spooking horse

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Walder

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ive had section d pony since july - she hadn't been ridden for years - now got her fit but almost overnight has got spooky - running backwards, spinning and jumping - thought they maybe played up after a few weeks to test you out - but never heard of such dramatic change after months - had saddle,teeth back and tack checked - still a darling to handle on ground - any thoughts
 
Have you increased feed as she has got fitter? I would knock all feed on the head to make sure that is not a cause. I would say she sounds fresh and well and that she is trying it on. Have you got new grass coming through?
Everytime she spooks or tries it on I would turn tiny tight circles which are really hard work till she gives in and moves on. If she does something again turn circles. She will soon cotton on that bad behaviour is hard work.
 
Overnight change sounds odd. How long has it been going on for?

Have you had saddle / back / teeth checked since the problem started or just since you have owned her?

Could it be related to her seasons (spring seasons often seem to cause more upset than summer seasons)?
 
mmmm, can I ask what you're feeding her/what turnout she gets etc? How often is she ridden now?

My boy changed overnight too - upped his work and cut down his feed and he's back to normal.
 
Eyesight? There's been a few posts about that recently
frown.gif
 
only on handfull hi fi lite and coffee mug of baileys low cal balencer twice a day - 6-8 hours turn out in huge field with others every day ridden(hacked schooled lunged or taken on pleasure rides 6 days a week) so not bored also had her on ex stress calmer (very expensive for 3 weeks now) have just started turning her in circles and yelling kicking and jabbing - started making a bit of a difference she now thinks im in charge!!! but just wondered if anyone else had had this expreience after 7 months of ownership
 
Personally I'd try her on just 1/2 nuts and a scoop of chaff - I've known hi fi lite fizz up horses (go on flame away)!

Sometimes they start to feel good and get a bit cocky - Ty switched after about 4 months.....
 
I had to take him right back to basics and be firm but fair with him.

Did alot of lunging and double line lunging with him. For Ty it was a case of him gaining confidence in me again as I had lost alot. We kind of did join up but on the lunge and it's worked wonders.

I was also nervous in the saddle a bit after a few incidents but now feel alot happier - for me I had to just ride through it.

I also cut out his conditioning cubes (or fire cubes) and put him back on pony nuts and chaff.

He was also not being worked enough aswell so that wasn't helping.

He's more or less back to his old self but will never be dopey in the winter ever! Summer seems to chill him out a hell of a lot so I have to take that into account with him now.
 
just to add, you could just tell that he felt happier in his surroundings and was just full of beans which in turn made him bolshier.....went from being able to shoe him to needing to sedate him.

I did wonder what the hell I'd done to him - I think mincing around him didn't help!
 
thats what i thought - id started letting her stand and look at the thing that was scaring her - like i did with my last pony - but that didnt work as she would run backwards or stand for a few seconds then spin and gallop off which was really scary! only had her in a rubber snaffle too and as she is as strong as on ox and sets her neck that didnt help! got her in a rubber pelham with roundings which has helped with control. so i now am trying being relly tough which goes against the grain with me but seems to be working i hate smacking her (only done it once on sunday but it worked she was very surprised by the small circles it took her mind off the scary things!!!
 
Same as that - I'm too soft and realised that I was slowly ruining my horse by behaving like that.

I don't pussy foot around now and he gets a slap on the arse if he messes about and I'm on board - luckily he doesn't rebel against it or I think it would be another story!
 
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