Horse panic on soft ground or mud - help

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cullord

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Sorry this is long :( But I really need some advice.

I backed my horse last year and have worked either in the sand school or hacking out around the lanes until this year. This year I wanted to move on to riding off road but my horse goes absolutely ballistic if his feet touch soft ground whilst we're riding.

Like yesterday, we were on a hack along the narrow lanes where we live and I needed him to step onto a section of grassy verge whilst I car passed. He's 100% good in traffic, but the verge must have been a bit muddy and soft under foot after all the rain we've had and he simple paniced as soon as he felt his feet sink. He went mad (like always when this happens) plunging and rearing to get himself off the verge back onto 'solid' ground. You'd have thought it was 4ft deep, not 4 inches deep.

It's starting to become a real pain as all of the off-road hacks near us involve riding across some muddy sections at some point. I don't mean anything terrible, just the normal muddy patches you get after it's rained a bit. Absolutely nothing any other horse pays the slightest notice to.

He's a good boy and will do as he's asked and walk onto muddy areas but can't stop himsepf absolutely panicing. It's really like a phobia.

He lives out so is use to mud and he'll lead through mud in-hand, it just seems to be a problem when he's being ridden. I would simply dismount and lead him through the mud if I could, but he is very tall and I cannot mount him from the ground so it is rarely practical.

Can anyone offer any advice? We really need to get him over his phobia :confused:

PS: He's no better in company and simply ignores the other horses around him. He wont take a lead.
PPS: He's never had a bad experience being ridden on soft ground either. He reacted this way the first time I rode him off road and had continued to do so. He really does become very stressed and is making ME nervous now.
 
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only thing i can think that i would maybe try is having someone lead him while your on him, as maybe hes panicking he cant balance with you on and someone on the ground might just help him to keep calm xx
 
Do you think he would get over it if he had no choice but to go through it? As in take him to a soft/muddy field where there is no 'escape' from it, he might then realise that it is not as awful as he seems to think and will start to relax.

Another thing you could do it set up a sort of obstacle course in the school that involves walking over different surfaces, such as a tarp, wooden board etc, it might just build hi confidence a bit in general and help him cope better with things he is unsure off.
 
I'm thinking he must feel unbalanced with me onboard when his feet sink and that's what making him so frightened. I must admit I haven't so far pushed him through any section he's paniced over - since it's either been on a verge of a road or I've been on my own somewhere off-road and don't feel safe enough to fight with him when he's in a blind panic rearing and plunging like a lunatic. Of course, this had no doubt made things worse :(
 
cullord said:
I'm thinking he must feel unbalanced with me onboard when his feet sink and that's what making him so frightened. I must admit I haven't so far pushed him through any section he's paniced over - since it's either been on a verge of a road or I've been on my own somewhere off-road and don't feel safe enough to fight with him when he's in a blind panic rearing and plunging like a lunatic. Of course, this had no doubt made things worse :(
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this is why i thought having someone with you might give you the confidence and id suggest you do all the things suggested and see what helps. none of it will do any harm
 
3Beasties said:
Another thing you could do it set up a sort of obstacle course in the school that involves walking over different surfaces, such as a tarp, wooden board etc, it might just build hi confidence a bit in general and help him cope better with things he is unsure off.
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I did all that sort of thing with him since he was a foal and up until he was backed. Must admit I haven't done it since, whilst riding him.
 
This is an interesting one.

I just wonder if the rider is re-enforcing the horses fear of soft ground by allowing the horse off it as soon as the horse gets panicky.

It takes a very brave and experienced rider to sit and do nothing when the toys go out, but it may be the way to go with this horse. If the horse can be ignored other than being kept on the soft he must at some point, realise nothing is going to hurt him.

A seasons hunting would do him no harm especially in a country with some plough.
 
MrsMozart said:
When you say 'panic', what does he do?

