# My horse is scared of everything!



## Phly (Nov 14, 2012)

I'd say first and foremost, don't tip toe around him. Be safe but dont worry about spooking him. We do silly things with em, toss your jacket or whatever up on him. Buckets etc.. What Evers handy. Heck we've had em wear hats, and gloves on their ears. The best way to get em over it is just act like its no big deal. And if you're nervous around him hell be nervous too.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Sissy (Aug 27, 2012)

Phly said:


> I'd say first and foremost, don't tip toe around him. Be safe but dont worry about spooking him. We do silly things with em, toss your jacket or whatever up on him. Buckets etc.. What Evers handy. Heck we've had em wear hats, and gloves on their ears. The best way to get em over it is just act like its no big deal. And if you're nervous around him hell be nervous too.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Thanks. Good points.  

My friend was in his stall today putting some liniment on him for me and he just tries to get away....jumpy and scared. He doesn't seem to be a people horse....he doesn't know how to be close to people.


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Experience experience experience.

Getting him over his fear is going to be more of a case of getting him to trust you than teaching him to tolerate things. Do lots of ground work with him, prove to him that you're trustworthy. Once he sees that you make good leader material, he'll trust you and transfer his worry to you. If he sees that something doesn't bother you, it won't bother him. It takes time but building his trust is a rewarding thing. Take him places that are outside of his comfort zone (but be safe about it), give him new experiences. He'll eventually see that the world isnt so scary after all. Its just a matter of getting him to think instead of react.

As for being head shy, start rubbing at a comfortable spot on his wither, neck, chest...whatever- and slowly work your way up. Drift your hand higher and higher, returning to his neck immediately after. Eventually you'll get to where you can rub his face. Praise him for it, and release the pressure. Release of pressure a good reward that any horse understands. Do the same with his ears after you get him going well with his face.

My mare was very ear sensative as well and just wouldn't get over it, so I was a bit mean xD I bought an eared fly mask and left it on her for a day or two so she'd get used to the feeling of her ears being touched. After that and a little work, she was just fine.


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## Sissy (Aug 27, 2012)

Endiku said:


> Experience experience experience.
> 
> Getting him over his fear is going to be more of a case of getting him to trust you than teaching him to tolerate things. Do lots of ground work with him, prove to him that you're trustworthy. Once he sees that you make good leader material, he'll trust you and transfer his worry to you. If he sees that something doesn't bother you, it won't bother him. It takes time but building his trust is a rewarding thing. Take him places that are outside of his comfort zone (but be safe about it), give him new experiences. He'll eventually see that the world isnt so scary after all. Its just a matter of getting him to think instead of react.
> 
> ...


Thank you. I have been thinking alot of the same things but im still new in the horse world....still learning....wanted advise from more experienced horse people.


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## Thunderspark (Oct 17, 2012)

Sissy said:


> Thanks. Good points.
> 
> My friend was in his stall today putting some liniment on him for me and he just tries to get away....jumpy and scared. He doesn't seem to be a people horse....he doesn't know how to be close to people.


Did your friend have a halter lead on him when she went to put liniment on his leg?
We have a 5yr. QH paint gelding here boarded, two years ago he degloved his leg by jumping in/out of a round bale feeder. I had to change his dressing once a day, clean it and rewrap it for about 2 months. A lady was helping at first and he was very good but after about 6 weeks he started moving/lifting his leg on her, so I told her I would do it....she had him tied up. What I did was I draped the lead over my arm and when I went to go unwrap his bandage he started dancing around, I took the end of the lead and gave him a whack on the butt and pulled his head around to look at me.......I only had to do that twice and after that he stood perfectly still for me.......I had to clean his wound for months afterward and I could walk out in the pasture with the stuff to clean and he wouldn't move and let me clean it out there with the rest of my horses.

I also have a 11yr. mare who when I got her she was scared of everything!! I could move my arm quick, cough and she was ready to high tale it to the hills! I did alot of desensitizing with her with ropes/stick & string/anything that wouldn't hurt her and within a year or so I could sit on her and slap the stick & string beside her and even shoot a cap gun while on her...it's well worth the time to take desensitizing.....


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## Sissy (Aug 27, 2012)

Thunderspark said:


> Did your friend have a halter lead on him when she went to put liniment on his leg?
> We have a 5yr. QH paint gelding here boarded, two years ago he degloved his leg by jumping in/out of a round bale feeder. I had to change his dressing once a day, clean it and rewrap it for about 2 months. A lady was helping at first and he was very good but after about 6 weeks he started moving/lifting his leg on her, so I told her I would do it....she had him tied up. What I did was I draped the lead over my arm and when I went to go unwrap his bandage he started dancing around, I took the end of the lead and gave him a whack on the butt and pulled his head around to look at me.......I only had to do that twice and after that he stood perfectly still for me.......I had to clean his wound for months afterward and I could walk out in the pasture with the stuff to clean and he wouldn't move and let me clean it out there with the rest of my horses.
> 
> I also have a 11yr. mare who when I got her she was scared of everything!! I could move my arm quick, cough and she was ready to high tale it to the hills! I did alot of desensitizing with her with ropes/stick & string/anything that wouldn't hurt her and within a year or so I could sit on her and slap the stick & string beside her and even shoot a cap gun while on her...it's well worth the time to take desensitizing.....


She didnt have a halter on him at first but he wouldnt stay still so she put one on. He is the same way with grooming....every move I make he side steps and tries to turn away. Almost any movement in his direction spooks him.


