At my witsend!

I think you should get someone experienced to ride him a couple of times a week. To keep him forward and listening to his rider rather than messing about. If you are worried by his spooking he will get worse
 
Sorry if I missed this but how old is he? I don't mean to be rude but if you are a nervous, first time owner why did you buy a young horse? It's quite normal for young horses to be a bit lively, especially when it gets colder and they are getting less turn out.

With a young horse it's always a good idea to feed as little hard feed as possible, turn out for as long as possible (24/7 is ideal), ride sensibly (e.g. in the afternoon after the day's turn out, lunge after a day off, mount in the school, etc.) and get help from someone more experienced who can ride the horse regularly (twice a week?) and teach him how to behave.
 
He sounds fresh and silly! In an ideal world, you'd be best off getting on him,being the boss, riding him forward positively, and giving him something to think about, other than spooking. I appreciate that you are nervous, and it's very hard to take charge when you're worried. Definitely lunge him first to take the tickle out of his toes, and pop some side reins on him once he's had a bit of a blast, so he has to settle down and work properly. I'd avoid doing too much lunging though, or you'll fine hes getting very fit, which will just exacerbate the freshness and silliness! 10 mins should be enough to take the edge off him, and then you can get on and crack on. You could always keep the side reins on for a bit too - they won't stop him spooking, but will make it slightly harder for him to spin - that'll help with your nerves!
If it were me, I'd get on, put him straight into trot and work him on a figure of eight with lots of transitions, both between paces and within the pace, including indirect transitions - trot/halt/trot. I wouldn't do more than half a circle without a transition or change of rein, so he never got a chance to get distracted and start mucking around. If he spooked ith me, I'd give him a good kick, and a growl. You're not putting him in a scary situation, so you're well within your rights to tell him that spooking isn't acceptable. If he's never told that spooking isn't behaviour you want, he'll never know! If you take on a young horse, you take on the responsibility of continuing his education, and that includes letting him know what is and isn't good ridden behaviour.

I ride everything in a neck strap, and my horses are taught that a pull on the neck strap means stop. It means I can hack them on a long rein without touching their mouths every time I want them to slow down or stop, and also acts a a useful handle if they prat about - with the added bonus of them thinking "Ooh, she wants me to stop" if they start acting up, and I grab the neckstrap!
 
I think if you haven't had him long, and he is a youngun, I wouldn't be worrying so much over whether it's pain related at this point. Especially if it's quite a recent change.

This week all 4 of mine have been on one, for three of them it has just meant they've been more responsive but for my 5 yr old who needs no excuse it's meant he has been like a coiled up spring lol!

There could be so many reasons but at the moment the one that sticks put at me is you riding him before he's had turnout.

If he's been in all night think of all that built up energy. It's got to go somewhere, now if he's been ridden after turnout and been fine I would be inclined to believe that's all it is.

Either turn him out 24/7 or if that's not possible turn him out for an hour or so while you do your jobs let him run off some steam if he needs to then bring him in to ride. He's a baby and they need to be allowed to act like one.

Lunging before you get on is ok in the short term, I wouldn't be lunging for as long as 10-15mknutes though I would only use lunging if you have to ride before he is turned out and I would let him have a hooley round on the lunge tacked up in saddle and bridle, then once he has calmed down get on him.

If you lunge him for as long as your friend says before you get on you'll find he will get fitter and fitter and then you'll really struggle because you'll have to either lunge him for longer before being ridden or struggle with a fitter horse. It'll be a vicious circle.
 
