Horse being naughty when schooled!

[Supertrooper]

Other members may remember my post a few weeks ago saying that the shire x I share, bolted with me twice in field. I think it was caused by a combination of him being slightly unsure about where I was asking him to go and it being very very windy. Anyway it didn't really bother me at the time.

I've been mainly hacking him since then, which he is fine doing. I've had one lesson since then and he had a couple of naughty episodes, squealing, spinning round (not fast though!!) and broncing down the field. Instructor and I sorted situation out and all was fine, to be honest I laughed about it.

Roll on today, i've had to ride in field as had no-one to hack with. He was ok, one tiny little episode when I thought he may do something but I nipped it in the bud. Did lots of walk/halt/walk transitions and turns on forehand to keep his attention but what I'm finding is going away from stable end of field I'm tensing and am almost scared to touch him in case he erupts but he's backing off my legs. Going the other way to be honest we all relax!!

Don't want to end up being scared to ride him in field, lessons def help and instructor is great but I can only afford once a fortnight.

Help pls xxx

 

[noblesteed]

When schooling in our field my horse definitely spookier when heading towards the barn and fine as we head away from it. I try to distract him when he tenses up, by asking for a transition, or flexion one way or the other, serpentine, or a small circle. I have even put some trotting poles in the spooky place. Anything I can think of to get him listening. If your horse is one to rush off then maybe try a downward transition or a 10m circle.
Not only will it distract your horse, it will also distract you and prevent you tensing up. I find my horse only really spooks when I am expecting him to! I get this panicky feeling when he tenses up and this makes him worse. So I do my best to distract us both!!!!!

 

[Chestnut mare]

Have you tried singing or chatting to your horse when you feel yourself tense up? It will naturally make you relax which will in turn relax the horse .
Plenty of transitions, changes of direction, figures of, serpentinea etc just keep changing to keep you both focused.
I was schooling the other week and my pony kept spooking at something every time we got to that point she dropped her shoulder and ended up at x in the school. I did a 20m circle and gradually stretched it out so she eventually went past that point without realising whilst flexing her neck slightly to the inside .

 

[kaiko]

Mine threw me off rearing and napping last thurs when i schooled in the field. The next day we had our lesson in a sand arena and he tried it for 5 mins so my instructor made us do 10m circles at every letter in trot as we worked our way round the school. Change rein and repeat and after a lap on each rein he was back listening to me.

It helped massively take both our minds of any naughty behaviour and focus on the constant need to bend, turn, plan etc. I was impressed how quickly he came back to me and i how quickly i got my confidence back.