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## Thunderspark (Oct 17, 2012)

Sissy said:


> She didnt have a halter on him at first but he wouldnt stay still so she put one on. He is the same way with grooming....every move I make he side steps and tries to turn away. Almost any movement in his direction spooks him.


we trained horses here for a year, if we had horses that wouldn't stand to be groomed, they were tied and I would move them over and then go to the other side and move them back, did that a few times and they finally got tired of moving back/forth that they stood still.

try and stay relaxed when you are grooming him, they can read people so well and if you are nervous he will be too.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

He's doing it because he can. Take him outside and groom him and if he starts to move away, make him move away. Get his butt moving in bigger circles than his front end and tap on his hip with a whip (out of kicking range) and keep him going. He'll want to quit, too bad, It's not his choice. Make him go another half circle. You have made him very uncomfortable by keeping him bent and moving. A horse is designed for moving in a straight line with a straight body. Do this each time he moves away. It may take two or three times before he figures it out maybe even a fourth so you have to stick with it.


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## palogal (May 30, 2008)

Are you sure this horse can see well? A seemingly stupid question but sometimes it's that one eye is blinding. If this is a change in him, that may be something to get checked out. If not, it's time for some tough love. I he wants to spook, he can circle. Make it MUCH easier, and more pleasant to relax than to dance around like a dork.


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

I have a horse that used to be like this. For her it was geniune fear.

I think we're too quick to write horses off as jerks, to be perfectly honest. Lots of patience and knowing when to back off and when to keep pushing will be a huge asset with this horse. I made mistakes with my girl, but in the almost 6 months I've had her, she's gone from pretty much untouchable to marching up and DEMANDING to be loved on.

Don't get mad. Don't drive. Just follow. Horse stops, you stop, or even better, take a step back AWAY from it. Horse so much as looks away from you and you start towards it again. Stop and back away if it turns and looks.

THREE DAYS is all it took for my girl to go from untouchable to it being possible to get a halter on her. A further two and she was reliable enough to halter to be put in a pasture. She has her days, but more often than not, now, if she's being hard to catch it's because my gelding is causing the issue [he is possessive of me, so will drive her away if he wants to be worked, and he's boss in the pasture, so if he hauls tail to try to evade work, she follows]. Can touch her everywhere, even her udder, and she's mentally ready to break. If I can keep her pasture sound til the end of next month, I'll break her and see if she stays sound as a ridden horse.

She's still funny about having her feet done but I haven't been able to do much in that respect with her. She's had stifle issues which made it impossible for her to hold up her hind legs long enough for a trim, then put a leg through a fence and that's only just healed enough that I can start working on feet again.

Again, my horse was utterly TERRIFIED of people, and patient persistence resulted in a marked change in a matter of days. I've also found it helpful for horses that are "just being jerks" too. They snatch their foot, you pick it up again. Maybe you growl a little bit, but that's all. Doesn't matter how many times they do it. Hard to trailer? Wait them out [that's actually how we got Magic home in the end, nothing else worked].

Pushy brats need to be put in their place but there are plenty of horses that are more subtle and just need to learn that no matter what they do, they're not getting out of it.


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## kenda (Oct 10, 2008)

Interesting, my first thought was how much exercise or turnout does this horse get? Such a high energy breed, and I wonder if it's nervous tension from having pent up energy. Does he ever get to get out and let loose and run?


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Horses have better vision when looking forward and poorer vision when it comes to things behind them? That is why a horse will often turn it's head or even swing it's butt away to better see what might be there. People invariably get kicked when approaching a horse from a rearward direction because the horse really doesn't know what's coming. His first defence is kicking out.


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## Sissy (Aug 27, 2012)

kenda said:


> Interesting, my first thought was how much exercise or turnout does this horse get? Such a high energy breed, and I wonder if it's nervous tension from having pent up energy. Does he ever get to get out and let loose and run?


Yes he is turned out with 3 other horses just about all day. They come in to be fed once a day for an hour or so.


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## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

With TB, I would not be making him move when what I wanted was for him to stand still. Teach him voice command to "Be still" and then make him. Don't let him move away, bring him back into position calmly and tell him to be still and then work on what you were doing.

The more you tiptoe with him, the worse he is going to get.

And while there are horses I have worked with, that I could do things to unhaltered? Rarely did I do it. Once you have tried to do something with horse loose, and he moves? You have taught him to not listen to you.

Halter him for everything, make him stand still, and don't baby him.

You as much as anything are making him this way. And no soothing voices either.


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## Sissy (Aug 27, 2012)

Palomine said:


> With TB, I would not be making him move when what I wanted was for him to stand still. Teach him voice command to "Be still" and then make him. Don't let him move away, bring him back into position calmly and tell him to be still and then work on what you were doing.
> 
> The more you tiptoe with him, the worse he is going to get.
> 
> ...


I think this is gonna be the best road to take with him.


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## Sissy (Aug 27, 2012)

Worked with him some about standing still. We can work through it......Our bond is slowly getting better.

Need more help:
What are your suggestions for getting him past nervousness in different situations...like going to the arena....going to the small local rodeo....just with anything different he panicks. He gets jumpy and prances and skitters around.


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

Work with him at home. Don't take him out. If the arena is at home, then work with him there. If not, then still work with him there, but it will take a little longer.

Just standing and chilling with him will do wonders. People don't do enough of it. It's a wonderful cure for the nervous horse, and brilliant for the over-eager or impatient horse as well. It does take a LOT of patience because you don't leave until your horse stops freaking out!


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

If he's ever raced, he may get excited thinking he will be racing again. Try taking him for walks and keep your attention focused well ahead of you. If he acts nervous, don't look at him if possible, and just keep walking. Like the dog whisperer says, calm and assertive. Don't pet or baby him should he spook. In the pasture he's not doing this. If the leader suddenly scoots off he will (survival) and he won't dare take a step past the leader or suffer the consequences. By focusing you are teaching him that you are his leader. Being the leader is not a pleasant job and most horses don't want it.


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