Bombproofing.....any advice?

Question

I have a two yearold who spooks at almost everything........I would really like some advice on desensatizing him to things...I have already done things like rub a rope around his body, and playing and wiggling a long whip around the area......any tips would be greatly appreaciated!

Answer 1

i used to ride with a very well known horse trainer.

and he had a spooky horse that would go crazy when anything blew past him like a plastic bag.

to fix this problem he tied heaps of plastic bags to its rugs and haulter.

it was a bit scared at first but quickly got used to the idea. you should use tactics like this and just expose him to every . seeing as hes only two when he matures he should settle a bit more .

hope this helps xx

Answer 2

work with her and the spooky things it helps

Answer 3

Just expose him to anything you can think of that might make him jumpy.

The rope thing is good.

If you plan to show him eventually, I'd get him used to loud noises, fast movement (try jumping up and down around him while holding on to his rope..do it until he can stand there quietly while you jump).  Try umbrellas..opening them and holding them up high.  touch him everywhere.

Take plastic bags and crinkle them/rub them on him.

Take a bunch of empty pop cans and tie them together on a piece of string or baling twine, and drag them on the ground around him. You can also hold them up and shake them a bit to get him used to the noise.

This will sound dumb but try taking small stones or other small objects that are available to you and toss them up in the air so they can fall and hit the ground.  This will get him used to sudden noises and movements.

As always, be very careful when trying new things with him in case he gets really scared and panics.  Try not to do things all at once...spread them out so he's not overwhelmed.  Let him get used to one thing before you try another.

Unfortunately some horses don't have the mind to be bombproof.  Some are just sort of edgy and will always find things to spook at, no matter how much you expose them to.  Sometimes the only thing you can do it just teach the horse to "spook properly", as in not run into you if he gets scared, not rear, not buck/kick, etc.    But these are at least some things to work on.

ETA..also try taking a tarp and putting it on the ground, and have him walk over it or stand on it.  The noise will sometimes scare them but it's a really good exercise to get them use to strange noises, especially noises that they create (by stepping on it).

edit: to the person just below me, sorry i hope you don't think i copied your answer, lol.  I must have been adding it when you were typing yours.

and to the person asking the question....DON'T do parelli.  Not unless you're a millionaire and are ok spending tons of money on DVDs and "special" equipment to get your horse to do things.  You don't need it.  If you are very desperate for help, find a good trainer who can help you and give you ideas, but please, for the love of GOD, don't do Parelli.

Answer 4

Buy books  thats all I can say if I knew you in real life and you live in southern california I would have you send your horse to my friends house he will be bomb proof in 3 months

Answer 5

Hi, where I work we sell bombproof, kid safe horses. It really doesn't take long to make a horse bombproof, you just have to get your horse used to things, I would recommend taking your horse into an arena and tying plastic bags, tarps, stuff that makes noises and dangles, etc. to your horse's saddle and let him go in the arena for about 15 minutes a day until he doesn't care anymore. Your horse might freak out at first but pretty soon he will get over it. At the place I work we put tarps over our horses entire bodies, and ride them with umbrellas and big hats and sunglasses on the horses.

Answer 6

Buy plastic tarps and walk him on them.

Wave garbage bags tied to the end of a pole at him.

Buy a kazoo...you can make all kinds of wierd noises with it.

Wiggle the rope around him on the ground, like a snake.

With the halter and lead on, put the end of the lead under your foot and gradually pull up on the end, lowering your horse's head each time until his head is down by the ground.  Hold him there, loosely, but do it daily until he will stand like that and wait for you to release him.

Ground tie him by standing him in the middle of the arena, letting the lead lay on the ground .  Square him up when you do this.  Gradually walk all around him and farther and farther away.  If he moves a foot, go to him and replace it square.  Soon just a step toward him will have him squaring himself,  If you do this daily, he will learn to ground tie.  Then you try him in the barn during grooming, etc.

Answer 7

the parelli program is the best for new horse people who don't know how to train.  go to parelli.com and learn why it is good. Buy at least the Level 1 course. It will save your life. find aParelli  clinic in your area and see the amazing things you can do with your horse.  your Timing with the release when they do the right thing is as important as knowing the right things to do.

remember to start slow, release just before he can't take it anymore. watch his body language, his eyes.

example: you want to  rub him all over with a plastic bag.  if he tries to escape, stay with him, keep it on him until he stops.

release immediately, maybe even turn and walk away, this takes the pressure off.

soon it  will start taking less time for him to stop. build on that, touch in different spots, for longer.

**** luck

Answer 8

put an umbrella in a small ring with her. you can also do this with other spooky items.

Answer 9

tie a plastic bag to the end if a stick and shake it around until he is calm and then rub it all over him and do thing with other objects.