# Can I bombproof my horse?



## Doveguy (Apr 13, 2010)

Hi everyone,

I have a 13 y/o TB/QTR horse. He is 16.1 and I am 50 y/o intermediate rider. When I inherited Indy from my son, he was dangerous, disrespectful, and spooky about everything. I bought Clinton Anderson videos and worked through all the groundwork and riding exercises. Indy is a new horse now. He is sweet as sugar and respectful and I love him. The problem is that he is still spooky about stupid stuff. He won't bolt for the barn or spook at a mailbox. But he will jump out of his skin at something that pops up. I just can't seem to control his reaction when it comes unexpectedly. I have fixed countless static fears that he had. Like fear of the hedge and fear of cross ties. For example, he stepped on a stick that made a snap sound and jumped vertically. I flew out of the saddle. My daughter and I were riding in our arena when my daughter (who was lying against her horse's neck) suddenly sat upright. Indy took about 4 steps sideways like he was cutting cattle. I fell off him. I am afraid that I will get hurt one of these days. I bought the book "Bombproof Your Horse" and I have been working through the excercises but I don't know that it will do any good. My wife wants him off the farm and he is for sale on Dreamhorse.com for a $1000. I can't help but think I am making a big mistake selling him (especially for such a low price). Can he get so that he is really bombproof or will he forever spook at unexpected things that pop up? Thanks for reading my long post.


----------



## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

Can you send him off for training? That way a more experienced person can help you work out his problems and teach you how to handle him and work through his spooks.


----------



## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

It sounds like you've made a ton of progress so far. I'd hate to see you quit now when it sounds like you only have one hurdle left, however big it might seem right now.

I saw a good show recently where Chris Cox took a very spooky horse out into the trails and had a friend jump out of the woods shaking a plastic tarp. The horse jumped out of his skin, but Chris just made the horse face the object while his friend kept shaking the tarp until the horse stopped reacting to it. His only rules were never pull on both reins at the same time and keep the horse facing the scary object. The horse can back up until last week, but he has to face the object. The logic was the horse will not necessarily become not afraid, but instead will learn the manage the fear better. I'm not suggesting trying this under saddle the first time unless of course you have a very solid seat, but maybe you could try similar exercises from the ground. Just make sure you have the helper person on the same side of the horse as you so he doesn't jump on you! Good luck.


----------



## Doveguy (Apr 13, 2010)

Thanks Rici for your suggestion. My question is: is it possible to work this reaction out of Indy? Do you think it is possible? I am not offended that you recommend professional training. I am no authority on horse training. I have studied Clinton Anderson's techniques and have put them into practice and seen amazing results. I just cant get this last hurdle crossed. And this is a hurdle that needs to be crossed or I will cut my losses and move on to another horse.
My Boy: I have envisioned turning my arena into a "house of equine horrors" so scarey that Indy thinks anything he comes across is nothing in compared with what he has already experienced. But before I embark on this, I want someone to tell me that it will work or that it would work if it were done right. I have heard many people who know horses tell me that horses don't really change their level of spookiness and my vet today told me that "not every horse can become a police horse" meaning that not every horse can deal with the scarey situations that police horses are subject to. Can Indy change or will he forever cry "holy shi...run for cover, oh never mind, I guess it was nothing after all.


----------



## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

Not too sure where you are, but there is someone here in Ny who does mounted police clinics-you and the horse work together-usually in teams with more experinced horses, to work through a situation similar to your "arena houes of horrors" you talk about. It is called gentle Dove Farm, Joann Long is the instructor. I will say, hre horses are awesome, but have audited her clinics, and some horses who tend to be the more fearful ones, seem to have a very hard time with so many objects at once. It is very overwhelming for them, which makes the rider more nervous, and they certainly don't seem better by the end. Most do tho. Joann stresses baby steps and lots of praise and reinforcement. However much you try tho, there will always be the unforeseen, and IMO, if nothing else, it is valuable to know what your horse does when they spook so you can be a little more prepared. You just cannot prepare for every possible situation. I have a great "bombproof" guy who has done a lot, but will say- I had never opened a beer on his back and I was on the ground rather quickly! )


----------



## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

I think it IS possible, but it will take time. I had a similar issue with a track quarter horse I sort of inherited years back. It took me about 2 or 3 years of working with her but she ended up so bomb proof that I was able to lease her to a 10 YO beginner rider.

