# Spooky horse



## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

> Does working out and building muscle help or working with the horse even more?


bingo on both counts.

1- you need to work on getting in better shape, which helps alot when it comes to sticking with a horse. being strong and flexible are keys to successfully riding green horses. try yoga.

2-work with him on the ground, teaching him that when he's scared he should look first, and trust you. Undersaddle teach him a one rein stop, when you feel him start to spook, pull his head around. We use this alot on the spooky, athletic OTTB's, and it works very well.


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## Faustinblack (Aug 16, 2011)

Alrighty. Thank you  gives me something to work on when I can, you know, move again
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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

What kind of a saddle were you using? If your weren't using a western it might be an idea to give you a more secure seat until your guy gets more miles. I know you will get lots of good training advice but my experience is that it's easier to fly off a flatter saddle than a western with a good cantle.


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## Faustinblack (Aug 16, 2011)

I was using an abetta arabian endurance saddle. I used to use an aussie but it wouldn't fit the new horse. That kinda contributed to getting tossed. With the aussie I could hang on with my legs more easily. With this new saddle it's a bit more difficult.
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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

Clinton Anderson's "lunging for respect" is one of the best ways, IMHO, to desensitise your horse. Teach him this, and whenever he spooks at ANYTHING, show him that he will have to work, lunging left, then the yield, lunging right, then the yield, repeat, repeat, repeat.
use a lunge whip with the lash tied to the stick and secure a plastic grocery bag to the end. Plastic bags eat more horses that you would know every year. LOL _(Ask your horse about this--he KNOWS!!!)_
Seriously, it's the thing that moves just outside of his vision that frightens him the most, and that's why he bolted.
Also, I would work this horse in an enclose area for the next few months. You are damX lucky that you didn't get knocked off under a limb!! You could have been paralized or dead.


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## Faustinblack (Aug 16, 2011)

The weird thing is, Bleu, my horse is not afraid of chainsaws, tarps, plastic bags, or anything like that. I've tied tarps at him. Made him drag one ties to his foot. He just seems to be afraid of bushes rattling, leaves rustling and freaking dogs.
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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Because a horse's hearing and sense of smell make up for his lousy eyesight, whatever bothered them could be 1/4 mi away or more. Since neither detected any movement, then it wasn't close.


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## existentialpony (Dec 4, 2012)

I've ridden in the abetta endurance and honestly, I don't love the seat either! It's awful slippery, too. Something a little deeper (like a barrel saddle, or an aussie) might help! I have a barrel saddle with a suede seat/fenders, and while I hate that the suede gets stained by jeans easily, I stick like glue and the high cantle keeps me there.

Riding out a bolt is difficult, so it's important to do everything you can to prepare for one-- even if your horse seems like a quiet, safe ride. In the arena, practice making your horse soft to one-rein stops (allowing you to take away his head) and also practice feeling what it's like when he tenses up. Always pay attention to his ears, his head, and his muscle tone so that you can sense when he is preparing for a spook. When he does, knowing the one-rein stop and having a horse who responds softly to it gives you one defense against that spook-- you feel him tense up and you bring his head around before he can respond.

Other than that, just practice sitting deep. My horse tended to have spooky days before I established to him that I was a trustworthy leader, and so I trained myself to respond to every spook with a deepening of my seat.

You ought to see a doctor for your chest.  You might need some kind of brace or support until you are 100% again.


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## Faustinblack (Aug 16, 2011)

My mom has been a nurse for twenty years. She has me on something for the pain and a muscle relaxer and she already checked to make sure nothing was broken. So I just have to wait it out. Thanks for the concern though. And I used to barrel race, and I still have the barrel saddle. I hate the bloody thing though.
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## The Ultimate Alibi (Mar 4, 2013)

*Spooking*

I worked my Arabian first in the round pen to get him used to scary things. then I rode him out and had people walk out from behind trees and carry scary things. All the time teaching him to spook in place...Meaning do not run for the hills! Take alook at a John lyons youtube video on the subject...It works as my horse was a total spook too. He still spooks but does not bolt anymore.:wink:


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## Faustinblack (Aug 16, 2011)

Thank you 
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## Sunny (Mar 26, 2010)

My only suggestions is to always have a secure seat, like your horse is going to spook any moment (not literally, don't be tense). But always have your leg stretched down, a deep seat with a secure lower leg.

I know with me it seems like the minute I relax my position, my horse does something silly. Luckily, my thighs of steel have the ability to perform a death grip within a nanosecond and I usually stay on. On a trail ride/camping trip last year I had just taken my feet out of my stirrups (English saddle) and let my heels come up and, lo and behold, she spooks and jumps sideways. My thighs clamped down so fast they cramped! LOL. But I stayed on!

Sorry you aren't feeling well after the fall. Hoping you heal up soon!


