Working through the spook on a trail ?

Question

Ok, first off some of you have seen that I am open about how I am not good in a saddle. At least I don't feel I am. I have some crappy balance (pssst..it's called out of shape and overweight)

and my own confidence issues (been thrown a time or two and had a few concussions and broken ribs).

Anyhow...I need a few ideas on this trail issue. My mare used to be a bolter. She'd spook then spin, and off like a shot. She's gotten better but there are times when I feel she may do it again.

I need to know a couple ideas so when one doesn't work I can swap it up to a different one instantly.

Scenario: The trail is narrow. Trees on both sides. Ditches on both sides also so I cannot go out into the woods. (this is a true trail). Way up ahead is a sign showing the trail intersection.

This sign is nice and white and is about 2 feet long.

There is no way but straight ahead or spin around and go back. Walking straight toward this sign has my mare shuddering and head high.

Answer 1

Anytime I know that mine is going to spook at something (such as a rock with a hole in it or a stump, or hollow log, because we all know REALLY BIG HORSE EATING MONSTERS live in these). I wait and see if he is going to freak about it, and if he seems like he's gonna (I too have a spin-and-bolt-sometimes rear-er) I will dismount, talk to him and pet him, then lead him to the big scary thing. It may take a few tries to get to it, and once at it, let him sniff it, I touch it, if it's something I can step on I'll get on it and just assure him that it's not going to hurt me or him.  Once he is ok with standing next to it, I will lead him away and approach it again from both directions over and over until he doesn't freak about it.

Then I mount and try it that way and while I'm on him I still talk to him and assure him that it's not gonna bite.  

This has worked for me numerous times, hope it works for you!

edit**********

What the others said about singing works pretty good too, I make up songs about the big scary rocks or the snakey looking vines!! If you're too nervous to make up a song, "hush little baby don't you cry"  works pretty well!!  Again, GOOD LUCK!

Answer 2

Yeah you seem to have the worst trail for a spooky horse ever!And I should know our horses spook... alot. Well for this kind of situation one rein stop may be very dangerous, or she would noticed the ditches and stop (usallay not the case though) Do you know of anyone with an experienced horse she could follow? that calms them done, or if not you get off her and lead her up and down that trail past that sign touch move it, whatever you can think of becuase my horse Scout doesn't just spook , he tries everything in his will power to get you off. So if he spooks instead of riding him back and loosing confiednce I get off and lead him back and forth till he is bored out of his mind. And I know I wish I could just keep riding into the sunset at a gallop, but you know what horses are fight or flight and we mostly know that the horsess we ride love to use the flight technique which isn't very fun at all. Hope this helps!

Rachel S.

Answer 3

If you don't feel confident in staying on if she spins/bolts, and you don't have another horse along to go first, then I would hop off and lead her past the sign.  Get off way early, before she starts freaking out about it, then just proceed calmly as if there is nothing to be afraid of.  At this point your only goal is to get her past the sign.  It doesn't matter if it's with you on top or walking beside her.

Answer 4

go her a get the free cd https://www.parelli.com/freedvd.faces

go to this site look at the top of the screan and go to PROBLEMS read what you need to know and see what thay say

thay also have a tv show

http://www.parelli.com/content.faces?gro...

you can see if any instruckter are close to you

http://www.parelli.com/content.faces?gro...

and you could buy the lvl 1

http://www.parelli.com/product.faces?pro...

it will all relly help

Answer 5

ok first of all are there any other trails around you, the trail you described is probably one of the key factors to your worriedness.

If you are at all nervous or worried horses ahev a great sense of knowing when there riders are nervous and there for you should be the leader but the horse senses the leader is nervous there for the horse will be nervous. Try talking to your horse and believe it or not it will actually calm you as well as your horse down or whistle a tune for you and your horse to hear you being distracted would help you and your horse out a lot :)

White, white is a colour lots of horses freak out on, yellow especially, Your horse is just fretting over the bright colour and unusual object. Dismount and walk your horse past the sign and she will soon get use to it just like she had the trail issue.

If walking your horse past the sign doesnt work, if you have a friend or neighbour who lives near by get them to ride past using their horse and let your horse follow on. It worked for me when my horse was fretting about going through a river and my neighbour took her arabian through and my horse followed on. Hasn't been a problem since.

