ausipaliboi
Well-Known Member
So yesterday was a lovely day, took my boo bag down to the paddock to have a play with my boy.
The pony mare decided she wanted in on the action too so it was a double free schooling session with spooky objects.
Set up a tarp on the side of the arena (as well as the sun shade I took out of my husbands car
), all sorts of random items around the arena, even set up a jump for the fun of it.
The pony just cantered in her normal steady rate around and around. My boy in his usual style went past the tarp and reflective sun shade a few times before realising he was supposed to be scared of them and having a lovely spook and buck from then on.
Put the tarp on the ground (held down by a few jump poles), pony mare cantered straight up to and then around tarp. My boy trotted happily up to it, slammed the brakes on right in front of it, sniffed it once and proceded to trot straight over it no probs


I finally caught pony and led her over it (much to her disgust), my boy continued straight over without blinking an eye. He also happily jumped the very small jump until he realised that all he had to do was step high over it... Or just kick it over...
I ended up kicking mare out of arena, removing all spook items and having a wonderful slow speed hoon around the arena on my boy (felt amazing to confidently canter him!).
So. How does my horse manage to spook at his own shadow but happily run over a tarp he has never seen before???????
The pony mare decided she wanted in on the action too so it was a double free schooling session with spooky objects.
Set up a tarp on the side of the arena (as well as the sun shade I took out of my husbands car
The pony just cantered in her normal steady rate around and around. My boy in his usual style went past the tarp and reflective sun shade a few times before realising he was supposed to be scared of them and having a lovely spook and buck from then on.
Put the tarp on the ground (held down by a few jump poles), pony mare cantered straight up to and then around tarp. My boy trotted happily up to it, slammed the brakes on right in front of it, sniffed it once and proceded to trot straight over it no probs
I finally caught pony and led her over it (much to her disgust), my boy continued straight over without blinking an eye. He also happily jumped the very small jump until he realised that all he had to do was step high over it... Or just kick it over...
I ended up kicking mare out of arena, removing all spook items and having a wonderful slow speed hoon around the arena on my boy (felt amazing to confidently canter him!).
So. How does my horse manage to spook at his own shadow but happily run over a tarp he has never seen before???????