Spooking- what do you do about it?

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Just as an example, a horse I had a few years back used to turn every spook into a volley of bucks, which was rather alarming. I had a saddler out to check his saddle, and it was much too narrow for him. The saddle was adjusted, and low and behold, the bucking miraculously stopped, literally from the first hack in the newly adjusted saddle.


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Same here! I had a brand new saddle and the points broke for absolutely no reason. This started the problems. I didnt realise at the time (stupid in hindsight not to have spotted it I know) and almost got to point of selling her as a broodmare. Had saddler out to check saddle as routine. Points broken! Couldnt believe it!! Was told it is a design fault with saddle!! So saddlle was changed to a WOW in which I havent had the same issues, we now get the spooks less and they are not followed up by the bucking bronco. But shes still capable of it if fresh. Heh... Shes a chestnut mare for goodness sake!!

Another interesting point was made to me was that if a horse is working correctly through the back it is much harder for them to spook. They are more likely to spook if they are hollow. Im not questioning this but would love to understand the theory behind it.
 
I think there are a few reasons - mainly due to the rider and who bought the horse up. A little side step or looking at something was never allowed with me, and I believe I ride with confidence which is a huge part - if you are nervous the horse picks up on it, and thinks well my rider is nervous that the tractor is going to eat her, so I should worry it will eat me too!

Forget_Me_Not - your posts are starting to make me cringe!!
 
QR- i do accept spooking at some things is always going to happen..but i cant stand sillyness.

when i first got my mare she wd use it as an excuse to test me out or mess around.
the more it was ignored the better it got..just riding her through it as opposed to reassuring or telling her off.
however now although she is much better i do find that if im getting her to concentrate rather than just mooching along then she is far less likely to spook.

one good example is from tosay i was ahcking along the side of a field next to a busy main road...if i let her have her head to much rather than working her into a contact and fiddling with her mouth then she wd spook everytime something came past....whereas when i was fiddling with her then she completely ignored it:0
 
my pony isnt spooky really but she can be alone, i kow is shes messing about and the difference between genuinely frightened (rears and spins)

i stop and let her have a look. then ask for one step forward at a time and lots of praise. if shes genuinely scared

if shes taken the wee then i sometimes get cross which doesnt hlep much and a tell her shes a pratt give her a boot and off we go normally

however we have a bit of an "issue" at the moment leaving the yard alone, she spooks like mad at the feed barn (to be fair there is a lot going on bags flapping people everywhere) i ALWAYS have to get off and lead her past, or if i friend is around the normally run over and lead us past. i cannot for the life of me ride her past it. she gets dangerous with her spinning and backing up nearly on top of tractors / cars etc. yet on the way home rides past no problem GRRR!!!!
 
Well my mare is pretty much bombproof now (unless there is a killer sparrow, rabbit, squirrel or deer around!!). On the occasions that she does spook then as far as I am concerned stopping and looking is fine, but spinning, or running backwards is unnecessary. If it is safe to do so, she is always made to go up to the subject of her spook. In doing this she knows next time that there is nothing to fear. I don't hit her for spooking, but do ride forward more positively, and growl at her if needed, all forward movement is rewarded.
 
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