Spooking - give me some hope!

[Tillymay]

After falling off my horse for the 6th time again today due to a huge spook I am looking for some hope and stories of eventual stopping spooking!!!

Have had my horse for 18 months now and he has always been spooky, he was just turned 6 when I bought him and is 7.5 now. I have tried all sorts of different herbs and calmers and recently tried Vitamin E which seemed to work for a while but eventually he starts spooking again.

I don't feel nervous, I generally ignore all spooks, I generally sit the spooks but occasionally he gets me, and today he got me spooking at canter, jumped right into the heather from the middle of the path, along with the horse in front who also spooked.

Anyone's horse eventually grow out of it? !

 

[Birker2020]

After falling off my horse for the 6th time again today due to a huge spook I am looking for some hope and stories of eventual stopping spooking!!!

Have had my horse for 18 months now and he has always been spooky, he was just turned 6 when I bought him and is 7.5 now. I have tried all sorts of different herbs and calmers and recently tried Vitamin E which seemed to work for a while but eventually he starts spooking again.

I don't feel nervous, I generally ignore all spooks, I generally sit the spooks but occasionally he gets me, and today he got me spooking at canter, jumped right into the heather from the middle of the path, along with the horse in front who also spooked.

Anyone's horse eventually grow out of it? !

It can be a sign of pain so I would get the horse looked at by your vet/physio as a first point of call.
Mine was just incredibly spooky at times and I eventually found out he was being fed barley water in his feeds by the YO at the time. This after I had the vet out at great cost for a full MOT and he was found to be fine.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Mine was very very spooky! I moved yards and now … nothing! He will look at things and maybe get a wee fright but nothing like napping turning home, bronking , spinning and rearing etc . I think he is feeding off the other horses fear then, I will NEVER hack out with another spooky horse , I would just politely decline the offer, as past experiences led me to coming off thankfully on the beach when someone elses horse got itself into a tizzy them BB went worse.
I prefer hacking alone now, and I dont think I want the hassle of company while I ride BB, I feel when we are out together he listens to me. When we are out with others, he is competing to be in front but he doesnt like going to the scary stuff first… its just a nightmare.
All I would say is persevere, it will come good. Try hacking confidently on your own and see how he goes ?

 

[L&M]

Sadly, mine is still as spooky at 14 as he was as a 4 yr old - the only 2 injuries he had in his ridden career are due to his own spooking. The only difference now is that he gets over a spook quicker and I have learnt to sit tighter!!!!

But weirdly he will jump any filler, water tray, trappy xc fence without batting an eyelid, weird bugger......

 

[Slightlyconfused]

If its not any different i would maybe have the vet out for checks, eyes, lameness, back, talk about ulcers etc.

You can also look at getting an instructor who does ground work and spook busting.

 

[Nasicus]

Mine was very very spooky! I moved yards and now … nothing! He will look at things and maybe get a wee fright but nothing like napping turning home, bronking , spinning and rearing etc.

Same situation here. 13yo Mare was spooky as anything, tense, constantly jumping, spinning, refusing, reversing. Eyes, back, tummy all checked.
Moved yard (not by choice, land was sold) and my god she's like a entirely different horse. Relaxed, happily hacking along on the buckle, not bothered by anything! Like night and day!

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Have you had his eyes checked?

Sounds exactly like my YOs hunter. For years he was just deemed a spooky sod. He was exactly like you describe. Vet then found a big dark shadow in his left eye, meaning limited vision there.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Same situation here. 13yo Mare was spooky as anything, tense, constantly jumping, spinning, refusing, reversing. Eyes, back, tummy all checked.
Moved yard (not by choice, land was sold) and my god she's like a entirely different horse. Relaxed, happily hacking along on the buckle, not bothered by anything! Like night and day!

Me too! I very rarely gather my reins even in trot! I wish I had moved years ago now, hes so calm and happy.. not that he wasnt happy before but it’s different, first day hacking out at the new place and I was buzzing! I actually cried with relief, it’s disheartening when your a very confident rider but no matter what you do situations cant be controlled round about you. There is always people that have no horse etiquette and would tank up surprisingly behind and stuff. Just plain rude so like you, I am so glad I moved ?
BB does have a slight shadow on his right eye actually which was apparently a scratch initially but so far no issues with it

 

[cauda equina]

Try a gel out set saver
It won't stop the spooking but might help you to stick on

 

[Tillymay]

He was vetted twice, three months before I bought him and then again when I bought him and nothing wrong with eyesight them but worth double checking I suppose.

