Skittish horse?

aldraper · 05-10-2009, 06:54 AM

Ok, so my new horse is kinda weird. He is not spooky at all when you ride him *knock on wood* lol, yet he is extremely skittish on the ground. Touching his ears scared him, pulling the girth over his back scares him, the sprinklers terrify him, yet a power drill going through metal doesn't scare him. Also, according to his last owner he has a habit of bolting when you dismount (although I haven't had him do it to me yet, again *knock on wood*), yet he couldn't care less when you mount. I think he is afraid of being touched unexpectedly along his topline. What is your opinion? How should I deal with this skittishness? I just don't get why he's so spooky on the ground but not when being ridden. We nearly took out the crossties yesterday because of the sprinklers...

P.S. Please don't tell me that he is a bad horse or anything. He is a dream to ride, and even when he spooks he appears to be actively trying not to hurt me (which is why we didn't actually take out the crossties)

Mary6478 · 05-10-2009, 07:22 AM

was he ever abused??

aldraper · 05-10-2009, 07:25 AM

Not that I know of, he seems to be pretty wary of men though...

aldraper · 05-10-2009, 08:39 AM

Anybody have any opinions?

MandiceP · 05-10-2009, 10:08 PM

well, my horse has this issue as well, sort of... Parker, my am. warmblood gelding is great when I ride him, yet a stationary wheelbarrow... which we've walked by a hundred times, will randomly spook him sometimes, or a yellow tarp building that he has stood in a hundred times, he is suddenly terrified of it... I'm not sure why this is caused, my horse was never abused physically... the place I had him at last didn't feed him right and he lost weight, hence why I got out of there asap.. but I've had him since the day he was born so I know he's been desensitized (he lets me rub my nylon saddle cover over his head and eyes and enjoys it!!!) and he's never been hit or harshly scolded. So yeah, not sure why but I wanted to reassure you that you aren't alone!! Good luck!

Just had a thought... What breed is he?

Tobar · 05-11-2009, 03:59 AM

I'm no professional by a long shot...but the only thing I can think of is concentration. When he is being ridden, he is listening, trusting and concentrating on the job and the rider. Otherwise, he is left to drift into his own little thoughts and familiar things suddenly "pop up" and remind him of where he is and it startles him.

That's the only reason I can think of for mine doing that. OR it could be the feed I'm giving him. I noticed when he gets too much sweets, he becomes a bit antzy and skiddish. So, I'm trying to watch the sugar intake. Anybody else got any suggestions? I'd love to hear them too!

aldraper · 05-11-2009, 04:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MandiceP

well, my horse has this issue as well, sort of... Parker, my am. warmblood gelding is great when I ride him, yet a stationary wheelbarrow... which we've walked by a hundred times, will randomly spook him sometimes, or a yellow tarp building that he has stood in a hundred times, he is suddenly terrified of it... I'm not sure why this is caused, my horse was never abused physically... the place I had him at last didn't feed him right and he lost weight, hence why I got out of there asap.. but I've had him since the day he was born so I know he's been desensitized (he lets me rub my nylon saddle cover over his head and eyes and enjoys it!!!) and he's never been hit or harshly scolded. So yeah, not sure why but I wanted to reassure you that you aren't alone!! Good luck!

Just had a thought... What breed is he?

He's a TB

MandiceP · 05-13-2009, 12:03 AM

That's what I thought!! I have heard that TB's have extra sensitive skin (like it's thinner than other breeds maybe?) so that may contribute to his being skittish when it comes to things touching him or sprinklers going off. How is he for being sprayed down with the hose or fly spray? I know my horse is sensitive to things touching him sometimes, he's mostly TB, and my friend's pony mare is like terrified of sprays and stuff, not because of the spraying sound, it's the mist hitting her skin that freaks her out. So we have been working with her on that... maybe it's the same kind of situation? What do you think?

amira_rox · 05-13-2009, 12:36 AM

^^^ I agree, my thoroughbred has very sensitive skin, and he really doesn't like being groomed, but he loves being massaged, he hates being girthed, he hates being hosed but absolutly adores drinking from the hose, (I can just stick it in his mouth and he will happily stand there drinking) In other words, he really dislikes any strange sensation of something brushing his skin. Thoroughbreds are also charictaristicly very flighty, skittish horses.

He may need some general desensertizing, so letting him sniff bags, having the bags rubbed over him (always with lots of praise and treats) so he can get to feel comfortable with stuff touching him and flapping around him

MandiceP · 05-13-2009, 12:49 AM

Absolutely agreed!! Desensitization is key. The more things you can desensitize him to the better and soon not too much will phase him!