Auslander said:
He sounds fresh and silly! In an ideal world, you'd be best off getting on him,being the boss, riding him forward positively, and giving him something to think about, other than spooking. I appreciate that you are nervous, and it's very hard to take charge when you're worried. Definitely lunge him first to take the tickle out of his toes, and pop some side reins on him once he's had a bit of a blast, so he has to settle down and work properly. I'd avoid doing too much lunging though, or you'll fine hes getting very fit, which will just exacerbate the freshness and silliness! 10 mins should be enough to take the edge off him, and then you can get on and crack on. You could always keep the side reins on for a bit too - they won't stop him spooking, but will make it slightly harder for him to spin - that'll help with your nerves!
If it were me, I'd get on, put him straight into trot and work him on a figure of eight with lots of transitions, both between paces and within the pace, including indirect transitions - trot/halt/trot. I wouldn't do more than half a circle without a transition or change of rein, so he never got a chance to get distracted and start mucking around. If he spooked ith me, I'd give him a good kick, and a growl. You're not putting him in a scary situation, so you're well within your rights to tell him that spooking isn't acceptable. If he's never told that spooking isn't behaviour you want, he'll never know! If you take on a young horse, you take on the responsibility of continuing his education, and that includes letting him know what is and isn't good ridden behaviour.

I ride everything in a neck strap, and my horses are taught that a pull on the neck strap means stop. It means I can hack them on a long rein without touching their mouths every time I want them to slow down or stop, and also acts a a useful handle if they prat about - with the added bonus of them thinking "Ooh, she wants me to stop" if they start acting up, and I grab the neckstrap!
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I don't ride in side reins....never thought of that TBH but I adopt the same approach....straight in, trot figures and circles and change of direction....trying to walk nicely straight off results in jogging and messing, going large = walk of death. None of this is helped by me having to school in the field. Neck strap is vital piece of equipment too lol.
 
When I had a few teething problems with one of my previous horses (baby) I used to go straight in the school trot 10ish laps on both reins (at a forward pace) then start to change reins, large circles etc then she'd start to work properly and calmly. Eventually we reduced the laps until she could go in settled but every horse is different.
 
Cut out everything except grass.

Take your tack and him up to the school. Only when you get there take his rugs off and put him in the school to let off steam and get used to the temperature without his rug(s). Then tack up and ride.
 
Horses sometimes spook, now and again we all fall off; all part of owning a horse. Suggest you cut out hard feed (especially if he's a little porky), lunge or free school before you get on and up the exercise. You've not had him very long, it'll take a bit of time to get to know each other. Good that you have an instructor to advise too. Chin up and soldier on, he sounds a nice chap.
 
I didnt see your post when you bought him so Im sorry, I dont know what breed/type he is but I would tend to agree with everyone who is saying cut back on the feed and, in an ideal world, give him more turnout. 930 til 3pm is not much in a 24 hour period, could he stand in for a few hours during the day and go out overnight so he is spending more time wandering about and keeping himself exercised? Cooling mix still has starch and cereal in it, you would be better with a simple high fibre nut but if he is a good doer just hay and grass should be enough, feed a balancer if youre worried about him missing out on vits and mins. Avoid all sugar if possible, which includes apples and carrots! I would think its a combination of new home, new people, trying it on and time of year so weather/turnout issues. I also wouldnt worry about forcing yourself to ride for a week or two, do lots of groundwork, grooming etc and try and get him on side, listening to you and respectful.
 
I must echo what Cortez says sometimes you just fall off embracing that is part of riding.
I would feed him nothing but hay .
I would not be rushing to see if he has ulcers etc far more horses than we think can do the work load they have on hay and a mineral lick this is much more likely to be cause of what's going on than anything sinister ( and expensive )
Keep on with your lessons .
I would lead him him round for at least ten minutes before I got on , I do not encourage horse to let off steam tacked up or on the lunge I do not think it encourages calm compliant behaviour . If I lunge a horse it's work not play , I do lunge horses sometimes before riding but you have to aware that it has a nasty habit of building fitness which is often not what you want in such situations .
I would get if possible an experianced rider to hack out a few times and try to get some company for riding out if you can .
Having him led from another horses if possible if a great way of getting horses settled .
I hope you back on track soon.
 
It happens, especially if you don't know them and they don't know you- although I have also had periods of issues/nervousness a few years in.

Patience, lessons and less feed ;). Maybe someone else to school him a bit for you? Are you hacking out?
 
You could try something as basic as a warm quarter sheet to ride in (and lunge prior to riding) - one of mine was always a lot sharper in the winter just because of the chill in the air I think, doing these two things helped take the edge of him.
 
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