Spookbusting a nervous lad

[ReggiePerrin]

I've had my lad since October last year, and while somedays I think we're going backwards, in reality we are probably making progress. He's rising 7 ISH cross and came over from Ireland in September and is very green.

He's a very sensitive chap and I'd like to help him try and be more brave as it must be horrible to be so anxious. He's totally chilled out in his field but sometimes gets worried when he comes in and gets anxious when he's hacking out on his own. I try and take things slowly with him and never rush him with new things. If he's with company he can be quite brave and will happily hack at the front and will give a lead.

I'd like to do some spookbusting with him to see if I can help him realise that not everything new is totally terrifying. I was wondering how you all start? In the stable or in a school? What sort of things do you get up to?

Whilst he's normally a total lamb to lead and will stop and back up with body language, he has taken off with me in the field a couple of times when I've been asking him to do something he was frightened of.

I've done the usual, changed his feed to low sugar/starch & high fibre and put him on a calmer. I've got a Richard Maxwell halter and line but we haven't had a chance to try it out yet.

Any suggestions on how you got started and/or made your horse less of a wimp!

Just a shame he hasn't read the book that says ISH are supposed to be brave!

 

[siennamum]

We have one at the moment who is terrified of his own shadow and in particular of being patted, which is horrendous as you instinctively go to pat him and he nearly falls over in horror!!

Apart from desensitising them with ropes, whips, bags etc. I find the most important things are not to be too cautious around them. They need handlers who are calm and quiet but not overly quiet, so our youngster gets lots of pats and we are quite normal and 'big' around him, no creeping around.

The other thing is to bite the bullet and get out and about. A show will make a young horse grow up an unbelievable amount. Even if it's just to stand and take things in, they get vastly more brave about day to day stuff once they have been out and seen a bit of the world, expecially if they have had to be brave about something, it really grows their self confidence.