Time and patience....... and lots of throwing stuff his way, letting him react.....and then making him face it and investigate if he wishes.


----------



## Juniper (May 4, 2007)

I am quite interested in what people have to say on this thread. My trainer told me that my horse will always have a somewhat spooky personality and I can never train it out of him. I can get him very responsive to cues so I can control him when he does spook, and be alert and have lots of exercises to do when he is nervous, but that he will always be somewhat of a scaredy cat. So, I am guessing it is somewhat in your horse's DNA.


----------



## Doveguy (Apr 13, 2010)

Frank, that is too funny. Thanks for the encouraging words. I am in N. Virginia. I need to update my profile, etc. I am willing to do the baby steps if there is a light at the end of the tunnel.


----------



## Doveguy (Apr 13, 2010)

I have heard myself saying that my TB/QTR cross has a TB brain. A very knowlegeable person told me once that my cross often ends up like my horse. It is rare to get the qtr horse brain from that cross.


----------



## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

There is certainly a light at the end of the tunnel. It may be a long, twisty tunnel, but you will get to an end. =]

Just take your time, be patient. I only suggest a trainer who can work WITH you [not the "ship your horse off for 60 days" kind] because once you get the basics and can figure out the best way to work with Indy, you'll be able to apply the same techniques if anything comes up.

I would suggest a Tie-Blocker Ring. You can Google it, I'm much too lazy to do it for you [=P]. It's basically a loop you run a really long rope through, and you introduce "scary" things. Your horse will run backwards and you feed him rope until he stops, and then reel him back in. Then you repeat again and again and again. There are some pretty neat videos on YouTube of it in use.

I'm going to tell you what I do with my horses, but you have to keep in mind that my horses aren't actually scared of it, they just act up a bit and will fake a spook at something because they find if highly amusing. When they are just looking, I just let them look for a minute, and then move on. When they are actively "afraid" [balking, moving away, etc.] I will NOT let them retreat. I am Alpha, I will not make them go anywhere or around anything that would harm them. They know that, they just forget. =] Another thing to remember is my horses react pretty slowly. Only once has my mare "bolted" away from something quicker than I could react. Usually, I can catch them before they give a true "spook."

Best of luck!


----------



## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

There is no such thing as a bombproof horse - Every single horse has at least ONE thing that will terrify them. It may be that plastic bag that you desensitized them to in the arena but seen in a new light out on the trail.

If a horse is spooky, you can't train it out - it is a personality trait. What you CAN do is learn to manage the spook - teach the horse to look to the rider in times of fear instead of taking off, learn different ways to direct the energy, etc.

If your horse is naturally spooky, it will be a long road - You are basically fighting against hundreds of years of natural selection - Horses who didn't get away from danger quick enough were eaten - Pretty strong motivator!

I think you need to decide wether you can improve both your own and your horses education to a degree where you can manage the spooks - or wether it will be better in the long run to buy a horse without such in ingrained flight reflex.


----------



## vivache (Jun 14, 2009)

I understand the whole 'riding a spooky horse' deal. My instructor is having me ride a buddy-sour horse in an area she's not used to being ridden in.. and she spooks a lot, mainly at the fenceline near the road. This is because I am hoping to show, and the show horse she has available for me is a 6yo, hotter horse, and she wants me to work with a passive horse during spooks before taking on a bigger challenge. What I do with this mare is just send her past what she's spooking at and largely ignore the spooks. If she lurches forward, I will go on with whatever we're doing. If I am flat-walking, and she spooks, I get her to go back to the flat-walk right after. She can spook, but if she bolts, bucks, rears, she is corrected.

In case you are interested, I briefly worked with this trainer while looking for a new instructor. He was too 'natural horsemanshippy' for me(I now ride saddle seat on TWH), but sounds like he'd be perfect for you. I liked riding his horses.. they really listened.. stopped dead at 'HO' and adjusted gait based on vocal cues.

Welcome to Highlander Horses!


----------



## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Juniper said:


> IMy trainer told me that my horse will always have a somewhat spooky personality and I can never train it out of him. I can get him very responsive to cues so I can control him when he does spook, and be alert and have lots of exercises to do when he is nervous, but that he will always be somewhat of a scaredy cat.


