spooky competition horse, will she get over it?

tildensconnection

tildensconnection

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I've found the most gorgeous horse to loan for competing but she's so spooky and very grumpy!
Her owner said she never used to be grumpy but since she's moved to her livery she's become very bitey and mareish. She's also extremely spooky schooling; she won't just spook at something and then get over it.. she will spook at the same thing every time, even though the thing she is spooking at has been there ever since she came to the yard!!!

She hasn't done very much at all and is on full livery with her owner not visiting very much due to an injury. Could this be the reason she has become so grumpy and is lack of exercise the reason she is now spooky?

I would love to event her as she is perfect for the sport in every way but I have some busy roads at my yard and I want to know she will get over her spookiness before I take her on.

Any suggestions?
 
I would be very wary about taking something on with an injury, what is the injury exactly? But yes lack of exercise could certainly be playing a part in her spooking if she is feeling fresh and bored. Why do you think she will be perfect for eventing? Has she got a competition record? Have you ridden her much? How do you get on with her?
 
Oh sorry, her owner has the injury, not the horse!

Her sire is Catherston Liberator, advanced event horse and I know she has competed up to 3'3 unaf sj. I haven't ridden her much but am planning to after exams to see if her spooking eases up. I found when she relaxed she was perfect, really listening and responsive and I felt like we really connected but other times she will get really wound up over nothing!

I just don't know whether it's just her or whether it will stop with work
 
Oh right, lol! Ok then in that case, is there anyway you can keep her at the current yard and loan her from there for a month and see how you go? Would def get back, teeth, saddle checked to rule out anything underlying that could be causing pain, making her grumpy/spooky
 
Yes I will get her owner to get that all checked out, she's awful doing her girth as well which might be sign that she's in pain...

And I have been riding from their stables but it is quite far from me so I wouldn't be able to full loan from there.

thanks for your help! been really useful :-)
 
How long has she been in the new livery? Did that involve a change of yards?

Some mares take a while to settle in a new environment - if her field companions have changed, then she may well be more spooky because she is having to look out for herself a lot more. My friend's horse was the dominant one in his big, open field and spent every hack looking for danger, as that was his job in the field. She then moved him to a different yard, more settled field with fewer horses etc, he became quieter to hack as he was more relaxed.

If she is talented (certainly is well-bred) then she must be worth a go. She might be less spooky once she gains confidence in you as a rider - if her workload hasn't been very consistent, then she has perhaps got into a habit of testing the rider. Get a few lessons with a good instructor and see what they think.
 
Hi, I have a 5 year old KWPN mare who sounds very similar to this one.

I moved her to a livery yard as a 3 year old and she spooks in the school, at the same jump wings in the corner, every single schooling session, and not only once...every bloody time we go past it. Its soooooo frustrating.

She is now with a friend as I am pregnant and she is the same with a few things there. Friend has now put her on Relax Me, she has been on it 10 days and friend said she is a LOT more chilled and the spooking has alomst stopped.:D
 
I would ask to take her on loan for two months, you can try her without being under pressure and she will get fitter too, pop her on a herbal mix, ask for advise from the company that makes the herbs. They take ten days to kick in, but she could be started before you get her.
Grumpy .. is she preggers possibly? to do up the girth, do not tighten it in one go, move from one side to the other and put it up one inch at a time. sometime people who have maybe had an saddle slipping accident over-tighten the girth, this can cause a reaction such as you describe.
Spooky, if you can't cope on the roads and you need to use them , look at a different yard for her.
There is a technique for spooky horses, Richard Maxwell has developed, essentially you leg yield, keeping the head away from the object and pushing the body towards it.
 
MrsD123 said:
There is a technique for spooky horses, Richard Maxwell has developed, essentially you leg yield, keeping the head away from the object and pushing the body towards it.
Click to expand...

Im sorry but This was "invented by Maxwell"???? I've always done this, isn't it just common sense?
 
My horse is exactly the same and has been since I moved him to his current yard 7 yrs ago. You might think why are you still there, well I never thought it could be the yard and it may well not be as he was 4 and just backed when I got him. He seemed fine for about a year, we moved yards, he found his feet, grew, filled out and became him :). Maybe this is just him or maybe its the yard. Hes happy in every other way and the yard is by far the best in the area so Im loathed to leave but theres a possibility I may have to move him in the future, so I will find out then.
I recently read something interesting about his Sire, in that he throws competiton horses that need a job and basically take the mickey if they arent constantly stimulated, worked hard and you need to be one step ahead all the time. This may also be my downfall. It drives me mad when he spooks constantly at the same thing, week in, week out, despite riding shoulder in to pass etc etc etc.
 
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