Hacking question- how can I deal with this better next time

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teasle

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Some sheep are now in the fields of a farm that has a bridleway through it that I like to ride through. Previous to this the farm has been not used for several years.
My horse has not really seen sheep before , and we have been through a few times and while they are jut dotted about on the hill he looks but is not that bothered about them.
But today the sheep were moving on the other side of the hedge,they trotted and loked like they were going somewhere with a purpose- and my horse was terrified of them. He just froze, I got off him and found that I could not move any part of him, his neck was rigid and I could not get his attention, even waving my hand in front of his face got no response. We stood there like that for about 20 mins when he snapped out of it and we walked on . I brought him back that wa y but the sheep were still and he was ok with them . What should I do to get his attention when he is so intent on staring at them?
 
Let him have a look, it is the only thing that will make him see they are not going to hurt him, which will build up his confidence too. His staring in amazement times will get less.

Or you could beat the hell out of him like some riders would do, this ofcourse i totally disagree with, but that's my opinion.
 
If it were me, id let him look at them for as long as he needed to. Once he realises they wont hurt him, he should be much better the next time. xx
 
Mine is exactly the same with sheep. We don't have any nearby now, but if he wants to stare and really won't move, I wouldn't get into a fight - I'd let him stare until he starts to get bored, then do some groundwork stuff with the sheep nearby (backing up etc) to get his attention back on me, then just carry on with the ride. Repeat, repeat, repeat! Eventually the standing staring will reduce and stop altogether.

Even better, find some sheep to turn out with.
 
He probably won't notice them much next time. The cob I share had a major problem with pigs. The first time he went past them he tried to leg it and didn't calm down for ages afterwards. I rode past them again with him last week and he actually stopped to examine them more closely :D
At least yours stopped and had a good look :)
 
Bloody phone.
I rather they took it in looking at them than spun and legged it! I see no problem if it's genuine looking and taking in and not taking the Mick.
 
My youngster was like that with cows. I just let her stand and gawp for as long as she needs to, she is getting better every time she encounters them xx
 
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