Two Opinions on De-spooking a Horse

LindaMM · 03-10-2009, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zanerkin177

I don't agree with this

#1 a horse needs a break from arena work, he will get bored with it and fast. (I don't have to trailer my horse to get to trails, so maybe if you have to trailer don't do it)
#2 you can't fix the problem unless you confront it

if you are talking about a horse that only has like 60 days on him, than no trails for a little while longer

Your post caused me to re-read the OP. "Trainer 1" method does not address HOW to train for trail, only says how not to. So... What would be the alternate?

I know some trainers who believe that desensitizing horses as an overall training method will translate to the trail. I disagree. It is helpful, but IMVHO, only miles will make a true trail horse. Used right, a wet blanket is your best trail training tool.

endurgirl · 03-11-2009, 11:02 AM

I do a combo of both, I guess. It depends on the situation, whether I ignore the scary object or focus on it.

I despook on the ground initially, and then when I feel I can control the horse under saddle, we'll head out to the trails. I don't have enough daylight to hand walk a horse very many times out on the trails.

PeggySue · 03-11-2009, 11:11 AM

I personally think hand walking is CRAZY dangerous, having them spook on teh ground means they can run over you, drag you or stomp you in the ground alot easier!! I only do in hand stuff when the scarey object is IN MY HAND :0

endurgirl · 03-11-2009, 11:29 AM

I know that's right!! And stupid us would probably be holding onto the lead being dragged thru the woods. You know the movie "The Great Outdoors" when John Candy is water skiing and they are screaming "Let go of the rope!!!" as he's bouncing on top of the water? That's us, LMAO!!!

Look out for that...............................tree

PeggySue · 03-11-2009, 11:30 AM

LOL dont' laugh I have done it

instinct tells us to HANG ON when we KNOW better

AtomicTop · 03-11-2009, 09:27 PM

I hung on just this morning. I had one of my worst rides EVER. My horse lost the plot big time today. We were walking on the familiar trail, when out of a tree (about 3 m away) comes this funny "flipping" sound. Sort of like a humongous insect might make with its wings. My horse bolted to the other side of the road and I had a VERY hard time stopping him. Luckily I was able to steer him into a huge fence where he proceeded to try and run up and down. He was so freaked he didn't know where to run. I got a bit concerned and hopped off (I felt very defeated about that

). Leading him home from there was very dangerous as he kept spooking into me.
Has anyone got any suggestions how to stop that? I know it's a bit of a respect issue I guess. I don't want to whack him when he spooks into me. I guess the answer is if he respects me the rest of the time he should not spook into me. The funny thing is that he is a perfect horse any other time. He is not pushy, he is compliant in all things and leads really well (except on the trail when scared lol), he picks up feet, he comes to me the minute he sees me and loves going out for a ride. He is just spooky and today he really shocked me about how spooky he can actually get. Anyway, I am hoping more and more trails will improve the situation. I thought about what people said about them leading their horse up to the spooky object and having a sniff. My boy was so wound up, I could not have made him go there. I tried by leading him and he kept spinning away. Any suggestions?

LindaMM · 03-11-2009, 09:41 PM

When a horse is reacting to something, he doesn't think clearly. He is operating on instinct and adrenaline.

If you can get him moving (either from the ground or from the saddle), with lots of changes of direction, backing ups, forward, etc...his mind will ultimately end up back where he is thinking.

AtomicTop · 03-11-2009, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lindammorris

When a horse is reacting to something, he doesn't think clearly. He is operating on instinct and adrenaline.

If you can get him moving (either from the ground or from the saddle), with lots of changes of direction, backing ups, forward, etc...his mind will ultimately end up back where he is thinking.

Yea, that's true! Maybe I need to think a bit more clearly myself next time and remember what I know, instead of bailing out. Guess everyone has their bad days.

LindaMM · 03-11-2009, 09:51 PM

My favorite trick is to ask them to sidepass if I think there is something up ahead that will distract or spook them. I figure that if I can be pro-active about getting him to be a thinker, with his attention fully on ME, then we might not have a spook at all.

'Course, you couldn't see your spook coming. But next time you take him out he may be a bit jumpy from the last experience; if so, get him to work on stuff you are asking him to do, instead of thinking about the potential boogey-men

dbarj · 03-11-2009, 09:51 PM

Living where i do i do not do arena work. i start all my babys by pony them. and sometimes i pack them first. then in the round pen for a bit then i am riding them on the trails. my horses have grown up with cattle, sheep, goats, llamas, geese,ducks, chickrens, dogs cats, etc. they also live in pastures that are flood irregated, we have mud, bogs, ditches and lots of water. i ride them for one season then they start the ranch work, and by the second yr i am pulling a mule string behind them. i simply go out and do. and yes i do everything with them. cattle work, sheep,goats and even llamas they will work, then in the back country, packing, camping, highlined, etc. i expected, i get it.
i have had some bad spooks, like moose coming at us, very interesting for sure, black bears, and i have had wolf scares.
now the worst, but the funnest spook i had was on my "season" horse, this mare had brought me out of the hills late at night with a mule sting of 8, never put a foot wrong, it was so dark i never did see my hands!!
we were riding in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, in broad DAYLIGHT!! when this squrrill came down the trail just hopping mad with his tail over his head just chatting away!!!

it was just to much for this mare! she spread eagle it and snotted!! then the squrril left the trail and i finally got her to move pass this pine tree,( do you all know how many trees there are in a mile on the right side of the trail, her and i know) and that squrril pop up from around that tree just chattering again!!

i almost fell off of her!! i was laughing so hard!! every tree we came to she had to stick her head around first, them smell the ground, then take a step!!! do you know how slow that is???? we all were laughing at her!!

