Spooking on hacks

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cob1

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Was on a hack yesterday morning, the ned was exceptionally well behaved bless him apart from a branch in the road been blown by the wind. He got hit on the bum with said branch, threw his hinquarters into the road and cantered on the spot. Obviously he got a fright, but someone said to tell him off for this immediately as it just isnt acceptable.

What do you all think? I know throwing himself into the middle of the road isnt safe at all (i did keep my right rein and right leg), but i cant really tell him off for actually spooking?
 
I certainly wouldn't have told him off either! Good decision on your part Cob1. Some people just do not understand horses do they?
 
He's frightened not naughty! If he's frightened of something and gets punished for reacting, he's only going to be more frightened in future. Swinging his quarters and cantering on the spot is nothing really, I'd give him a pat for not legging it and reassure him everything's ok.
 
No, I wouldn't have told him off either. If you did, he might start to associate getting a fright with getting hit, and become more frightened as a result. Besides, a public road is no place for a schooling session.
 
Thanks everyone, i could totally understand telling him off if he was just being 'naughty', everyone says i look for excuses for him, but he is only a baby. A can handle his spooks (which arnt that often). I suppose as annagain said, he could have legged it (and he is a big lad so easily could be done!).

I cant complain, he is exceptional with traffic (buses, lorries etc.), and even after he spooks tends to settle straight away.
 
I've never understood why people smack their horses for spooking either.
If they're genuinely scared, reassurance and confidence is a much better way to do it.
If you smack a horse in that situation surely it could backfire and he would associate spooky things with a negative reaction from you.
Also if he's already wound up i think smacking him will just wind him up more making him spook more on the hack.
 
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