Tips with nervous/spooky pony

jess.hewlett

Active Member
Joined
9 March 2017
Messages
36
Visit site
I have a rather young little pony who is just so overly nervous and is scared of the silliest of things and really lets him down as he has the talent and the confidence to jump anything, but not if there is something like a waving piece of grass nearby! I understand it might be because he's young but he's not that young. Is there anything i can do to improve him?
 

Hoof_Prints

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 October 2012
Messages
2,261
Visit site
Hacking out will get him used to seeing strange things, with a more experienced and settled horse to gain confidence from to start with. My youngsters live out as much as possible and that helps reduce spookiness, as they are used to birds flapping, gunshots, thing waving in the wind etc.
 

Pearlsasinger

Up in the clouds
Joined
20 February 2009
Messages
48,511
Location
W. Yorks
Visit site
Hacking out will get him used to seeing strange things, with a more experienced and settled horse to gain confidence from to start with. My youngsters live out as much as possible and that helps reduce spookiness, as they are used to birds flapping, gunshots, thing waving in the wind etc.

Excellent advice!

Also make sure that you are very matter of fact when dealing with your pony, don't give loads of reassurance when he reacts to something, that will confirm in his mind that there is something to worry about.
 

jess.hewlett

Active Member
Joined
9 March 2017
Messages
36
Visit site
Yer i dont tend to do that i just try to ignore it! But out hacking he is a nightmare, even with others has bucked me off and ran home!! Have tried hacking so much, being led, with others etc and he just doesn't seem to be improving ..
 

jess.hewlett

Active Member
Joined
9 March 2017
Messages
36
Visit site
But out hacking he is a nightmare, even with others has bucked me off and ran home!! Have tried hacking so much, being led, with others etc and he just doesn't seem to be improving .. He comes in at night but otherwise is always out, we have started putting random objects in his field as he freaks out when that happens to try and get him used to them.
 

JillA

Well-Known Member
Joined
1 May 2007
Messages
8,166
Location
Shropshire
Visit site
Try him on magnesium oxide for a couple of weeks. Magnesium deficiency presents as spooking unnecessarily, and a lot of the grazing in the UK is short of it. A few £££s on a small amount supplemented every day for a couple of weeks should tell you - if he is no different than that wasn't the problem, but it often is, hence all the expensive calmers on the market which contain mg.
 

jess.hewlett

Active Member
Joined
9 March 2017
Messages
36
Visit site
Thank you,
However i have many other horses & ponies grazing in the same field who are bold as ever ! does that make a difference?
 

JillA

Well-Known Member
Joined
1 May 2007
Messages
8,166
Location
Shropshire
Visit site
Thank you,
However i have many other horses & ponies grazing in the same field who are bold as ever ! does that make a difference?

No, it's more about how they metabolise what they can access, as well as the balance with calcium. My horse was one who couldn't, and the only one of 8 or 9 on the ground, and despite all the desensitisation in the world he kept on expending energy on things he should have been well used to. MagOx transformed him - honestly, for a few quid it's worth a go, if only for elimination purposes. Otherwise you may never know. Oh, and it helps their feet too :)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_f...&_dcat=22189&rt=nc&_mPrRngCbx=1&_udlo&_udhi=5
 
Last edited:

canteron

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 October 2008
Messages
4,038
Location
Cloud Cockoo Land
Visit site
Also spend lots of time with him and really develop a bond ..... surprisingly teaching a few tricks and things can really help them gain confidence in you. Masses of stuff like this on the internet to inspire you https://www.horsetricks101.com/2012/08/10-simple-tricks-to-teach-your-horse/ - also find the places he likes to be scratched, etc, etc.

Essentially, the more he trusts you, the less reactive he will be.
 
Top