Span round again

G

Gorgeous George

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I think George must be having a confidence crisis along with me
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went out for a hack today in the lovely sunshine, and went with a friend. Not far from the yard there was a really little yappy dog in a fenced garden and George froze and I though oh no not again and grabbed the neck strap (whilst still keeping a firm hold on the reins) but George still managed to spin round and start to b*gger off up the road (upsetting the other horse
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) now I'm pleased to say that I stayed on, stopped him and turned him round, and after some stroking and reassurance he walked past and actually led the other horse past
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So in some ways it was good that I dealt with it and the rest of the hack was fab (included some noisy traffic, trail bikes and more dogs), but what's with this spinning round business? Although I knew something had frightened him I still wasn't ready for him to spin.

What can I do to stop him, and if he does what is the best thing to do so he doesn't start to think it's a good thing to do?

Thanks
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It sounds like he may of picked up some worried vibes from you when you grabbed the neckstrap. He could of seen this as a cue to turn and run. I'm not saying don't grab the neckstrap but maybe just slip a finger under, put your legs on firmly and talk him forward. If you think he is going to spin, really kick him on.
Does he spin in the same direction each time? If so, hold the other rein firmly so he doesn't think he can turn.
 
Aww well done at least you worked through it
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I'd just re-assure Gorgeous George
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and keep asking him to walk on. Maybe have someones horse who's a bit more experianced in front to give him a lead if he is nervouse
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Jess
xxx
 
As soon as you feel him start to back off, take a good hold of the rein opposite to the way he spins, and really kick him forwards. Even back it up with the flick of a schooling whip.

This is one habit you really don't want them to learn, it often starts as a slight insedurity but once they realise they can do it they will keep resorting to it.
 
Hi,

One of my horses I have owned for 10yrs and can hack absolutely everywhere, on his own or in company, yesterday he did exactly the same thing, he spotted a black board that someone had left out by their drive with writing on it and so spun round and tried to tank off up the road! Unfortunately horses are unpredictable and things like this do happen, its how you handle it that prevents them using it as an evasion more regularly!!

you need to always have a contact on the rein, don't hack on the end of the buckle ( I was on my mobile!!) and when you see something that you think he may not like try NOT to gather up your reins or even think 'he wont like this' as he will pick up your negative vibes. Just put your legs on and ride him forward with a little authority and talk to him ( tend to trot my horses past) then when you have gone past give him some praise. Horses tend to whip round the same way each time, mine, to the left! if you know this then ride with a slightly stronger leg on the side he whips round when riding past the obstacle.
 
Firstly - well done for staying on, stopping him and giving the other horse a lead. You may find that George is feeling full of himself - does he have enough turn out, ad lib hay and non-heating food? Spring is definitely in the air
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Most horses always spin the same way, so keep your leg on and take a firm hold of the rein opposite to the direction he might spin. Ride him forward positively and calmly - if you get tense, he will think there is something to be tense about.
 
Re turning the opposite way to the spin; my horse used to do this as a youngster, being a more argumentative rider in those days I would fight to turn him the other way. He always span left, but as soon as I tried to turn him right he started rearing. So, a bit of lateral thinking needed, really didn't want a stand up fight on a road, so just continued the left spin until he was back facing the original way. Horse eventually realised it was a bit of wasted effort!!
 
You have had lots of good advice, so I just wanted to say Congratulations firstly for staying on, and also for dealing with what was obviously a frightening experience at the time.

Dont be too hard on yourself - you did well!
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My mare started doing this a little while ago, but I have managed to work through it now, so that there are only a couple of places that I have to really pay attention to.

Usually if I am getting to a "sticky" place, or feel her getting tensed up then I ride her really forwards, and bend her head away from the monsters (if I can). I found with my mare that I usually tried to keep her moving, if necessary trot on - maybe not ideal as she sometimes would shoot past the "monster", but I did find this preferable than spinning around and p***ing back down the road in the direction that we came from!
 
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Re turning the opposite way to the spin; my horse used to do this as a youngster, being a more argumentative rider in those days I would fight to turn him the other way. He always span left, ...