Can't agree more with the trainer. 

First, there is no such thing as "completely" bombproof. Well, may be unless horse is 30 years old, tired of everything, and doesn't react in general. Sometime even "completely bombproof" horse can blow out on something new and "scary". I've seen that happened. So you have to be prepared all the time to manage situation if it happens (with that being said I did relax in saddle too much myself number of times and couple times I had to pay for it). 

Second, it depends on personality a lot. I don't believe a nervous easily excited/easily spooked horse will ever be as quiet and relaxed on trail as laid back "don't care type" horse. You CAN take lots of spookiness away by riding, riding, riding in different places with as many obstacles as possible but some "spooky" will still be there. 

I don't want to sound offensive, but if you face involuntary dismount every time he spooks I'd consider a trainer or at least a better rider friend to put some miles on him. Falling from a horse is not so much fun IMHO.


----------



## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Wow! I posted and then read this page. Basically I'm just repeating all wild_spot said already.... :lol:


----------



## Doveguy (Apr 13, 2010)

Ricci,
I have contacted a guy who comes highly recommended by someone who really knows. This person will assess Indy and give his opinion, etc. 
I only use Blocker tie rings. I have them in the barn, the arena, and in my trailer. I am a big fan of them. I am convinced that my horse's reaction is honest true fear w/o a hint of balking or resistance. I can work with resistance, but the fear thing is hanging me up.


----------



## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

Doveguy-I actually need to update my profile too-I am in NOVA in the off season also. If you know of a place that accepts some NH and western in the off season (nov-april) let me know. Also-just as an aside-my trainer here in NY, who is in his 70's , actually has the very first horse he thinks may be totally unteachable as far as spooks go. Totally brainless. But-only one, in all these years.......so they are truly few and far between. And this one is a beautiful warmblood! (term used loosely! lol)


----------



## pepperum (Nov 4, 2009)

Horses can be conditioned but as one would say a leopard cannot change its spots... basically you can change the way he reacts to things but not change his fear, but if you change his reaction to a rational one it'll make a big difference. He sounds like he's come a long way and i think you're capable of crossing this last hurdle if you do it correctly, i don't know if scarring the hell out of him is it but i don't have any better ideas, maybe he'll just get over it- make sure you reward him when he reacts the way you want him too.


----------



## Little T Ranch (Mar 9, 2010)

First off I agree bombproof is not really possible with a horse. The thing that would need to be taken out is the flight response. What you want to think about is what to do with the life that comes up in a hurry .The answer is to direct it. This exercise I use to start my cowboy mounted shooting horses. Not bomb proof but gun proof. At a safe distance have something to get the horses attention. Whatever works,when the horse looks at the source have that retreat. Then the horse would advance towards it. You do need a few people to do this. If your rope work is good you can do this on a lead yourself. The object would be in front and the horse would advance towards it. That is one of the keys ,while the horse is still curious ,things are moving away. That will become the magnet. The horse should lead up softly and have a loose line. That is the second part,things get better on a loose line,no restriction. We take this to a extreme and have horse walking towards gunfire, but you can build to whatever you need ,while keeping things still in your control. Putting in a shameless plug I am in New York ,and will be conducting clinics on this topic.


----------



## Doveguy (Apr 13, 2010)

Thanks for all the good info. I think that maybe I need to move to another horse. I am too old and not a good enough rider/trainer to have a horse that has a propensity to spook at stuff. We have five horses and my Indy is the spookiest of the bunch. Just last night, I went out after dark to remove everyone's fly masks. It was dark and I was wearing a headlight. Our yearling took one step away and my Indy took several side steps away from me as I approached. He should know better. Everyone else stood still except our Andalusian who walked toward me.


----------



## 5cuetrain (Dec 11, 2009)

Remember its not his reaction to the event--ITS YOURS.

The work you have put into the relationship has done its job. He is now asking you what his reaction should be--NICE!!

If you go "holy sh--!!" so will he. If you go "no worries mate" so will he.

For sure he has scared you lots in the past so work on "no worries mate". Don't try to fool him just trust him to respond to you.

He is offering you his trust so you have to offer yours in return.


