DeSpooking

luvnmy2cowboys · 02-05-2004, 01:35 PM

I have a 6 year old arabian mare, I am having a really hard time getting her to stop spooking so bad. I have tried sacking her out with numerous objects she does fine for awhile then I will be leading her around and she will catch sight or wind of something and almosts runs me over. Luckily I have been able to get out of the way in time, but one of these days I might not be able to. Does anyone have any suggestions, I am up for trying anything at this point as my husband now wants me to get rid of her in fear she may hurt me.

Blistering Winds · 02-05-2004, 01:46 PM

Keep sacking her out. Teach her to TURN to the scary object. Talk to her quietly and make her work, and rest over by the scary object. Lunging can work, let her rest by the scary object.

spyro1 · 02-05-2004, 02:23 PM

Definately agree there, I had to put *scary* things all around my property and in the padock with my horse. Garbage cans, tarps, I hung plastic bags from the fence, as well as empty milk jugs filled with rocks, wind chimes are good too, anything you can think of, make scary things a way of life around your place.. take her for lots and lots of walks, get her exposed to different things, if you are worried about your safety, you could always check into sending her to a trainer to help, or having a trainer come to you.You also have to take into consideration that she is still young, I am always asking my 5 year old when he is going to *grow up* LOL wink

Jumpers · 02-05-2004, 03:20 PM

BW - Too much sacking out makes a horse worse. If you are continually spooking and scaring them then they are always looking for the next spook to jump out of nowhere.

I agree with exposing horses to many different life experiences, but sacking out is something I don't like, and I don't do.

My best friend in high school had a 5 year old Arabian mare that was dangerously spooky and hot. My friend sacked her out every single day with every manner of "spooky" item she could find. The mare because a total flipping basket case. She reared at the site of anything spooky. She became impossible to catch in the field. She was terrified of her own shadow.

My friend sold her to a very quiet natured girl who spent long hours talking to her, grooming her, going for long slow trail rides, etc. and the mare is now steady as a rock, calm, and nearly bomb proof. The total transformation took place within several months of her change in ownership.

Sacking out is definitely cast out of my bag of tricks - PERMANENTLY! wink

horsefreak02 · 02-05-2004, 03:57 PM

I say you need to get your horse to get use too the stuff it is scared of. But i wouldn't show it evryday, it mite spook your horse really bad.
And your rite you don't want to hurt yourself. Put the "spooky" stuff in his stall, and around your poperty.

Blistering Winds · 02-05-2004, 04:06 PM

I didn't mean constantly. So let me clarify.

Always let them know it's ok when you do it. Don't do it every day if they are still ******** out. They should start calming down after they figure it won't hurt them

Jumpers, was that person sacking out Right? I've done what most people call sacking out and never had it back fire on me. We had spook sessions every day, always ended on a good note.

I've recently added working the horse and letting them rest by the object. We aren't allowed to "run" from the object, but walk as calmly as possible until we are far enough away, then we work hard, then go rest close to the object. Associate spooky thing with rest and relaxation. It has helped move things along faster.

luvnmy2cowboys · 02-05-2004, 06:47 PM

I have been around horses all my 29 years and have never had an arabian horse who spooks as bad as her. When I ride her she is fine and I can talk her through anything. My problem with her is on the ground and her almost taking me out. I also don't like to do alot of sacking out and I only do it when she is really bad. Sometimes I think her elevator doesn't go all the way to the top. In all my experiences with horses I have yet to have one spook into me until her. I have had her since she was two and she has been like this from the get go. At first I thought it was youngness and she would grow out of it. Now I don't know what to think. She is fine around unusual objects (plastic bags, cans rattleing, flags, tarps, etc). We'll do the same walk to the arena as we have done 100's of times before and all of a sudden without warning she is jumping into me. I have even tried a stud chain on her, she is an angel with it on. I am just hoping I can stop her of it before I get hurt.

kulasmom · 02-05-2004, 06:55 PM

I've kind of dealt with a similar situation. What I've done with my boy is what someone mentioned above. I've taken him for lots of walks and kept everything blissfully calm. If he does spook, which he still does- he's a horse after all- then I just try to remain calm and soothe him. This usually works pretty well. Then we walk back and forth at the scene of the spook (because for him, there's not always "something" that spooked him- it could be a ghost he saw)until he's relaxed. This helps him build his confidence and keeps him from jumping into my lap. I totally understand where you are coming from. It's scary because you don't want to get hurt, but at the same time, you have to be their rock because they put their trust in you.

arasemt · 02-05-2004, 06:58 PM

If she's an angel with a stud chain on, do you think she's just being bad and isn't really scared? Maybe you could get after her when she "spooks." Of course I don't know what I'm talking about, it's just a thought...because Shakira used to be really jumpy in the barn and we started getting after her for it, and in only a couple days she settled right down.

luvnmy2cowboys · 02-05-2004, 07:16 PM

I don't think she is trying to be bad because she doesn't do it on a regular basis. Believe me she knows where her bounderies are, I don't let her get away with bad habits. This spooking bit is the only problem I have had with her, considering how young she is I think that I am pretty lucky. I do take her back to the area she spooked and we pace back and fourth for a bit. By this time she is over it and is perfectly fine. Like I said above she does it every now and then it's not an every day thing.

02-05-2004, 01:35 PM	#1
luvnmy2cowboys Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder Creek Posts: 7	DeSpooking I have a 6 year old arabian mare, I am having a really hard time getting her to stop spooking so bad. I have tried sacking her out with numerous objects she does fine for awhile then I will be leading her around and she will catch sight or wind of something and almosts runs me over. Luckily I have been able to get out of the way in time, but one of these days I might not be able to. Does anyone have any suggestions, I am up for trying anything at this point as my husband now wants me to get rid of her in fear she may hurt me.

