Do you think this is normal?

Question

Ok....I'm not complaining about my horse by no means...I'm just wondering.

I have an 8yr off the track thoroughbred mare. When i first think of tb i think of a flighty horse that gets anxious around everything and every little noise.

Except...my mare is completely the opposite, she hardly spooks at anything i would expect her to. Just the other day, i was riding while my parents were building our new deck, using like a nail gun and cutting wood and stuff, and she didnt care one bit! i thought if anything is gonna scare a horse, its gonna be a nail gun!

Do you think this is normal for an ottb to be so mellow?

Also I'm going to the fair with her for the first time, How do you think shes gonna be with all the fair stuff going on? how do you get a horse use to all that stuff? is their any exercises we can do at home to get her use to things that will be there? Thanks soooooo much!!!

Answer 1

yes it is normal typically thoroughbreds are always calm but when they sppok, or reach their breaking point they spook big time and very crazily

Answer 2

she sounds like she'll be fine with the fair just make sure she's used to everything try new sounds and things like an umberella anything maybe bubbles anything unusual and posibly frightining

Answer 3

I've had several Tb and all have been subjected to almost everything. They get hyped on the track becouse its there job. Most are really nice horses.

Answer 4

i have the EXACT situation. dont worry theres nothing to worry about . She will be fine with all the fair stuff i took my tb to the fair yesturday , he had a few spooks but that was it . if she wasnt scared of a nail gun , then i doubt she will be scared of the rides . :) have fun at the fair !

Answer 5

nope

Answer 6

You'll be fine.  Chances are a horse off the track has been handled A LOT so they are used to all sorts of noises and things.  Especially if she was ever raced.  Some horses are just naturally more inclined to being calm, yes even TB's!!  Going to the fair should be fine, it'll be kinda like being back at the track for her.  I'd just try to get her used to the other kinds of animals she'll be encountering there, if any.

Answer 7

Think about it this way: just as people are, horses are all different and all have their own personalities. Some horses may spook at everything in the world, and other may have had training that knocked that out of them. Sure, certain breeds tend to be MORE spooky... but it all depends on the horse as well.

Seeming how your horse is calm with a nail gun... i don't think you'll have a big problem at the fair.

However... When i went to the fair a few weeks ago, there were draft horses pulling carts. As you can imagine... the horses had to look right at the drafts as they went by, all the noises of the wagon, and the fact that something much like them was out there pulling that big thing! The horse never really SPOOKED at it, unless it caught them completely off guard... in which case they jumped a little bit.

so as long as you keep your horse nice and collected and NOT looking at the draft horses im sure she'll do much better.

Good Luck at the fair!

Answer 8

Thats very normal. Some horses dont scare at things like a nail gun.

Answer 9

yeah. she probably has confidence and so the noises don't bother her and she probably heard those noises somewhere else, too. most of the OTTBs at my barn don't spook much--if ever.

Answer 10

well i think it's normal because she trusts you she knows you wouldn't hurt her and she can sense that. i think you two have a very trusting connection! :)

Answer 11

well i think that the stereotype for off the track is that they are all supposed to be flighty, unpredictable, and uncontrollable. but your horse is a great example proving that stereotype wrong - i think that if she's fine with the loud noises of your parents cutting wood then she should be fine at the fair. if you're still worried, however, i would put some tarp in the middle of your ring or something else that is "scary" and see how she reacts.  

Answer 12

I don't think anythings wrong with a horse not being scared of a nail gun. I think she'll be fine at the fair. If she's not afraid of the nail gun, she should be fine, just a little excited.  

Answer 13

Its nice to have that kinda horse :]]]

i think its normal because aat races their is always soo much going on. but they also have alot of adrenilne pumping so it makes then jumpy and nervous.

like my barrel horse. she is very sound and quite. but once i get her to a show she wont stand still for a second.

so yes.

that is very normal.

Answer 14

You dont want your horse to be spooked at all.... its dangerous when they do, my horse isnt spooked ever i ride on the road and everything.  

Answer 15

Its probably normal shes used to hearing loud noises she should do fine at the fair, my cousin and aunt take there horses to the fair every year!

Answer 16

I also have an OTTB and she is the same way NOTHING spooks her! Saws, motorcycles, bikes, deer, NOTHING! It isn't that TB's are spooky it is that if a OTTB is spooky they probably don't know ANYTHING but the track. My horse raced for 4 years and was trail ridden ever since! My horse is going to fair too, next year! You just have to remember that for any horse fair can be overwhelming and a big experience. Also TB don't do well being stalled for long periods of time, because they get bored and want to move around! Some things you could do is think of some things that would be at fair like noises or people!  ÃƒÂ¢Ã‚™Â£GOODLUCK♣

Answer 17

YOUR A FREAK! But hey who here is not? I have seen some really tame TB, even when they are former race horses. But like I have said many times on here. You can know every thing  there is about horses, and yours will defy everything you know. I wouldn't be to worried about your horse spooking at the fair. But you can never know so just be ready, and trust your animal. The best way to get your horse ready for the action at a fair, is going to shows and getting your horse used to the action. Your mare will probably be fine though. But again its hard to say. Luck

WE'RE ALL FREAK ON HERE!

Answer 18

Are you certain shes not deff? Because once i was having a riding lesson, (years ago,) and some fireworks went off. All the horses spooked, (like you would think they would,) but mine didn't. Then i found out he was deff!

Answer 19

the one i ride is the same way... she is so calm because after her racing years she was a pony horse so she is really really calm and spooks at nothing

Answer 20

I think it's fine. You have a good horse, if she isn't getting spooked by much.

As for Fairs, try to get her riding around in town more, and around more people and horses. If you can. And, if you can't, think of all the possible things that can go wrong in a fair, and try to practice with distractions, noises, etc.

Good luck!

Answer 21

i have a thorough that has never spooked at a thing. I agree with yo I think it's a little weird but hey, I'd rather have it not spook than spook at everything!

Answer 22

id say shes one tough horse who is loyal and protective of you. as for the exercises spend about 4 - 6 hours a day practicing and longdistance running

Answer 23

Audible and visual spooky cues are going to be different. I like the umbrella idea mentioned before. Open and close one around your horse. I use plastic bags a lot when conditioning horses for the trail because they fly around and move with the wind, and they make noise. I'll let the horse study it for a bit and get a good sniff first. Then wave it around a bit so it moves and rattles. I keep that up, sometimes using somebody else to help me until I can take a bag and shake it all around the horse's head and they don't move. That helps guard against things like birds getting up on the trail and spooking your horse. Also helps at fairgrounds where there might be actual plastic bags blowing around. ;) The main thing, I think, is that you spend lots of time with your horse so that it learns to trust you. That way, if there is a "booga" out there somewhere, the horse will rely on you to handle it safely, and not feel like it has to put lots of miles between the two of you and the perceived danger. You be the lead and let the horse trust you. Lots of groundwork helps.