But anyways Best of luck to you and your horse :)

Answer 6

I have had alot of riding on what I call extreme trails....Hills that would scare the c**p out of you, switchbacks, gully, and river crossings.  One of the things I have found when riding is the more calm and matter of fact you are about scary situations the more a particular horse trusts you. Sometimes people feel they need to make a big deal out of a particular object that a horse spooks at like standing there and looking at it, kicking, yelling and such. If your mare wants to spin, try changing  your speed at which you approach the object and just go about your business and get past. I usually dont care if a horse make a fuss, I usually ignore and get past and be on my way. Now the only thing thats important is not to avoid an issue..ie like crossing water. Once you have asked your horse to do something, you are committed. I have spent over an hour at a river crossing getting one gelding to cross it. it was a battle but I could not stop as it would have empowered the horse to refuse the next time.So if you have certain scary things that you need to work on and you know you will encounter them then i usually take company, a horse and rider that are very experienced, that lends to a better experience for the frightened horse and ads stability. One of my horses has an issue with BFR's big f'in rocks now we go through the same routine everytime and he has the same reaction....idiot.....but I just get past it with as little fuss as I can and on to other enjoyable things. make sure that you have excellent steering on you horse and maybe use a snaffle so you can direct rein and really take ahold and kick when you need to get past something especially if she likes to spin and leave...lol.... Good Luck and happy trails

Answer 7

try dismounting so that you can see her reaction better and assess the situation better.... dismount as you grow near and talk in a calm voice (take a few deep breathes yourself and let them out, this will help relieve any stress/nervousness you have-- she will sense it and make her more nervous) to her... when she begins to get frightened let her stop and sniff.... after a minute or two her curiousity will get the better of her and she may take a few small baby steps towards the sign... if she doesn't after a few minutes gentley prompt her to do so... you may want to use a lead line or take the reins down so you have some give if she jumps back... continue to do this, letting her take her time, and if needed let her back up a bit then go forward again.  talk to her and pat her as needed, have a few treats on hand as she gets closer!

if needed, do this over a few days, until she can walk up to the sign.  make sure to walk her past it BOTH WAYS so that she sees it from both sides, otherwise she may get spooked when she sees it from the other eye (silly but true)

GOOD LUCK.... a horse that i care is normally bombproof just looks at everything but was terribly frightened of a out-of-place push mower (off) the other day and worked him through it.

Answer 8

My horse is quite spooky but luckily he's not the spin and bolt variety as a rule (- he has been known to make an exception if it involves tractors) My friend's horse was that type, very much so - eventually she gave up and only rode her in an arena for a year or so then they parted company permanently.

I usually ride in company and if something is scary we go and examine it- along with snorting and huffing until it's quite a boring thing in the end and the horse is usually distracted by the grass next to the scary item. We had this recently when a local track suddenly acquired red and white striped barrels on either side ( long story) but now they don't even get a second look. Holly's idea is a good one and one I would certainly adapt for myself - I'd probably sit on the thing and have a cig while the horse grazed.

The scariest thing we had a problem with was actually a picnic bench - that was horrifying until the day someone left cake scraps on it for the birds - guess which horse always checks it  for cake now ? Can you think of a way of making the scary thing either boring or a point of interest ( ie this is where we stop and eat ?) Take company with you until you have established the boringness (? is that a real word ?) of the thing.

Edit> I forgot the most important thing - try not to pre empt the spook - don't tense yourself up expecting it as your horse will react to that. I know that can be difficult but try - singing or just nattering away to the horse can help.

Answer 9

Try talking to her softly and calmly. If she knows it is ok she might not spook. Hope it helps!

Answer 10

I'd beg anyone with a horse that ignores that sign to ride with me as a leader over and over again.  If possible I'd stop at the sign for a breather periodically, and just try to casually get her used to the trail.  maybe you've already done this, but it has always been the best way to get my horses to get over scary things out on trails.  It really helps if the other horse is one that your horse is familiar with.  Then you could gradually change off so that your horse is leading and confronting the sign first...if she still won't go, then give up forever and ride somewhere else! Life is short...who needs all that stress!!!

PS....I suppose stealing the sign is out of the question?

Answer 11

I have all but came out and said this many times.  The first rule of trail riding that anyone who knows what they are doing is this.  Get a good curb bit with long enough shanks that it can be used as a brake if neccessary.  It seldom is but just because you never use an emergency brake doesn't mean it isn't a good idea to have one.

Next step is to learn how to use the bit so that you are not applying pressure when the horse is going well.

Third step when the horse spooks you have to remain relaxed.  You MUST make a concious effort not to tense or grip with your legs.  When you do it tells the horse there really is something to be scared of.

