Young horse scared of me moving my arms

S

saddlesore

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 April 2008
Messages
4,788
Location
Wonderland!!
Visit site
My nw horse has been settling in well and is getting down to work nicely but he remains really scared of me moving my arms when i am mounted. For example, saying thankyou to a car for slowing down, or asking a car to slow down is a major trauma. Needless to say as soon as i discovered this i now only hack in company so they can do the arm movements and i have been practicing in the school. However he remains scared. Even trying to check/tighten girth can sometimes be an issue. I have tried flapping my arms about when i am on the ground but this doenst seem to be a big issue. ANy ideas?
confused.gif
crazy.gif
 
Hey hun

He's such a laid back boy too it makes it more odd. Maybe he's been hit in the past and thinks you are going to hit him?
Is it just your arms or does he freak if you flap your leg or move your head too?

I think I'd just keep on with what you are doing, desensetise him in the school and he'll slowly build up trust
 
I agree with _Libby_ . Go somewhere where he can't hurt himself and flap away!

My boy did the same thing, though not as badly as yours by the sound of it, and I started with slow arm movements, speeding them up gradually. He still worries a little, but he's much better!
 
Hiya, thanks. Its really just an arm thing which makes me agree that he may have been hit. If i am very slow and deliberate and repetative (sp) he will settle to a certain degree (in school, not hacking) but if i dont do it for 10 mins or so he gets the same fright when i start agian. I think you are both right and desensitisation is the way to go but he is a wee sensitive soul and i dont want to scare him in the process. Do you think i should just do limited amounts and gently increase the 'flappyness'?!
blush.gif
 
Havent been brave enough to try that lol! The 'thankyou' arm movement results in a jolt forward but nothing too serious, and relatively contained 'slow down' flapping results in mini broncs
crazy.gif
He doesnt feel in any way naughty, genuinely scared, but obviously its something i really need to address. I know nothing of his history other than he came from the south of ireland (i got him from dealer) and i get the impression that he was quickly broken for sale (which doesnt bother me, wanted a project) but i wonder if he has just been rushed? No idea really! He is a young 4.
 
the fact that he's doing mini broncs def sounds like he is expecting to be hit and anticipating it, I'd practise stroking him and patting him on his quarters in the school in the hope he will realise an arm movement doesnt mean a hit, wee soul

Bless him
 
Hmm, no idea if this makes sense, but could you introduce random flaps into the middle of other exercises, and then simply ride him through as though nothing has happened? As in, if you're trotting around the school, suddenly flap one arm briefly in a random way (not a slow deliberate way), and if he bucks or spooks, don't react other than by continuing to ask him to trot on...

You said that flapping on the ground is ok. What does he do if you stand right beside him and flap an arm over his saddle?
 
grin.gif
He really is a wee poppet. Went his first proper hack the other day, went through small tunnel, over 3 bridges, met chickens, cars and a loose dog. Was good as gold - unless i moved of course! Couldnt tighten my girth till about halfway through the hack when he had settled a bit!!
blush.gif

Think i'll just keep working away with him in the school till he learns that i'm not about to thrash him!! x
 
is it possible for you to just repeat and repeat but everytime you do it you lean forward and give him a polo so he sees it as a positive? May not work, I haven't ridden in years
smile.gif
 
Now this would seem like a good idea with a normal horse, my 'special' horse however turns his nose up at all forms of treat
crazy.gif
crazy.gif
I swear i have never met a horse like him. If he were human he'd be verging on living in a padded room
grin.gif
grin.gif
 
This is just a suggestion - but have you tried standing above him and 'flapping' without being on him?

I would try having you (or someone he really trusts) holding him while someone stands on a mounting block in the stable (unless you think he'll react really strongly in which case have him in the stable and the person standing on a block immediately on the other side of the door. Halt him next to them (as close as if they were about to get on). Make sure he is relaxed and then get them, while you are chatting away to move their arms unpredictably. If he likes 'normal' food, distract and reward him a mouthful from a scoop - see how he reacts. If the problem is about the height of the person then try tying random things high up in his stable - so plastic bags etc that dangle down into his peripheral vision space - it may not be that he has been hit.

If he does not react to people high up but not mounted then I would do some initial ground work with him making sure he is good to stop, start, turn when you lead him. Then I would have him on the lunge - one person lunging, one person (very secure in their seat) on him and you or someone he trusts leading him. (this is assuming he is good to lunge - obviously do not do this if he is not normally predictable on the lunge! Again, have a scoop of feed if he finds this acceptable.

This is where your groundwork must be good as he must trust you (or the leader). Walk ever so slightly ahead of him and DO NOT react at all when the rider moves their arms. He should take his cue from you and not react either. Hopefully this will help him get his confidence.

If he gets very tense offer food (even a handful of grass would be ideal as you can tussle with him over it) - this should have the effect of putting his brain back in 'neutral' as opposed to stress/panic and start again.

Hope this helps - good luck, I hope it goes well.
 
Doodlebug, i like the idea of rider and leader, this sounds like a good plan.
grin.gif
He defo has trust issues going on and you are right about the 'height' of the rider being an issue. He hated mounting blocks because i suddenly got taller but i have been grooming him from one and he is becoming much more relaxed. Had thought about hanging things in the stable but i genuinely think he'll find a bit where they dont touch him and refuse to move
crazy.gif
 
Ride with a neck strap and hold it with your reins bridged on a light contact with one hand; make sure that when you have tension on the neck strap, you are not pulling him in the mouth, so you can use the neck strap to steady yourself in the saddle. Then get someone to lead you, on a long line, just in case, whilst you do hand moves with your free arm. The 'asking a car to slow down' move is a good one to do
smile.gif
and do it repeatedly, for as long as it takes for him to stop reacting to you moving. Don't stop if he shoots forward a bit or whatever though, otherwise he'll think that if he runs off you'll stop.
If you keep it up he'll come round soon enough; and if I was you I'd also do waving bit of cloth and build up to taking your coat on and off as well....... not that it's a good idea to be taking your coat off whilst riding, but what about competition numbers and other things like that ? you want to be confident with him
cool.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Ride with a neck strap and hold it with your reins bridged on a light contact with one hand; make sure that when you have tension on the neck strap, you are not pulling him in the mouth, so you can use the neck strap to steady yourself in the saddle. Then get someone to lead you, on a long line, just in case, whilst you do hand moves with your free arm. The 'asking a car to slow down' move is a good one to do
smile.gif
and do it repeatedly, for as long as it takes for him to stop reacting to you moving. Don't stop if he shoots forward a bit or whatever though, otherwise he'll think that if he runs off you'll stop.


[/ QUOTE ]

Just what I was going to say
grin.gif
 
This is a good idea, thanks
laugh.gif
I have a neck strap so i can started tomorrow. I have just never come across anything like this before and i think the sooner he gets past whatever is bothering him the better. I had wondered about taking off jackets, i know you shouldnt but i must confess to having done this with all my horses quite the thing in the past! Competition numbers never even entered my head - good point!!
Thankies to you all
grin.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top