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## Faustinblack (Aug 16, 2011)

Apparently my mom looked at my left side and I have bruising all down my left side, my face, my neck, my chest and my hip.
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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

I like to ride in full seat riding breeches even if I am in a western saddle. That gives me more sticking power. 

You need to be ever on the alert if your horse tends to bolt. I would work on brakes at home. Your horse needs to learn to stop even if you have a bear after you. What kind of bit are you using? Also, I would keep some contact on my reins all the time. Looped reins are not going to be ready for stops in emergencies. 

It is very likely that your horse will get a lot better if you keep riding on trails. Trail riding is not something that is automatic for most horses. It takes experience for them to figure out that goblins are not out to get them.


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## Faustinblack (Aug 16, 2011)

I'm using a long shanked hackmore thing, he doesn't work well in a bit at all.
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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

Well it didn't work in an emergency, which means it isn't working well. You might be better off going back into the arena and really working on perfecting your starts and stops. This is a young horse and it is a little soon to expect perfection. 

My horse was a bit psycho this time last year. I have persisted in riding her often and she is much better. I also went from a snaffle to a short shanked curb bit. I get much better response to this. I personally have not had much luck with bitless bridles. Other people do real well with them. My issue is that I don't feel that I get the fine tuning control that I do with a bit. I keep a fairly loose rein but I have the stopping power when I need it. 

I believe that it is better to take her out often on shorter rides than to only go out every few weeks on long rides.


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

My horses have been through and continue to go through serious desensitization training. Every two weeks at my barn we have a complete course set up with balloons, flags, tarps, hanging things, noisy things, etc. Yet my horses still can and do spook on occasion. For horses it's not just about getting used to things, it's about visual and hearing perception and even their mood. So to me it's not about stopping a horse from spooking, but about being able to stay on "almost" no matter what.

If a horse bolts and you go over the back of the saddle, something is wrong with your seat. Same with spinning, scooting sideways, etc. Our minds can't react in time for our body to adjust consciously to a horse's movement. That's why I believe in using the receptors in our hips, knees and ankles that telegraph movement to our brain before we are conscious of it. We use these every day when we are walking. That's why you can trip and catch yourself before you fall. It's a reflex.

We can tap into this reflex the same way we do when we're walking: by putting a moderate amount of weight down through our leg and onto the balls of our feet in the stirrups. This means your leg has to be balanced underneath your center of gravity. Then, just like it would if you were skiing, your body will automatically adjust for changes in the horse's position: side to side, forward and back. 

If you're sitting on your butt on a stool, someone can easily push you over. If you're standing balanced with your feet on the ground over the stool, then someone will have a very hard time pushing you over.


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## Faustinblack (Aug 16, 2011)

Huh. Never thought of it like that
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## Faustinblack (Aug 16, 2011)

Would ponying him around on my big horse be a good idea too?
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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

Ponying him behind a steady, mature trail horse would most likely help him to overcome some of his fears of the trail. The more he sees of the world, the better.


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## Faustinblack (Aug 16, 2011)

Poncho (the big horse) has no issues with anything except water crossing. It's nice to have some ideas for when the doc gives me the ok to ride again
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## Jacqua Stud (Feb 8, 2013)

Completely random but - Chickens! Having chooks in your horses yard and stable help them deal with sudden movement and behaivour. If you watch chooks, they naturally just run and jump wings flapping screeching whenever they please. Eventually the horses just give up on shying as they get used to it  (plus the eggs are a bonus ;-))


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## Faustinblack (Aug 16, 2011)

My neighbors have chickens and I'm always fighting to keep my idiot dog from eating them. Though fresh eggs would be nice
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## Jacqua Stud (Feb 8, 2013)

bahaha bet the dog would be happy too! The chickens work well for us, unless the horses see a kangaroo coming for them they are pretty good!
Also he may just feel a bit insecure, being young and all. So when his herd mate freaked, he did too. Horses will always choose to run, and they aren't thinking of your well being in the process.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

FWIW, I just always assume my mare will either jump an invisible fence, or suddenly do the "OMG Crouch". I tend to use a *******ized forward seat, because that helps when Mia jumps the fence I cannot see. I always try to keep my legs kinda wrapped around her. If she is about to bolt forward, I'll pull hard to the left (usually - her good side) and we'll do a 180. If need be, we may do 3-4 180s. It is far less common now, but she'll never be a horse who strolls down a trail, a cigarette hanging from her mouth...

I sometimes wonder what it would be like to be relaxed on a horse. But unless I someday stuff Mia, I may never find out. :wink:


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## Kato (Apr 20, 2011)

bsms said:


> I sometimes wonder what it would be like to be relaxed on a horse. But unless I someday stuff Mia, I may never find out. :wink:


After having a horse who how should I put it.... engages you as an active member of the trail ride....the relaxed horses are kinda boring in comparison


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