# Desensitizing my horse, to.. the wind?!



## AngelWithoutWings54 (May 24, 2010)

Leave him outside in the wind all day. It doesn't matter where, as long as it's fenced in and he can't hurt himself on anything. He'll soon figure out that the wind isn't going to hurt him, and he'll relax.


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## Mickey4793 (Sep 24, 2009)

He get's turned out for several hours a day in a large pasture, he was turned out for 4 hours before I got there, in the same gusting wind.


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## Skipsfirstspike (Mar 22, 2010)

I think you will find that a large majority of horses tend to be spooky in the wind. If you live in an area that is windy most of the time, then its just hours in the saddle. If windy days are on the rare side, the horse may never be completely at ease. Their whole environment looks, sounds, and smells different on windy days. Spooky stuff!


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## Mickey4793 (Sep 24, 2009)

At most we usually get a strong breeze, which my horse is ok with. 

The barn owner planted these REALLY long grass plants next to the ring, when the wind blows they look like fingers trying to grab my horse xD and don't get me started on those trees! haha. I guess it is kind of freaky outside when it's windy.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

Skipsfirstspike said:


> I think you will find that a large majority of horses tend to be spooky in the wind. If you live in an area that is windy most of the time, then its just hours in the saddle. If windy days are on the rare side, the horse may never be completely at ease. Their whole environment looks, sounds, and smells different on windy days. Spooky stuff!


This is very true. When it is very windy, it affects all the senses of a horse....everything is moving around, and both sounds and smells carry a lot further. It is one of the most unsettling environments possible for a horse, and I know many instructors that do not hold beginner lessons on very windy days, even with seasoned lesson horses.
As Skipsforstspike said, _lots_ of hours in the saddle.


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## White Foot (Jun 4, 2009)

Mickey4793 said:


> But I still have one issue with him: Wind! On any particular gusty day [such as today] My horse likes to pretend like the wind is blowing him away [lol, a funny way to put it] He used to completely bomb and gallop, and he's gotten SO much better with his reactions, but it is still difficult, and I only have issues in the lower dressage ring by the forest. The wind will pick up, and if we're approaching the A end [where the forest is] at any gait, he'll ***** his head up and king of stop paying attention to me.
> 
> When this happens I hold him on my outside rein and keep his bend to the inside and give him a nudge to tell him to go forward, however he'll still kind of duck off the rail approaching the forest if it's windy, almost like the wind is blowing him away haha. I'll give him a kick with my inside leg to push him to the rail and correct him when he does this, but I'd like for him to calmly go where it's scary to begin with. He only acts this way when it's very windy out.
> 
> So how can I desensitize him to wind? I circled him around the area's he was giving trouble, but couldn't get him to relax, put his head down, or go through without a fight. help?


My trainer always told me that you have the rest of your life to ride, so why feel like you have to ride on a crappy windy day? Don't ride and do ground work or something "fun".

The reason why your horse is acting like this is because the wind lower is sense of hearing and smell; horses are prey animals and depend on these senses. And from what I've read your horse is a follower who is very reactive. You need to give him a leader, once he can trust you, he will follow you though a snow blizzard. 

How will your horse go calmly the first time if it's scary to begin with? you can't think like that. If you want him to back on the rail where the forest is then you should start in the middle doing small circles. And slowly move him farther and farther out. Constantly keep him thinking about what you're going to do next. Horses who have time to think, are the ones who get themselves and riders in trouble. 

I think from what I've read the horse would relax more if you were more of a leader. Don't get off of him until he is better going out then what he went in doing. But, if you're horse is CLEARLY scared of that rail, don't even put him on that side, work at the other side. All you will be doing is stressing you and your horse out.


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

^ I'll add to that by saying that it could be your anticipation of him that either starts the fear or increases it. Sometimes little subtle changes in your body, such as a muscle tightening or a shift in your weight, can signal to him that danger is approaching. If that happens enough times (or just once or twice), then he learns to anticipate it.