He has been treated for ulcers, has had vet out fairly regularly for different ailments and not much wrong. He has chiro every three months, saddler every 6 months (in fact had 2 last time as I wanted to double check it was a good fit) has just had a bridle fit check and a bit change, has just had his teeth done. Has been on the same yard since I bought him, gets lots of turnout. In fact lady I bought him off said his previous owner just didn't gel with him and he was a bit "looky", he had spooked whilst she was jumping him and as a teenager coming off a bombproof pony, it had put her off.

I think he just is a spooky horse! He is a anxious horse too, little things upset his equilibrium.

 

[Tillymay]

Try a gel out set saver
It won't stop the spooking but might help you to stick on

Got one! And I only wear sticky riding tights

 

[Barton Bounty]

Is there anyone else who can ride him out for you ? Just to give that a try?

 

[Fieldlife]

I'd recommend an oversize hunting breastplate, or R-Stor to help staying put what ever he does.

 

[oldie48]

The horse I currently ride is still spooky at 22 but when younger he was much worse, great in traffic, dealt with all the usual stuff without issue but would spook at a leaf that moved. It was always the small stuff that spooked him and it still is. He went advanced and was never spooky on a course because he had a job to do but he is an anxious horse and would drop weight in the competition season because he lost his appetite. He is a horse that you would never ride on the buckle, he takes confidence from his rider, needs his hand holding and likes a positive rider who does the thinking for him. He's basically nappy and in the wrong hands he would have become a nightmare. If this sounds like your horse, he will get better with positive riding but a neck strap, sticky breeches etc will help you stay on but schooling him to stay soft and in a contact is probably your best friend as is always having him in front of the leg. I hope this helps. Good luck.

 

[Tronk]

Try an acoustic ear bonnet. Made an enormous difference to my spooky boy.

 

[Nasicus]

I'd recommend an oversize hunting breastplate, or R-Stor to help staying put what ever he does.

I use this anchor strap myself, I was having terrible trouble finding an RS-Tor at the time:
Anchor Strap

 

[scats]

Millie used to be an absolute nightmare- she’d spin and run and I had to sit in the safety seat all the time and be ready for her.
I’d say the last 12 months, I’ve started to feel like I can take her anywhere and not worry about stupid spinning and bogging off. She still has a spook but they are on the spots jumps. I’ll ride on the buckle now and I trust her 99.9%.
I’ve had her 4 years. I hated hacking her for the first 2, started to enjoy it by year 3 and now she’s brilliant and I no longer worry about the pheasant or the ducks in the birket.

 

[Flamenco]

Is your horse more spooky at certain times of year or the same all year round? Mine was seasonal - when grass was growing fast so spring, autumn, after frosts, heavy rain etc.

Feeding magnesium oxide, brewers yeast, salt and probiotic made a massive difference and he rarely spooked. If he did spook it was a normal side step rather than explosive so no chance of falling off.

I also highly recommend the acavello gel out seat saver or /and sticky bum breeches. They saved me countless falls.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Is your horse more spooky at certain times of year or the same all year round? Mine was seasonal - when grass was growing fast so spring, autumn, after frosts, heavy rain etc.

Feeding magnesium oxide, brewers yeast, salt and probiotic made a massive difference and he rarely spooked. If he did spook it was a normal side step rather than explosive so no chance of falling off.

I also highly recommend the acavello gel out seat saver or /and sticky bum breeches. They saved me countless falls.

Thats funny you say that after the weather, because that ties in with mine too but folk thought i was bonkers saying it! Its the same with colic! Hes so sensitive I really need to be so careful!
the other day it was windy and I had just tacked up. He heard a noise , jumped … all 4s off the ground lol . Then next thing, I am just about mounted and he hears another noise and off we go! Hot hoofing it out the yard lol , not dangerous but he was like… sod this lets go ?

 

[L&M]

Is your horse more spooky at certain times of year or the same all year round? Mine was seasonal - when grass was growing fast so spring, autumn, after frosts, heavy rain etc.

Feeding magnesium oxide, brewers yeast, salt and probiotic made a massive difference and he rarely spooked. If he did spook it was a normal side step rather than explosive so no chance of falling off.

I also highly recommend the acavello gel out seat saver or /and sticky bum breeches. They saved me countless falls.

I tried magnesium with mine and sent him even more lary!!!! But he is definitely less spooky in the summer with a bellyful of grass and the sun on his back.

 

[RHM]

Is your horse more spooky at certain times of year or the same all year round? Mine was seasonal - when grass was growing fast so spring, autumn, after frosts, heavy rain etc.

