Spooky riding under lights

little_critter

little_critter

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T is a laid back chap in the warm months, I generally spend my time trying to wake him up a bit.
But of course the clocks have changed and tonight was the first time this year schooling under lights.
I say schooling, what we actually did was try to walk circles without exploding. You know, those rides where you are a bit scared to put your leg on because you never know where you’ll end up.
I didn’t have to deal with this last year because he was injured and off work.
Any suggestions for things to try?
 
In hand work / ground work / masterson method - all acclimatizing to being under lights. Is he any better with another horse? I think does get better as winter goes on and get used to it.
 
Some good advice already - only going to add that for horses that are feeling like you can't put the leg on, I love lateral work as I often find it allows them to accept the leg again as well as engaging their brain.
 
Squeak said:
Some good advice already - only going to add that for horses that are feeling like you can't put the leg on, I love lateral work as I often find it allows them to accept the leg again as well as engaging their brain.
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That’s what we ended up doing. I felt I needed to give him something to focus on. It worked (on 3 out of 4 sides of our square at least!)
 
Agree with lots of ground work and lunging. My boy has been better since we moved yards and there is better lighting in that he doesn't now cross a dark spot in the middle, which he hated. He was better if someone was stood in the arena with him. If you ever have company on the yard when you are acclimatising it might be worth seeing if anyone was willing to stand in a corner or in the middle?
 
Ironically when I rode him on Friday evening he was so relaxed he needed waking up!
I’ll see what this week brings.

ETA: it’s been a bit warmer the last few days. I bet if the temperature drops again he’ll go back to spooking.
My plan is to just keep the sessions easy and calm and hope we can build up.
If all else fails, I have valerian left over from rehab last year!
 
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My Highland was completely useless under the arena lights the first year that he was otherwise not useless in the school. I lunged him and did groundwork in there quite a lot, which wasn't as disastrous, and I would do things like ride under the lights, attempt...well...anything that didn't involve planting and reversing, then ride out.

Last year, he could school under the lights like a respectable equine member of society. Persistence. Just keep exposing them to it, but try to keep it calm and quiet and don't let it escalate into a thing.

Our outdoor is pure dead tricky because it's next to the carpark, so you have cars and people going in and out all evening.
 
Bailey used to be like that under the lights, she'd see shadows and spook at all manner of things!

It was a nightmare, one minute you'd be facing forward the next minute you'd be looking behind you after she'd spun!
 
Caol Ila said:
My Highland was completely useless under the arena lights the first year that he was otherwise not useless in the school. I lunged him and did groundwork in there quite a lot, which wasn't as disastrous, and I would do things like ride under the lights, attempt...well...anything that didn't involve planting and reversing, then ride out.

Last year, he could school under the lights like a respectable equine member of society. Persistence. Just keep exposing them to it, but try to keep it calm and quiet and don't let it escalate into a thing.

Our outdoor is pure dead tricky because it's next to the carpark, so you have cars and people going in and out all evening.
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I had that once at a yard. The school lights were great, but you couldn’t see “out”. I was riding my horse, some clown got in there car, slamming all the doors and starting the loud engine right as I was riding past.

The poor horse was terrified and I couldn’t ride her after that in there.
 
fredflop said:
I had that once at a yard. The school lights were great, but you couldn’t see “out”. I was riding my horse, some clown got in there car, slamming all the doors and starting the loud engine right as I was riding past.

The poor horse was terrified and I couldn’t ride her after that in there.
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Our horses just have to learn how to man up and deal, because it's a large, busy yard and the carpark activity is pretty constant. You can't exactly tell the entire yard to not drive in or out for the thirty minutes or whatever that you're in the school.
 
Luckily my boy is fine under lights but I can see how they could be spooky!!

Have you tried with no lights? I gave ridden in the school many times in the dark, in some ways it's better. The only issue I have is with canter! The fence can come up quite quickly so I usually stick to walk and trot and lateral work.
 
Flowerofthefen said:
Luckily my boy is fine under lights but I can see how they could be spooky!!

Have you tried with no lights? I gave ridden in the school many times in the dark, in some ways it's better. The only issue I have is with canter! The fence can come up quite quickly so I usually stick to walk and trot and lateral work.
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It would be pitch black
 
He was dozy again yesterday evening. I suspect he’s too warm ( it’s been mild and foggy here all week). I’m not sure I dare clip him, the weather should change soon I guess.
 
Yup, reckon it’s temperature assisted. The temperature has dropped about 5 degrees and he was a bit on his toes tonight. Carefully rideable, but certainly not the dopey donkey I had on Wednesday.
 
It's weird weather it felt chilly all day today both of mine were wild but they have had a week off as I've been away, Louis is the same when his clipped but Arabi is a complete nutter for about a month so I am careful when clipping him 😆
 
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