How do you handle spooking?

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PonyIAmNotFood

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Im having issues :( Im riding a couple of lovely cobs over summer, really nice horses who are used to hacking with each other in the evening occasionally and just chilling in the field all day. I wont hack alone as am terrified of getting dumped and losing the horse or lying in a ditch somewhere for days before im found lol so as I cant always get down at night to hack with other people the school is my option really.

Took mare in today before she'd been out and she threw a bit of a strop, we did nothing constructive with the session as she was always listening and looking at everything but me, kept flying sideways, galloping off, gate napping, spinning etc. I tried letting her look but not letting her spin or jump about, that didn't work. I tried ignoring her and taking ehr mind off it with circles, turn on the forehand, spirals, changes in pace, direction, no more than 4 paces without a change, that didn't work. Tried a slap on the arse which earned her attention for all of 10 strides before she started up again. By this point I was getting utterly fed up, got 2 laps of walk with minimal spooking, got off and chucked her in the field. This is what she's like ALL the time in there, she hates it but sometimes it's my only option to ride and that is the whole point of me being there.

I should point out I can sit to what she does, she doesn't scare me and I can ride alright and have dealt with problem horses before which I don't believe she is but im stumped as how to stop this, it's just properly annoying and makes riding her feel a bit pointless as I can't actually school her more like just sit tight and keep correcting her all the time. Rargh!!!!!
 
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I think you need to get an instructor or someont to yell at you when you school. Is all of her tack fitting correctly, teeth, back etc?

I find that on a spooky horse if you have an instructor you are generally focusing on them, not what the horse is doing and eventually the spooking gets less and less.

Hope this helps :)
 
Her owners keep on top of all the tack teeth and back stuff so i'd be suprised if there was anything wrong there. She's quite sharp naturally, if you watch her in the field she's always jumping or looking round for threats. Ill get a mate to come down and yell at me, I know one perfect for the job lol. Can't really afford an instructor atm.
 
Unfortunately thats training. You keep correcting her until she twigs.

Spooking in the school is likely evasion. Dor does it. She hates schooling...

Just keep repeating the same frustrating lessons until the lightbulb pings.

Now Dorey only spooks if something scary happens. Or if she's going on strike!
 
Serenity087 said:
Unfortunately thats training. You keep correcting her until she twigs.

Spooking in the school is likely evasion. Dor does it. She hates schooling...

Just keep repeating the same frustrating lessons until the lightbulb pings.

Now Dorey only spooks if something scary happens. Or if she's going on strike!
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Awwwh, that's a pain :( Haha. I might start having a few shots of vodka before I get on so I stay chilled and don't get frustrated with her too much :rolleyes:
 
Would it help to lunge before you get on? If she's okay handling from the ground then maybe you can work out some of the spooks before you ride.
 
I wont hack alone as am terrified of getting dumped and losing the horse or lying in a ditch somewhere for days before im found lol so as I cant always get down at night to hack with other people the school is my option really.
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I think that you need to work on conquering this fear. It is the thing that really stands out to me in your post. I really hope that there are some people here that can come up with some good advice to help you. Maybe try walking the horse out in-hand on a short circular route a few times before riding the same route. Take your mobile and put contact numbers on a pet tag attached to the horse's bridle and have lots of hi-viz. Would these things make you feel safer?

I have no choice but to hack alone and if a schooling session was going tits up like that, I would set a really simple task (eg walk a nice-ish change of rein or circle) and once we'd done that (therefore ending the session on a good-ish note), give up on the schooling and go for a hack instead. So my advice isn't very good for you. Sorry.
 
blueneonrainbow I think she'd be knackered being lunged and schooled, though I did consider it today. I might take a line down with me next time so if i'm getting too frustrated on top I can hop off for a bit til i'm in a better frame of mind to get back on.

Faracat there is a great route I could do with her actually that she knows well so would hopefully just follow it home if anything did happen and I came off.

Thanks loads for the advice guys, feeling more positive about tomorrow now. Plan of action will be take lunge line down to paddock with me, ride until she behaves or lunge if getting too frustrated, then go for a plod (hopefully haha) round the well known route. I hate mares :D Far too opinionated. A gelding would have quit after the smacked bum.
 
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Get one of these to put on the D rings of your saddle. I got one when my mare was being difficult with the Alpacas and it really helped me to feel safer. I also always get off and lead past scary things if she's very worried and then re-mount. As I said, I have to hack on my own and my number one thing is that both of us will get back safely, so I do understand where your fear comes from. :)

Good luck.
 
She has a huge mane so i've been plaiting a chunk of that to hang on to which has worked well so far, so similar to having a starp on the saddle. I recently learnt there's no shame in hanging on to a bit of mane or the martingale strap for extra security after having it drilled into me for years that only wimps hold on :rolleyes:

LOL at the alpacas, another farm I volunteer at has them and they've turned several safe, steady RS beginner horses into quivering wrecks. They seem to find it funny too, keep pinging the wire as the horses go past them :p

Thanks a lot guys :D
 
To the OP: If she has had all the usuals checked, i.e. teeth, back, tack etc and everything is fine then it could be a confidence issue, and I mean for her. One of the best pieces of advice i received recently was partly for me and partly for my horse.
For me the advice was very simply as follows; breath and put your bl**dy leg on (lol) – straight forward stuff but because he was a bit on his toes i wasn’t using my leg with any purpose but riding with my hands, the moment i put my leg on he really did calm down and started listening and of course i started breathing again, lol.
The advice i received for my horse was to work him in a small area in the school as if in a bubble, (with my leg on!), lots of reassuring pats and voice. Working in walk, trot and canter then slowly as his confidence builds and he is totally focussed on me open up the area i’m working in, until i can safely and confidently use the whole area.
This approach really has worked for me, it might not work for all but i hope it helps.

PS. I've been riding for many years and the advice I was given might sound very straight forward but it was a light switch moment for me, as in the past i've dealt with spooking by either ignoring it, riding strongly through it, confronting it, smack on the bum, all the usuals, but none of these were working on my new horse, but the confidence, bubble riding, leg on reassurance seems to be doing the trick.

Good luck.
 
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