If you expect him to get spooky when it's windy, then he will. I've seen some nice, safe horses get spooky with their rider because the rider was spooked and the horse learned that behavior. Your horse needs to take his confidence from you but the older he is (meaning it's gone on longer), and the more ingrained the habit, the harder it is.


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## Mickey4793 (Sep 24, 2009)

On the note of him trusting me and seeing me as a leader, he will follow me ANYWHERE from the ground, in any weather, but as soon as I get on his back it's like he thinks I'm no longer there even though I keep contact with my reins and talk to him.

I try not to anticipate anything, I try to pretend that it isn't even windy, but maybe I'm doing it REALLY subconsciously? I'll have to work on relaxing myself inside and out.


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

On the ground is very different then in the saddle; if it were the same, then breaking a horse to ride would be very simple - just teach him from the ground. Some horses are naturally trusting but most need to have that trust developed. Time and Patience.


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## Mickey4793 (Sep 24, 2009)

Yes, I have found time and patience has helped him trust me a lot, he's become SO much less spookier, maybe he'll just never be a horse that can be ridden calmly in the wind? I'm fine with that cause there is always an indoor arena :]


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

Mickey4793 said:


> maybe he'll just never be a horse that can be ridden calmly in the wind? I'm fine with that cause there is always an indoor arena :]


I recently sold a wonderfully trained, 10 year old, pushbutton, dropdead beautiful palomino gelding that was a spook. He was extensively trail ridden and would go anywhere, at any time but then something would catch his eye and he was so quick in movement that if you weren't expecting it, you might just come off. I took a few falls until, finally, I was riding alone and he saw something that spooked him. I came off on to a rock outcropping and broke two ribs - I still had to mount up and ride a few miles back to the farm. He was gone within a week.

My point, I guess, is that if you can train it out of him, great. If you can work around him, great. Don't be ashamed if you discover that he is not going to work for you and will hamper your progress to be a better rider.


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## Mickey4793 (Sep 24, 2009)

I've adapted really well to his spooks, I've gotten to a point that even if he just suddenly explodes out of the blue [which has not happened in a VERY long time knock on wood!] my body just goes with him and I can bring him back very quickly, and I've also gotten to a point where I can tell if he's gonna freak out or bomb, and I'll switch arena's or ride lightly if that's the case. 

I think riding him has made me such a better rider, it has taught me how to talk to my horse with the reins, as my instructor calls it, how to get the attention of a horse who is acting distracted, sit through temper tantrums.

About 5 months ago I thought that maybe me and him would never work as a pair, because he spooked at everything and anything and when he did it was explosive, with plenty of bucking and bolting to the point where I began to grow tense to ride him. But I stuck with it, I grew more confident and trusting and less nervous, rode him more frequently at places where he was the worst, got my riding instructor to hop on him herself sometimes and tell me what I can do, and now he hardly ever spooks at anything and when he does it's very mild [a step of the rail and rarely a pig root] 

I think me and him are beginning to make a good pair, in fact we recently went to our first show and placed third, we just can't seem to get a completely eventful ride in the wind.


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## Valentina (Jul 27, 2009)

Part of the issue is you need to keep his mind busy. When they have time to think of ways to get out of work - they will. Learn a few exercises to get and keep his attention at all gaits - W/T and Canter. Try something like shoulder in (SI) to haunch in (HI) to renvers (SI but looking in same direction horse is moving), etc... getting and keeping his mind on you will help.

Another option is trying an herb to help settle and allow him to focus on you more. I tried Hops on my mare and it worked. 1 tsp 2x/day for 3 months, 1 month off (or more if he stays good) then back on as needed. It's OK for showing and inexpensive, and they don't mind eating it. Hops flower powder (at $6.90 per pound) from this place - buy a pound and see if it works. 

Order page bulk herb and spice from Herbalcom.


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## Mickey4793 (Sep 24, 2009)

Would this herb effect his calming supplements that he already gets?


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