Fw: [RC] My experience--Horses Spooking & Spinning - Adele H
Hi Kim,
This is kind of hard to explain. I am not a
trainer but have many miles........ That said, we all become one at some
time or another. My quarter horse not only did that spin but reared first
and did the spin on her rear legs...... Great rodeo horse if you wanted to
keyhole race...never touch a line.....however, very dangerous.
Unfortunately, the only way I could fix this was
to stay on (grin!)... but first and most important, strengthen
her trust in my decisions which seems to come with miles as well as close work
on the ground.. This alone may reduce the number of times the animal is
spooking....I swear that if they don't feel confident in you and your
decisions, they will baby sit you and get you the heck out of a place they
just KNOW will eat you too (smile). Your fear (albeit of what the horse
might do and I don't blame you if you keep getting dumped) may translate to fear
of those spookies to the horse, and they will be much better if you are a
confident rider...............and my attitude had to always be "we are GOING
this way, spook or not" and had to overcome the fear myself of her possibly
doing it at any time and transfer that to her...... and I would with mind
set, do training rides looking for spookies. Next, was to KNOW the
horse.....I found that she would indeed give a sign however subtle or quick,
that this was going to take place..... Subtle gait hesitation, ear movement,
head movement........ The fortunate thing for me was that Cody always wanted to
do right, was very well trained (maybe too much), and really got upset if you
punished her..
....sooo
I started riding with blunt english spurs, long
legs and rommel reins..... Although we rode with a long shank western
snaffle, on these training rides looking for spookies and thereafter, whenever I
saw a "sign", I would ride with a tighter rein and more leg on..... to remind
her I was there...... When she did pull these rear and spin tricks, I would
bring the inside (if left turn, left rein, etc.)pulled to my knee, continue
her in circle a couple times, inside spur at the
girth, outside spur behind properly placed in the direction of the spin and
turn, rommels flapping, and telling her no,no,no...... I would then realign her
to go forward the original way I was going.....because we WERE
going....
Eventually, with the entire combination of strengthening
the relationship and trust and the little routine I had if she DID rear and
spin, she started to look to me....again the ever so slight hesitation, ear
twitch, etc. and I would keep leg on, and just SHOW her the end of my rommel or
say "heh"......and she would sigh and move on.........I no longer needed the
spurs...we did very few circles at that point............
So, you can work it out. This is just my
experience......the only horse like this in 25 years.....but who knows...maybe I
ride mentally positive and assertive since then and transfer that strength
automatically as a result of that......
Don't know if this will help you...... but so glad it
worked for me.. BTW, Cody is retired, never was too good at distance
riding...too bulky and .... but loved trying.....She is 32 now and I have
had her for 24 years......Taught me a lot she did....!!!