I ask because I've had two horses with damage to both hind suspensory ligaments. Mud was a no-go for both of them.
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I don't think I've ever managed to get him to put a hind hoof in the mud when ridden. Never gotten him to go as far into a boggy area, so far :(

He's very suspicious of puddles too. Will lower his head and peer suspiciously at them before tempting one foot in and cautiously moving forward. It's a right bummer on a hack on after rain :rolleyes:

If you ride him onto soft ground he'll react as soon as he feels his front feet sink a bit. Then he'll completely overreact by sort of sinking down infront (like his front end collapses) then he starts plunging upwards into a half rears, back down again, then up again, all the time trying to dive backwards out of the 'mud'. It's a total overreaction. As soon as he's back on firm ground he's fine again. This will happen on a patch of grassy verge that sinks about 4 inches under the weight of my 630kg horse. I've gone back and examined where he's paniced. It's nothing. The horse is sound as a pound, so it's not a lamnesss issues thankfully. I think he's just decided that the ground is going to open up and eat him.
 
cullord said:
If you ride him onto soft ground he'll react as soon as he feels his front feet sink a bit. Then he'll completely overreact by sort of sinking down infront (like his front end collapses) then he starts plunging upwards into a half rears, back down again, then up again, all the time trying to dive backwards out of the 'mud'. It's a total overreaction. As soon as he's back on firm ground he's fine again. This will happen on a patch of grassy verge that sinks about 4 inches under the weight of my 630kg horse. I've gone back and examined where he's paniced. It's nothing. The horse is sound as a pound, so it's not a lamnesss issues thankfully. I think he's just decided that the ground is going to open up and eat him.
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I'd try and ride it out then, don't give him an option to escape. Reassure him and give him lots of praise as soon as he settles. Sounds like it will be a case of repetition until he realises that it's not going to hurt him.
 
I think if it was me, I'd get a confident friend along, and find a muddy bit of your own field, hopefully safe and enclosed. I'd lead him through the familiar patch of mud several times, then I'd get on and ride through it in exactly the same route and speed etc. Have the friend there to lead you if needs be and to watch what he is doing.

If you are really struggling you could consider leading him into a big muddy patch standing him still and then getting a leg up and just sitting in halt calmly at first. Then on another occasion build up to asking him to walk on.

I think I'd be inclined to tackle this by riding regularly in a soft field rather than trying to cross small patches of mud or areas where the ground changes as that could be exacerbating any feelings of insecurity.
 
MY Irish draught does somthing very similar, he is fine with water ,and jumping over ditches ,but going into anything that he considers might be a Bog is quite aniother matter. I believe this is somthing he learned at an early age and that I have to be sensetive about how I approach the problem. He is certainly no coward but the idea of sinking into a bog scares the hell out of him.What you think is a total over reaction is ,to your horse , a completely reasonable reaction to the danger he perceives.This is not simply a horse being "bolshy"so a tactfull approach is needed. Dont simply try to force the issue. It is a question of confidence and trust which needs to be built up gradualy.Good luck ,its not easy.
 
My Andalusian is the same with mud. He's never refused to go through, but we have had some dodgy moments as he'll try to go anywhere to get firmer ground - I have to let his head go, sit tight and let him find his own way. It helped when he was in a VERY muddy field; he didn't like it at all, but we now cope much better through muddy bits - 'minitsry of silly walks' rather than total panic!
As you have had muddy turn-out, I'd be inclined to try, as others have suggested, riding him through the mud he knows. Hacking out with someone else whose horse will give a lead through the muddy/boggy bits helps too whilst you try to not make a big deal of it - just sit tight and keep him going forward as best you can.
Not a lot of help to offer, but I thought it was just my woosy horse with this problem, so if you feel like me - at the least, it's good to know others have similar problems! I'm new to the forum and your post is what prompted me to write - other people look at me as though I'm mad when I tell them my horse has mud issues!
 
Haven't had time to read all replies (sorry if I duplicate) but my horse got stuck in slurry once about 3 odd years ago as he threw him self in it when he spooked at a fox (!!!) thinking it was a Tarmac type surface as the top had dried like that. He is 10 this year and if I am out having a canter and the ground starts to get a bit softer he will stop dead and put one foot out to test surface while snorting crazily. This is real progress 3 years ago I had to get off and stand on it first. The same with puddles if I get in it he will follow me otherwise it's a no. A leader did not help me as he only trusts me. I would just keep getting on and off and showing him you are still alive after killer surface attacks. Horses have very long memories and he probably has had a bad incident once in the past. Its a pain but I actually feel very safe on my boy now! Good luck.
 
