Whats the best way to deal with a spooking horse.

[TrasaM]

What's the best way to respond when your horse spooks? I've seen different people deal with this in different ways. I tend to go still and try to calm the horse but I've been lucky so far in that I've not had to deal with this too often and it's usually it's been in a safe school environment. my logic is that if a horse gets scared then it's adrenaline is up that smacking it could make the situation worse and confirm it's worst fears that it's in danger. Am I wrong to do this and does it vary depending on the horse

 

[paddi22]

i think it depends on the horse. My tb can be fairly hot headed and just lose his mind if he gets too worked up. Pushing him on or standing still isn't an option (as he rears), so i tend to circle and get him working, till he calms down.

the cob i ride is a very genuine sort, so if he spooks it's because he is unsure. but he's fairly calm so you can sit still till he works it out, then nudge him past.

 

[lcharles]

My horse 'spooks' when trying his luck so he gets a smack and growled at. If he won't go near a jump such as a coffin/water and he is spooky, then he is reassured and encouraged forwards with a gentle voice and a pat for steps forwards but once he's jumped it a few times and then goes silly about it then he gets smacked.

I think each horse is different and it also depends on the situation and what the horse is spooking at.

If mine 'spooks' at a leaf out hacking i ignore him.

 

[tallyho!]

The lovely mare i have been riding now for about 6 months or so spooks and would snort and go sideways if she thought I was making her walk over a drain cover. I choose to just ignore these displays of over-reaction. Last week she walked over quite a few as if they weren't there. It's so weird!!!!

She will not spook at big things but a rogue leaf is quite scary... I just ignored these too and eventually leaves are not as scary anymore.

 

[Waffles]

I think the best thing to do is ignore spooks - if it's a really bad spin round and run the other way, then I would spin him back round and make him go past whatever it was that upset him, then not make a fuss. When I got my horse last year, I had to traffic proof him, so if he got slightly upset going past stuff, but was more or less good, I didn't offer any praise as he might have though I was praising him for being slightly scared if you see what I mean. It seems to work. My last horse was an absolute nightmare spooking wise, so I would have to have my reins really really short in order to get him past everything with his eyes out on stalks - squeezing him on and keeping him straight so he couldn't whip round.

 

[mandwhy]

I tend to think ignoring and sometimes reassuring them past something scary, but I agree that some just need to be told to get on with it in a 'you silly thing, there's nothing to worry about' kind of way! Current horse can take about 20 mins of stopping dead with resultant circling, pushing on, praise for forward movement and if that doesn't work, leading over, but he basically only needs to try something two or three times for it to never be a problem again!

 

[Silent Knight]

Hip flask and velcro pants

 

[LizzyandToddy]

Ignore it and just carry on.

 

[FfionWinnie]

Watched a fab series of Richard maxwell vids on spooking. At the end he had a blue tarpaulin tied to the pony's tail and it wasn't bothered! He could chuck it over its head and everything. Definitely doing this with my two.

 

[LollyDolly]

My youngster is very spooky, I just ignore it or occasionally give him a pat on the neck and a "good boy" for reassurance. I find that is the best way in my opinion.

 

[Littlelegs]

Depends on why. Generally I ignore it. If its silliness I give them something else to think about. I only reassure if I think they are genuinely nervous, otherwise its a case of making a fuss over nothing. Usually I just ignore & walk on.

 

[blitznbobs]

Sit tight, ignore, ignore, ignore and continue to ask for what you were asking for before, if there is something that a horse continually spooks at I tend to put them into shoulder in to get past it a few times without looking at it...

My cob however (who uses spooking to get out of work) gets a kick in the ribs and growled at... which works with him

 

[Supertrooper]

As long as we're safe as much as I can I try and let the horse deal with it. I've learnt with him that as long as he can move away he's better so I just control the how far we move bit! I've got a balance strap on saddle to hang onto to give me courage.

Spooking is natural to horses and also looking at things so I let him have a good look at whatever he's worried about.

I also natter away to make sure I'm still breathing, I normally tell him what a twit he is xx

 

[padderpaws]

blitznbobs that is very interesting what you say about your cob. I am convinced that my horse does the same thing. He has many evasions and I am learning how to deal with them all. No body believes me when I say he is only spooking to get out of work.

 

[Dukey]

I think its about knowing the horse... I know when mine is scared or worried and I just sit still and talk to him. However, he can try it on and in those situations he'll get a telling off, if I don't then the next time he'll be 10x worse!
For example when I first got him I hacked alone for the first time he got to the first scary object and tried to bolt home... I was there for well over half an hour trying to be gentle and nice and eventully he went forward. The next time he did the same but started rearing so I got fed up and he got a smack and a kick to which he was like 'oh bum she means business' and walked on! But this wouldn't work with every horse some it can make the situation worse, I try to remember in spooky situations I'm the leader and I need to keep it cool

 

[YorksG]

Ignore it, laugh and try not to fall off if I am spooked by a pheasant

 

[Rueysmum]

Make friends with him and talk to him. He's got to follow your lead and that means he must be on your side.

 

[LouS]

Always ignore, I'd never pat a horse while it was spooking, sends mixed messages, horse just thinks you're praising it for being scared.

