL  This is one good reason most "rules of the trail" are to not run unless everyone agrees to do so.

That being said, it would be good to practice a good canter with other horses now and then to work on getting and maintaining control, in a better area to practice, of course. Your friend could help. Use an open area and canter and "leap frog" like you would at a walk to get used to passing or being behind another horse, etc. and most of all, practice stopping whne you need to.  

Just a comment on trail etiquette.  When one is riding in a group on the trail, taking off at a canter can be dangerous.  Giving the benefit of the doubt to your friend, her horse may have surprised her by breaking into a canter like that without warning, but a good rider would get control back .  Taking off suddenly in a group or even a pair without letting the other(s) know, generally makes all the horses get excited (as yours did) without the rider being prepared.  It sounds like you are ok, but having ridden many trail rides with a variety of people, this is one of my pet peeves.  This could have ended really badly had you not known what to do, especially in a hilly, narrow trail area.   Every horse bucks sometimes and I agree with the others, this was a green horse reaction to a human mistake.  Well done for getting control quickly.

If you don't ride the horse much then you can't expect him to act right all the time. He needs practice and exercise. Taking him out more and putting him in positions you know he will act up will help. That way you can fix the problem. When he starts to jump around just start doing circles. If he starts bucking do the same thing. If he keeps acting up when you stop circling then do them again. Do it till he understands acting up means circles. The problem with running in a group of horses is none of the horses want to be left behind. Some horses just don't react the same as others and stay calm.

Mfair5,

In my experience, all of my horses "try" to accellerate to a canter or lope when going up hill.  It is easier for them to get power behind them to climb the hill.  Your friend probably did not know how to slow your older horse in such a situation.  It was a natural reaction for the horse you were on to want to follow.  Being herd animals, horses never want to be left behind their fellow horses.

I had a similar situation many years ago before we owned our horses.  I was trail riding with an acquaintance who suddenly took off at a gallop, never thinking of the situation I was in.  I held back the horse I was riding, to wait for another rider.  The horse became a bucking maniac!  He didn't buck me off but the incident caused me a back injury which I nurse to this day!  I wish I had known back then how to do an emergency dismount. 

I now always teach less experienced companion riders a mimimum of the one-rein stop, how to stop a horse from performing unwanted actions by circling, and how to give the horse cues he is trained for.  Whatever the issue is with a specific horse, I try to prepare my fellow rider in advance.

The other posters have given you some good advice. You did a great job!   There usually is no substitute for experience.  That's how we learn.  You don't have to be on a steep trail to work with your 6 year old in holding back when a companion horse takes off.  I would do that.    Good luck!

This must be the week for bucking.  My 4 year old ALMOST bombproof gelding bucked on me when I got on him today.  It was hot and he has not been feeling good so I thought I would just ride him around bareback so...when I went to get on...I had to hop up on him which was fine but then he started to immediately trotting.  When I tried to collect him he started BUCKING.  I made an emergency dismount after I rode RODEO for a few bucks because I didn't know where the bucking could lead to.  As soon as I got off he stopped and walked up to me...kinda like "sorry mom".  I don't know if I sat back too far or if he got bit by a horsefly...who knows.  I wish I would have thought of the one stop rein....

It is scary to have your horse buck on you....which just proves that these are animals and we should always respect them and our surroundings and be aware of what could happen at all times.