Tricks for relaxing after big spook (me not the horse)

[soloequestrian]

Yesterday my mare had a big spook out on a hack - 180 degrees at a slightly out of place dead plant. I didn't come off but it wasn't pleasant. She doesn't often properly spook but she has done it a couple of times in the school too (to be fair once was at a buzzard that landed in the corner we were heading for, not a common occurence). Today in the school she went really well but I had the spook in the back of my mind and it just made me a bit cautious in terms of what we did. Any tips for letting go of the thought and relaxing into what's actually happening in the moment?

 

[Britestar]

Speak to a confidence coach. They will give you methods to dealt with the intrusive thoughts.

 

[Skib]

Any tips for letting go of the thought and relaxing into what's actually happening in the moment?

No because after a big spook or spin out hacking, I stop relaxing and take real charge of the horse. Usually I ask for a session in the school to get the horse listening to me before hacking her again. And the first hack or two, control and ride positive, every step.

I have learned too that the height of a horse's head controls the distance at which the horse's eyes can focus. Head high and the horse can be wary of things on the horizon. Head low and it may not worry as it is more focused on the ground beneath its feet.

But basicly, even as an elderly rider on very safe horses, riding is never going to be 100% spook free. But if you keep the horse occupied by giving it instructions, it keeps the horse's attention on you and also keeps your mind focussed and too busy riding to feel nervous.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

What Skib said mine can spook and one is particularly sharp so I don't let him have time to look at stuff, I keep his mind busy and on me and I find that really helps I also have a leather balance strap on front of the saddle that I can grab.

Have a look at Karl Greenwood ride with confidence on Facebook he has lots of things that help with this kind of thing, I went on a course at his yard have his book and get all his videos to help me and I can really recommend it.

 

[Birker2020]

Yesterday my mare had a big spook out on a hack - 180 degrees at a slightly out of place dead plant. I didn't come off but it wasn't pleasant. She doesn't often properly spook but she has done it a couple of times in the school too (to be fair once was at a buzzard that landed in the corner we were heading for, not a common occurence). Today in the school she went really well but I had the spook in the back of my mind and it just made me a bit cautious in terms of what we did. Any tips for letting go of the thought and relaxing into what's actually happening in the moment?

Bailey used to do this constantly before I put her on Magic, then she would still do the odd spook and 180 but it would deescalate so much quicker.
I used to chat to her pretty much none stop or sing when we were on our own and this had the effect of regulating my breathing helping me stay calm.

After she'd spooked about a million times and we never ended up in front of a car of me falling off I adopted a more positive mindset and instead of getting after her, smacking her or shouting at her I used to laugh instead. Sounds insane I know but it had the added benefit of calming me down.

I realised she'd never spin in front of a car as it was all bravado with her (I used to hack out about three times a week over nearly 17 years, and never once did I get off her or fall off. So it was easy in the end to see neither of us would come to harm so my mindset was changed.

She was completely different with another horse and would literally plant her head up their a*s and fall asleep walking behind them, so it was definetely a confidence issue which started about 3 months after I bought her, and I never did find out what the catalyst was. Strangely enough she was great in the 50mph stretch of road, would often have buses, lorries, combine harvesters, motorbikes and cylists go past her without blinking an eye. I'd often call on towards us a startled artic lorry that would come round the small stretch of 50mph road with a look of horror on his face at seeing us, but she was unfazed by that. A lot of it was her just being spooky and it never happened on the way home which just about says it all, doesn't it?