Ridecamp: [RC] Help with Spooks

A. Perez walkergirl@xxxxxxxxxx
  My guy Cy spooks for fun, I swear.  He can go by leaf blowers, barking digs, motorcycles... and then spook, at his own shadow, literally!  Last time I rode him we were on a section of road with no shoulder, coming up to a stop sign.  A LARGE truck (the type with those nice airbreaks that like to hiss right when you are next to them) was turning onto the road I was on, my side.  Having no shoulder, I decided to cross to the other side so as not to be right next to the truck.  Cy calmy crossed the road, and the big noisy truck made the turn.  Cy then spooked... at the white line painted on the road to mark the stopping point for the stop sign!  I had to laugh.  Fortunately he spooks by dropping about two inches - no spin, no bolt, so I put up with (more than I should, probably)
  But on to the advise:  (1) keep your horse busy, paying attention to YOU.  Do half-halts, leg yeilds, side-passes, take a few dressage lessons if this means noting to you): anything to keep him occupied and focused on you and not looking for things to spook at, especially early on in the ride before he is tired.  This is not just to keep him focused on you, but to tell him "I am the boss: you do what I say".  (2) use praise to reward him when he passes gremlins nicely (or at least better).  Make use your praise means something to him: get in the habit of saying 'good boy' (or whatever) whenever you feed him, give him treats etc, so he associates the praise with something positive: otherwise it is just mouth noise.  (3) use discipline to correct him when he spooks: Say "NO!" and give him a good, loud smack with the palm of you hand on his neck.  Eventually just "NO!" will be sufficient.
(4) If he spooks at something, go back to it and make him pass it again.  If he does better, praise him: even if he shies a bit, as long as there is some improvement.  If he spooks as bad or worse, correct him.  Keep doing that, praising each improvement, correcting each backslide: he'll get the idea.  Keep repassing the gremlin until you get a solid improvement (again not perfect, just better) the initial goal is to get him to not spin and bolt: settle for a lesser spook for now.  Soon he'll get the idea that if he spooks at something he's going to have to pass it a bunch of times until he behaves.  (5) practice the above in a safe environment such as a ring, with things you know will spook him: plastic tarps, balloons, flags, whatever. That way you'll feel more secure and can predict the spooks better.  Make sure someone is around in case you do take a fall (or have a cell phone at the very least).  Keep exposing him to new things, changing the objects frequently.  If he really freaks out, do this in hand, not riding.  (6) If possible, have someone with a nice spook-proof horse ride with you: its amazing how much a good example can help.

Good luck!

Amanda


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