Spooky horse, eyes???

[Louby]

Has anyone had a spooky horse, more irrational horse and found out theres something wrong with its eyes?
My boy is irrational, hates certain woolly hats to the point wont come near you, spooks at bikes one minute and fine the next, doesnt bat an eye at 100's of runners but nearly kills them spooking at the yellow coated marshal. Stops dead in a dressage test because of a man stood at the far end of the arena, the list goes on. Fine with flapping bags, dogs, deer coming from no where, just stupid at 'normal' things. Today he tried to nap/spook at a man bent down with his dog, Im started to get fed up with it now. He doesnt scare me, I ride him forwards but he has no self preservation and would spook in to a ditch or anything. Ive not had his eyes tested but mentioned it to the vet and he reckoned his eyes were too good lol. He gets minimal feed, could prob do with a bit more work although is ridden about 5 time a week. I feel the fun is going out of riding him.
Thanks for getting this far.

 

[3Beasties]

You have just described my horse

He does exactly the same!!

 

[Louby]

Phew Im not alone.
It really gets to me though, finally managed to buy a wagon last year as the spooky one wont travel in a trailer!. First test was great, 2 2nds, qualified and thought wow what a great start. Things went downhill from there

. The more we went the worst he got, final straw was him freaking out at the judges bell!! After that I thought it wasnt worth the hassle so the box is stood there, Hes bored, Im bored and we are at loggerheads with each other. The sad thing is he is so talented. Ive had him 8 years and hes always been a bit of a div but I think hes getting worse.

 

[ladyt25]

Hmm, I don't know, how old is he? My horse spooks at numerous things but is not actually really scared of much at all- think he just likes the 'rush' of being scared! He spooks at parked car s even though he's 19 this year and I have had him since he was 4!!!

I just think some horses spook and some don't to be honest and it's a case of riding through it. My horse's eyes are fine although i did get the vet to check my pony's eyes as was suspicious he seemed to be spooking at random things he never had reacted to quite do much to before. Turns out he does have a cataract (small) in one eye but really not much wrong and he is 23.

I would have his eyes checked for peace of mind but you may just find this is part of his character!

 

[3Beasties]

Again you have just described my horse

I've had him for 6 years and he also seems to be getting worse!

I don't travel him unless I really have to as he's silly about it so it's only at home and out hacking that I have his silly behaviour.

Today he was snorting and spooking the whole way up the drive, the one he walks up most days!! In the school he'll spook at jumps that he has already trotted past 3 times, apparently on the 4th time the jumps will come to life and eat him though

Someone was walking in the field whilst I was schooling him earlier and he literally froze and was staring at the scary person for ages, was a good photo opportunity though

I think with Charlie he does get bored so I really need to start working him properly, lots of transitions, changes of rein etc.

I think I also have to except that he is just a bit 'special'

 

[Sparkles]

Does he ever mis-step too by any chance? Like, delayed footfall trip, like he's stepped down a step that's not there or anything lol?

If that even made sense?!?!?

 

[Louby]

Thanks, deep down I think it is him and nothing to do with his eyes, just hoping for some sort of excuse I think

. I descride him as quirky, hubby reckons hes dangerous. I probably been too soft from the start but hes never done anything wrong for me to be overly firm with him apart from the spooking of course

Hes 12 this year, I got him at nearly 4. He has an awful tongue habit (constantly drawing it back) which almost makes him mesmarised and I often wonder if hes so trance like that he sees things at the last minute and they make him spook. Ive tried all sorts of bits, nosebands etc but nothing stops him doing it.

 

[Louby]

Not too sure what you mean but he is clumbsy, he trips over stupid things but then he switches off when he does his 'tongue thing'. Freind says you can see his eyes change when he does it, like hes not here!

 

[Louby]

I know that look too

Jay often takes that stance over his stable door, looking over the field at ..... nothing

 

[DuckToller]

How is he kept ie is he out with several others? And is he high up in the herd hierarchy?

Both my horse and my friend's horse spook at all sorts of things, all the time. Both are the herd bosses, so to speak (not kept together). It's like they can never switch off, they are always on high alert, looking for the dangers lurking everywhere, and they are both getting worse as they get older.

But the interesting thing is my horse is much better if I hack with hers, because he knows her horse is on high alert so he can relax. Mine is worse if I hack with anyone from home, because he still feels he has to be on alert.

And she has recently moved fields, and her horse is less spooky now because he hasn't got a whole herd to protect and he is kept in a much smaller field with only one pony to guard.

Just a thought!

 

[Louby]

Hi, he is probably a bit better hacking alone which sounds daft but he seems more forward and awake

The herd thing could have something to do with it though as he is kept in the same field as other horses but seperated by electric tape so I suppose he is alone, god I hate saying that

. Without going into great detail he is alone cos hes a pain with the other horses, he wont leave them alone and palled up with one and they played so rough that he got a fractured leg. I hate him being alone and have toyed with the idea of a companion but no free stables and none likely to come up in the near future as a private yard.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Yep, I had the vet out to my last horse coz he was spooky, and yeah, guess wot, nothing wrong with his eyes! But it was good to check.