Help with an anxious tense horse? Rushing/running off

[Lill]

Any ideas would be appreciated?

My 4yo kwpn is still very tense to begin with each time he is ridden. He was backed last year and turned away for winter brought back in April, although this was in a halter (would never ride in just a halter again! But we were waiting for dentist to come out) and one day on a canter transition he bolted off with me around the arena until I came off scaring both himself and me! He then spent 5 weeks at Jason Webb’s in May/June time and I’ve had him back almost 2 months now with lessons once a week and my instructor riding once a week also.

The last couple of weeks he has got very tense again as soon as he is mounted and asked to move and we have had to revert to patting him all over at halt and walk and trot as he will suddenly shoot off if he is tense and your leg touches him or the first time you pat him on his bum at walk.

Jason’s taught him and me how to do the one rein stop to stop him panicking and running off but whilst this is very useful I would like to stop him panicking and running off in the first place!

He is very easy on the ground to work with,not spooky with anything on the ground or even when ridden really - he is more concerned about your toe moving unexpectedly on him than he is anything around him.

 

[be positive]

Apart from doing all the normal checks to ensure there is not a physical reason for him to be overreactive how much work is he doing other than the ridden exercise, I think many young horses really benefit from continuing to long rein and lunge regularly to help build them up both physically, without the pressure from the rider, and in confidence by doing work that may be ahead of what they do under saddle.

He sounds as if some groundwork would be beneficial, I agree with wanting to stop the panicking it is not ideal having to use the one rein stop on a young horse who should not be running off in the first place apart from in exceptional circumstances and I wonder if he is worrying about something that you or your instructor have done differently in the past few weeks to make him change, the cooler weather may be enough for him to be more tense, are you wearing different boots that are bothering him, not that it should really make him so bad if he has the confidence he should after several months in work but some sensitive horses can take a while to really accept changes, I would go back a step and work back up to where he was and see if that helps.

 

[Lill]

Overreactive and sensitive are words we have used to describe him too! He gets ridden usually 4 times a week for 20-30mins is out 24/7 and just has some alpha a oil after he has been worked if that helps with anything.

I am going to lunge him today and then get on and try and get him to relax even just at walk.... we can’t think of anything different for him lately other than perhaps the “Jason effect” is wearing off! 😕

 

[be positive]

The complete submissiveness, that most NH trainers seem to instill, can wear off as they regain their confidence and start to think for themselves once more, which is why I am not than keen on the whole process, it may not be as extreme as parelli but the aim to have a horse with no say in anything does not sit well with me and if it does revert you are back to square 1 or worse depending on the horse.

It has it's place but to find a happy medium I think you do need to keep returning to the rules for some time if they are to stay on track, so some groundwork to get him back working with you, you may need a bit of tough love, should help settle him down once more, these overreactive horses often use that to get the handler/ rider backing off which makes them more reactive not less and the spiral goes downhill fairly quickly, stand up to him a bit and see if he relaxes once he realises you are back in full control of everything he does.

 

[Sukistokes2]

He is 4, the grass is just coming though nicely after the drought, full of suger and that will set off a growth spurt if nothing else would. Plus alpha a oil is full of energy. A growing horse is at odds with him self, my vet described it as going to a wedding in uncomfortable high heels, with different shoes on every feet and being expected to run. Some horses, especially big ones grow, quickly and in short bursts. Tendon and ligaments unhitch and they loose control of their own bodies. Add to that his usual sensitivity and you have a problem. If this were my horse I’d be turning away until next summer to allow him to grow into himself.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Overreactive and sensitive are words we have used to describe him too! He gets ridden usually 4 times a week for 20-30mins is out 24/7 and just has some alpha a oil after he has been worked if that helps with anything.

I am going to lunge him today and then get on and try and get him to relax even just at walk.... we can’t think of anything different for him lately other than perhaps the “Jason effect” is wearing off! ��

I would take him off the alfalfa, it makes many horses sensitive and over-reactive.

 

[Notimetoride]

Alfalfa is rocket fuel for my mare, even in tiny amounts !