02-05-2004, 01:46 PM	#2
Blistering Winds Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Augusta, Kansas Posts: 32,098 Images: 836 Blog Entries: 17	Keep sacking her out. Teach her to TURN to the scary object. Talk to her quietly and make her work, and rest over by the scary object. Lunging can work, let her rest by the scary object. __________________ HGS is a very powerful, addicting place that is just as bad as cigarettes, however healthier for you AND your horse.

02-05-2004, 02:23 PM	#3
spyro1 Senior Member+ Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: The Swamp..Home of The SEC Champs~Go Gators Posts: 6,881 Images: 62 Blog Entries: 21	Definately agree there, I had to put scary things all around my property and in the padock with my horse. Garbage cans, tarps, I hung plastic bags from the fence, as well as empty milk jugs filled with rocks, wind chimes are good too, anything you can think of, make scary things a way of life around your place.. take her for lots and lots of walks, get her exposed to different things, if you are worried about your safety, you could always check into sending her to a trainer to help, or having a trainer come to you.You also have to take into consideration that she is still young, I am always asking my 5 year old when he is going to grow up LOL wink __________________ I used to have a handle on life, but it broke off. Do unto others......

02-05-2004, 04:06 PM	#6
Blistering Winds Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Augusta, Kansas Posts: 32,098 Images: 836 Blog Entries: 17	I didn't mean constantly. So let me clarify. Always let them know it's ok when you do it. Don't do it every day if they are still ****** out. They should start calming down after they figure it won't hurt them Jumpers, was that person sacking out Right? I've done what most people call sacking out and never had it back fire on me. We had spook sessions every day, always ended on a good note. I've recently added working the horse and letting them rest by the object. We aren't allowed to "run" from the object, but walk as calmly as possible until we are far enough away, then we work hard, then go rest close to the object. Associate spooky thing with rest and relaxation. It has helped move things along faster. __________________ HGS is a very powerful, addicting place that is just as bad as cigarettes, however healthier for you AND your horse.**

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02-05-2004, 03:20 PM	#4
Jumpers Banned Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 3,216	BW - Too much sacking out makes a horse worse. If you are continually spooking and scaring them then they are always looking for the next spook to jump out of nowhere. I agree with exposing horses to many different life experiences, but sacking out is something I don't like, and I don't do. My best friend in high school had a 5 year old Arabian mare that was dangerously spooky and hot. My friend sacked her out every single day with every manner of "spooky" item she could find. The mare because a total flipping basket case. She reared at the site of anything spooky. She became impossible to catch in the field. She was terrified of her own shadow. My friend sold her to a very quiet natured girl who spent long hours talking to her, grooming her, going for long slow trail rides, etc. and the mare is now steady as a rock, calm, and nearly bomb proof. The total transformation took place within several months of her change in ownership. Sacking out is definitely cast out of my bag of tricks - PERMANENTLY! wink

02-05-2004, 03:57 PM	#5
horsefreak02 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Tenneessee Posts: 155	I say you need to get your horse to get use too the stuff it is scared of. But i wouldn't show it evryday, it mite spook your horse really bad. And your rite you don't want to hurt yourself. Put the "spooky" stuff in his stall, and around your poperty.

02-05-2004, 06:47 PM	#7
luvnmy2cowboys Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder Creek Posts: 7	I have been around horses all my 29 years and have never had an arabian horse who spooks as bad as her. When I ride her she is fine and I can talk her through anything. My problem with her is on the ground and her almost taking me out. I also don't like to do alot of sacking out and I only do it when she is really bad. Sometimes I think her elevator doesn't go all the way to the top. In all my experiences with horses I have yet to have one spook into me until her. I have had her since she was two and she has been like this from the get go. At first I thought it was youngness and she would grow out of it. Now I don't know what to think. She is fine around unusual objects (plastic bags, cans rattleing, flags, tarps, etc). We'll do the same walk to the arena as we have done 100's of times before and all of a sudden without warning she is jumping into me. I have even tried a stud chain on her, she is an angel with it on. I am just hoping I can stop her of it before I get hurt.

02-05-2004, 06:55 PM	#8
kulasmom Full Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 121	I've kind of dealt with a similar situation. What I've done with my boy is what someone mentioned above. I've taken him for lots of walks and kept everything blissfully calm. If he does spook, which he still does- he's a horse after all- then I just try to remain calm and soothe him. This usually works pretty well. Then we walk back and forth at the scene of the spook (because for him, there's not always "something" that spooked him- it could be a ghost he saw)until he's relaxed. This helps him build his confidence and keeps him from jumping into my lap. I totally understand where you are coming from. It's scary because you don't want to get hurt, but at the same time, you have to be their rock because they put their trust in you.

02-05-2004, 06:58 PM	#9
arasemt Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 445	If she's an angel with a stud chain on, do you think she's just being bad and isn't really scared? Maybe you could get after her when she "spooks." Of course I don't know what I'm talking about, it's just a thought...because Shakira used to be really jumpy in the barn and we started getting after her for it, and in only a couple days she settled right down.

02-05-2004, 07:16 PM	#10
luvnmy2cowboys Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder Creek Posts: 7	I don't think she is trying to be bad because she doesn't do it on a regular basis. Believe me she knows where her bounderies are, I don't let her get away with bad habits. This spooking bit is the only problem I have had with her, considering how young she is I think that I am pretty lucky. I do take her back to the area she spooked and we pace back and fourth for a bit. By this time she is over it and is perfectly fine. Like I said above she does it every now and then it's not an every day thing.