onemoretime
Well-Known Member
Put him on the full dose of Global Herbs Super Calm. It worked wonders for my spooky mare.
ridiculous spooky horse.. help...
- Thread starter charlie76
- Start date
Put him on the full dose of Global Herbs Super Calm. It worked wonders for my spooky mare.
SpruceRI
Well-Known Member
Very interesting the comments on here.
I have a stupidly spooky orange pony too, and she's scared me more times than I wish to remember, including having me off a lot too!
I've had her for 16yrs, broke her in, know all ridden history etc. She's always been easily alarmed. Twice she's jumped over the yard gate back into the field when something scared her!
She's much much better when ridden in company, and at a competition I can almost relax and trust her!
So, in hindsight I'd say Rosie'd have done better living on a commercial yard where she could've relaxed a little in the safety of others. Instead, she's always lived with between 1 and 3 others.
Also, I have to hack/ride alone as there's no one else around here that rides, so that hasn't helped at all.
Over the years what I've found is that if she's cold, she's a lot worse.
I never ever hack on the road when it's windy - means certain death!
Keeping her mind on the job helps: leg yielding, transitions, the odd turn a circle on the lane when it's quiet etc.
If I take my shetland out on the lead with us, she's a lot calmer = company!
When we school we try to ride in the MIDDLE of a field, as she's scared of 'what might be' in the hedge, on the track, by the trees etc!
There are certain sandschools that I just don't bother hiring, because I can only actually get her on a 10m circle by the gate, everywhere else is too scary - apparently, and she does does a spin and flees!!
I have taken to riding her in a Market Harborough now, which is in the same vein as draw reins but without my input only hers.
She used to just spook, but now she spooks and takes off. If I can keep her head downish, then she can't do it so easily and isn't so inclined to be violent.
I'd love to take her for some sessions with Jason Webb the Australian Horse trainer but I can't afford it.
I have a stupidly spooky orange pony too, and she's scared me more times than I wish to remember, including having me off a lot too!
I've had her for 16yrs, broke her in, know all ridden history etc. She's always been easily alarmed. Twice she's jumped over the yard gate back into the field when something scared her!
She's much much better when ridden in company, and at a competition I can almost relax and trust her!
So, in hindsight I'd say Rosie'd have done better living on a commercial yard where she could've relaxed a little in the safety of others. Instead, she's always lived with between 1 and 3 others.
Also, I have to hack/ride alone as there's no one else around here that rides, so that hasn't helped at all.
Over the years what I've found is that if she's cold, she's a lot worse.
I never ever hack on the road when it's windy - means certain death!
Keeping her mind on the job helps: leg yielding, transitions, the odd turn a circle on the lane when it's quiet etc.
If I take my shetland out on the lead with us, she's a lot calmer = company!
When we school we try to ride in the MIDDLE of a field, as she's scared of 'what might be' in the hedge, on the track, by the trees etc!
There are certain sandschools that I just don't bother hiring, because I can only actually get her on a 10m circle by the gate, everywhere else is too scary - apparently, and she does does a spin and flees!!
I have taken to riding her in a Market Harborough now, which is in the same vein as draw reins but without my input only hers.
She used to just spook, but now she spooks and takes off. If I can keep her head downish, then she can't do it so easily and isn't so inclined to be violent.
I'd love to take her for some sessions with Jason Webb the Australian Horse trainer but I can't afford it.
Saucisson
Well-Known Member
My horse is like this, especially if there's other horses watching him. He is actually worse in the school at the moment than he is outside hacking (but I do work outside more than in the school which might explain that).
For mine the only thing that seems to have an effect is hard work. He doesn't do it if he's been worked reasonably well every day (turn-out doesn't have the same effect). I think he's playing to a certain extent (kind of like when we go on fairground rides or watch horror movies to have the "thrill" of pooping your pants
)
I remember being out in the wood once and the forsesters who hadn't seen us exploded out a big tree root about 20 feet from us - he froze and didn't move, his heart was beating so hard I could feel it on my legs (mine was pretty much thudding too) that was genuine fear so I don't believe his silly spooks so much any more.
