Shying horse?

Question

My horse shys at everything. even if we've gone past it before and she was fine, she finds something scary in it! i dont know what to do, other than keeping my leg on and lifting my hands up. Is there any way to stop it?

Answer 1

before you get on, lead her to the object that scares her, and just let her stand there until she doesnt have a problem, walk away to another thing, repeat, then go back the the previous item do this multiple times to different objects until you can lead her up to anything without her spooking. also, if she is afraid of sweatshirts, let her sniff one and get comfortable with it and then put the hood over her ears slowly and drape the rest of it over her neck, be careful though you have to do this very slowly.

Answer 2

yes, don't ride your horse. put her on a lead rope and you lead her. example. take a ball and bounce it but keep it in front of you so that you are between the scary object and the horse. do this over and over. to everything that could spooke her. then once shes used to this ride her through the same obsticles. if she reacts take a deep breath and relax. make your self flexible and easy. let her smell the object and even get off to show her its ok. take a stick and tie a grocery sack around it. put your horse on the lead rope and TRY to make her spooke. DO NOT HIT THE HORSE WITH ANY "SCARY" OBJECT EVER! try to spooke her and soon she will get that its okay. email if you have any more ?s about this.

Answer 3

You could go back to some ground work and desensitize your horse to stuff. Clinton Andersons DVD on ground work is very good alot of common sense stuff. see if the library has it or look on ebay. It has more info than I could even begin to explain.

Answer 4

try getting off and leading her past to give her confidence, it isnt giving in as some poeple say and it works for my horse. also when she goes past something,even with a SLIGHT improvement, praise her like she is the best horse in the world

you can also try leading her to the spooky object and encuorage her to touch it with her nose so she knows it is not threat,

good luck

Answer 5

I don't agree with the first answer, only because getting off can be learned as being a reward.  When she shys, work her near the source until she focuses on you, and not her fear.  Then move on to the next one.