I Need Help

[Dogbetty141]

Hi Im new to this forum and may be a bit slow sorry. I need some advice please. My 16.1h Thoroughbreed is very spooky. He is very good to school in the menage and is nearly 100% on the roads not daft just has looks at a few things. As soon as i take him onto the bridles he thinks monsters are going to get him. He doesnt buck or rear just very quick at turning on the spot and landing himself in danger. H nearly fell in the canal once. I have rode him out both in company and on his own. I need advice on how to try and resolve this situation. Or is it something i am going to have deal with?

Liz

 

[Kelly1982]

He sounds like he is not very confident.

Is he better out in company or just the same?

Does it make you nervous and therefore he is picking up on it.

I think the best thing you can do is just to stay calm and talk to him and try to ride him throught it by taking him out for short hacks and then gradually get longer.

Someone on here may have better advise than that but thats what i would do.

 

[katiejaye]

do you get nervous too? If so he could be feeding off your insecurities?

Have you tried calmers? This may help to take the edge off slightly?

 

[Dogbetty141]

He seems a bit better when he is with company but it probably doesnt help that he does make me nervous it hard not to when he is jumping around like a spring chicken.

What

worries me the most is that he may hurt himself doing this which is why I do not take down the bridles very much as it is a hassle more than a pleasure.

It doesnt help as well that most of the time I end up getting annoyed with him too.

He tends to spook at stupid things like a leaf or a bird and is fine with a gritter that drove past him lots of times in winter. I feel sometimes he takes advantage of the situation.

 

[vicm2509]

You need to try and stay as calm and relaxed as possible. Keep talking to him (not just when he spooks) and give him a little pat of reasurrance now and again. Keep him going nice and forwards and praise him each time he goes past something he could have spooked at. When he does spook growl at him and back it up with a little smack, then talk to him and let him know its ok and pat him once he has gone past. He needs to learn that spooking is naughty but at the same time needs to know he can trust you not to put him in any danger. If you talk to him in a nice calm voice he will know you are relaxed, if you start to get wound up and angry he will sence you are tense then he will tense aswell.

 

[Dogbetty141]

Thanyou for the help I will try out all your suggestions and try taking him out a lot more with a sensible horse and let you know how he is.

thanks