Backing 3/4yr olds

My gelding is like this. Giant, ridiculous spooks. One time I fell off at canter as he spooked dramatically at a pile of his own poo in his own field! He does emergency stops rather than going sideways. He's worse out, terrible in a competition arena in an indoor school, but will still spook at home if anything is different. I have torn a muscle round my hip caused by his dramatic emergency stops. I don't have any advice except that he is getting better (in tiny increments) - he is now 9 - and I fully expect he will be quite spook-free by the time he's 20 🤞 He seems to spook at things he doesn't understand and needs to work them out before he can go on, for example, a strange light coming under the indoor school door, someone wearing a strange hat, a strange looking clump of grass/poo. I think it's just the way his brain is wired.

I saw someone the other day riding an ex-racehorse at an SJ competition in a pair of mini blinkers which seemed to be fitted to the cheekpieces? I wonder if those might help your horse?

I really sympathise - it is exhausting and demoralising and, for me, quite tempting to give up sometimes. I can never relax on him. It also limits what I can do with him as I ride on my own mostly. I can't canter him out hacking as I might come off.
 
CanteringCarrot said:
I'm sick of sitting giant spooks.

I know that my horse is 4, but we just can't have a relaxing time (sometimes). We went for a warm up walk in the field yesterday and I very nearly fell off when he did a giant spook at...I don't know what...a pond that we walked by? I didn't see anything but I also don't have eyes on the sides of my head. Granted, we were in a field and he could've bolted, ran back to the yard, bucked, or otherwise left me for dead, and he didn't.

We headed back to the indoor school and he gave me some decent work. We ended on a nice note and I wanted to do a few loose rein cool down laps at the walk. He almost dumped me when someone opened a door (just a regular people door).

I don't want him to be the horse that reacts when any movement is made or to any change in environment, but he's becoming that way, and I don't know why. He's much better away from home, probably because everything is new/different, but at places he goes to repeatedly he seems to grow in confidence vs backslide like he's doing at home.

I was hesitant to post this because I know it's going to be "pain" or "saddle fit" or whatever. I've spent well into (well into!) the 5 figures on saddles, saddle fitters, and all sorts of vet work ups. I am pretty sure my normal vet thinks I'm insane and the vet at the larger hospital thinks it's great that I have unlimited funds 🙄 we've found nothing. I've had second and third opinions.

We've had some good spook free rides, and the saddle fitter thought he was fantastic as we tried a dozen saddles and did some fitting. He was chill and patient during that.

I can bring him somewhere new and just hop on no problem.

He's curious and can be brave, so I don't get it. I don't know if he's bored or what. He's smart so he might be the type I have to ride every step and make sure he's on the aids every step otherwise he wanders. Give him different exercises and challenges. I also don't want to overwork a young horse or micromanage.

This sh*t is exhausting.

I did stumble upon an old post about my previous horse, who could be spooky and insecure (rough start to life), but didn't have as big of a spook as this one (I think, but maybe I blocked out that trauma from the early years). Anyway, in my post I said what helped the most was time. So maybe that's what we need. Time. My OH always just says, "He's four. That's what they do at that age" and maybe he's not wrong. He's horsey and doesn't overthink things.

I've gotten him to be less noise reactive, but I don't know how to get him less reactive to things he sees. Especially out of the corner of his eye. I did have someone pop in and out of doors and whatnot. Eventually he got over it, or bored with it, and didn't bat an eye. Maybe just revisit that? I also might place something random, like an unbrella in different locations of the arena and work on coping with change in environment.

I dunno, you could probably set a bomb off next to this horse and he'd likely startle for a second and then want to investigate. Maybe I need to let him investigate more? He's a curious type.

So many, "Maybe I should" things here. We lesson away from home and my trainer hasn't really seen this side of him, but I'm going to pick her brain. I do have some video of these "events" so I can have her watch and see if she notices anything. I'd like to reward him on a loose rein, but that's usually when his shenanigans occur. Maybe he needs more support and even though he seems and looks chill on the loose rein, he finds it as an insecure space?

