I have a problem. My horse gets spooked when he senses something behind him-running or walking behind. I have chased him around on a lead with every noisy thing I can think of and nothing bothers him. Any ideas how to cure this out on the trail. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Posted 2008-10-29 9:45 PM (#93916 - in reply to #93888) Subject: RE: Horse Gets Spooked
Expert
Posts: 2828 Location: Southern New Mexico
Do you get tense when you hear someone coming up behind you? If you do he is picking up on your emotions. Where is he in the pecking order at your place? He could just be trying to move out of the way for a more dominant horse. That will take time and patience to stop.
Posted 2008-10-30 6:30 AM (#93933 - in reply to #93888) Subject: RE: Horse Gets Spooked
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1069 Location: MI.
Expose him to more of those "things" coming from behind. Do you have a bike path near you? My trainer takes his horses on a bike path so they get used to "things" coming from behind.
Posted 2008-10-30 2:06 PM (#93964 - in reply to #93888) Subject: RE: Horse Gets Spooked
Regular
Posts: 59 Location: Mt. Vision, NY - waaay upstate
Beagles. Best training aid in the world. I ride my youngsters with two beagles running behind, in front and underneath them. The dogs spook out wildlife, russle the dried corn stalks, snort, splash, and sing. Believe me, after a couple rides with the beagles the horse becomes very ho-hum about anything coming up behind them.
Also, Paso Finos - preferably fino-type. Get as couple of those ponies behind you and have them corto real tight, like. I have seen it freak many a seasoned trail horse, but if you ride with these folks a few times, the horses become used to the sound and get over it.
Posted 2008-11-02 2:52 PM (#94092 - in reply to #93888) Subject: RE: Horse Gets Spooked
Veteran
Posts: 161 Location: S. Central Illinois
The last time he did it, I didn't even hear the person coming up behind me, so I would imagine it's not me tensing up. He is top dog at my place. He will even do it when I am out riding by myself. I have a dog that rides with me as well. When he does it, I usually try to circle him to calm him down. He also gets snorty. It amazes me how quickly his demeanor can change. Some days it seems that the wind blowing can set him off. Just a little frustrated-he is such a joy to ride most of the time.
Posted 2008-11-02 3:15 PM (#94093 - in reply to #93888) Subject: RE: Horse Gets Spooked
Location: KY
I have often recommended vitamin b1 for nervous/spooky/uptight horses; have seen it work wonders. Also, a trainer friend of mine uses apple cider vinegar in the feed and obtains a calming effect. Both remedies seem to even out the horse's disposition. I don't know why it sorks, but it does not do any harm so may be worth a try.....Also, I agree with beagles as a training tool.....good luck.
Posted 2008-11-02 8:01 PM (#94103 - in reply to #94092) Subject: RE: Horse Gets Spooked
Location: Hartsville, SC
What and how much are you feeding him? Too much of some brands of feed makes a (negative) difference in attitude. Too much of any feed and not enough roughage and riding can also make for unpleasant events. More wet saddle pads and less rich feed can do wonders. As a thought, if someone sneaks up behind me quietly, I jump. Maybe that part was not unnatural. Just FYI-- some things to think about. ( Not trying to be negative or say that you are not doing things correctly.)deb Medicinehatgirl
Posted 2008-11-04 6:52 PM (#94267 - in reply to #94092) Subject: RE: Horse Gets Spooked
Expert
Posts: 2614
Originally written by my3horses on 2008-11-02 2:52 PM
The last time he did it, I didn't even hear the person coming up behind me, so I would imagine it's not me tensing up. He is top dog at my place. He will even do it when I am out riding by myself. I have a dog that rides with me as well. When he does it, I usually try to circle him to calm him down. He also gets snorty. It amazes me how quickly his demeanor can change. Some days it seems that the wind blowing can set him off. Just a little frustrated-he is such a joy to ride most of the time.
Our 11 yr old Mo foxtrotter gelding is the same way.None of the above applies to him (feed,ect).I think some horses are just more right-brained than others,and it takes more work to get them over it.
Posted 2008-11-05 7:20 AM (#94294 - in reply to #93888) Subject: RE: Horse Gets Spooked
Elite Veteran
Posts: 681 Location: Corpus Christi, Texas
I agree Ridgegirl... My mare is the same.. She snorts and spooks circling the same little POS field that we've ridden around for 6 years (which passes for a trail ride at home..whoopee).. She is very hypervigilant .. always looking for a booger. A very nervous pooper, she leaves many piles, usually, but not always getting looser as time goes on... We could never get lost..we could always follow our poop back to the campsite.... When trail riding, she doesn't like to be in back of the line. She keeps flicking her ears back and glancing around her butt behind her. Very obviously checking to be sure no horse eating creature is coming to get her.. She isn't worried about her back when another rider is behind her... While in bandera last week, she did this as long as she was in back of the (2 horse ) line.. When a biker actually did ride up behind us, she really didn't spook.. I was expecting fireworks... It's like the anticipation is worse than the reality.
Posted 2008-11-05 8:53 AM (#94302 - in reply to #94294) Subject: RE: Horse Gets Spooked
Expert
Posts: 2614
I'm not saying this to offend anyone,I'm just speaking for our gelding.I think he is more "fine tuned" into things,because of his breeding,and,to a BIG extent because: we bought him at age 8,and he had been out with a herd since being saddle broke.So,he's more jumpy and nervous being alone.We keep him in a front pasture adajacent to the back one where the girls are so he won't be so attached to being with them all of the time.He can still do the "snort,break wind," ect thing that I've heard Pat Parelli talk about in a nanosecond but he is a lot better after many trail rides.
Horse Gets Spooked
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