He certainly doesn't do it so much with OH either as he is.....er-hum.......rather less tolerant of silliness than I am
Basically, I just have to wear the begger out
I hope yours is manageable too, I get fed up of the kids at the stables yelling "yeee-haaaw" as he spins, sprints and bucks his way round the school with his head in the air after spying something fluttering in the breeze
Good luck
For mine the only thing that seems to have an effect is hard work. He doesn't do it if he's been worked reasonably well every day (turn-out doesn't have the same effect). I think he's playing to a certain extent (kind of like when we go on fairground rides or watch horror movies to have the "thrill" of pooping your pants
)I remember being out in the wood once and the forsesters who hadn't seen us exploded out a big tree root about 20 feet from us - he froze and didn't move, his heart was beating so hard I could feel it on my legs (mine was pretty much thudding too
) that was genuine fear so I don't believe his silly spooks so much any more.He certainly doesn't do it so much with OH either as he is.....er-hum.......rather less tolerant of silliness than I am
Basically, I just have to wear the begger out I hope yours is manageable too, I get fed up of the kids at the stables yelling "yeee-haaaw" as he spins, sprints and bucks his way round the school with his head in the air after spying something fluttering in the breeze
Good luck
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burtie
Well-Known Member
I have another spooky warmblood and in the end found a 2 phase approach worked. When he is in the school he works like mad, minimal warmup but even then it is all on a contact just not in the more collected outline. Transitions transitions transitions, lateral work, transitions in a pace, always in front of the leg and I ride with a deep seat. In fact the term 'ride it like you stole it' springs to mind. I expect 100% concentration for every stride we take in the school!
However you can't ride like that all the time or you'd burn them out, so we do 2-3 40-50 min session like this a week, try and jump once a week for which he isn't spooky! And hack out western style in a westren saddle. I'm lucky to have all off road riding so I ride with the reins in one hand and loose and the other hand holding the western horn so that when he does his sudden stops/spins I have something to hold onto. On the odd occasion he's done it when I'm not holding on I still stay on in the western when I'd have been on the floor in the english!
Strangely enough out hacking he is miles better and actually spooks much less, he is also better in the school but still prone to the odd launch sideways if I let my mind wander for a minute!
However you can't ride like that all the time or you'd burn them out, so we do 2-3 40-50 min session like this a week, try and jump once a week for which he isn't spooky! And hack out western style in a westren saddle. I'm lucky to have all off road riding so I ride with the reins in one hand and loose and the other hand holding the western horn so that when he does his sudden stops/spins I have something to hold onto. On the odd occasion he's done it when I'm not holding on I still stay on in the western when I'd have been on the floor in the english!
Strangely enough out hacking he is miles better and actually spooks much less, he is also better in the school but still prone to the odd launch sideways if I let my mind wander for a minute!
charlie76
Well-Known Member
Thank you so much for your input! So much to take away and try
.
Today the toad was perfect but it was day light and he had company.
I will work through your suggestions and feed back what does and doesn't work.
Thank you!
.
Today the toad was perfect but it was day light and he had company.
I will work through your suggestions and feed back what does and doesn't work.
Thank you!
Elsbells
Well-Known Member
Don't know if this has been suggested already as the thread has become rather huge!
Anyway, I'm by no means an expert but I do have a spooky and I find a sheepskin noseband cover, or shadow roll as the Irish call them makes a massive difference. My mare has to look over the top(nice big fat one) to see where she's going, so has to drop her nose. Plus, she can't see things on the floor as there's a dead sheep in the way! Result!
Anyway, I'm by no means an expert but I do have a spooky and I find a sheepskin noseband cover, or shadow roll as the Irish call them makes a massive difference. My mare has to look over the top(nice big fat one) to see where she's going, so has to drop her nose. Plus, she can't see things on the floor as there's a dead sheep in the way! Result!