 

[Lill]

I knew the Alfa a can sometimes be heating and cause funny behaviour in some but thought that the Alfa a oil was not so heating?

 

[Sukistokes2]

Alfa a oil has the alfalfa and has oil so it’s double trouble.

I used it to keep weight on my elderly mare. It was great for that. Great for a horse that’s difficult to keep weight on. For a horse that doesn’t do too much it would give them too much energy, then that’s going to exit outa them in unique and exciting ways.

 

[ycbm]

I agree with the food suggestions,, but if he was mine I would x ray his back and scope him for ulcers if food changes don't work.

It's too easy for mentally and/or physically dominant trainers to convince young horses to work on through pain. Unknowingly, I've done it myself in the past, but I know a lot more now than I did back then.

He's not a redhead, is he? I've had two totally dotty KWPN redheads, I'd never have another. They seem to be bred for performance over temperament more than other warmblood grades, and the red gene tips them right over the edge!

 

[Lill]

I have been trying to get some condition on him hence the Alfa oil - any suggestions as to what to try replacing it with?

What’s a redhead kwpn? 🤔

 

[ycbm]

Chestnut.

 

[ihatework]

I have been trying to get some condition on him hence the Alfa oil - any suggestions as to what to try replacing it with?

What’s a redhead kwpn? ��

If he has got enough energy to be an over reactive plonker then don’t feed him. A little light in condition is far prdfereable to broken bones.

Stuff him full of hay and take care with his grass intake - it’s rocket fuel at the moment and could well be the cause of the change over last couple of weeks.

Might be an idea to dampen some sugar free chaff and add a little magox and brewers yeast.

 

[Lill]

O really?! Never heard of a chesnut being called a redhead before is it a new thing? He’s a bay though....

I guess it may be the grass....He is in a large field. The feed thing - would 4 round scoops of Alfa a oil a week really have that much of an effect on him?

 

[maya2008]

Check saddle fit! Then try stopping the alfalfa and have a think about ulcers.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

O really?! Never heard of a chesnut being called a redhead before is it a new thing? He’s a bay though....

I guess it may be the grass....He is in a large field. The feed thing - would 4 round scoops of Alfa a oil a week really have that much of an effect on him?

It certainly could do! We had an Appaloosa mare who honestly couldn't eat any alfalfa at all. Even a tiny amount turned her completely bonkers,

I would definitely check the saddle fit too.

 

[Tihamandturkey]

He is 4, the grass is just coming though nicely after the drought, full of suger and that will set off a growth spurt if nothing else would. Plus alpha a oil is full of energy. A growing horse is at odds with him self, my vet described it as going to a wedding in uncomfortable high heels, with different shoes on every feet and being expected to run. Some horses, especially big ones grow, quickly and in short bursts. Tendon and ligaments unhitch and they loose control of their own bodies. Add to that his usual sensitivity and you have a problem. If this were my horse I’d be turning away until next summer to allow him to grow into himself.

This

 

[Lill]

He has seemed a bit better the last two times have had him in, did some groundwork and desensitising with him which helps I think - will I have to do it forever I wonder?!

He has a solutions treeless saddle fairly recently fitted so shouldn’t be an issue there. The fitter lady did se m to tell me to put it really far forward though apparently this is how they should be!

Having his back checked this week so will see if anything comes to light then.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

He has seemed a bit better the last two times have had him in, did some groundwork and desensitising with him which helps I think - will I have to do it forever I wonder?!

He has a solutions treeless saddle fairly recently fitted so shouldn’t be an issue there. The fitter lady did se m to tell me to put it really far forward though apparently this is how they should be!

Having his back checked this week so will see if anything comes to light then.

Interestingly, I have a 'thing' about not having the saddle too far forward and was very pleased that the Solution fitter who came to us agreed with me that many people put the saddle too far forward> My Solution definitely doesn't sit too far forward.

 

[Lill]

It seemed very far forwards to me to how I would have usually put it, it is a jumping one if that makes any difference?
Yesterday we moved it back a bit and will probably try a few more rides with it back a bit and see whether that helps also!