[Blaiz889]

I have been doing some research to try and help me get Blaiz a more calm on the trail. In an arena he's fine but you bring him to a new place and he is spring-loaded. He's never actually taken off with me on him but he's definitely been just about too. I've heard two opposite opinions on how to get your horse used to the trail.
Trainer 1:
People often assume that with experience a horse will learn to do anything. This is not the case. Take trail riding. People think that if they take their horse out on trails and just ignore the spooks and bolts the horse will become "trail-wise" and learn that its just silly to spook. This is not the case. A horse has to be taught what to do when a spooky situation is presented. Like if a bird flies out and your horse tenses, he should know that when say or do something specific its okay and nothing bad is happening. If you just keep taking your horse on trail rides he will learn how to spook, not how not to spook. So, when training a trail horse, don't take them on trails. In fact, don't even go someplace new. This will only enforce the incorrect behavior (spooking, bucking, bolting ect.)

Trainer 2:
When training a horse to expect the unexpected, start in the arena. Desensitize your horse to just about everything you can think of. But remember, this won't happen over-night. Horses learn with experience. Your horse will eventually learn that spooking doesn't help. If you are present nothing is wrong. Then lead him out around to places in the barn he's never seen. Take him to an enclosed space and walk him around. Have a friend do some scary things and see how he reacts. In he spooks, repeat the scary behavior after he has calmed down.
Within a week after the pasture sessions you should start hand walking him on trails with a very experienced horse. Everyday do this. Do as much hand-walking on trails as you can. Then progress to riding him. Every now and then give him a refresher course in the arena using new scary objects along with the original ones.
These aren't direct quotes from any one trainer.

So, which do you think is more accurate? Would you do something different? What about horse who is sometimes really calm, and sometimes spooky?

[PeggySue]

I do as much as I can on the ground then back them adn do it some more I like to get them out on trails as soon as I can normally with another seasoned horse but have been known to do this alone.. letting them depend on ME not the other horse!! Horses can spook on top of Moosa and unless I or my son is spooked he doesn't spook .. he has NEVER done more then stop and look.. I also don't pull BACK on a spook I drop my hands to neck and talk to them. when working on it I dont' STOP spooking until they relax and realize whatever they are spooking from is not gonna hurt them... I roll/throw balls on the ground in front ofmy son when he is working Moosa in pen ...

[LindaMM]

I have a very spooky half-Arab. I laughingly say he will make a great trail horse when he stops being afraid of rocks and bushes.

I can "de-sensitize" him all day long, but he just doesn't get it. He has lived on the same property for 4 years, but if I park my truck in a different spot, he has to take three looks and two spins before he will walk past it quietly, and even then he'll crane his neck (looks gorgeous doing it!).

However, every time I take him out on the trail, he does get better each time. Granted, new trails bring out his spookiness all over again, so he'll never make it as a competitive trail horse, but for riding familiar trails, he does "ok". And, I think he likes it, in a perverse, adrenaline-addictive sort of way.

My other horses are both good, solid trail horses. The only issue I ever had with my older mare was back when she was three and did not want to go down a dark creek-side trail. So, I sent my Golden Labrador ahead of us. She accepted him as the "trail-blazer", I guess she figured if it was safe for him it would be safe for her, and she willingly followed.

All my horses were started on trails by being ponied as colts, then by being ridden in the company of a calm, experienced trail horse. But, still, when they are the ones with their feet out in the lead, they do tend to be more alert and cautious.

[AtomicTop]

This is a great thread! I have an Arab who spooks on the trail. He is the kind of horse who will walk past almost anything without being too concerned, but when it pops up suddenly, like birds out of the grass or bikes/joggers popping around corners he spooks quite violently. I am hoping that more trails will improve that. I have definitely found that if I cover the same ground often, he is far more relaxed than in a new area. I always ride alone, so it's just him and me. Sometimes when he spooks he bucks too. Nothing too crazy, but a buck. I haven't quite worked out if it's him bucking with fright or me getting into his mouth when he spooks hard. I have heard from an endurance riding friend, that the best and calmest horses are seasoned endurance horses. That would seem to support the theory that the more trails you do the better the horse gets.