Trainers have been so complimentary of him and the start I've given him, but it's hard to remember that when you're almost launched into another post code.
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It wears off with age, experience and miles in the saddle mostly. At 4/5/6 my current NF was still doing the spin and run trick regularly. It was a rather wild ride at times! She doesn't spook at all now. Rock solid and easy. Her brother went from rearing and meltdowns to a pony you could put your grandmother on. Being in the company of other calm and steady horses progresses them fastest but it does happen eventually if you're doing it solo.
 
I’m very, very slowly starting some work with my two three year olds.

So I have Pesto, my homebred and my absolute pride and joy. He is Legrande x my own eventing mare who I lost a couple of years ago. He shits gold as far as I’m concerned but he has ADHD and if he weren’t mine, I’d probably find him incredibly annoying because he is always touching EVERYTHING.
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He is still pretty immature and gangly so I won’t be riding this year but he’s getting even more annoying than usual so just starting to take him for some walks, see some traffic and thinking of starting some basic long reining as I think his brain could do with something to think about!

Then we have Rambo. I bought Rambo to be Pesto’s pet as a weanling. He was feral when he arrived and it was two months before I could touch him.
He’s not the most conventionally attractive horse to be blunt 🤣 but he does his best to be the goodest boy. He’s still barely 14.2hh though and I’m praying and praying we’ll get a couple more inches as I’m 5 foot 8. I’m on a diet as I think I’m a bit too heavy for him at the minute so it’s a race as to if he grows or I lose weight first.
He has been for some walks and did his first long rein the other day. I love that stage, he kept stopping to peer round at me like ‘what are you doing there mum?’

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Hoping to do a bit with both this weekend but we live on a moor so it’s very exposed and the wind is set in for this weekend so I’m not sure we will.
 
CanteringCarrot said:
I'm sick of sitting giant spooks.

I know that my horse is 4, but we just can't have a relaxing time (sometimes). We went for a warm up walk in the field yesterday and I very nearly fell off when he did a giant spook at...I don't know what...a pond that we walked by? I didn't see anything but I also don't have eyes on the sides of my head. Granted, we were in a field and he could've bolted, ran back to the yard, bucked, or otherwise left me for dead, and he didn't.

We headed back to the indoor school and he gave me some decent work. We ended on a nice note and I wanted to do a few loose rein cool down laps at the walk. He almost dumped me when someone opened a door (just a regular people door).

I don't want him to be the horse that reacts when any movement is made or to any change in environment, but he's becoming that way, and I don't know why. He's much better away from home, probably because everything is new/different, but at places he goes to repeatedly he seems to grow in confidence vs backslide like he's doing at home.

I was hesitant to post this because I know it's going to be "pain" or "saddle fit" or whatever. I've spent well into (well into!) the 5 figures on saddles, saddle fitters, and all sorts of vet work ups. I am pretty sure my normal vet thinks I'm insane and the vet at the larger hospital thinks it's great that I have unlimited funds 🙄 we've found nothing. I've had second and third opinions.

We've had some good spook free rides, and the saddle fitter thought he was fantastic as we tried a dozen saddles and did some fitting. He was chill and patient during that.

I can bring him somewhere new and just hop on no problem.

He's curious and can be brave, so I don't get it. I don't know if he's bored or what. He's smart so he might be the type I have to ride every step and make sure he's on the aids every step otherwise he wanders. Give him different exercises and challenges. I also don't want to overwork a young horse or micromanage.

This sh*t is exhausting.

I did stumble upon an old post about my previous horse, who could be spooky and insecure (rough start to life), but didn't have as big of a spook as this one (I think, but maybe I blocked out that trauma from the early years). Anyway, in my post I said what helped the most was time. So maybe that's what we need. Time. My OH always just says, "He's four. That's what they do at that age" and maybe he's not wrong. He's horsey and doesn't overthink things.

I've gotten him to be less noise reactive, but I don't know how to get him less reactive to things he sees. Especially out of the corner of his eye. I did have someone pop in and out of doors and whatnot. Eventually he got over it, or bored with it, and didn't bat an eye. Maybe just revisit that? I also might place something random, like an unbrella in different locations of the arena and work on coping with change in environment.

I dunno, you could probably set a bomb off next to this horse and he'd likely startle for a second and then want to investigate. Maybe I need to let him investigate more? He's a curious type.

