Getting horse's attention back on you?

[Bananyman]

I'm curious does anyone have any tips for how to get your horse's attention back when they get distracted by something they have a positive interest in (i.e. Not something they're spooked by)? My mare is very social and interested in where the other horses in the yard are, so she can be working beautifully but then completely hollow and look off to the side if a horse walks past the arena. Similarly, if she is taken on her own away from the yard for a hack she will want to turn and look back towards the horses at key points where she realises we will be walking further away from the herd.

I realise a certain amount of distractibility is reasonable, but some days she can just be plain nosey and completely stop listening in the middle of what was a good schooling session. Any tips appreciated!

 

[oldie48]

As no-one has contributed so far I'll try to help fwiw I think horses that suddenly become inattentive aren't actually on the aids, they may be "working" quite nicely but they aren't really with you. I now try to check they are listening right at the start of a schooling session by checking they are off the leg, will move forward as soon as I put my leg on and move sideways if I ask. Sorry if this is a bit "industrial" for some but I'm quite happy to give a pony club kick or a tap of the whip to get their attention if required and I think they soon learn that the school is where they work. I've spent years working round a horses's inattentiveness but now I just want them to get on with it. The other thing I've found helpful, especially out hacking, is to be able to ask the horse to flex and go really round when asked (no, not rollkur, shock, horror!), it's about having control of the neck so they can't lock. I don't hack "on the buckle" hacking is not a horse holiday, it's a different kind of work which hopefully the horse will enjoy and be able to stretch etc but I still expect them to be listening to me and be on the aids then it's easier to deal with the odd distraction.

 

[smolmaus]

I was hoping you'd get more responses ? my wee mare is similar, she spooks at very little but she does want to look at everything. I don't really want to "punish" her curiosity since I suspect that curiosity is why she spooks at very little!

I only really have the problem of her friends coming past the arena so I try and be ahead of her so that when they come up past the fence she is at the far end and concentrating on something like poles or turns on the forehand. Works sometimes. If I'm not quick enough and don't hear them in time (often, my hearing isn't great!) I just let her look tbh.

 

[Flying_Form]

I'm curious does anyone have any tips for how to get your horse's attention back when they get distracted by something they have a positive interest in (i.e. Not something they're spooked by)? My mare is very social and interested in where the other horses in the yard are, so she can be working beautifully but then completely hollow and look off to the side if a horse walks past the arena. Similarly, if she is taken on her own away from the yard for a hack she will want to turn and look back towards the horses at key points where she realises we will be walking further away from the herd.

I realise a certain amount of distractibility is reasonable, but some days she can just be plain nosey and completely stop listening in the middle of what was a good schooling session. Any tips appreciated!

a project horse I had used to be very much like this, we even had to move which stable he was in a few times because he’d become so attached to his other horse friends!

I find the main thing would be getting them used to your voice so when they do hear a horse calling out to them, and maybe they stop for a second, they hear you and their focus goes back to their work or their hack or whatever you’re doing! When lunging use your voice aids a lot, when hacking talk to them, when doing flatwork or jumping keep talking to them. It eases their nerves, and puts a lot more trust in you! I mean sometimes when I go showjumping I’m having a full blown conversation with my young horses people probably think I’m crazy ?

secondly, I’d try and introduce some interesting exercises into your routine and change it up a bit. If she’s very fizzy and a bit hot, don’t change too much. Be clear with what you want and maybe do a few circles. If she’s just a bit distracted however, lateral work is great as it makes them think a bit more, rather than associating leg and rein aids with ‘go!’, and it can be great to get their attention back on you. Do a few serpentines, then change to a circle, then go long, do things they aren’t expecting. Maybe practice transitions too, it can make them focus on you a bit more and listen.

and finally, maybe go to a new place for a day. It’s good to get your horse away from their buddies for an hour or two. You could go to a new place for some schooling, or even just go for a hack to somewhere new!

best of luck with her though! I know how annoying it can be sometimes, but they are herd animals and sometimes it just takes a bit of time for them to separate their work from their social life!! ?

 

[iknowmyvalue]

My last horse was like this, incredibly nosy and with the attention span of a goldfish. It was a constant struggle to get him to focus, and he was always finding something to gawp at. With him I did what oldie suggests. he needed you to be firm and tell him that no this was not the time to be nosy, this was work time. Doing lots of transitions, circles, lateral work to keep his focus.

I would say don’t worry too much at this stage about losing her attention. Just focus on getting it back afterwards, you should find that you can gradually get it back quicker and quicker, and eventually you’ll be able to correct as it happens or just keep her attention entirely. It takes time and it’s not 100% but that’s the idea!

 

[Bananyman]

a project horse I had used to be very much like this, we even had to move which stable he was in a few times because he’d become so attached to his other horse friends!

I find the main thing would be getting them used to your voice so when they do hear a horse calling out to them, and maybe they stop for a second, they hear you and their focus goes back to their work or their hack or whatever you’re doing! When lunging use your voice aids a lot, when hacking talk to them, when doing flatwork or jumping keep talking to them. It eases their nerves, and puts a lot more trust in you! I mean sometimes when I go showjumping I’m having a full blown conversation with my young horses people probably think I’m crazy ?

secondly, I’d try and introduce some interesting exercises into your routine and change it up a bit. If she’s very fizzy and a bit hot, don’t change too much. Be clear with what you want and maybe do a few circles. If she’s just a bit distracted however, lateral work is great as it makes them think a bit more, rather than associating leg and rein aids with ‘go!’, and it can be great to get their attention back on you. Do a few serpentines, then change to a circle, then go long, do things they aren’t expecting. Maybe practice transitions too, it can make them focus on you a bit more and listen.

and finally, maybe go to a new place for a day. It’s good to get your horse away from their buddies for an hour or two. You could go to a new place for some schooling, or even just go for a hack to somewhere new!

best of luck with her though! I know how annoying it can be sometimes, but they are herd animals and sometimes it just takes a bit of time for them to separate their work from their social life!! ?