05-10-2009, 06:54 AM	#1
aldraper Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Gainesville, Florida Posts: 574 Images: 89	Skittish horse? Ok, so my new horse is kinda weird. He is not spooky at all when you ride him knock on wood lol, yet he is extremely skittish on the ground. Touching his ears scared him, pulling the girth over his back scares him, the sprinklers terrify him, yet a power drill going through metal doesn't scare him. Also, according to his last owner he has a habit of bolting when you dismount (although I haven't had him do it to me yet, again knock on wood), yet he couldn't care less when you mount. I think he is afraid of being touched unexpectedly along his topline. What is your opinion? How should I deal with this skittishness? I just don't get why he's so spooky on the ground but not when being ridden. We nearly took out the crossties yesterday because of the sprinklers... P.S. Please don't tell me that he is a bad horse or anything. He is a dream to ride, and even when he spooks he appears to be actively trying not to hurt me (which is why we didn't actually take out the crossties)

05-10-2009, 07:22 AM	#2
Mary6478 Senior Member+ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Virginia, USA Posts: 2,222 Images: 165	was he ever abused?? __________________ A pony is a childhood dream, A horse is an adulthood treasure. ~Rebecca Carroll ~ Patrick O' Malley ~ ~ Quest for Perfection ~

05-11-2009, 03:59 AM	#6
Tobar Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Ponchatoula, LA Posts: 1,150 Images: 6	I'm no professional by a long shot...but the only thing I can think of is concentration. When he is being ridden, he is listening, trusting and concentrating on the job and the rider. Otherwise, he is left to drift into his own little thoughts and familiar things suddenly "pop up" and remind him of where he is and it startles him. That's the only reason I can think of for mine doing that. OR it could be the feed I'm giving him. I noticed when he gets too much sweets, he becomes a bit antzy and skiddish. So, I'm trying to watch the sugar intake. Anybody else got any suggestions? I'd love to hear them too! __________________ Horses wont look back if you dont...all is forgiven

05-13-2009, 12:36 AM	#9
amira_rox Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Behind you! Posts: 1,116 Images: 20	^^^ I agree, my thoroughbred has very sensitive skin, and he really doesn't like being groomed, but he loves being massaged, he hates being girthed, he hates being hosed but absolutly adores drinking from the hose, (I can just stick it in his mouth and he will happily stand there drinking) In other words, he really dislikes any strange sensation of something brushing his skin. Thoroughbreds are also charictaristicly very flighty, skittish horses. He may need some general desensertizing, so letting him sniff bags, having the bags rubbed over him (always with lots of praise and treats) so he can get to feel comfortable with stuff touching him and flapping around him __________________ Miley Cyrus was voted worst celebertiy influence 2009. Finally there is justice We've all got a gun against our head. Its just a matter of when life decieds to pull the trigger.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Skittish weanling	exodus farm	Horse Training	2	10-21-2008 07:11 AM
Skittish around pigs....	jackie_smackie_	Horse Training	6	12-26-2006 02:11 PM
always skittish in crossties	SweetIron	Horse Training	7	12-03-2005 04:16 PM
Skittish Horse	cpfh00	Horse Training	3	05-03-2005 10:21 PM

05-10-2009, 07:25 AM	#3
aldraper Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Gainesville, Florida Posts: 574 Images: 89	Not that I know of, he seems to be pretty wary of men though...

05-10-2009, 08:39 AM	#4
aldraper Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Gainesville, Florida Posts: 574 Images: 89	Anybody have any opinions?

05-10-2009, 10:08 PM	#5
MandiceP Full Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Rehoboth, MA Posts: 78	well, my horse has this issue as well, sort of... Parker, my am. warmblood gelding is great when I ride him, yet a stationary wheelbarrow... which we've walked by a hundred times, will randomly spook him sometimes, or a yellow tarp building that he has stood in a hundred times, he is suddenly terrified of it... I'm not sure why this is caused, my horse was never abused physically... the place I had him at last didn't feed him right and he lost weight, hence why I got out of there asap.. but I've had him since the day he was born so I know he's been desensitized (he lets me rub my nylon saddle cover over his head and eyes and enjoys it!!!) and he's never been hit or harshly scolded. So yeah, not sure why but I wanted to reassure you that you aren't alone!! Good luck! Just had a thought... What breed is he?

05-13-2009, 12:03 AM	#8
MandiceP Full Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Rehoboth, MA Posts: 78	That's what I thought!! I have heard that TB's have extra sensitive skin (like it's thinner than other breeds maybe?) so that may contribute to his being skittish when it comes to things touching him or sprinklers going off. How is he for being sprayed down with the hose or fly spray? I know my horse is sensitive to things touching him sometimes, he's mostly TB, and my friend's pony mare is like terrified of sprays and stuff, not because of the spraying sound, it's the mist hitting her skin that freaks her out. So we have been working with her on that... maybe it's the same kind of situation? What do you think?

05-13-2009, 12:49 AM	#10
MandiceP Full Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Rehoboth, MA Posts: 78	Absolutely agreed!! Desensitization is key. The more things you can desensitize him to the better and soon not too much will phase him!