So many, "Maybe I should" things here. We lesson away from home and my trainer hasn't really seen this side of him, but I'm going to pick her brain. I do have some video of these "events" so I can have her watch and see if she notices anything. I'd like to reward him on a loose rein, but that's usually when his shenanigans occur. Maybe he needs more support and even though he seems and looks chill on the loose rein, he finds it as an insecure space?

Trainers have been so complimentary of him and the start I've given him, but it's hard to remember that when you're almost launched into another post code.
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No words of wisdom from me, just to say i totally get where you are coming from. I thought my 3yo would be very similar, but the more i do with him the more chilled and relaxed about life he is. Im quite amazed at the difference in him as a whole since hes been away and done a bit. So perhaps doing a bit more might help ?
Im an over thinker too, im the first to shout pain and get the vet in. Its as if im determined to pay my vets mortgage off single handed.

Hold on in there, things will get better
 
Damn, I can't figure out how to do multi quotes anymore.

Anyway, yes, as I said, I know that the answer is usually time/age. This isn't my first rodeo, but enough time passes between rodeos that I seem to forget 🤣

Thankfully he's awesome to box up and hack somewhere (even solo). He's great at our lessons. He will probably find the warm up area at a competition very exciting, but I don't know if I even care to compete again anyway for a variety of reasons.

He's tough in that if you ignore him, he takes it as though you've given him an inch so he's going to take a mile. Or if he gets a break out of it, he's now learned how to get a break. If you get after him at all, you're then dealing with his panic and nerves for the next 10 minutes and getting him to come back down to earth. This isn't unlike other intelligent and sensitive Iberians that I've worked with. There are many times where he seemingly says, "that's fair" and takes the correction, then moves on with life. It might also just depend on what state he's in that day, or what else has happened that day leading up to that moment.

I've carefully managed his diet and focused on his gut. He looks really good, and I think that the diet he is on works for him. I can only combat who he is as a person so much.

I probably need to focus on his redeeming qualities. The fact that he travels so well. He's so good off property. There's been a few times I've trusted him more than some of the older horses at the yard. Trainers have been very complimentary of him, and have said he's in a really good place in his training for his age, and is quite solid in some things. He's also a sweet horse.

He has a very active brain and probably has ADHD 😂 all of the things in the mouth, investigate all of the things, play with any and all water, and be way too interested in people...and other animals. I've trained him to be rather sensitive to aids and cues, so between that and his personality, I've probably created some of this drama. There's always been the pros and cons to a highly sensitive horse.

But he needs to stop trying to teleport us into another dimension.
 
Ahrena said:
I’m very, very slowly starting some work with my two three year olds.

So I have Pesto, my homebred and my absolute pride and joy. He is Legrande x my own eventing mare who I lost a couple of years ago. He shits gold as far as I’m concerned but he has ADHD and if he weren’t mine, I’d probably find him incredibly annoying because he is always touching EVERYTHING.
View attachment 162758
He is still pretty immature and gangly so I won’t be riding this year but he’s getting even more annoying than usual so just starting to take him for some walks, see some traffic and thinking of starting some basic long reining as I think his brain could do with something to think about!

Then we have Rambo. I bought Rambo to be Pesto’s pet as a weanling. He was feral when he arrived and it was two months before I could touch him.
He’s not the most conventionally attractive horse to be blunt 🤣 but he does his best to be the goodest boy. He’s still barely 14.2hh though and I’m praying and praying we’ll get a couple more inches as I’m 5 foot 8. I’m on a diet as I think I’m a bit too heavy for him at the minute so it’s a race as to if he grows or I lose weight first.
He has been for some walks and did his first long rein the other day. I love that stage, he kept stopping to peer round at me like ‘what are you doing there mum?’

