Do you own a nervous spooky horse?

I used to ride a youngster for my friend when she was pregnant. Usually a nervous horse will take confidence from their rider. I found that the best thing to do was think relax and keep an eye out for possible monsters and get my leg on the second before she saw it. I read in a book that the worst thing to do was ignore something when the ears went up as the horse then thinks "oh my god, this idiot hasn't even seen it" where as if you give a small reaction, so sit up tense for a millisecond then encourage to go forward with the leg they think "ahh they have seen it but aren't worried" this only really works if you are on the ball and catch it before the horse has made his mind up. Another thing in this book which seemed a bit new to me was not to praise a horse after it has threatened to spook but gone past it as you are praising their behaviour, I can never really get the hang of this bit.
 
i too have one! have had him 14 months - so i know what you are going through as ive been there too! I can only offer you encouragment - i still get scared on my boy when he prats about and bucks but it does get easier the more you know them. 10 months isnt really that long although it seems a lifetime when things arent going right.
Get a good instructor and have regular lessons, that is the best advise i can offer you. get a balance strap on the D rings of your saddle and hold it with one hand and the riens in the other so if he spooks you are safe and dont jab him in the mouth (been a godsend to me) When you feel him tense get him working and your leg on (difficult i know as all you want to do is tip forward and brace yourself) I am also giving D bach flower remedies - i take them myself every time i ride lately as he has become worse due to the season. Also see my post about 'Nervous rider tip' it really has worked for me = if you need any more help PM me x
 
Cerys said:
Another thing in this book which seemed a bit new to me was not to praise a horse after it has threatened to spook but gone past it as you are praising their behaviour, I can never really get the hang of this bit.
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no i never do that, you are reassuring the horse for being scared. You are in effect telling them good boy, thanks for telling me we were going to get eaten.

Yes my chap can be spooky but only with certain things, white lines get a really good look and sniff or snort. I let him deal with it in his own way, i'm there to be calm and quiet not add my legs which is easier said than done as he hits reverse mode. If i make a fuss he'll remember and it'll be worse next time. He needs to take his time and think about it.

Depends on the spook, odd jump nothing all horses do that, it's the spins and reverse types have to be aware of.
 
Ditto the balence strap! I had one on my new horse for the few months as she did have a habit of running out when I mounted, it saved me on a number of occasions (especially once on a bridleway at flat out gallop with no stirrups!)
 
Eveadel said:
Thanks girls.

I have owned him for 2 1/2 years. He is both nervous and spooky whilst ridden and in hand. :(
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sorry - i think im going mad - for some reason i thought you had only owned hi for 10 months - must have mistaken you for someone else.:eek: Now i ve gone and made afool of myself in front of loads of people :eek::eek::eek::eek:
 
newforest said:
no i never do that, you are reassuring the horse for being scared. You are in effect telling them good boy, thanks for telling me we were going to get eaten.
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I know, I can see the logic but I think I do it more out of habit and relief!

I will make double efforts to stop!
 
Its very hard at times i know sometimes i wish i could just have a nice calm gentle steed to ride/handle but then it just wouldn't be enough lol..
i've known and ridden my friends horse for 6years and he's still as spooky as ever,also i've had jet for almost two years and yep he's the same completely bonkers! lol.. but victor is turning out alot calmer the more he doe's so it makes a change :D
 
My mare is one of those who likes to look at EVERYTHING, though she's improved a lot as she's gotten older. I've found that it's best if I just let her look as much as she wants and completely ignore it myself. So, if she sees something in the hedge that she doesn't like, I just keep my rein contact the same and don't change my body language and her 'ooh what's that' then doesn't turn into a 'oh my god it's going to kill me cos mum SAID SO and hadn't we better get in the middle of the road asap????'. Likewise, if a big lorry is coming from behind, I've found I'm best letting her get on the pavement and turn around (she always wants to do this) so that she can watch it go past, rather than arguing and trying to make her face away from it. If I let her look, she doesn't run off or do anything other than snort.
 
yup - but not in any coherent way - something that causes abrupt halt. snorting & sideways stepping one day will be totally ignored the next - today she spooked into the path of an on-coming car - not her fault - a dog appeared from no-where & started barking - but made me realise that her spooking isnt funny or entertaining & could be v dangerous [am sitting here with BIG glass of wine as came home just abit shaken up] - generally i am good at spotting potential "monsters" and being prepared - sometimes find it hard to expplain to people why i NEVER canter a new route without casing it for horror first in walk [she is particulalry spooky at speed]
i find it particulalry problematic AFTER a major spook as she is then completely on her toes/gets very strong and seems to start looking for things to scare her throughout the rest of the ride
 
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My 'oh so safe' cob has his moments, more due to coming from the field than being genuinely spooky, I feel. He can spook if I touch him, even tho he knows I'm in his box with him and sudden noises still make him jump, as does arm waving etc. I've tried to show him loads of things-pushchairs, bikes, balloons, plastic bags. I'm terrified at the thought of him spooking on a hack and bolting!:eek: He's still terrified of the shetties: catching in can be a trauma if they're at the gate!
 
ditto to Hashrouge!! my gelding is a 'looker'. if anything sneaks up behind him then he will spook but if i or he sees what is scary coming then he will just stop and look, i have learnt to deal with this now and if i feel a bit worried then i just start singing bob marley (dont laugh) and he will go off on his merry way. takes some time to get used to but so far (touch wood) nothing major has happened!!
 
Until the beginning of september I loaned the most nervous spooky horse ever (okay there might be some out there to rival him)..

I was just very patient with him and got him into a routine which really helped. I also changed his tack to make sure nothing he was 'wearing' could be contributing to the problems. I had regular lessons and went to some clinics and did lots and LOTS and LOTS of groundwork to get him to trust me. I worked on having him respond to every voice command given so he knew when it was okay to walk past something scary.

Yes he still did the odd rear out hacking - or 12 in a row as one day proved.. but that was the odd fluke day. Over all the change in him in a year was phenomenal.

The attention and affection and reassurance did wonders for him as he didn't have that with his owner!
 
My pony seems very nervous of parked cars especially if they are very clean :confused: I went on a hack around my local housing estate this morn was probably out for about 30 mins and he probably spooked about 20 times :eek: He is however alot better after about 15 mins.
 
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