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I'm positive you're right that it's a game.  My Sun used to spook at 
shadows, not because he was afraid, but clearly because it was fun.  And 
like you, whenever I came off, he looked at me like,  "okay, get back on; 
lets do it some more".
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Barbara McCrary" <bigcreekranch@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "SHEILA A WALSH" <tondi313@xxxxxxx>; <alexis_mills@xxxxxxxxxxxx>; 
"ridecamp" <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>; "Lif Strand" <lif.strand@xxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, September 01, 2009 9:27 PM
Subject: Re: [RC] need advice about spooking/bolting


> What advice does anyone have regarding a 13 year old Arab gelding that 
> spooks six feet sideways, suddenly, violently, so fast that I'm off before 
> I realize it is happening?  He's rock solid on treacherous trails, never 
> spooks on endurance rides, but trot him on an open road or field, and I'm 
> fair game to him.  I'm fairly sure he is playing games with me, because 
> he's had opportunity to blow up under some really unusual situations, but 
> he doesn't.  Only on open roads at a trot.  Things like ferns and rocks 
> and logs on the side of the road will precipitate this "pull the 
> tablecloth out from under the silverware" technique.  Then he stands and 
> looks at me as if he wonders what I'm doing on the ground.  Granted, this 
> happened about 3 years ago, during the interim my young granddaughter rode 
> him and completed on him.  He finished Swanton Pacific 75 like a breeze. 
> G'daughter is now a senior in HS and too busy with 4-H and a boyfriend to 
> ride at all.  I now have said horse back and I plan to ride him 
> again...with a more secure saddle than a nice little English model.  But 
> life would be more fun if I could know why he is doing this and how to 
> deal with it.
>
> Barbara
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Lif Strand" <lif.strand@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: "SHEILA A WALSH" <tondi313@xxxxxxx>; <alexis_mills@xxxxxxxxxxxx>; 
> "ridecamp" <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Tuesday, September 01, 2009 8:12 PM
> Subject: RE: [RC] need advice about spooking/bolting
>
>
> > Birds in trees and bicyclists are very different.  Horses should be used 
> > to birds - they are everywhere, and natural enemies for horses don't come 
> > from trees on wings.  Bicycles are different.  Gentle and gradual 
> > desensitization is my advice, plus lots of acidophilus (probiotics), 
> > since many horses that are spooky seem to benefit from lots of 
> > probiotics.
> >  _____________________________________
> >
> > Lif C. Strand
> > Local Economic Development
> > Catron County, New Mexico USA
> >
> > www.critterwalls.com
> > life sized wild animal wall stickers
> > check out the 4 ft. wide  horse murals!
> >
> >
> >
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