[daveknaub]

I'd have to say the 2nd option for sure. The "goal" is to have a horse who'll keep walking on even when scared. The latter option seems to provide more opportunity to desensitise.

[lilmisscowgrl]

I agree with the second training idea. Repitition is the key. They may never be 100% however you should see an improvement. When you do the lessons, it can't be one done on monday and then the second done on lets say friday. You need to be consistent. Also, how are you reacting to the situation? You also need to remain calm and act like nothing happened instead of dwelling on the fact your horse just jumped out of his/her skin. I also think that you need to have "soft eyes" as well. Sally Swift explaines the eyes the best in her book called centered riding. That is my best suggestion. Good luck!

[LRHenneman]

The method to despook is not one that fits all horses. Sometimes taking the time to desensitize ala John Lyons works wonderfully. That may not help when things pop out of bushes--deer, rabbits, birds, etc.

Once the horse is settled in its training, you could start taking it out on trail either in hand, ponying, or under saddle--depending upon the horse's reactions to surprises. A very excitable horse may not be a candidate for ponying, for instance. You'll get the feeling as to how the horse will react to new things and can adapt your exposure training, accordingly. I'm of the opinion that lots of exposure on the trail is good for the horse, if it has the mind and confidence to accept what it's being exposed to.

Case in point--I have a very confident gelding. He hadn't been out of the trainer's barn from whom I bought him until he was 5 1/2--never been on a trail. This is not an ideal age to start a horse on trail, but so be it. I restarted him for varying reasons, but had a friend give him his trail training. He's very athletic and his standard method for reacting was rearing and/or spinning. She did water and steep trails with him, then I took over. He is now supremely confident.

Yesterday we rode in gale force winds where he was staggering in the gusts and pleased as punch to be out. We also had to cross snow, mud, swamps a beaver pond, and steep, rocky trails. At one point we had deer jumping all around us. He barely spooked. But when he does, he stops and looks. It's not something that was trained. He just has the mind for it--which is the key for all training--what is the horse's mind like?

After the heebie jeebies are over with, the more you ride them, the better they get. The first steps in despooking are the most critical so as to not overdo the spooky objects and make the horse fearful.

[Blaiz889]

Any more opinions?

[Zanerkin177]

Originally Posted by Blaiz889

. So, when training a trail horse, don't take them on trails. In fact, don't even go someplace new. This will only enforce the incorrect behavior (spooking, bucking, bolting ect.)

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

[sirius-dressage]

I just teach my guys to spook in place or to spook away from me. That is all I ask of them. And that they approach what they are afraid of. I don't de-sensitize unless it is something they need on or around them (saddle pads, blankets, etc) but I don't rub tarps all over them.

I teach my horses the correct way to spook by first establishing my bubble of space from the ground, so when they spook they know not to come into my space. Baron actually made me very proud the other day...he's not 2 yet and of course I let him walk behind me for a second because I wasn't paying attention. He spooked and swung a circle around me away from a scary dog, rather than barging right into me.

Anyways, I approach every spook the same. My horse spooks, immediately walk them up to the object in question (it's usually an object), sniff once, walk away. If something is scary but doesn't elicit a spook it depends on the age and training of the horse whether or not they are allowed to walk up to it. Baron has free rein to walk up to any scary object he finds because he's young. My older guys are allowed a glance and then they have to walk by...unless it's causing too much stress not knowing what it is, then I let them sniff. This is helpful for shows...they aren't allowed to go in the ring beforehand to sniff every corner. So they are allowed to look sideways at something but they know from experience that I keep moving on and there will be no stopping to make a big deal out of it.