View attachment 162759

Hoping to do a bit with both this weekend but we live on a moor so it’s very exposed and the wind is set in for this weekend so I’m not sure we will.
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My young gelding is annoying. He's always been annoying, and probably always will be. I started doing things with him from an early age. Nothing crazy but things like coming up to and lining up at the mounting block to be mounted (but I didn't mount, just leaned and patted). Walked over tarps, a few poles, went for handwalks, groomed, introduced him to bathing, clippers, and taught him how to load properly. We also played football with an exercise ball that he learned how to "track" and kick (front legs). He tried to eat it a few times too, or would move it around with his mouth/nose. I also got him this Kong Wubba toy for horses that he'd toss around or I'd put on his back and let "ride him" or fall. I bounced the ball around him, rolled it around him. Walked around with an umbrella. Taught some yielding to pressure.

Just things that weren't necessarily psychically straining, but got his mind engaged or allowed him to touch/investigate. He was truly interested and thrived off of things to do vs just being left alone. He'd almost always come up to me in the field or follow me along the fence line to the gate. So he seemingly just wanted to do...something and interact. He's still this way to some extent.
 
My 4 year old is very looky out hacking alone. She is perfect in company, mostly Ok when I have my foot soldier (my almost 7 year old son on his scooter) but very spooky alone. She marches out quite nicely but is all over the place with eyes on stalks. Does some Bambi like spooks at what appears to be nothing. I have to ride her forward the whole way as if I stop riding she gets more anxious.
I talk to her, sing, wither scratches etc to try and calm her but it’s still no fun.
Hopeful she’ll grow out of it as hacking alone is something I like to do so need her to be happy doing it.
 
@CanteringCarrot they sound very similar! He’s the same, comes over in the field whenever he sees me to ‘help’ and generally get in the way 🤣 my favourite thing to do is find him toys - I bought him an inflatable giant unicorn for his birthday which he had a great time wrestling with for an afternoon until it popped.

He’s been to a few shows, including a county show and he’s been an angel. Also taken him to an equine obstacle workshop where they had them walking over plastic bottles/tarps etc. He just kept grabbing the flags etc. He’s a moron! But I love him.
 
ihatework said:
Sounds like he needs a bit more work CC, not necessarily hammering him, but teach him stuff, expect more, keep his brain more engaged
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Yeah, that's a huge part of it, I think.

He was pretty good today and I brought him into the other barn for a hosing since our normal one was in use and it'd be something different for him. I walked him through a gate and into the barn, and while I'm redoing the gate he's checking out what's on top of this thing, what's this rag over here, can I take this broom off the wall, let me sniff this fan, etc etc. He's very "bouncy" minded.

When I tied him infront of his stable he wanted to check out the fly mask on the front of his mates stable, lick the wall, play with his rope, and whatever else. I don't think it's anxiety with him as much as it is the need to be stimulated and doing something...usually with his mouth.

He unties things, takes blankets off, spills water buckets, rolls around giant salt blocks and can't be left near an empty bucket. He got into a water trough as a yearling 🙄 The interesting thing is that he has a half sibling who's the same way. He was very easy to start under saddle though, so there's that.

After he works he's usually less bouncy and is generally in a more chill content mood.

When I was setting up poles for groundwork and he was loose (I didn't tell him to stay) he began playing with the pole risers and then sniffing and mouthing (with his lips) the poles. Then did that to the mounting block. There are times where he has to stand and not touch anything, and he's quite good with it, but sometimes I can see him just itching to do or touch something, but trying soo hard not to 🤣

He's smart, curious, and sometimes damn near bomb proof about some things, so I think that is why I get so frustrated when he flies sideways over someone walking by a door, or someone/some thing doing some other normal task he's been exposed to.

So yeah, I'd say they keeping him engaged is very important. I think he just has energy. Especially mental energy. Still though, he can't keep being reactive in a big way. It's borderline a safety issue.

I'm fortunate in that he generally hacks alone wonderfully. Even if we trailer to a trail alone (OH and the dogs foot soldier, but he happily leaves them behind). He walks briskly and might be a tad jumpy for the first few minutes, but settles right in and is no quicker on the way back. He's good with bikes, runners, walkers, dogs barking and lunging at him, bridges, and so on.
 
Ahrena said:
@CanteringCarrot they sound very similar! He’s the same, comes over in the field whenever he sees me to ‘help’ and generally get in the way 🤣 my favourite thing to do is find him toys - I bought him an inflatable giant unicorn for his birthday which he had a great time wrestling with for an afternoon until it popped.