Thanks so much for your advice, great tips

 

[Bananyman]

My last horse was like this, incredibly nosy and with the attention span of a goldfish. It was a constant struggle to get him to focus, and he was always finding something to gawp at. With him I did what oldie suggests. he needed you to be firm and tell him that no this was not the time to be nosy, this was work time. Doing lots of transitions, circles, lateral work to keep his focus.

I would say don’t worry too much at this stage about losing her attention. Just focus on getting it back afterwards, you should find that you can gradually get it back quicker and quicker, and eventually you’ll be able to correct as it happens or just keep her attention entirely. It takes time and it’s not 100% but that’s the idea!

Thanks very much for your advice! I agree

 

[Bananyman]

I was hoping you'd get more responses ? my wee mare is similar, she spooks at very little but she does want to look at everything. I don't really want to "punish" her curiosity since I suspect that curiosity is why she spooks at very little!

I only really have the problem of her friends coming past the arena so I try and be ahead of her so that when they come up past the fence she is at the far end and concentrating on something like poles or turns on the forehand. Works sometimes. If I'm not quick enough and don't hear them in time (often, my hearing isn't great!) I just let her look tbh.

Haha yes I very much suspect its a mare related thing. She likes to know where 'her' geldings are ??

 

[Bananyman]

As no-one has contributed so far I'll try to help fwiw I think horses that suddenly become inattentive aren't actually on the aids, they may be "working" quite nicely but they aren't really with you. I now try to check they are listening right at the start of a schooling session by checking they are off the leg, will move forward as soon as I put my leg on and move sideways if I ask. Sorry if this is a bit "industrial" for some but I'm quite happy to give a pony club kick or a tap of the whip to get their attention if required and I think they soon learn that the school is where they work. I've spent years working round a horses's inattentiveness but now I just want them to get on with it. The other thing I've found helpful, especially out hacking, is to be able to ask the horse to flex and go really round when asked (no, not rollkur, shock, horror!), it's about having control of the neck so they can't lock. I don't hack "on the buckle" hacking is not a horse holiday, it's a different kind of work which hopefully the horse will enjoy and be able to stretch etc but I still expect them to be listening to me and be on the aids then it's easier to deal with the odd distraction.

Thanks for your reply. Because she is rehab hacking at the moment due to a foreleg injury I'm actually being especially cautious to ride her from back to front, into a contact, while we are out so that she lessens the load on her front end. If I was in any way pulling her into a front to back contact she would tell me where to go anyway ? I have been doing lots of transitions and other exercises that are suitable during rehab to try and regain her attention and it does help a little, but you're probably right in that I should stop being so pussy footed and just give her a tap if she is getting distracted. Thanks for your advice!

 

[IrishMilo]

Sorry if this is a bit "industrial" for some but I'm quite happy to give a pony club kick or a tap of the whip to get their attention if required.

Totally agree with all of @oldie48's post. Takes one second or less to get them back on you with a flex/tap/nudge etc. If they're going forwards properly, they shouldn't have time to be looking around either! If I'm out hacking and the horse has got its eye on something and not really with me, I flex them sharply and they get a boot.

 

[Leandy]

Transitions, transitions, transitions. And lateral work. Keep them thinking, no time for gawping!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

My 2 are so easily distracted being Arab's they are always on high alert, I will circle or do a few steps of leg yield I have to keep schooling quite busy and make it interesting or they find things to look at.

I do lots of lateral work and generally make it quite hard for them so they are using there brain and it keeps them much more focused on the job.

 

[Birker2020]

I'm curious does anyone have any tips for how to get your horse's attention back when they get distracted by something they have a positive interest in (i.e. Not something they're spooked by)? My mare is very social and interested in where the other horses in the yard are, so she can be working beautifully but then completely hollow and look off to the side if a horse walks past the arena. Similarly, if she is taken on her own away from the yard for a hack she will want to turn and look back towards the horses at key points where she realises we will be walking further away from the herd.

I realise a certain amount of distractibility is reasonable, but some days she can just be plain nosey and completely stop listening in the middle of what was a good schooling session. Any tips appreciated!

I make a sshing sound to distract my horse from his distraction. Quite often its when he's trying to grab the rope or lunge line or my jacket with his teeth as he likes to constantly mouth things. It seems to be working quite well so far.

I used to know someone who worked for Sheik Mohammed in Dubai racing yard and he used to do a low whistle between his teeth to stop the horses in his care from doing something undesirable and that worked quite well.

 

[humblepie]

I agree totally with Oldie although must admit mine isn't always working that much when out hacking. I do tend to talk to him quite a bit and use that as well, if as you say another horse is neighing in the distance

 

[Caol Ila]

Someone on this forum gave me this advice, so it seems right to pass it on. Have a search for Warwick Schiller’s “observing the ears” videos on YouTube. Totally free, and it will change your horsemanship. It’s helped me with my little ex-feral.