----------



## Doveguy (Apr 13, 2010)

Hi 5cue,
I must have written something backwards. When my daughter sat up in her saddle, I didn't react. I was trotting along, probably posting, and the next thing I know, Indy is doing this amazing gravity-defying sideways movement that caught me completely by surprise. My daughter had no idea that she had done anything. It was only by process of elimination that I was able to figure that it was her movement that spooked him. Now certainly, you don't think that it was my reaction that caused the spook. It was certainly my limitations as an equestrian that contributed to me falling on the ground but I didn't do anything but groan and limp over to Indy and drag my bruised carcass back into the saddle. Indy looked at me as if to say, "I guess it was nothing, why aren't you still on my back?"
If I were a better rider, I might have been able to stay on. Then I could be pulling his nose around to the girth and putting him into circles and reminding him to relax and trust me. But I've got to be in the saddle to do that and not sprawled out on the ground with my head swimming. The more I think about it, the more I tend to side with my wife. She wants him off the farm, post haste. Emotionally, I want to train Indy to the bitter end but she really was right when she said I wasn't being "logical" about it. I like to think that I am logical so it got me thinking I can do a lot of things but maybe not this thing.


----------



## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Doveguy said:


> My Boy: I have heard many people who know horses tell me that horses don't really change their level of spookiness and my vet today told me that "not every horse can become a police horse" meaning that not every horse can deal with the scarey situations that police horses are subject to. Can Indy change or will he forever cry "holy shi...run for cover, oh never mind, I guess it was nothing after all.


While I agree that every horse is different, I don't think we can alter the degree of fear a horse has of any object, but I do think we can teach them to manage their fear. I can only go on the success I've had with my OTTB. He's a curious horse by nature, but he used to be a handful if we came across a deer or something out trail riding. Three years ago, if my horse saw a deer or something, he'd spin around and try to run for the hills. Three years of working on one rein stops, making him stand and face scary things, and only letting him turn back when he was calm again on my cue, he really has learned to manage his fear better. Today we went out on our first ever solo trail ride. He thought about spooking at several different things, but instead decided to just take a long look and move forward. I'm extremely proud of him and he's proof positive that it can be done. Depending on your horse's personality, you may be able to get him to manage his fears too.


----------



## Doveguy (Apr 13, 2010)

Puck,

Thanks for your input. I appreciate it.


----------



## Juniper (May 4, 2007)

Two different "cowboys" have told me that I just need to relax and my horse would not be so jumpy. That I needed to be in charge. Well, at different times I ended up letting both of those guys ride my horse. Each one did come off him eventually when he did a nano second spin, jump spook. The one guy, who is a confident, relaxed, in charge rider, said it was so unexpected. I was tempted to say "are you relaxed now" when he was on the ground, but I held my tongue. My point being to 5cue, being relaxed is not enough with some horses.


----------



## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

I have to agree that a spook is a spook. You may be able to minimize it to some degree but it's always going to be there and it has nothing to do with you expecting it and transferring it to him.

I've worked with a lot of horses over the years and I just sold one of the best trained horses I've ever had (he's still in my "barn" - Hollywood). He was 10 years old, 100% pushbutton and could would maneuver any obstacle on a trail ride. Unfortunately, you never know when something would set him off. The last time it happened was the last time I rode him. I still have no idea what caused it but one moment we were on a very familiar trail and the next moment I was on the ground with a pair of broken ribs - and I still had to mount back up and ride him 2 miles back home.

I'm a little older then you (alright, more then a little) and I didn't need the concern of not knowing when and if he was going to blow up. You did a great job of bringing him this far but it may be time to move on.


----------



## Doveguy (Apr 13, 2010)

I inherited Indy. I knew nothing about horses and Indy and I have come a long way. I took a really dangerous horse and turned him into a real nice horse. But he is still spooky. Since I really knew so little, I didn't know what sort of success I would have. I changed so much about his personality that I just figured I could change this too. But now I don't think so. I think I need to say I have done what I can do and move on. Thank you everyone for all your input.
Doveguy


----------



## kiwigirl (Sep 30, 2009)

Doveguy said:


> I have heard myself saying that my TB/QTR cross has a TB brain. A very knowlegeable person told me once that my cross often ends up like my horse. It is rare to get the qtr horse brain from that cross.