If you think it about it from the horse's point of view. He looks/spooks at something, rider praises with a pat/soft voice. Horse thinks I was right to do that, now I'm sure its something to worry about.

Whereas if you ignore and just correct any spinning and carry on, over time the horse will realize if he trust you and goes on when you ask, he doesn't die and nothing bad happens to him, he will build in confidence.

 

[Supertrooper]

blitznbobs and padderpaws - my shire x cob has so many evasions or came with so many it was untrue! There are hardly any now because we told him to pack it and get on with it ;-) I love a coblet, never a dull moment xx

 

[TrasaM]

Whew..looks like I'm more or less on the right page then. I asked because I watched someone's horse spook yesterday and it was scary especially as we were on a road at the time. She'd gone past the scary tape flappy things before but this time she just exploded. We (coblet & I) just about managed to get out of hoof range in time.

 

[TrasaM]

blitznbobs and padderpaws - my shire x cob has so many evasions or came with so many it was untrue! There are hardly any now because we told him to pack it and get on with it ;-) I love a coblet, never a dull moment xx

I borrow the one I ride and he's a little sweetie especially as I've just managed to convince him not to picnic when I'm on his back. He's also got a few little tricks mostly geared at stuffing his mouth.

 

[Arizahn]

Hang on tight and start funding research into saddles with integral safety harnesses! (Mine falls into the leap sideways, spin and run for the hills category...)

 

[TrasaM]

I've always wondered whether Velcro could be used somehow...

 

[FreddiesGal]

Hang on tight and start funding research into saddles with integral safety harnesses! (Mine falls into the leap sideways, spin and run for the hills category...)

Lol loved that!

I've always found that the people who make a fuss and smack are the people who are scared by their horses

 

[FreddiesGal]

I've always wondered whether Velcro could be used somehow...

I've thought about making some sort of safety harness where I am clipped on to the railings that run on the ceiling, so if ever my horse were to dump me I'd be suspended from the roof...

 

[TrasaM]

FreddiesGal I think they use something like that to teach circus performers. A few tweaks and you'd be on to a winner imagine the horses surprise!

 

[Arizahn]

I've thought about making some sort of safety harness where I am clipped on to the railings that run on the ceiling, so if ever my horse were to dump me I'd be suspended from the roof...

Oh dear me yes, this! This is perfect

 

[popeyesno1fan]

My friend has a mare that is unpredictably spooky, I've ridden out with her and she can be happily trotting on, and all of a sudden, she'll shoot across the road, shying from something invisible, and could send you out infront of traffic. My friend brings a schooling whip and smacks her to get her to go past etc... but to be honest, i think my friend is half the problem. You know the saying "ask a mare"!! I have told her but she thinks that shes 14 years my senior and has been around horses longer than i have, so knows better, but i think she could do with changing her tactics. I think ignoring it is the best way possible, to a certain extent, without getting yourself killed. My cob spooks a bit, he's a baby, but i just let him look and then he goes on. I wouldnt let him turn though, thats taking the pi** a bit.
Some of them are just spooky though. my sister has a 14 yr old cavalier gelding who is suck a spooky pain in the a**, and a 4 yr old harlequin mare that is non spooky. hope you get sorted though!!

 

[Pale Rider]

To be honest the best way to deal with a spook, is just ignore it like most have already said. Hitting them will just make things worse, and you will end up with a horse that spooks, doesn't trust you and is more fearful than when you started.
Horses don't do anything, for no reason. We may not know why they are doing what they do, and very often people anthropomorphize what they do and come up with the usual gambit of naughty, stubborn, taking the P, whatever.
The truth is horses always have a reason for their behaviour and ascribing human characteristics is just stupid, normally done by those who have little or no idea about the way horses process information and react as a result.
Being a flight animal, they all run first and have a look at what it was that frightened them from a safe distance. The average flight line for a horse is 250 yards, which is how far they will normally go before stopping.
The spook is really a precursor to an actual flight, so when it happens being calm is your best option. To react yourself in any way can lead to a bolt.
Ideally, you should de spook your horse, this will give them the confidence they need, not to spook at every little thing when it happens.
There are numerous techniques available to you to do this, and you will be able to find one that suits you.
I use a combination of ropes, plastic bags, big balls, tarpaulins, umbrella's to de spook my horses. It doesn't take very long and leads to a more confident composed horse.

 

[TrasaM]

My friend has a mare that is unpredictably spooky, I've ridden out with her and she can be happily trotting on, and all of a sudden, she'll shoot across the road, shying from something invisible, and could send you out infront of traffic. My friend brings a schooling whip and smacks her to get her to go past etc... but to be honest, i think my friend is half the problem. You know the saying "ask a mare"!! I have told her but she thinks that shes 14 years my senior and has been around horses longer than i have, so knows better, but i think she could do with changing her tactics. I think ignoring it is the best way possible, to a certain extent, without getting yourself killed. My cob spooks a bit, he's a baby, but i just let him look and then he goes on.!!

This is more or less the situation I was in and I had the same thoughts as you. Smacking a horse when it's spooking is just adding to the problem. In this case I believe it made the situation quite dangerous. I usually allow some controlled movement away from the scary object, stay calm keep talking and whenever possible I will return to the same place so the horse can have a look.