Skittish Horse

cpfh00 · 05-03-2005, 04:41 PM

I have this QH/Draft mix and he can be ridden but very skittish with sudden moves. About a week ago I was going to ride and when I mounted him I reached douwn to fix my stirrup on the right side and he went to rodeo'n and I ate the dirt. This was the first time in 3 months that he has acted up. What can I do to get him over being skittish. I really would like to someday trail ride with him.

Thanks
CPFH00

my_cadbury · 05-03-2005, 05:49 PM

I had the some problem with cadbury, and it was letting us down, i want to compete with him one day. I found a nervous rehabilitation mix, and its a 12 week dosage. I have him on that. Its all the natural herbs and bach flowers that retrain the nervous system. Really it depends how much you work the horse and what you plan on doing with it, if you decide on a herbal mix, as they dont come cheap. As a no expenses alternative. Make lots of sudden movements around him all the time, loud noises, expose him to everything. When he gets scared when you are riding him, make him really work, so he doesnt have to time spook. You have to be really confident on a nervous horse, as they tend to look to the rider for support, if the rider cant give them that support, thats when they shy and spook, so sit up straight and tall, use lots of leg and contact to sit those shies, and overall, be the confident one, he will pick up on your confidence. Never punish your horse for being scared of something, that will only make it worse, always encourage them. When you are out on a trail, the horse tends to spook because you are on its back, and its head is a metre in front of yours, that intimdates them because they think they are in control, so you have to be very reassuring and confident and take things slow. I took cadbury on a three km trail ride on sunday, and he was an angel because i gave him confidence and trust. This is a horse who i coldnt even ride out of the paddock without spooking, and we faced many obstacles on our trail ride and he didnt spook once. You have to be ready, cos if you are relying on the horse to keep you safe on the trail, it wont happen with a spooky horse. So if you are scared on the trail, your horse will be a hundred times more scared than you. I got over this by riding a trail horse on trails, and it gave me so much confidence cos i felt so safe, then i passed my confidence onto cadbury, and we are doing so great! I hope that helps, but basically, you have to be switched on 24/7, and you have to be in control at all times.

Thrills · 05-03-2005, 08:44 PM

Desensatize(sp?) him to everyday things, such as reaching down to adjust stirups. Do the littlest things like flapping you stirrup leathers and smacking you hand on the saddle, adjusting your clothes - but start out VERY softly and gradually build up noise. Always be ready - but - I know this can be hard - stay relaxed and remember to breath. They can really pick up on our nervousness-especially when they are already on edge. If he's spooking while riding, make him work a little bit harder to take his mind off what he's scared of, and GOOD LUCK! REmeber-When he is a good brave boy, even though he is scared a good pat and kind, soothing words can really reassure them.

pnh · 05-03-2005, 10:21 PM

densensitising is the best thing. expect people seem to be forgetting that you have to know when to stop. start first of all by doing all these things on the ground. start slowly and softly and most importantly with rythm. so the horse knows what to expect and sees that its not a threat. if he is tense and moves his feet - showing his flight instinct which is perfectly normal - then keep up the stimuli - eg. shaking a plastic bag. when he stops moving his feet or freakin out then you QUIT! as soon as he stops leave him ALONE. when you are doing these things dont have him tied up. have him on a lose lead that you are holding and move with him letting him move his feet until he stops ******** out.

for your own example with the stirrup adjustment. tack him up and then hold him on a loose lead and start playing with the stirrups. if he freaks out then keep moving with his moving them around until he stops moving his feet. youll prob find afterwards he will start to lick his lips and chew sorta thing - let him have time to do this - he is processing his thoughts and what he has just learnt - which is, if someone plays with the stirrup stand still and i have comfort, also that its not going to eat me up! carry this on the next day and do this more strongly - make noise to go along with it - anything that could be the case while on his back. then the next day do this from his back.

this is great to do with anything you can think of. especially things that you will come across such as plastic bags flying across paddocks. ( you can tie one to the end of a crop and rythmically shake it slowly until he stops then quit -same as above.
also with cans, tarpolins, covers - use your imagination - get him to walk over his cover, under his cover, through! jks. but yea anyhting you can think of. snapping twigs so out on a trail he wont get scared if one breaks under his feet. ummm jackets so if you have to take it off while riding it wont bother him. use your imagination. it will make his braver and less spookier - also teach him to STOP when something scary happens... not freak and make you eat dirt!

good luck.

remember - rythm, let him move, be calm and move with him - giving him rope, and STOP WHEN HE STOPS. then be friendly. good luck.

