# How do you handle a spooked horse??



## Liligirl (Jun 9, 2012)

Hi I am a novice rider and on Sunday I had my first quite bad fall (not my first fall ) on a horse that spooked. Basically I was riding along a grass verge with a ditch on one side and a wire fence on the other. I was busy watching the ditch as my horse likes to jump them for fun and being young he is more of a leaper than a dignified jumper. My foot touched the wire fence and it made a sound like an electric fence would. Long story short my horse leaped away from it then gave a big buck as apparently I was hindering his escape plan. 
My question is that how do you react fast enough to stop a horse that suddenly spooks to prevent this kind of thing happening. Or is just a matter of having balance good enough that you do not come off??


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## Phly (Nov 14, 2012)

It's instinct lol. Ride young horses long enuf and you just kinda stick in the saddle. My colt will crow hop occasionally without warning. And sometimes jump sideways. It's been our biggest issue since day one. Now I just ride it out and put him into a flat spin or tight head to boot circles. Can't really tell ya how I ride it out or how to sit, I just do it. Sorry if I'm not much help.....
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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

It's balance and muscle memory from riding experience. Each time you ride, your muscles remember. When your horse spooks or something goes wrong that built up instinct and muscle memory works to try to "save" you. Some times it works and you stay on - sometimes not. The fortunate ones don't fall the same way often if even more than once because their muscles and brains learn what didn't work last time.

The more you ride the more you develop balance and learn how to stay on. It won't mean you'll never fall but the experience helps!
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## corgi (Nov 3, 2009)

My horse rarely spooks but yesterday we were riding along the road, ditch on one side, fence on the other and all of a sudden she spooked...BIG TIME. Have no idea why. My husband was in front of us on his horse and Isabella had no where to go so she pretty much freaked out, in place, with lots of dancing and a small buck or two.

6 months ago, I would have come off. The more I ride, the more balanced I become. I find myself relaxing when it happens, instead of tensing up. I just rode 
it out, made sure I had control of the reins, and urged her to walk forward.

We both recovered nicely and had a wonderful relaxing ride in the fields across the street.

I am guessing it just gets easier the more experience you get. I have been thrown twice before (different horses) and I know for a fact I would have come off yesterday as well if it been a year ago. I think you just become more balanced and for me, really getting to know my horse and the way she moves..helps a lot.


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## Liligirl (Jun 9, 2012)

I was riding on a long pleasure rein. Is there a trick to riding with the horse having a loose rein but still maintaining control for this sort of situation?


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

I ride with a totally loose rein, but it is not dangling down to her knees. On trails, I actually use a single gaming rein. It is basically not even touching her as far as contact to her mouth, but it is short enough that I can pull back and set her down into a stop immediately. She has a good solid whoa because she was trained pretty well to stop before she ever hit her first trail.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

I've practiced this a lot with my mare. FWIW: I use an Australian saddle instead of an English one. Feels the same to my butt, but the poleys in the front help a lot when she spins as well as jumps. I use long stirrups, because I don't do jumping over obstacles. Most of our jumps are the "6 feet sideways" sort, and long legs wrapped around the horse seems to help. I try to monitor her tension level and keep it from reaching the melting point, although I don't always guess right. I try to slowly expand her horizons, rather than pushing her for fast progress. For reins, I do it like Celeste.

Good luck! If need be, don't hesitate to take a break and spend some time working on your balance with a calmer horse. There is no shame in that. I took an *8 MONTH* break from riding my "perfect for a beginner" mare evil so I could improve my riding to make riding her less dangerous. Just a warning: I took a fall off of her shortly after I started riding, and nearly 4 years later my lower right back is aching after our ride this evening...


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

bsms said:


> Most of our jumps are the "6 feet sideways" sort...


This is an Arabian specialty gait. :lol:


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## Phly (Nov 14, 2012)

Ride with your hands in the "box". Loose reign but not sloppy loose. Not trying to sound like a butthead, but a long loose reign is dangerous when on questionable horses. I ride split reigns, if you don't find them comfortable in your hands, there are rope split reigns that should feel better. You need to be able to pull a one reign stop without adjusting your reigns in your Hands, you won't have time. And riding in barrel style or tied leather reigns makes one reign stops and hard tight circles harder to do correctly when needed. All in my opinion and experience.
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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

Liligirl said:


> I was riding on a long pleasure rein. Is there a trick to riding with the horse having a loose rein but still maintaining control for this sort of situation?


The biggest "trick" for me in that situation is keeping myself together while I gather up the reins and regain control. If you can't ride without reins you're in for a bad time in that situation.
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## Liligirl (Jun 9, 2012)

DancingArabian said:


> The biggest "trick" for me in that situation is keeping myself together while I gather up the reins and regain control. If you can't ride without reins you're in for a bad time in that situation.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Lol I will be honest I did not have time to “not keep my calm” The whole thing happened in the space of about 3 seconds. He literally leaped to the side (which I stayed on for) but then the big buck straight after the leap had me flying. It’s actually the first time a horse has bucked with me on it, guess I can tick that box and buy the t-shirt :?

I think possibly I need to practice as a few previous posters have said on my one rein stop, ensuring that my rein is not too long to use it and also getting an instinct to use it.


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

Yep!

Keeping your calm is more for when the horse takes off. If you don't freak out, your chances of staying on are better than if you panic.
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## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

In my case, if my horse spooks while I am riding with a long rein I'll hold both reins in one hand and slide the opposite hand about a foot or two further forward on one side so that I can draw the horse into a tight circle/one rein stop.


