Spooking horses, you're nervous so you sing Nursery Rhymes.....

[Devonshire dumpling]

Just been thinking about the winds and of course horses get spooky because they can't hear for dangers!

Well it's often recommended on here when your horse is uptight and you are feeling uptight to sing out loud to relax yourself, doesn't this restrict your horses concentration for danger noise and wind it up?

Do I think too much?? haha

 

[iconique]

I had an instructor in portugal who used to whistle to them - low tone not high pitched, very hard to do unless relaxed!

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

I will sometimes whistle, hum or sing. But I have found I have got my confidence back this year and this in turn has restored my mares confidence in me so it seems. I laugh off her spooking and stay relaxed because if I get uptight then it can spiral.
There are however those rare occasions where she will not chill and I have to hold on tight! And just focus on getting home!

Maybe you are thinking too much, but that is rich coming from me as I do it too

 

[bluestar]

I'm trying to regain my confidence atm, so i might try this!

 

[Devonshire dumpling]

I'm trying to regain my confidence atm, so i might try this!

If you're not driving a good tot of something will make you chilled too!

 

[emze-wemze]

i sing to my mare whenever shes feeling spooky/silly. Im not nervous it just calms her down as shes listening to me!! works a treat

 

[jesterfaerie]

I sing to relax myself, thankfully my horse is very forgiving over my dreadful voice. It helps me to relax even if he isn't in a silly/spooky mood as I tend to hold my breath without realising it so singing gets me to breath correctly. It seems to keep him more chilled too.

 

[noblesteed]

Singing is good, I tend to talk rubbish instead though. I think it stops them focussing on scary noises. For example I talk a bit louder if there's a shoot going on nearby, works a treat, I think!

 

[**Vanner**]

Yep ~ I sing to mine all the time to make sure we have nice rhythm

Oranges and lemons for walk
twinkle twinkle little star for trot
pop goes the weasel for canter

my boy also loves this little piggy!

 

[Spotsrock]

Twinkle twinkle works with my boy. He zones out any faster than walk but seems to listen to me sing, poor sod, I can't carry a tune in a bucket, lol and stops jogging and dicking about.

 

[treacle_beastie]

I sing all the time to mine, the other day I was singing various oasis songs at the top of my voice until I went past someone in the garden who looked at me funny! I stopped then!

 

[jesterfaerie]

10 green bottles is my song of choice

 

[Pearlsasinger]

10 green bottles is my song of choice

PMSL
I was expecting the thread to be about 'what songs do you sing?'. I was just going to say, anything except 'Humpty Dumpty' or '10 Green Bottles' - no point in tempting fate!

 

[misterjinglejay]

I usually do - it helps me, and hopefully that in turn helps the horse, or not lol

 

[Holly Hocks]

A few weeks ago, I was out on my mare who was jogging towards home and generally just being fizzy. I started singing under my breath and eventually before I knew it, I had launched into a full rendition of "On my own" from Les Mis......and not quietly either. In the breaks between phrases I heard someone coughing behind me. It was a cyclist waiting to pass. I was mortified. I don't think she believed it when I said that I was doing it to try and calm myself and the horse down.....

 

[Jade&Syrah]

If im hacking on my own i sing anyway due to bordem.. if im in the school on my own i sing or speak a load of rubbish to the horses and if im with someone were always talking anyway. the horse is probably thinking I wish she'd shut up haha!