people nervous youngster...but brave and not spooky

[tangosmum]

My youngster is proving to be incredibly nervous of people. His confidence builds over several days and then if he has a day or two of just being out in the field I am completely back to square one.

He moves away from any sudden movement, sinks down if anything resembling tack goes anywhere near him. If a new face comes to say hello he backs right up away from them.

On the other hand he is completely non-spooky, he will walk over tarps without a second look. Walk between narrow coloured fillers, over poles, round mini obstacle courses, all without hesitation...but is really people nervous.

Please give tips on how to overcome this. I am already panicking about turning him away in the autumn and feeling like if I do he will be back at square one again.

 

[Cedars]

How odd! No advice sorry, but fingers crossed it sorts for you xxxx

 

[galaxy]

My mare was like that and took AGES to break in.

I would suggest NOT turning him away. My mare cut her leg and had to have a month off and she didn't quite got back to square one, but not far off it! It took a week to get back on her, although once we were back on she was back to normal.

I'd keep going with him, even if it's just a couple of times a week.

 

[Maesfen]

I think in your case, although I'm a great believer in turning youngsters away for a while as a rule, I would carry on gently with him until he is more relaxed about things (people) and then perhaps give him an easy few months as a reward.
You don't say how old or what type he is, whether he is kept on a big yard or on his own which would help but either way, I would be for introducing him to as many different people (and places later too) as possible, perhaps after you've worked him so he is more relaxed. Just ask them to come up to his box while you are brushing him over, don't make a fuss and you carry on what you're doing so he gets to think it's normal and starts relaxing, even if you walk around anywhere with him talking to everyone as you go, dog walkers, mothers with children, the postman, just everyone you can find (but in short doses at first, you can always build it up later; the more you can do that in a relaxed manner, the quicker he should start accepting people. Don't get them to come in and crowd him, that would frighten him and be unfair, just go very slowly and don't make a big thing out of it, just act normally, he should follow your cue.