 My previous horse was also a TB/QH x and he definitely had a TB brain so based on my own experiences I would agree with this statement. The scary thing about this cross is that MAN can these horses MOVE! I was like you, one minute I would have a horse under me, the next I was sitting on the ground wondering how the hell I got there!! I battled with my guy for five years and while he definitely improved I simply found that I had lost my ability to trust him and to trust in my ability to stay on his back. Looking back I think had I persisted with him he would have come ok with time, experience and exposure to life.

So, that is a definite maybe to keeping your horse and it improving, sorry not really much help, hey.:?


----------



## Doveguy (Apr 13, 2010)

Hey Kiwi,
I can't tell you how good it is to hear your experiences with your TB/QH X. I have been blaming myself thinking that it is all because of my limitations as a rider. While I am one factor, Indy really is a problem. I have ridden only a couple of other horses in my day. We own an appaloosa and an andalusian and I can tell you neither of those horses can even dream of moving like Indy moves. My riding Indy is like putting grandma into corvette with a sticky accelerator. 
I believe that if I continue to work with Indy, I will get really hurt. I already took a fall last year that put a cut on my elbow (5 stitches to fix that) and another day (2 years ago) I fell off him and damaged my knee which never got better. I had knee surgery to fix that. So what will it be next? A broken back? I'm 50 and I don't look it but my bones know it. Thanks again.
Doveguy


----------



## SugarPlumLove (Dec 27, 2009)

One day when I was desensitizing I wore a garbage bag and just started her normal training routine. It scared her at first but she got over it pretty quickly and concentrated on what I was trying to get her to do.

Sorry if I repeated something but I didn't have time to read all the posts.


----------



## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

iridehorses said:


> I have to agree that a spook is a spook. You may be able to minimize it to some degree but it's always going to be there and it has nothing to do with you expecting it and transferring it to him.


I believe that there is certainly a genetic component involved. Our lead mare, who was a penner, is about as calm as you can get, as is her daughter (who nows works cattle, too) and grand-daughter.


----------



## Walkamile (Dec 29, 2008)

Very good post and advice Iride.

Doveguy, sounds like your horses are for your enjoyment and relaxation, like mine. I , like you, am not a youngster anymore, though young at heart. When I come off a horse, I know I will not "walk away" like I did years ago. Fortunately, both horses are calm and sane. If they weren't, there are many wonderfully calm trail horses out there, and this is from my farrier. 

You've done a wonderful job with this horse by the sounds of it, but you have to ask yourself, are you having fun now? Are you relaxed and really enjoying the trail? 

There is probably a youngster (teens, 20's ect..) that would probably love the excitement of this horse and have the agility to stay with it and take this horse further where it needs to go.  This happened to a client of mine just recently. Had a horse she did wonders with, but that unpredictable spook no matter what was coming was always there. She finally gave it to a teenager with full warning about the unpredictability of this horse and got herself one that has seen it / done it. She is rediscovering the joy of trailriding and is so happy. And, so is the teenager. She has ridden this horse a lot (more time then my client had) is loving the challenge.

While horseback riding can be hazardous, we can help minimize this by our selection of mounts. Like you, I have an awful lot of responsibility in that saddle with me, mortgages, car loans, business, child's college loans and on and on. I prefer to minimize my risk, as I do not train horses for a living, only ride for enjoyment.

Good luck to you.


----------



## PechosGoldenChance (Aug 23, 2009)

I don't want to be a party pooper here, but I have to say that there is no such thing as a bombproof horse. If someone else has already gone over this, I'm terribly sorry. Every horse is afraid of at least one thing. I know for sure that if someone told me their horse was bombproof, I could definately find something that would scare the crap out of the horse. 

However, _near _bombproof is a much better term.


----------



## kiwigirl (Sep 30, 2009)

I think the main thing to consider is not so much if you can find a horse that never spooks but more importantly find the horse with the action that matches you. Like I said my TB/QH x was so explosive when he did go that I never even saw it coming and there was nothing I could do, on the other hand the mare that I have now is so different in temperament and physical action that if she does spook the result is never catastrophic. Her natural inborn instinct is to face anything scary so while she may get a fright she never disappears out from under me and won't run away. 