He’s been to a few shows, including a county show and he’s been an angel. Also taken him to an equine obstacle workshop where they had them walking over plastic bottles/tarps etc. He just kept grabbing the flags etc. He’s a moron! But I love him.
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I so badly want to get him an inflatable. I also want to wear an inflatable costume around him 🤣 or get a moving inflatable holiday decoration for him to work around (people love to put them on their front lawns here).

Mine will literally try to eat a tarp if you let him. He will walk, trot, and probably canter (haven't tried, come to think of it) over a tarp. He was initially unsure, but once he was ok with it, he was REALLY ok with it! I've been wanting to get some flags. Mostly a decent sized one to carry while I ride him to see what he thinks.

Obstacle workshops are so fun. We haven't had any locally except for an obstacle course you could come to and just do your own thing. That was cool. He was good about it.

At a previous yard, the YO's adult daughter fell (she was walking on foot) in the field. She does have a disability and I can't remember what the circumstances were at the time. He broke away from the herd and went over to her. He let her use him to help her get off the ground. I want to say he was about 2 years old at the time. What possessed her to use the horse as a helping hand, I don't know, but thank goodness that didn't go pear shaped! It said a lot about his character though.
 
Yesterday I took a different approach. We went into the indoor and we did a few yielding to pressure and reversing things, then I let him stand at his "spooky" spots, which are primarily doors, and just look. I led him up to the spots, looked, and waited off to the side a bit and kept a loop in the reins (I was on the ground). I let him come to me when he was ready. He'd get verbal praise whenever he'd soften or give the slightest amount of attention to me. Big praise when he came to me. Big rewards when he came to me or choose to put his attention on me vs the distraction.

After doing that a few times I walked over to the mounting block and called him over from a few meters away. He came over and lined up next to the block to be mounted. I did this when I felt like he was ready to get to ridden work.

While riding I kept him busy. Any spooks he did do were small or his tiny jolts/jumps in his body. Someone was on one side of the barn on the other side of the door making some noise. No teleporting. Hopped off after he gave me some good work, and cooled off at the walk in-hand.

I don't want him to think that it's all on his terms, but I want him to actively, willingly, and softly seek me or put his attention on me. I want him to feel comfortable and ready.

Each time I did this it took him a little less time to get from tense and big eyes at the thing to lowered head, soft, and receptive.

I'm usually all for ignoring the things and not making a big deal of it it, so this was outside of the box for me, and idk if it will accomplish anything, but I figured what the heck.

I can direct his attention or force things a bit more, but that seems to get him more worked up.
 
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Honestly I am just jealous you are all actually riding your 4 year olds. I really need to get my arse in the saddle on mine asap.
 
it was all going so well, but now down to earth with a crash

Last night my 3yo was diagnosed as having a 'catastrophic' right hind injury. Hes having xrays Tuesday to find out where the problem is.

But for a 17.2 2/3 ID i dont feel very positive about the outcome. Ive had him seen by my vets and physio who have both said hes sound and would pass a vetting. But some little things just havent added up recently.
One daft example is being fine with a saddle, fine for me to lean over. But not being fine with a rug. Being grumpy in the stable with my daughter, but not with me. Not liking you on his left side. Chiro vet found he was incredibly sore by his diaphragm on the left hand side.

Its all pointing to a field accident, she says its text book.
Sometimes, they dont shout, they whisper.
 
Asha said:
it was all going so well, but now down to earth with a crash

Last night my 3yo was diagnosed as having a 'catastrophic' right hind injury. Hes having xrays Tuesday to find out where the problem is.

But for a 17.2 2/3 ID i dont feel very positive about the outcome. Ive had him seen by my vets and physio who have both said hes sound and would pass a vetting. But some little things just havent added up recently.
One daft example is being fine with a saddle, fine for me to lean over. But not being fine with a rug. Being grumpy in the stable with my daughter, but not with me. Not liking you on his left side. Chiro vet found he was incredibly sore by his diaphragm on the left hand side.

