Spooky horse - how best to deal with it

[ester]

well I've been off on several occasions I know they can be snap quick. most recently whilst doing some schooling in the middle of his own field- I think some grass moved. It was, in defence of my balance exacerbated by a loose girth as he had a rub at the time. Also probably wouldn't be up for cantering round on a loose rein.

I think that with time he will gain confidence with you. Even as an older more experienced horse it took me 12 months to get Frank to actually settle in, he really changed after that time. Llewi hasn't been with you much longer than that and obviously has more nervous issues, more than can be attributed to his breed. I think that if you continue with him as you are and just find some endless patience with him and try not to get frustrated. I know I am guilty of frustration sometimes and it normally just makes us both worse though expect you are probably better at that than me. Never forget how far you have already got him. I think because we are always working on their problems we can tend to forget where they came from if that makes sense.

 

[beatrice]

I didn't do it in canter for a while. Just trotted around for 20 mins like i was trotting out hacking, with out a care in the world. Not even long and low, just asking nothing of her at all. I just needed a way to make the arena less stressful for Bea. She would come out of her box like a donkey and as soon as i walked past the yard mounting block i could see her visably tense as she then knew she was going into the school. By the time i got on in the arena it was like sitting on a plank of wood. I still do it now when she is fairly good most of the time.
My mares spins can be fairly impressive and come from no where. On one occassion she span and proceeded to leap to the other end of the arena (our arena is 60x40) for something stupidly pathetic.
I think i was always waiting for the spook whereas the loose rein thing also helps me chill out and relax which helps herto realise that it the jump stand that has moved is not actually going to eat her.

I will also say it took Bea a good year (of hell!) before she even started to settle with me

 

[punk]

OMG!!!!!! I do feel for you!!!!!!!! It is SOOOOOOOOOOOO frustrating!

AND the one thing you MUST NOT do, is lose your temper at any stage!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You must be FIRM, but give the horse confidence - not only while riding, but in the handling as well.

He thinks he has to worry about every little thing - you have to show him that YOU are taking on that responsibility, and that he CAN relax.

It takes time, but if you can stay calm when he is having a hissy fit, he will eventually learn to trust you!!!!!!!!

 

[SpruceRI]

Here's another chestnut section D with similar problems to all yours above.

My Rosie is now 16yrs old. I've had her for 14yrs, and broke her myself.

She has had similar issues to your lad. She was a very nervy little number.

It has taken years and YEARS to work through her issues.

She can still spook at the same thing over and over again, mainly if I ride her in her field or surrounding areas, and she's terribly spooky out hacking too.

I've tried riding/hacking her in draw reins, and while keeping her head down makes the spooks less violent, they don't stop the 0-60mph swerve!

I once rode back and forth 54 times past a round straw bale that was sitting next to a barbed wire fence. No amount of leg yielding her towards it, away from it, her head up, down, facing her up to it, or backing her past it, would stop the violent spooking. It was exasperating!!

She is a lot better in company and a lot lot better at a competiton.

But - she has always relaxed 99% if I coulld jump some SJ's. She was very nervous of XC in the early days, more so of fence judges and people on the course in general, but she's always found SJing relaxing.

She has had me off with her violent spooking on many many occasions, and I will admit to riding her for years with a very tight rein - never free walk on a long rein (except at a competition) unless I wanted to die!!!!!

The one thing that has made a huge difference, certainly for my nerves over all things spooky, has been to get off and lead her past.

I used to think that made me failure, but it hasn't really. For one thing it has stopped me dreading riding her.

She trusts me when I'm beside her.

And I now don't ride her at home if it's windy as that means certain death! I lunge her.

She was also terrified of being lunged - that took years to overcome too.

Also, there's certain sandschools that I don't bother hiring, because she's frightened in them. There's just no point.



I guess your Llewi has been 'tainted' for want of a better word, by the beatings from his previous owner.

Somehow you need to teach him that poles are fun.

Think I'd go down the route of playing games in hand using food and praise as a reward. Even if he's not all that food orientated. It will take a bit longer maybe.

Lots of over excited verbal aids from yourself as you lead him between poles, over poles, between jump wings, praising and treating as you go.

If you've got a quiet pony he can follow to start with, that may help?

You've got to undo every bad thing that has happened in his life, and start again. But he obviously trusts you as you wouldn't have got this far with him.