Walkamile is right you do have to ask yourself if you are enjoying riding that horse. I found with Comet my TB/QH that I had to psych myself up and really plan each ride with military precision based on how I felt on any given day as to what I felt up to coping with and that took all the fun out of riding. Whereas now I get on my horse and go where it is the most interesting and fun and I love it! Phoenix is a Suffolk Punch, Clyde/TB x so basically a 3/4 draft and she is forward moving, really loves to cover ground, is athletic enough to pop over logs, goes through anything and I mean ANYTHING and is just an easy going fun horse. Doveguy horses like Phoenix are out there and there is no shame in wanting to feel safe on horse back.


----------



## SugarPlumLove (Dec 27, 2009)

PechosGoldenChance said:


> However, _near _bombproof is a much better term.


 
I think they should make another term for it too haha cuz I doubt if you throw a bomb down beside him and it explodes that he will just stabd there


----------



## Juniper (May 4, 2007)

I am not totally sure it is the TB brain in the TB/QH horse cross that causes the extra fast spook. I was told that my QH's good cutting horse breeding gives him that instantaneous drop from under and move away speed that lands you on the ground if you are not glued to the saddle. My old TWH, who had to be retired, sigh, could never spook and spin that fast to save his life.


----------



## Doveguy (Apr 13, 2010)

Kiwi,

Sounds like your old horse is just like mine. I once told my son who was calling me on my cell when I was walking Indy to the arena, "I have to let you go, if I don't get on Indy right now, I will lose my resolve and just put him back into the pasture". I really have to psych myself up to ride him. It is never just a walk in the park.


----------



## Doveguy (Apr 13, 2010)

Juniper,

We own a QH and he is level headed and predictable. He is also lightning fast. Now my horse, Indy, is a TB/QH X and I can tell you Indy is not level headed and predictable. His brain works like he just drank a gallon of Starbucks coffee. I refer to Indy's brain as a TB brain because is just permanently wired on caffeine. I kinda feel sorry for him. He doesn't enjoy it. It doesn't help him. Soo when his "TB brain" spooks, his QH body can engage in a way that makes me unable to stay in the saddle. Hope that makes sense.


----------



## kiwigirl (Sep 30, 2009)

Doveguy said:


> Kiwi,
> 
> Sounds like your old horse is just like mine. I once told my son who was calling me on my cell when I was walking Indy to the arena, "I have to let you go, if I don't get on Indy right now, I will lose my resolve and just put him back into the pasture". I really have to psych myself up to ride him. It is never just a walk in the park.


Yep, that really does not soound like fun. Once I decided that I was definitely going to sell Comet I then sat down and thought about my horse riding and what I like to do on horse back. I am a trail rider that enjoys riding in some pretty difficult country. So I decided that I wanted something calm and robust, something with plenty of bone and strength to get us through some nasty places. I also enjoy a horse with a little zip and wanted an animal with the potential to jump. I decided to go with a draft X, all my research on the subject lead me to believe that most draft breeds have nice laid back dispositions, I thought a little TB in the mix would give me just the right amount of athleticism. You know I am sorry to say it but I was SO RIGHT!!! I love my girl.

My advice is think about what you want out of a ride, do your research and get a horse that fits you and your needs. Here are a couple of pics, one to show where we ride and the other just of us. Just wanted to add that as you can see in the first pic I ride in the sort of country where an unpredictable horse is very, very unsuitable!! The land is unpredictable enough, thanks very much!


----------



## Doveguy (Apr 13, 2010)

Kiwi,

Thanks. I'm sure your advice is right on.
Dove


----------



## Doveguy (Apr 13, 2010)

Hey everyone who is still interested, I sent an email to Rick Pelicano who a police officer who trains police horses. He wrote the book "How to Bombproof Your Horse". I asked him the question we have all been talking about and here is his response:

Mark
You are correct, no horse is actually completely bombproof. And not every horse can be a police horse. We can only endeavor to get the maximum performance out of the horse. I should also add this though, I think I even mentioned it in the book. We have an advantage in the police department because we have the ablity, time and resources to put the horse on the street for many hours a day, day after day, week after week. Time and exposure is your friend. Think of it this way, as long as your horse doesn't have some kind of dangerous response that is. Imagine everyday for 6 hours a day you were able to ride your horse in a downtown environment (after building up to trusting him with at least light traffic of course) with an experienced rock solid horse as company. Imagine you did this 4 to 5 days a week for 2 months. I would have to say that your horse would be a completely different animal after all that exposure. That is of course if you can get past his spooking and if you can find a way to manage the spook. So basically sometimes the horse can actually be improved further if he was able to experience what I described above but most folks are simply not able to do all of that. 