Its all pointing to a field accident, she says its text book.
Sometimes, they dont shout, they whisper.
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Oh my goodness, what a blow! I have everything crossed for you that it’s something simple that a bit of time will resolve
 
My recently purchased 3 year old was, very briefly, backed and hacked before I got him. I suspect and hope just down the road for sales pictures/video. He has been mainly chilling, walking in hand and learning a few manners, but at the weekend he has his first in hand clinic. I hope to re-back him myself and get him hacking by Autumn. 20250708_170641.jpg20250706_162449.jpg
 
Asha said:
it was all going so well, but now down to earth with a crash

Last night my 3yo was diagnosed as having a 'catastrophic' right hind injury. Hes having xrays Tuesday to find out where the problem is.

But for a 17.2 2/3 ID i dont feel very positive about the outcome. Ive had him seen by my vets and physio who have both said hes sound and would pass a vetting. But some little things just havent added up recently.
One daft example is being fine with a saddle, fine for me to lean over. But not being fine with a rug. Being grumpy in the stable with my daughter, but not with me. Not liking you on his left side. Chiro vet found he was incredibly sore by his diaphragm on the left hand side.

Its all pointing to a field accident, she says its text book.
Sometimes, they dont shout, they whisper.
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oh no - I hope it isn't as bad as you fear 😢

Horse can be incredibly stressful at times
 
Ambers Echo said:
Oh no @Asha is that Rustle? That is so sad and worrying for you.
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Yes, im very worried.
TheMule said:
Oh my goodness, what a blow! I have everything crossed for you that it’s something simple that a bit of time will resolve
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Thanks TM
CanteringCarrot said:
I hope whatever it is, it isn't catastrophic afterall and is quite treatable. Fingers crossed for you.
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ihatework said:
Keeping fingers crossed for you @Asha
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Thanks both.

He had a fall in the field, and was on 3 legs. At the time i was convinced hed broken it. I was in tears waiting for the vet and said to my OH i thought it was bad. But After meds and a few days the swelling went down and he appeared sound. ( not a mark on him ). Vet was happy with him. But I cant help thinking something was missed and when we xray we will find something in the joint.
 
Hopefully you dont find anything too sinister asha. They are such a worry.

My 4 year old has decided he wants to not work for the summer having picked up an injury off his mates.
 
Horse was ace at our lesson this week (we haul there) and fabulous on his solo hack (also hauled there). That hack has bikes, runners, walkers, dogs, and whatever else. A runner ran up behind him, infront of him, and the same with cyclists. He also had 2 days off prior to the hack.

He looked at this 4 wheel recumbent bike coming at us that had a two wheel bike strapped across the back of it for a sec, but it was an interesting set up and all he did was look.

Why is he so awesome everywhere but not at home?!
 
CanteringCarrot said:
Horse was ace at our lesson this week (we haul there) and fabulous on his solo hack (also hauled there). That hack has bikes, runners, walkers, dogs, and whatever else. A runner ran up behind him, infront of him, and the same with cyclists. He also had 2 days off prior to the hack.

He looked at this 4 wheel recumbent bike coming at us that had a two wheel bike strapped across the back of it for a sec, but it was an interesting set up and all he did was look.

Why is he so awesome everywhere but not at home?!
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Potentially because he's confident at home so feels safe to ignore you and be a prat, whereas out an about he's no so confident so does pay attention to you. I say this as I own one who is exactly like this. Upside is that I can be confident out and about with her, but I often still have to give myself a mental kick to ride at home!
A previous one was fine at home but a nightmare out and about to the point I just couldn't take him out anymore, for me that was worse.
 
Asha said:
it was all going so well, but now down to earth with a crash

Last night my 3yo was diagnosed as having a 'catastrophic' right hind injury. Hes having xrays Tuesday to find out where the problem is.

But for a 17.2 2/3 ID i dont feel very positive about the outcome. Ive had him seen by my vets and physio who have both said hes sound and would pass a vetting. But some little things just havent added up recently.
One daft example is being fine with a saddle, fine for me to lean over. But not being fine with a rug. Being grumpy in the stable with my daughter, but not with me. Not liking you on his left side. Chiro vet found he was incredibly sore by his diaphragm on the left hand side.

Its all pointing to a field accident, she says its text book.
Sometimes, they dont shout, they whisper.
Click to expand...

Sorry to read this Asha. Everything crossed for you both. 🤞 🙏
 
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