I bought a 16 yr old TB that was being used as a school horse for jumping. When I ride we will be walking along fine and he will spook and turn really fast and run. I know you should turn them back and get them to see what they are afraid of but my problem is I have no idea what is causing him to spook. So what I'm doing is going back to where is spooks and doing circles. Does anyone have any other suggestions?
2008-04-14T13:59:34Z
Right now I'm just riding him in the arena as I want to have control when he spooks. It's actually pretty laughable most of the time because it's always a cirlce to the left and he has the smoothest canter.
Debi2008-04-14T14:16:10Z
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It's probably nothing. If he's been a school horse I think they just get out of the habit of looking at stuff and just follow the horse in front. Had the same thing with mine - never spooks if he's following,, I think it's like tunnel vision. I think what you are doing is the right thing and I think, given time, it will work.
My 12 year old draft cross used to do that sometimes too. First, check if there's some kind of medical problem, ie vision loss for whatever cause. If not, I would think it was a simple "training" problem. I discovered the best thing to do is desensitize the horse. You get something like a feed bag and flap it near them until they quit spooking, then rub it along their body (so they realize you aren't trying to kill them lol). Once they are used to this, you use a plastic shopping bag and tie it to the end of one of those training sticks and do the same thing. I have also discovered that if they continue to do this, just turn back around and keep walking past this back and forth (tiresome, I know) and eventually he will get used to whatever is spooking him. If all else fails talk to a trainer, breeder, or other knowledgable horse person in your area and see what they come up with.
1. Get off and walk circles while saying soothing words. 2. Praise him when he does calm down! Positive reinforcement makes him want to work harder to do what you want. 3. Walk back to the spot where he spooked. And then walk him farther away. Let him look at it and praise him all the while. 4. Get back on. Only get on is you feel comfortable. It is NEVER a good idea to put yourself in a dangerous situation! 5. Ride to the "Spook Spot" and praise him for being brave. Give him something to do and channel his nervous energy into something productive.
I don't think that calling a vet is the answer for a spooky horse. You are doing the right thing by taking him back to whatever is spooking him, this should be done until he can walk up to the area or object in a calm and collected manner. It might take 3 times or it might take 30 times. Also it sound like he needs a good sacking out and needs to be exposed to new things.
Sounds like you're doing a good job on your own, but I'll just add a bit. You can find "spooky" things and put them in his stall for him to "live with" (Blankets, plastic bags, etc.). That normally seems to get most horses over the spooky issues especially if they are placed near their food. Although some horses, have been so badly abused that they won't even eat if something "spooky" is in their stalls. I've got an old 19 year old Azteca, who when taken down a trail for the first time, will NEVER spook, it's when he gets bored and "LOOKS" for stuff he's gone by 50 times then on the 51st time, he'll look, snort and spin. After being in a loving home for the past 7 years (Mine) it doesn't happen that often anymore and normally gets laughed at when he does it nowadays, but it does take time and patience to understand the circumstances where he came from to tolerate it.