Help with trail riding?

Question

I have a 15 yr old mare that I ride mostly on local trails and in the back pasture. Anytime we go out to west Texas for a trail ride (about a 3 hr drive from where I live) she gets really upset. We normally ride on wooded trails around home, and out there it is all wide open spaces, and I wonder if this could affect her. She will start going sideways, and eventually freeze up. If I try to force her to go, she acts like she is in a panic and will completly blow up, including rearing which she never does anywhere else. If I get off and lead her, she will relax and walk, but as soon as I get back on, it starts all over again.

Answer 1

Some horses are more nervous in wooded areas, because they think a mountain lion is behind every tree.  Some are more nervous in wide open areas, because they see every little tiny thing that moves on the horizon, (and horses' eyesight is not really very good, other than detecting the tiniest movement).  The best idea, if you can do it, is to ride out with company, with one or two quiet horses and calm riders.

As for the rearing, you need to anticipate as best you can when she's thinking of going up, and pull her around quickly and hard before her front feet leave the ground.  It's no fun at all when a horse freezes up as you don't know in which direction they'll blow up!  

You may want to double check your relationship, vis a vis your mare's perception of the pecking order. . . in other words, make sure she sees you as her fearless leader, and not just her best buddy who is just below her in rank.

The more she sees you as the leader, the more confidence she'll have when you're on her back.

Answer 2

Thoroughly introduce her to all of the surroundings in a certain area by hand a few times before getting up to ride her there. That might help.

Answer 3

She's unsure of herself in unfamiliar surroundings.  She might be okay if you rode with another person on a horse from that area.  If that horse is calm, your mare would probably be also.

Answer 4

Horses are herd animals.  They like company of at least 1-2 other horses in order to feel safe, escpecially in an enviroment in which they are not accustomed to.  Bringing her to a location alone is probably terrifying to her.  Take plenty of time to just walked her around and let her get use to the area.  Make sure she is calm before you get on her.  Also, horses are not predetors - when they get scared their first instinct is to run or go back the way they came.  When she freezes up, pull on the reigns in one direction and make her do tight circles (usually 3-4, maybe more).  Doing this, your horse will become bored and realize it's time to listen to what you're telling her to do.  Also, make sure you're not unloading her and getting right on her.  The traveling itself is stressful and she needs some time to relax before you go riding.  You need to have the confidence for both of you.  If this has happened several times before, she now distinguishes that area with nervousness and fear when being ridden.

Answer 5

My horse did the same thing for about a year. I took her to a riding park with just one other rider, THEM IN FRONT. Just talk to her. Perhaps find a calm, laid back, un tempermental horse to lead her do your horse can be direstly behind her. just talk to her and slowly have her walking beside the other horse. Remember, they can feel it when your nervous and it effects them 5 times worse. And also, rearing is un accectable. I know the poor love is scared. But it wont fix anything. I have a trick, and ill swear by it. Carry an egg. When she rears, crack the egg on her poll. She will neevr rear again, they think they have hit their head. Its very interesting.

Let me know if this helps.

Answer 6

I've always said this...insecure, confident lacking, and especially green horses do not like wide open spaces when riding.

By wide open I mean a street width trail and huge fields.

They can see too far, too many places to look around at and have to guard.  Boogie monsters can attack from so many places!

I suggest some options.

A trail system that has both narrow paths and a few wider ones to build her confidence on.  Show her that you will always go to the small ones and she will feel safe again.

Soon she isn't bothered by the wide openness.

Add a small field in that now.  Cross through this small field until one day she's not bothered.

If you have to ride these wide open places I suggest a group of stable horses and let her ride in the middle of them (if she's not a kicker)

Do not let them get ahead of her or she will blow.

When she is too excited you may have to do many one reins and circles to get her mind back with you but make sure those other horses are RIGHT there....if they are even 20 yards ahead she will blow up again.

Another idea...blinkers.

She then can only focus on what is in front and not what is around or behind her.  (last resort)

She's got to build her confidence though..that's her issue here.  She's not trusting you to bail her out.  She's feeling she has to be the protector of both of you and has to be on guard.

When you are on the ground..she relaxes since she feels YOU have control of the subject.  When you are on her back she feels SHE is the one in charge.

I feel for ya...been there myself and it's been a long haul to cure this.  Still sticky at times but now we can walk across a field without jumping at every stick that cracks underfoot!

Another thought after reading through again...

kinda sounds like she's being a brat.  She knows it's a long ride and really hates the scenery.  Would rather get back on the trailer and leave :)

Turning in circles (trot) and keep her moving.  Maybe she'll learn that staying behind is more work than walking off with you.  Sucks because then she'll be tired for the ride :)

man, good luck!  There are so many different things in this equation that it's hard to tell exactly what she is saying....unless I actually see it.

Scared, brat, confidence...etc

Answer 7

maybe u should try staying off, but have her tacked up, and walk her on one of the trails and keep reasuring her, then, a few days later, take her again and ride her, just walk and trot, slow stuff, and if she gets spooky and scared, just keep talking to her, but i read in one of my horse magazines (Horse and Rider) to never get off and walk just cuz the horse is scared, because that is rewarding them, and not teaching them anything, also, never get off and lead the horse all the way back to whereever ur trailer is or whereever the trail would stop because it doesnt teach them!!! hope this helps!!!!