Spooky horse on hacks

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tillytime

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Hi All,

Hoping someone can help, I'm at the end of my tether! I'm really struggling with my horse, when out hacking he can be fine for ages, then suddenly spooks at something. Starts going backwards and turning, if i try to circle him he won't go and just pushes sideways until he is in the hedgerow, and then still tries to go further into it. The more I try to pull him out the worse he is? I've been cut up so many times by brambles. It seems once he has spooked once, he becomes anxious and jumps at everything, making the rest of the ride really difficult.

Even being with others doesn't help.

There is often nothing obvious which could have spooked him, and I've tried distraction, being prepared and pushing on when I feel the tension but he still spooks. :(

What can I do to move him past whatever spooked him?
 
My horse does a very similar thing when he's in a particularly bad mood and i know how you feel. I just make him stand still for ages, i just sit very quietly and ignore anything he does then he eventually gets fed up of standing around and goes on again. It also really helps if you can keep yourself completely calm and don't react to his spooks although i know that can be very difficult. Another method would be to reverse him past the problem as they tend to have got themselves in such a state that they don't actually notice what you're doing till they're past. Obviously be careful of where you are and what is around you. Will he not fowwlow on if another horse goes in front?
 
It sounds like you need to do less! When he spooks give him a reassuring pat stay calm and wait for him to relax before asking for just one step forward.

Rather than kick with both legs simultaneously open the inside rein and using the opposite leg to bump start some movement. Once you have some movement reward with a big pat. You can then follow the natural swing of the horses head and neck, as you use your right leg swing your left hand away from thre neck. keep this going left to right like a pendulum of a clock so you both stay calm and relaxed. Good luck
 
Thanks, I've not tried the side to side with opposite leg / rein. Will give it a go.

How long do you sit there patiently waiting for them to compose themself? I've heard people do it for hours ... they must have much more time on their hands then I do. I've found even ignoring him, he just pushes me into the bushes.
He will follow the other horses, but once one spooks the all seem to follow suit and its a really dangerous battle until one calms down and walks on! Its so frustrating and upsetting. I'm worried he''ll hurt himself, me or someone else. He doesn't care about backing into the others and forcing them off the road either.
Is it just too dangerous to take him on hacks?:(
 
I certainly wouldn't be waiting for hours!! it's usually a few minutes. I actually stopped the problem altogether by not hacking for 2 months, only schooling and now my horse doesn't mind the odd hack as a change but he just doesn't particularly enjoy hacking so i try to do as little as possible with him.
 
Try getting one step at a time in the school and swing along to improve your horses stride lenght. Once you have got the hang of it you can refine the movement so that it is very subtle. You can build you the walk to become trot and the same for canter. When you can do this at home you will feel more confident on a hack so you know you can 'bump start' him.

You should start to do this as soon as you can once he has spooked or stopped so you keep in his head so he does not make any decisions if there are none coming from you. So don't just sit there help him make the right choice. Find a good horse to hack with or go on your own until you get this sorted then the rest will want to hack with you as you will be the best.
 
Have you had him very long?

My girl has become less spooky the more we have got to know each other. She has more confidence in me now and trusts me more. But it was not an overnight change. I've had her 11 months now and we can go mostly anywhere, but in the first month she would question some of my decisions - big time.
 
Had him about 6 months - he used to be absolutely fine. Don't know whats made him change. All usual checks have found nothing to be concerned with. I think it has to be a confidence / relationship thing between us.
 
HollyB66 said:
Have you had him very long?

My girl has become less spooky the more we have got to know each other. She has more confidence in me now and trusts me more. But it was not an overnight change. I've had her 11 months now and we can go mostly anywhere, but in the first month she would question some of my decisions - big time.
Click to expand...

Very true of my girl too. She wouldnt go off the yard when I first had her, now we go all over on our own. If shes worried about anything we stop, she snorts and I pat her and talk to her. Then on we go a little tentatively(sp) and she seems to be really pleased with herself when I praise her for doing so, walks on and with confidence. I use spurs and find they help, having said that I barely touch her sides now when we are out. They are just there as back up more than anything. It does take time to build up the partnership and as said above, doesnt happen overnight.
 
I used to have a horse that did a similar thing but more of a napping behaviour rather than spooking. He would just stop and run sideways whenever I tried to make him go forwards. A couple of times in very silly places like at the top of a steep bank. I found the solution was instead of trying to turn him away from it turn him towards it. So if he going sideways into bush turn his head into it. Mine suddenly realised that the thought of going head first down a steep hill or into a tree wasn't quite as much fun as me squealing on top as i got dragged through trees. I also found that turning him round and making him go backwards worked a treat. After a while he just gave up and didn't bother again :-) Good luck.
 
Look at his diet too.

I have seen huge temprerament changes when all cereals have been taken out of the diet, and the correct minerals added. No bag mixes and so on.

Also consider any low level pain

- my TBxID had low level caudal hoof pain and he was similarly spooky. He's barefoot now, and his heels have improved beyond recognition - but so also has his temperament - he's very laid back where previously he would have a major paddy over a starling!
 
If he wasn't awefully spooky previously, have you tried checking his eyes? My friend had a problem like this, her horse started spooking at everything (even in the field) turns out 'her spook gland' ( as she called it - ha!) Was working overtime as she couldnt see 100% out of her onside eye :) Cured with eyedrops though. x
Just a thought if the schooling doesnt work :)
 
I used to ride a horse who was very spooky. What worked for me to prevent the spooks happening in the first place was to ride him into a contact all the time while out -schooling on a hack! His attention was much more on me and it cut out pretty much all of the spooking. He actually seemed much happier that way because he wasn't looking around for things to be scared of!
Good luck!
 
Sounds like a napper to me - rather than something that is spooking.

Sit it out - it always works (and yes, you may well be there for a long time). But the bigger the issue you make of it, the worse it will become.
 
Got one of those! Although the longer we're together the better she has become. She was quite a proficient napper as well but after some lessons bit of a shock at my age I can tell you, she is much better, she is also better with other horses she just seems to lack confidence.
 
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