05-03-2005, 04:41 PM	#1
cpfh00 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 1	Skittish Horse I have this QH/Draft mix and he can be ridden but very skittish with sudden moves. About a week ago I was going to ride and when I mounted him I reached douwn to fix my stirrup on the right side and he went to rodeo'n and I ate the dirt. This was the first time in 3 months that he has acted up. What can I do to get him over being skittish. I really would like to someday trail ride with him. Thanks CPFH00

05-03-2005, 05:49 PM	#2
my_cadbury Senior Member+ Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: South Australia Posts: 988 Images: 9	I had the some problem with cadbury, and it was letting us down, i want to compete with him one day. I found a nervous rehabilitation mix, and its a 12 week dosage. I have him on that. Its all the natural herbs and bach flowers that retrain the nervous system. Really it depends how much you work the horse and what you plan on doing with it, if you decide on a herbal mix, as they dont come cheap. As a no expenses alternative. Make lots of sudden movements around him all the time, loud noises, expose him to everything. When he gets scared when you are riding him, make him really work, so he doesnt have to time spook. You have to be really confident on a nervous horse, as they tend to look to the rider for support, if the rider cant give them that support, thats when they shy and spook, so sit up straight and tall, use lots of leg and contact to sit those shies, and overall, be the confident one, he will pick up on your confidence. Never punish your horse for being scared of something, that will only make it worse, always encourage them. When you are out on a trail, the horse tends to spook because you are on its back, and its head is a metre in front of yours, that intimdates them because they think they are in control, so you have to be very reassuring and confident and take things slow. I took cadbury on a three km trail ride on sunday, and he was an angel because i gave him confidence and trust. This is a horse who i coldnt even ride out of the paddock without spooking, and we faced many obstacles on our trail ride and he didnt spook once. You have to be ready, cos if you are relying on the horse to keep you safe on the trail, it wont happen with a spooky horse. So if you are scared on the trail, your horse will be a hundred times more scared than you. I got over this by riding a trail horse on trails, and it gave me so much confidence cos i felt so safe, then i passed my confidence onto cadbury, and we are doing so great! I hope that helps, but basically, you have to be switched on 24/7, and you have to be in control at all times. __________________ Cadbury... my horse, my life, my love, my best friend! Winnie... Welcome to my life! Courtney

05-03-2005, 08:44 PM	#3
Thrills Senior Member+ Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 2,975 Images: 450 Blog Entries: 60	Desensatize(sp?) him to everyday things, such as reaching down to adjust stirups. Do the littlest things like flapping you stirrup leathers and smacking you hand on the saddle, adjusting your clothes - but start out VERY softly and gradually build up noise. Always be ready - but - I know this can be hard - stay relaxed and remember to breath. They can really pick up on our nervousness-especially when they are already on edge. If he's spooking while riding, make him work a little bit harder to take his mind off what he's scared of, and GOOD LUCK! REmeber-When he is a good brave boy, even though he is scared a good pat and kind, soothing words can really reassure them. __________________ Some days you are the dog...some days the hydrant HR director of the FF Club I've Been Gobbled by Thom Turkey!!! http://www.millan.net/minimations/sm...turkeytalk.gif

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05-03-2005, 10:21 PM	#4
pnh Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 269	densensitising is the best thing. expect people seem to be forgetting that you have to know when to stop. start first of all by doing all these things on the ground. start slowly and softly and most importantly with rythm. so the horse knows what to expect and sees that its not a threat. if he is tense and moves his feet - showing his flight instinct which is perfectly normal - then keep up the stimuli - eg. shaking a plastic bag. when he stops moving his feet or freakin out then you QUIT! as soon as he stops leave him ALONE. when you are doing these things dont have him tied up. have him on a lose lead that you are holding and move with him letting him move his feet until he stops ******** out. for your own example with the stirrup adjustment. tack him up and then hold him on a loose lead and start playing with the stirrups. if he freaks out then keep moving with his moving them around until he stops moving his feet. youll prob find afterwards he will start to lick his lips and chew sorta thing - let him have time to do this - he is processing his thoughts and what he has just learnt - which is, if someone plays with the stirrup stand still and i have comfort, also that its not going to eat me up! carry this on the next day and do this more strongly - make noise to go along with it - anything that could be the case while on his back. then the next day do this from his back. this is great to do with anything you can think of. especially things that you will come across such as plastic bags flying across paddocks. ( you can tie one to the end of a crop and rythmically shake it slowly until he stops then quit -same as above. also with cans, tarpolins, covers - use your imagination - get him to walk over his cover, under his cover, through! jks. but yea anyhting you can think of. snapping twigs so out on a trail he wont get scared if one breaks under his feet. ummm jackets so if you have to take it off while riding it wont bother him. use your imagination. it will make his braver and less spookier - also teach him to STOP when something scary happens... not freak and make you eat dirt! good luck. remember - rythm, let him move, be calm and move with him - giving him rope, and STOP WHEN HE STOPS. then be friendly. good luck.