When you meet signs like that keep her pointed towards the sign.  Do not let her turn, but do not force her forward if you think she will bolt.  The main thing here is to stop her before she starts to act nervous.  After a moment ask for a tiny step.  Since she is a bolter and you inexperinced I would not force her forward.  Let her choose when to go.  Encourage her forward motion but do not insist.  Insist only that she keeps facing the object.  She will eventually go towards it and then get her to sniff it.  

Another option is to get off and lead her to the object and have her smell it.  However if you are not careful she will get in the habit of wanting you to get off and lead her to EVERY strange object.

Often they will follow another horse, especially if the other horse ignores the sign.

One more option.  Ride her towards it but BEFORE she gets nervous turn her around and ride back down the trail away from it.  Then ride her back towards it and let her get a step closer before you turn her around.  Continue this until she gets to it.  Unfortuantely it is hard to do if you are in the middle of a trail ride and there are other people waiting.

You can practice these techniques in a practice pen so that on the trail she understands that you will not force her to get too close as long as she does not turn away from it.  You can use anything from beach balls to lawn mowers for this.

One more thing...

Beware Clinton Anderson.  His training techniques can backfire quickly for trail horses.  He makes several mistakes with them that will do this horse more harm than good.  

First he encourages seat sensitivity.  On this horse seat sensitivity will become a clear signal to the horse to run if you tense up when it spins or bolts.

Second he encouraeges snaffles.  Again no emergency break.  On a horse like this the emergency one handed stop will not work, simply because when she is frightened she will ignore it.  Use a curb bit.

Third I once saw him retrain a gaited horse to travel with a lower head.  All well and good and it should.  But coupled with the snaffle and a rider that is inexperienced to gaited horses and I guarantee that the horse was pacing (definitly a bad thing for gaited horses) within a year or two.

Answer 12

First of all, as a person who has shared similar physique issues, let me assure you, you are not out of shape.  I still say I am not "out of shape..." Round IS a shape.  (LOL)

I have a nice moving little TWH mare that was ridden by small children around the farm...when I bought her, the man said "she ain't never been to town" and although she's a great ride, there are things that give her the "stop and stares."  Fortunately she is not a bolter, but the first few times she did it until her lack of bolting was firmly established, it was a bit uncertain.  

I always condition myself to watch ahead and around...part of having been a professional driver, maybe, the training to scan constantly.  I do a lot of talking to her...patting the shoulder, the neck.  Letting her get a good look and then approaching slowly and carefully...(kinda hard to do when the beastie is a deer that pops up from the brush in a heartbeat!)

And I'm ready to counter-cue if she balks...or if she were to bolt.  If she starts moving towards the tree line on the right, she'll have to go hard left on a narrow trail to turn around...so I'm ready to shift my weight and turn the head back to the right.

BTW...having lost 50+ lbs, and still losing, I have to tell you that even just 10 lb increments make a HUGE difference in balance and confidence...at least it has for me.  I'm short legged to start out with.  You'll be amazed what a loss of just a few pounds does for your center of gravity, if you are at all short legged too.

Have you seen the Bazzy Boy blog?  His scary stuff is a hoot.  I'm sure you can identify.

www.bazzyboy.net/page4.php

Answer 13

You need to watch Clinton Anderson to watch how to desensitize a horse on things like this.  So far, your horse's behavior has triggered your behavior to let it win the problem with the sign.  The horse needs more confidence and it sounds like you do too.  Get one of his videos or watch on RFD TV...he has a wealth of knowledge to share.

In the meantime, I'd probably take something that resembled that sign and put it in her pen with her, showing her that it's not going to eat her alive.  Even it you make it out of cardboard and paint it the same color, it will resemble it enough that it will help.

Answer 14

Honestly, I would get off and walk her up to the sign with a calm horse in front of you on the trail and a calm horse in back of you, so if she got away from you she couldn't go far -- heaven forbid.Then I'd smear Molasses on part of the sign, letting her get a good wiff as it passed her big nostrils. If you can get her to put her mouth on that sign or ideally to start l*****g it, you've made a big breakthrough. I have used a lot of 'thinking outside the box' methods for my horse; he used to be a spook monster, crazy-wild, wing-flapping, hooved chicken. Not so any more. I had to stay safe and get creative. The key is you have to stay la-dee-dah casual...sing if you have to. When you sing a horse can't read your fear, if you have any.

PS I think you're being really hard on yourself!

Answer 15

This is really hard to answer, we all know or at least I hope we all do.....is you can teach that horse not to spook at that 1 thing ...but move it to a different spot and the horse will spook all over again. I would do as a few others say and walk the horse to it. Now if you already tried that then I would cut the darn sign down LOL.