Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

I am working right now on retraining my mare that had been off for almost a year and a half, on on stall rest for a year of that (Arabian+a year in a stall=BAD) I bought her 3 1/2 years ago where she had been used as a broodmare and had never really been anywhere or seen anything. Once I bought her she spent the next 2 1/2 years riding with very confident horses where she could always just stay in the back and follow. Combine that with a naturally submissive/lack of confidence type personality and when riding alone or forced to lead, she becomes very very spooky. (I would get compliments on my "secure seat" for being able to ride the pin ball down every side of the trail. Really, thigh blocks are the best invention ever) Since I've been riding her again I've made several changes to the way she is being ridden that have made big changes to her spookiness level. 

First of all, I don't dance around issues any more, or avoid situations where she will be challenged. Even though she hates to lead, I make her lead and just stick it out even though it isn't fun. We go by and through lots of activity in our everyday riding, and when I hear the train coming, we go and stand by the tracks instead of going the other way. I think part of her spooking is because she has a lack of confidence but also as a sneaky tool to be able to duck behind the other horse and not lead. When we do come across something that is legitimately spooky, I make her investigate it, but don't make her approach it directly. Instead we do big relaxed circles around it and next to it. This works well for the Arab mentality that fixes/channels things through movement. She learns that when she spooks she'll have to work a lot harder because of it. She's decreased the amount of silly spooking she has done, and also helped her get over things that are legitimately spooky. As she trots down the trail, she is constantly looking and bending one way after the other on the look out for horse eating rocks or cicadas. I try to keep her mind otherwise occupied and focused by light rein and leg contact to straighten her. Also, don't anticipate spooks-you naturally tense up which they feel and get on the lookout. Lastly, she gets corrected/refocused when she does a silly sneaky spook but never harshly punished for a legitimate spook. Getting a sharp smack with a crop on the rear and screamed at as she's bolting from a fearsome dirt bike only reinforces her opinion that it truly is going to eat her and making her think "well if my rider is this upset, it really must be worse than I thought." 

This is what worked for my mare, but she is the submissive low self esteem type. Would probably have to get a bit tougher for a horse that is just being nasty.

Truman-I think most horses prefer that dark woods environment as odd as it is-a lack of underbrush so they can see all around them. I guess nervousness in open areas harkens back to the wolves on the plains days of horsedom. This has been a challenge coming from the mountains in Virginia to Kansas! Oh no-that rustling grass clump of grass may contain vicious teeth and claws!

-Elyse

"Happiness is not the goal. It is the path."

On Thu, Sep 3, 2009 at 5:01 PM, Truman Prevatt <tprevatt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Barbara,

I seriously doubt if there is any problems with neck or back. I also suspect it may be for entertainment value. I have one that on a single track through the deepest, darkest, scariest? woods, goes along blasting away without ever a thought of a spook. However, put him on a wide two track trail and he will "shuck and jive" from side to side down the trail shying from everything. He's 20 - been doing it since we got him at 4 - probably will do it on his last ride before he crooks.

I have not idea what it is, boredom, opinion - I doubt it is fear but maybe he is not comfortable in open spaces. I do not know. I have found after taking a soil sample if I come back to the truck, take off his tack, get out my 45, show it to him, hold it to his head and explain to him I will be carrying it the next time we ride and if I come off - he will be buried on the trail at that spot (just kidding her folks - don't have a 45 it's really a 40 cal ;-) ). It seems to help - at least for the next ride or two ;-) .

In reality I think he is really a sleeper member of the Jihad and I am the target. He is the only Arab I have ridden extensively - does 13 years count - and he will be the last.

Truman