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Ha ha this sounds like deja vu! Took Cat round the block today with hubby on foot as we won't go alone just yet and if he did this once he tried it 20 times the little git and flattened the OH in the process
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I bet it's because we went the same route last week with another naughty youngster and she was a seriously bad influence on him. I just kept a hand on the neck strap, shortened the right rein and made full use of the left leg or vice versa and once he'd got halfway round he was fine and I made a big fuss of him.

I think the spinning is just a new evasion he's dreamt up and george sounds to be doing the same, just keep the neckstrap whatever anyone says!
 
Spinning away from something is a perfectly natural and common sense thing for a horse to do...in the wild it might save them from tigers! You need to be quicker than them and ready to read their reactions so you know that they have spotted something and are ready to react. This can be difficult if the horse has fast reactions! By taking the neckstrap - although safe for you - you may have dropped your contact slightly and G may have thought "opps, she isn't sure either!". All the advice here is correct, be ready, send him forwards, look ahead yourself not at monster and make sure he has plenty of work and little feed or he will see more monsters! Each successful pass by a problem correctly is a positive lesson to him on how to do it. Also how about building some Trec type obstacles in your arena - tarpaulin to walk over, strong pallet to step on and along like a bridge, poles to rein back in...practising these will give G experience of doing what you ask even if scarey! Good luck.
 
Horses lose confidence, just like riders do. They can become nappy or prone to spin / running if they lack confidence in their rider.

You two had a scare a while back and you've said yourself you've struggled with your confidence since. Pretty sure it comes from that.
 
You have to be the leader, when you feel nervous george is picking this up and taking control of the situation himself as he isnt trusting you enough, you must keep a good contact on the reins be positive and kick him on, before he has chance to whip round otherwise you are unfortunately teaching him bad habits, good luck and be strong!
 
Well done for staying on
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My mare hates little yappy dogs too
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We met one last week ad she went past it but we had to give it a huge wide berth and her eyes were on stalks the whole way
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Well done for staying on first of all!

My one has "tractorphobia" but we're getting there slowly, although my heart still sinks when I see/hear one approaching. Personally I find talking to them works miracles frankly, lots of "silly billy, what's all the fuss about" in the most soothing voice you can find (despite how you're feeling inside). It WILL get better, and the more times it happens and you "survive", the braver you will feel, which will have a tremendous effect on him
 
Really feel for you as my horse does this but spins to the right which means on the road it's into traffic. He did a massive one last week and it came from nowhere.

Sadly he got his leg broken by a kick in field on Thursday so will be a while before he can do it again. He did it first last year when I was hacking alone and actually spun me off I landed on my feet, it was on the road and thankfully the driver coming the other way was going slowly and stopped, I turned round and bowed at him!! the guy just sat in his car with his jaw almost on the floor!

Anyway agree with all the advice already posted, and could be that you have lost a bit of confidence due to your accident. I find thinking positively about relaxing really helps it's amazing how you find that when you really think about your body you will find that you are, subconsciously, tensing up, maybe through your legs or bum or back or hands, but think of each part of your body as you ride along, think if it's tense, then make a real effort to relax. Like me you may have to do this a few times then forget it for 10 mins then think about it again, you will be tense again I can guarantee it! so do the relaxing thing again, hope all that makes sense!

Also as my horse spins to the right if I think he is going to have a problem passing something, and I now always ride out with someone (well I did), I make sure they are on the side he will spin to so he has a block in the way! Hope that is of some help!! and well done for staying on!!
 
I had a very nappy horse, who would spin for the sake of it. We cured her when she did it in the field, by forcing her round and round, with her nose by my boot (she did bite my foot once!) It was dangerous on the road, so couldn't work on it too well there. In the field it worked well and she stopped doing it on the road too as it was no longer fun!
 
Yep I agree with everyone else, well done for staying on, but G might have taken the grabbing the neck strap as an indecision on your part, don't worry too much and try to 'think ahead' a little to prevent him getting the march on you.
He will get over it as you will grow in confidence.
 
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