Amaretto
Well-Known Member
I have developed a 'system' with my spooky youngster (who is quick with it!!) Now he understands it, it's his comfort bubble, and he knows if I employ the 'system', he has no reason to be scared.
If my horse is really taking offence to a certain area of the manege, I don't let him look at whatever it is (and I sometimes have to be uber quick to react, because I'm not always warned about the impending spook). I flex him away from the object (not always easy, I know!) and try to place him into should fore, really using the inside leg to push him into a firm outside rein held against his neck (but pushed forward enough to allow the inside bend). Even if he feels like he is going to bugger off, I insist that he goes forward, rather than backing off and worrying that the extra energy may result in a more impressive spook. Straighten him afterwards, ride him forwards and reward him with your voice. Be confident and insistent, so they take confidence from you. This requires practice and the rider developing a feel for it - it's easy to write it down, but not so much doing it. But in my horse's case, he quickly learnt what was required (after a few tantrums!!)
He still sometimes uses spooking as an evasion, so I have to keep his schooling sessions interesting, so that he's waiting for my next instruction and not thinking about pratting. I do millions of transitions between and within the paces, lots of changes of rein, counter canter, riding off the track so the horse is concentrating on where you are riding it and not relying on the manege wall/fencing, lateral work, changes of rein, spirals, squares etc. Really mix it up (although not necessarily all in one session!). Incidentally, this also makes him super hot off my leg, much straighter and on the aids - bonus!
I once read an article by a lady called Jane Savoie, who said that allowing the horse to look at the object and patting them is like rewarding them for being super vigilant, so the horse becomes trained at 'protecting' you and running away from monsters - therefore they do it more. If you can position their body using the aids described, so that they are not looking, you become their protector and they learn to trust you.
I learnt the 'system' from my friend who has very, very, VERY spooky Jazz gelding who was almost impossible to ride due to monster spooks and spins (even with people walking towards him). He's now BD National Prelim and Novice champion and a total pro. My horse is nowhere near that bad, but the theory has really worked for him.
Hope this helps.
If my horse is really taking offence to a certain area of the manege, I don't let him look at whatever it is (and I sometimes have to be uber quick to react, because I'm not always warned about the impending spook). I flex him away from the object (not always easy, I know!) and try to place him into should fore, really using the inside leg to push him into a firm outside rein held against his neck (but pushed forward enough to allow the inside bend). Even if he feels like he is going to bugger off, I insist that he goes forward, rather than backing off and worrying that the extra energy may result in a more impressive spook. Straighten him afterwards, ride him forwards and reward him with your voice. Be confident and insistent, so they take confidence from you. This requires practice and the rider developing a feel for it - it's easy to write it down, but not so much doing it. But in my horse's case, he quickly learnt what was required (after a few tantrums!!)
He still sometimes uses spooking as an evasion, so I have to keep his schooling sessions interesting, so that he's waiting for my next instruction and not thinking about pratting. I do millions of transitions between and within the paces, lots of changes of rein, counter canter, riding off the track so the horse is concentrating on where you are riding it and not relying on the manege wall/fencing, lateral work, changes of rein, spirals, squares etc. Really mix it up (although not necessarily all in one session!). Incidentally, this also makes him super hot off my leg, much straighter and on the aids - bonus!
I once read an article by a lady called Jane Savoie, who said that allowing the horse to look at the object and patting them is like rewarding them for being super vigilant, so the horse becomes trained at 'protecting' you and running away from monsters - therefore they do it more. If you can position their body using the aids described, so that they are not looking, you become their protector and they learn to trust you.
I learnt the 'system' from my friend who has very, very, VERY spooky Jazz gelding who was almost impossible to ride due to monster spooks and spins (even with people walking towards him). He's now BD National Prelim and Novice champion and a total pro. My horse is nowhere near that bad, but the theory has really worked for him.
Hope this helps.