03-11-2009, 11:11 AM	#13
PeggySue Senior Member+ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Dennison, Illinois Posts: 19,250 Images: 1438 Blog Entries: 15	I personally think hand walking is CRAZY dangerous, having them spook on teh ground means they can run over you, drag you or stomp you in the ground alot easier!! I only do in hand stuff when the scarey object is IN MY HAND :0 __________________ *I have been gobbled X7* *Sexy Fairy Man X4* Has no dog in that fight, so please leave me out of it I have enough of my OWN problems Thank you

03-11-2009, 11:30 AM	#15
PeggySue Senior Member+ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Dennison, Illinois Posts: 19,250 Images: 1438 Blog Entries: 15	LOL dont' laugh I have done it instinct tells us to HANG ON when we KNOW better __________________ *I have been gobbled X7* *Sexy Fairy Man X4* Has no dog in that fight, so please leave me out of it I have enough of my OWN problems Thank you

03-11-2009, 09:27 PM	#16
AtomicTop Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 389 Images: 11	I hung on just this morning. I had one of my worst rides EVER. My horse lost the plot big time today. We were walking on the familiar trail, when out of a tree (about 3 m away) comes this funny "flipping" sound. Sort of like a humongous insect might make with its wings. My horse bolted to the other side of the road and I had a VERY hard time stopping him. Luckily I was able to steer him into a huge fence where he proceeded to try and run up and down. He was so freaked he didn't know where to run. I got a bit concerned and hopped off (I felt very defeated about that ). Leading him home from there was very dangerous as he kept spooking into me. Has anyone got any suggestions how to stop that? I know it's a bit of a respect issue I guess. I don't want to whack him when he spooks into me. I guess the answer is if he respects me the rest of the time he should not spook into me. The funny thing is that he is a perfect horse any other time. He is not pushy, he is compliant in all things and leads really well (except on the trail when scared lol), he picks up feet, he comes to me the minute he sees me and loves going out for a ride. He is just spooky and today he really shocked me about how spooky he can actually get. Anyway, I am hoping more and more trails will improve the situation. I thought about what people said about them leading their horse up to the spooky object and having a sniff. My boy was so wound up, I could not have made him go there. I tried by leading him and he kept spinning away. Any suggestions? __________________ The air of heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears! Horses are the best proof that there is a God!

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03-11-2009, 09:41 PM	#17
LindaMM Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 1,404 Images: 121 Blog Entries: 2	When a horse is reacting to something, he doesn't think clearly. He is operating on instinct and adrenaline. If you can get him moving (either from the ground or from the saddle), with lots of changes of direction, backing ups, forward, etc...his mind will ultimately end up back where he is thinking.

03-11-2009, 09:51 PM	#19
LindaMM Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 1,404 Images: 121 Blog Entries: 2	My favorite trick is to ask them to sidepass if I think there is something up ahead that will distract or spook them. I figure that if I can be pro-active about getting him to be a thinker, with his attention fully on ME, then we might not have a spook at all. 'Course, you couldn't see your spook coming. But next time you take him out he may be a bit jumpy from the last experience; if so, get him to work on stuff you are asking him to do, instead of thinking about the potential boogey-men

03-11-2009, 09:51 PM	#20
dbarj Full Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 171 Images: 10	Living where i do i do not do arena work. i start all my babys by pony them. and sometimes i pack them first. then in the round pen for a bit then i am riding them on the trails. my horses have grown up with cattle, sheep, goats, llamas, geese,ducks, chickrens, dogs cats, etc. they also live in pastures that are flood irregated, we have mud, bogs, ditches and lots of water. i ride them for one season then they start the ranch work, and by the second yr i am pulling a mule string behind them. i simply go out and do. and yes i do everything with them. cattle work, sheep,goats and even llamas they will work, then in the back country, packing, camping, highlined, etc. i expected, i get it. i have had some bad spooks, like moose coming at us, very interesting for sure, black bears, and i have had wolf scares. now the worst, but the funnest spook i had was on my "season" horse, this mare had brought me out of the hills late at night with a mule sting of 8, never put a foot wrong, it was so dark i never did see my hands!! we were riding in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, in broad DAYLIGHT!! when this squrrill came down the trail just hopping mad with his tail over his head just chatting away!!! it was just to much for this mare! she spread eagle it and snotted!! then the squrril left the trail and i finally got her to move pass this pine tree,( do you all know how many trees there are in a mile on the right side of the trail, her and i know) and that squrril pop up from around that tree just chattering again!! i almost fell off of her!! i was laughing so hard!! every tree we came to she had to stick her head around first, them smell the ground, then take a step!!! do you know how slow that is???? we all were laughing at her!!