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## Liligirl (Jun 9, 2012)

Oh well at least I do not think I lost my confidence. I was half way back to walking us back home (me on the ground) the pain in my back absolutely killing me. When I started trying to decide if my back would handle it if I got back on, I decided it wouldn't though. Probably the wiser decision as the doctors have told me I should not ride for a few weeks yet


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## Phly (Nov 14, 2012)

Liligirl said:


> Oh well at least I do not think I lost my confidence. I was half way back to walking us back home (me on the ground) the pain in my back absolutely killing me. When I started trying to decide if my back would handle it if I got back on, I decided it wouldn't though. Probably the wiser decision as the doctors have told me I should not ride for a few weeks yet


 I know it woulda been painfully and possibly made things worse. In my opinion, you needed to finish the ride. That horse now knows how to end a ride. "got your number" so to speak.
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## Liligirl (Jun 9, 2012)

Phly said:


> I know it woulda been painfully and possibly made things worse. In my opinion, you needed to finish the ride. That horse now knows how to end a ride. "got your number" so to speak.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I think he had my number in the 10 minutes it took me to recover enough to stand and start walking us both home 

nah in all honestly I do not think that this will effect any future rides with him as long as I can get on him with same confidence I did previously. Except this time we will be practicing the one rein stop constantly to hopefully ingrain it in my head enough to use it.


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## Phly (Nov 14, 2012)

Liligirl said:


> I think he had my number in the 10 minutes it took me to recover enough to stand and start walking us both home
> 
> nah in all honestly I do not think that this will effect any future rides with him as long as I can get on him with same confidence I did previously. Except this time we will be practicing the one rein stop constantly to hopefully ingrain it in my head enough to use it.


 I hope so Hun. One reign stop=flexation all good things to practice. Way to cowgirl up and be tough. Cowgirls don't cry.
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## nvr2many (Jan 18, 2011)

OMG, this weekend must have been a spooky one because I too had quite the fright yesterday. 
I officially hate Llamas! Yesterday was a scary day, out riding Ashley. The whole time forgetting she had not seen the neighbor Llama. Well, OMG! This 17.2 hh 1500 lb horse, "freaked out". First she jumps, and heads for the barbed wire fencing, I am sure she is going to run through or try to jump it, but somehow I kept my head and pulled her to the right. 
My husband sees her almost sit down while turning right and bolting along the fence line like a bat outta hell! OMG. Here I am frantically yelling whoa, whoa. Well, finally she does. Thank God! 
She was literally freaked out! What a rodeo ride that was, oh and such power. I felt like I was riding a rocket, no lie! 
To her defense, my husband said the Llama came charging with its head down toward the fence. He had never seen it do this before. He himself was not even sure what it was at first. And the rodeo began. 
All in all, today was a good day! 
But to answer you, I feel its balance and time in the saddle. I really do not want to do this enough to be used to it. So I just hope I can keep my head when I need to.
A year ago I would have bailed. So I guess I am kinda proud of myself!


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## Liligirl (Jun 9, 2012)

Phly said:


> I hope so Hun. One reign stop=flexation all good things to practice. Way to cowgirl up and be tough. Cowgirls don't cry.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Also need to see the funny side of a bad situation!


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

This happens to us all! I've been riding for about 18 years and I just got dumped really hard from a spook about 3 weeks ago.

I was riding my 2 1/2 yr old gelding, only home from the trainer a few weeks, and he spooked at a raven that flew off from the ground. He spun, bolted and bucked me off. I haven't come off a horse in at least three years. And the last couple of times I came off they have been soft landings. Not this time! He bucked me off right onto a hard gravel road resulting in road rash and a very painful back. I am also glad I was wearing a helmet because the helmet got a bit of road rash too, and if not for the helmet that would have been my head....not to mention a possible concussion because I hit the ground pretty hard (it broke the harness mechanism in the helmet). 

I've fallen off here and there before, especially early in my riding years but this is only the second time I've ever been bucked off. :evil: I thought I was injured because my back hurt so bad I could barely stand up. The horse was happily eating weeds nearby (thank goodness) and I was able to stand him in a ditch to get back on. Rode him home and he acted like nothing happened. Sigh!

To give him benefit of the doubt, I wasn't riding with a lot of confidence and I was letting him look around too much. I have since done some research and am trying to ride more assertively. Oh, and I had spurs on which I'm sure must have engaged when I lost my balance in the spin. 

Normally I can ride out a spin n' spook pretty well, but not with a greenie with poor brakes and a bucking fit. :lol:

It shook my confidence as I'm a big wuss! So I think I am only going to ride him in the company of other riders for a while. When the incident happened I was riding alone. I know other riders won't save me from an accident, but at least someone will be there if one happens.

Here are some videos that I found helpful:


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## Liligirl (Jun 9, 2012)

Thank you for the videos
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## fkonidaris (Jan 26, 2012)

My mare is spooky, at everything...rocks, butterflies, birds, air. Anyways, my trainer has told me to move her feet, set her head, re-focus, and/or one rein stop. I usually just move her feet as long as there's enough room on the trail or wherever we are that will not pose for a dangerous situation (such as being too close to a drop off). Try to keep calm, as difficult as it can be and react quick. The longer it takes you to react, the more time your horse has to continue spooking and reacting.


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