Spooky horse...Any suggestions?

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.

If he really is spooking the best thing to do is:

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.

Hope this helps!

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.

He is older so it could be his eyes failing and causing bushes to look like big blurry horse eating monsters. Look at them to see if they look glazed or scratched. If not, it could be a trust issue. How long have you had him? When I first got my Arabian he was four and spooked at everything, even the thump thump he made when he was pooping. After about a month though he got better and more responsive. He was listening to me when I told him the butterfly wouldn't eat him. It is hard when you don't know what is causing the spooking, but if it is always in the general area you could try walking him around there with a lead and his favorite treats.

Good luck

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.

A horse that suddendly starts spooking at things could be getting cataracts, especially if there is nothing 'real' he is spooking at. He could be anxious about his new home, and or his new rider, his tack may not be the same, they may have used a different bit, or fed him less grain. Or he may have too much excess energy. Lunge him before you ride 10-15 minutes in each direction. If he was only used for ring work, trail riding could be especially scary for him too. You will have to spend a lot of time gaining his trust in you so he won't be so scared of things. good luck

Its sounds like you are doing just the right thing. Horses learn through repetition, so going back and circling your horse where he spooked last time is how he will learn. Some horses are naturally spooky. One horse that I worked with about a year ago spooked at EVERYTHING and he was 20 years old! so just keep doing what you are doing and eventually he will learn to trust you. :D

well turning him in circles around the spot where he spooked makes him think that by spooking he gets out of work. Just go back to the spot where he spooked and ride very strongly past it .don't make a big fuss about it and DON'T look at it!

some horses are in simple terms spookier than others, even while there is not any valid reason for them to be. My jumper is like that--he's unquestionably worse while he's no longer ridden often, yet he can spook on the dumbest issues even while he's in consistent artwork in an section he's thoroughly conscious of ;). And he's a gelding, so i'm no longer able to blame hormones! Hormones could reason horses to act stupid, yet this is not any longer inevitably the reason on your mare's habit. attempt desensitizing her to each little thing--teach her all varieties of frightening stuff, build her self belief up by using praising her for coming near those issues, and so on. while she spooks whilst driving, in simple terms push her forward and journey with a good leg :). save her in consistent artwork. If she fairly looks on ingredient, attempt lunging her till now you journey. a transformation in her feed could additionally help if she's have been given too plenty power. There are calming supplementations (no longer drugs) so you might use besides; i've got on no account tried them yet i've got heard good issues approximately them. a number of them can receive daily to have a normal calming effect on a spooky horse. talk on your vet approximately that in case you have an interest.