In fact we buy some of our horses from a couple that puts basic bombproofing training in them. I like to say it is liked buyong a "half baked" pizza. I only have to bring it home and finish cooking it. The thing they can't duplicate is a city environment. Ocean City PD bought a horse from them and they told their non horse superiors that they needed training time with the horse. They said " I thought you bought a trained horse" . I had to intervene and explain that the horse still needed to be finished. So it may be that you have done as much as you can given your resources. 

What does he do when he spooks? What do you do when he does it? I don't blame you for worrying about getting hurt in a fall. Have you come off before and did you get hurt at all? The thing about spooking is that there are many types of spook. Managing the spook is the key. 

Hope that helps
Rick


----------



## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

Agree totally with managing as well as having full knowledge of how your horse typically spooks, as well as what you are capable of handling. Once you know that, you can decide what is next. For example, I have a fairly steady eddie type who I have had for years. Part of that is because I know that if he does spook, he is a "ground grabber", and I know myself well enough to know that is the type of spook I deal best with. So, in searching for a new horse, I tried to ride trails and see how he spooked. Same way. Ok-now I know with as much certainty as is ever possible, that I can handle his reaction the majority of the time. Bolting, spinning and foolishness is NOT for me, and they will have to go down the road if they do it consistently. Just my own lack of confidence and tolerance as I get older.
Also agree with figuring out what youwant in a horse.....so that it is fun! Hard to do sometimes.....I love them all....lol
Good luck-


----------



## Juniper (May 4, 2007)

Thanks Doveguy for posting that letter. So interesting to me, with my jumpy horse. A couple of weeks ago I went on a poker ride with my horse, but he followed an old campaigner type. I could not believe how well behaved and calm my horse was. My friends were saying he was like an old broke child's horse. I think it was because he was feeding off the old horse's confidence. So that was interesting to me that he recommends riding 
with a calm horse as a legitimate training exercise.
How nice of Mr. Pelicano to reply to you.


----------



## Doveguy (Apr 13, 2010)

You are welcome. Mr. Pelicano really knows what he is talking about. I have his book and think it is a pretty good reference. I hoped that others would appreciate his words of wisdom. It tells me a lot about a guy when he posts such an in-depth and thoughtful response to a total stranger (me).


----------



## Juniper (May 4, 2007)

I just got his book too. Hope to read it next week.


----------



## Doveguy (Apr 13, 2010)

Hi Juniper,

It is a good book. A lot of it is really basic stuff that I'm sure you already know but I got some gems out of it. But I really like that the author took the time to answer my question so well. Happy reading!


----------



## Juniper (May 4, 2007)

I rode my horse for the first time in 2 1/2 weeks. I already got something out of the first few pages of the book. I led the trail ride through a funny looking gate and I did what Mr. Pelicano said about taking control before Peppy started to get nervous. That was huge for us to be in the front for even a few minutes! I also did an exercise when we went by a very scary boulder. You might want to read my post on "Any help for spookiness on the trail" and see if you like the idea of the sidepassing exercise Wild Spot discusses. It has been great for us.


----------



## Doveguy (Apr 13, 2010)

Hi Juniper,

There is so much for me to learn, it is hard to know where to start. I sold my horse this Saturday. And you know, I am relieved. The woman who bought him, is a better rider than I and got Indy to do all sorts of stuff that I wasn't able to do. Indy will be happier with her and now I can focus on our Andalusian (my wife's horse). It should be a big confidence builder for me. I am starting the search for my first real horse of my own. I have always ridden either my son's horse or my daughter's horse or my wife's horse. I hope to do it right this time.

I bet Mr. Pelicano would like to hear from you. He seems like a great guy.


----------



## Juniper (May 4, 2007)

Congrats on selling your horse so fast. It sounds like Indy will be happy with his new owner.
I also read in the very first part of Mr. P's book that having a good seat is critical so I took a lesson from a dressage lady yesterday before our ride. She was great. I have to practice rolling my hips with the horse. She lead my horse around and worked with me on it. People can tell you to relax a million times but unless they give you a concrete way to do it, then is useless advice. I guess I should write him since I am only on page 39 and have used his wisdom to make progress already.


----------