If they have led a sheltered life then it isn't surprising. I have had two youngsters like this. Having always been worked in an arena, ridden along lanes they had simply never come across mud, and think they will sink. It is something that they have to learn - maybe following an old hunter that knows they just have to plod through it. It is something that is worth doing as there is nothing worse than being stuck in the middle of nowhere surrounded by acres of mud and the horse having a fit.
 
Maybe take him back to the verge and take him on it but keep moving. Could it be that he just doesn't like waiting? I always wrap my legs round tightly and maybe scratch his neck for reassurance. With puddles same thing really, strong legs, calm voice and focus beyond the puddle even before you get to it. Hope this helps.
 
Mine was never that bad with mud, but would always jump it or walk round it given the choice, & going through water was still a work in progress, water jumps were very much an issue requiring lots of effort still. Doing stuff at home, both with mud & general training helps, mine was never scared, just dislikes it so not quite the same. But I think adorable alices suggestion of some hunting is a fab one. It's amazing what a horse doesn't bother about following hounds. Mine would dive into flooded streams that came up high enough to reach her saddle (14.2). At 23 she still doesn't like it, but hunting taught her its actually ok. Still avoids walking through it in field though given the choice. I really think huntings great for confidence anyway, but especially with a problem like this.
 
for a quick fix try getting a ground helper with a bucket of food.

Take him to a muddy bit and feed him there - you can get on whilst he's eating if it helps. You need to get his associations rewired. Its not giving in, its using your superior (to him) brainpower!

Good luck
 
Food is usually a good option! They become so focussed on the food they forget that they're frightened. I'd take him out to a muddy verge with someone else who is on foot. Get them to feed him some treats while he is on the firm ground and then gradually edge him onto the mud while the helper holds a treat out for him. Once on the mud, give him the treat and make a fuss of him. Sounds simple, but probably won't be!
 
Another idea for training would be work in the school asking him to walk over different surfaces, the obvious one is a tarp or plastic sheet but I have seen people use squishy foam or old mattresses from camp beds or sun loungers (you know not a sprung mattress like on a bed) that would get him used to an unstable feeling under his feet.
 
Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I think I am going to have to enlist the help of a foot follower and tackle the problem head on. Good idea about getting him to walk over 'odd' things whilst being ridden. He's fine with that sort of thing on his own, but it's a different kettle of fish when he has someone on his back. He needs to build up the confidence in his balance I think. Although he lives out in a very muddy paddock in winter, like someone said, he has lead a pretty sheltered life in terms of the terrain he's been ridden over so I guess more work is needed to get him over this issue. And like someone else said, I dont fancy getting stuck in the middle of nowhere one day - surrounded by mud!
 
It would be interesting to see if there was any difference if you shortend up the tail a bit.

Some horses can get in to a terrible tiz if their tails get wet and muddy.
 
amymay said:
It would be interesting to see if there was any difference if you shortend up the tail a bit.

Some horses can get in to a terrible tiz if their tails get wet and muddy.
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Good point if it were long and heavy and getting plastered but I'm not really keen on cutting it any shorter as it'll look weird and it isn't so long that it affects him walking through 4inch deep mud. I think he's just being a plonka and thinks the ground is going to gobble him up. He doesn't like his feet sinking and isn't yet confident enough in me to be pursuaded that I'm not going to drown us both crossing that muddy puddle. :rolleyes:
 
My 9 yo had these tendencies (not as bad) when I bought him last year as he was very green. Was extremely unsettling (literally) when he came from gallop to standstill at a tiny puddle or patch of mud.

I have found begin firm and calm and just persisting however slowly has paid off, and I have been doing poles and small jumps in the school, again persistently and calmly, until he stops refusing or leaping them and just treats them like normal life. I think this has made him much braver about where he puts his feet.

I have had him a year now and this morning we went on a long canter/gallop through small puddles and shallow mud with no spooking or stopping - all in a straight line!
 
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