Feeding magnesium oxide, brewers yeast, salt and probiotic made a massive difference and he rarely spooked. If he did spook it was a normal side step rather than explosive so no chance of falling off.

I also highly recommend the acavello gel out seat saver or /and sticky bum breeches. They saved me countless falls.

Mine is exactly the same. I feed mag ox low levels all year round and up the dose and grass flushing times and it’s like I have a different horse!

 

[Slightlyconfused]

I tried magnesium with mine and sent him even more lary!!!! But he is definitely less spooky in the summer with a bellyful of grass and the sun on his back.

Mag ox sends mine through the roof ?

 

[canteron]

Yep - my super spooky horse became the sensible schoolmistress!
If you see it is a lack of the horses confidence (some are naturally confident some aren’t) then you need to see how to build up the horses confidence. A million ways to do this but the trt method isn’t a bad place to start - or Warwick Schiller or a you tube search.
I ended up with a horse ? I could safely ride in all three paces in a school with just a halter (and I started with one I wouldn’t ride in the ‘spooky’ corner etc etc).

 

[Tillymay]

Yep - my super spooky horse became the sensible schoolmistress!
If you see it is a lack of the horses confidence (some are naturally confident some aren’t) then you need to see how to build up the horses confidence. A million ways to do this but the trt method isn’t a bad place to start - or Warwick Schiller or a you tube search.
I ended up with a horse ? I could safely ride in all three paces in a school with just a halter (and I started with one I wouldn’t ride in the ‘spooky’ corner etc etc).

I think this is something I am going to try although interestingly he is usually okay in the school unless there is something really obvious like the new tyre that has been put up against the gate.

 

[eahotson]

Have his eye sight checked.I had a very spooky horse, it turned out that he had an eye catacrt that needed an opthalmasope to see it.

 

[Ouch05]

Change yards. My OTTB was great at my first yard and we did loads together, I moved to the other side of the country with work and then he lost his best friend (my other horse) and he got pretty much un-rideable, we went from traveling everywhere having a ball to me not wanting to get on as he was so tense and spooky (he had every check) moved again with work 8 years later and wow I have my old boy back. We hack out on our own and I'm loving it and him again. Just such a shame he can't compete anymore or there would be no stopping us now.

 

[Loveponies]

I tried everything with mine over a 4 year period - groundwork, magnesium, hacking with steady non spooky types, calmers, leading inhand, blinkers, removed all hard feed, 24/7 Turnout (all tack and heath checks of course). Tried a dif calmer 5 months ago and so far a different horse. DIid nothing for first 6 weeks - supposed to work after 4 weeks and I was on the verge of thinking would not work but suddenly it seems to. Far more relaxed, just looks rather than spooking ( previously would spin and leg it over a squirrel ) and just far less tense. I am still sceptical but so far I think it is working. Not sure I can say the brand on here but Iif you PM me.

 

[Dave's Mam]

I tried everything with mine over a 4 year period - groundwork, magnesium, hacking with steady non spooky types, calmers, leading inhand, blinkers, removed all hard feed, 24/7 Turnout (all tack and heath checks of course). Tried a dif calmer 5 months ago and so far a different horse. DIid nothing for first 6 weeks - supposed to work after 4 weeks and I was on the verge of thinking would not work but suddenly it seems to. Far more relaxed, just looks rather than spooking ( previously would spin and leg it over a squirrel ) and just far less tense. I am still sceptical but so far I think it is working. Not sure I can say the brand on here but Iif you PM me.

Could you pm me please?

 

[Griffin]

I use this anchor strap myself, I was having terrible trouble finding an RS-Tor at the time:
Anchor Strap

I am not sure that they still make RS-Tor, which is a shame because they're so useful. Thank you for the link for the anchor strap, I will invest.

OP I would perhaps try lessons with a sympathetic instructor that go right back to basics if you have checked all the usual things. Sometimes it can be a confidence and balance issue for the horse and once they realise that being ridden isn't scary and they understand what you want, that helps with the anxiety. You just can't always know what they have experienced before you take then on and you may have to undo some of their learnt behaviour in a sympathetic way.

If you have tried everything, it may also be worth trying A2i Natural Horsemanship because they have been out to my yard to help a couple of horses with challenges and they have really made a difference. If they don't come out to your area, there may be someone more locally who could.

 

[Fieldlife]

I am not sure that they still make RS-Tor, which is a shame because they're so useful.

https://www.charliesproducts.co.uk/shop/bareback-pads/rs-tor/