Spookinesss getting worse - help!

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RunawaySally

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My mare is worse than ever! Is it the grass? I can't even get her up the drive without violent spooking at things that have been there all the time, nothing has changed except her behaviour. She will spook at a pile of bricks in the bushes but then will want to eat the grass around them, so is she really that scared? My confidence is waning fast - anyone got any tips?
 
It may well be that your lack of confidence is trickling through to your mare. Mare's especially are sensitive creatures, if she feels you are tensing up, she is more likely to get worried because she does not have confidence in you, and you are supposed to be in charge.

My Dad's horse use to spook with him, but not me. He used to grab hold of her at the slightest problem, whereas although I kept a contact, it was relaxed and actually a slightly loose rein if anything. I believe it made the mare think - "well if she's not worried, neither am I".
 
It could be a number of things, so it's difficult to say, but as a general comment:

- have you tried less food, more turn out and more work?
- have you had her teeth and back/saddle checked recently in case she is in pain?
- do you have an instructor? It might be worth getting your instructor to come with you on a hack and help you with riding tips.
- is she young, in a new place or in a new partnership with you? She might benefit from hacking with a sensible horse for a while to get her confidence up.
- some horse benefit from magnesium supplements, so this might also be worth a try.

Good luck
 
It might also help both of you if you relax a bit, don't expect it to happen, keep a slightly longer rein, leg on and carry on as normal (eg. don't grab reins and panic) when she does spook. As others have said, if you're getting tense, that's not going to help her relax. Of course, you might already be doing this :)
 
Hi, I have a stressy mare and I can suggest some pointers that may help.

1 Reduce all hard feed, feed low energy feed if absolutely necessary. I've started my mare on pink powder just to keep her digestive system tickety boo and its appears to have relaxed her somewhat.

2 When she spooks at something, whether in hand or ridden, get her to go up to it, stare, sniff and make her wait until to the point of boredom.

3 Keep a diary of when she comes into season and see if their is a pattern emerging regarding her behaviour and to see if the two may be related.

4 Ride with a neck strap and keep a hold. Keep a nice contact and legs close to the side. Try to keep her listening to you and not staring left, right and centre for something to spook at.

5 To begin with, ride a regular route over and over - boring for you and eventually boring for her. She needs to get confident and needs you to be a confident leader. Ride with determination and tenacity, try to think "this will be a good ride and I will be chuffed to pieces at the end of it." :D
 
I have had teeth, back, saddle checked, I have cut out all hard feed except a handful of good doer in which she has her calmer. The problem is when I make her walk out in front or on her own, in hand or under saddle. I rode out with a freind of mine today and let my mare fall in behind him and she was a different horse, so much more relaxed and a joy to take out! We met lorries, quad bikes and a bus and she was fine. I was ten times more relaxed and actually enjoyed myself. Thanks for the help.
 
Oh I see!

Well, I think it then depends on what works well for you and your horse. Depending on what feels right you could:
- keep her in company and have a good time! If and when you feel relaxed try her in front for short periods, if that works well try her alone on short, familiar hacks.
- bite the bullet and decide to work through this now. Keep taking her out in front/on her own, ride her more assertively, maybe use spurs or a whip and make sure she moves when you say so.
- bite the bullet as above but with a different approach, get off every time she is worried, talk to her, sing to her, and go softly-softly rather than above. Different horses respond to different approaches.
 
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