Very Spooky 6 yr old HELP

wdc

I got this mare as a 5 year old - can be great in every way but still very spooky. Everything from unzipping a jacket, raising your hand, noisy bags, etc. She gets nervous very easily, thought she would grow out of it with loads of work, which she gets, but it's not happening. Any ideas? She's 15 2 - great to jump, very forward going - would like kids to ride her but wish she was a bit more confident. She's the boss in the field, very bullyish where feed in concerned. Am open to suggestions!

convert

It's so frustrating when a horse, who's great in almost every way, is so spooky and cautious. I had that issue with a young pony I had just broken when I was about 8 or 9. As a child, I was probably more likely to react to the situation (and even pre-empt it) that I should have done, which didn't help matters, but once I realised that my reaction to the situation only fuelled matters, rather than helping, things became much better.

The important thing is not to react when your horse spooks. Don't over-pet her or over-reassure her. A simple pat on the neck, saying it's ok, is fine, but don't indulge her.

What I did with my pony was to start moving noisy bags, jackets, etc. outside his door, as well as other little tasks such as mixing feed, opening feed bags, cleaning/washing brushes and combs, zipping and unzipping jackets, folding and unfolding rugs, etc. Anything that was a bit 'different' and noisy. While he was initially anxious about it, he soon came to understand that these noises weren't going to hurt him and that they were quite normal. I also hung a jacket in the yard but in full view of his door so he could get used to moving things, but was in the safety of his own stable. Then I'd leave a jacket on the yard gate so that he'd have to pass it each time he went in and out of the yard. All this took a lot of time and patience, but it did help in the end and he became less spooky.

Regarding raising your hand: perhaps your mare had a bad experience in the past and associates that movement with the incident. You could try raising your hands in the yard but in full view of your mare, so that she can see it's something that you do, but you're still far enough away from her not to cause too much anxiety. You could also try reaching to the top of the stable door (if it's tall, or has a top door) or if there are hooks to hang headcollars on, reaching up to that is something that you should try to do as often as possible, so that she can become used to it.

When she's comfortable enough with you doing it, you could also get people to zip/unzip jackets when you're on her, so that she can see it's 'normal'. Same with raising their hands. Again, a pat to re-assure her is fine, but don't over-pet or indulge her, just ask her to stand/walk past them as you would expect her to walk past a fence, car, etc. And treat everything as normal.

Time, patience and understanding is the key to encouraging your mare to be confident, but it will pay off in the long run.

wdc

Thanks will keep going so, it seems to be one step forward 2 backwards at the moment, but as I said her willingness and jumping ability is great. It was suggested that I give her some homeopathy treatment for nervousness, does anyone know anything about it, what or how much to give?

ironia

have you ever tried anhy of Natural horsemanship trainings? it really works, i was impressed.
this spring took for schooling 3 y.o mare... she was not really spooky, she was crazy about every noise,every brush, every toutch, every human and everything around. but she is really good in pedigrees.
spoky x100
i had to try NH because classical school for her couldn't be good.

in 2 monthes she was so far progressed, as i can ride her without bridle and saggling her, caring her hoofs etc ( until 3 years old she was never seen ferier, because falling down)


first you need is all her thinking is focusing at you. when you are getting focus on you, horse is believing you because you 're main person in your relationship. horse allways needs leader. if horse is spooky it doesn't trusts to rider or kidding ,or using rider's spooky

try to be leader!

convert

wdc wrote: »

Thanks will keep going so, it seems to be one step forward 2 backwards at the moment, but as I said her willingness and jumping ability is great. It was suggested that I give her some homeopathy treatment for nervousness, does anyone know anything about it, what or how much to give?

There are some natural remedies like steady-[n]eddy (sp?) and other herbal mixes that some people mix in with their horse's feed, but I don't think something like that will be of benefit in the long run. It may help while the horse is taking it, but what happens when it's stopped? I'm not a fan of using such remedies or sedatives, unless it's an extreme case and there is literally no other option.

ironia

from own expirience. when feed magnesium or lucerna or something else for horses in stress, mostly it helpes rider more.
because rider then sure "i feed it it helps!"

i had one rider in training. horse she was riding is safe and stabil, but when this girls was riding him he get spooky.
once after training i told that next time i will feed some antistress before training.
what you think? it was excelent training because girls thinks that horse ir under drugs

it all in trust!

wdc

Yes I agree the rider has greatest influence, this one is spooky and is improving but she's not a happy mare - ears seems to be back 80% of the time!! We've tried different bits and is in straight rubber bit at moment, it seems to suit her best. We've had teeth and back checked as she never looks comfortable, had wolf teeth out and no other problems that we could find, great vet and dentist. Happy enough out xcountry moving and jumping and v happy show jumping, anywhere she's busy she's happier!! It's difficult to get her on the bit and she gets more and more tense doing ground work - may well be riders problem. Thanks for advice, will keep working on her - she's great in every other way.

marizpan

I totally agree with ironia,
horse needs a leader, if they have a leader they will be too busy working and listening to that 'leader' to care about spooks. And i think it can take an awful battle of the wills at first to est. who is leader and it is so easy afterwards. It would be reflected in every way, they would become submissive, therefore easy to catch, box and listening and respecting all aids and commands. And i think that is a happy horse because it now has an alpha and can place all its trust in its rider.It reflects there herd instincts. Very much like children, children are secure/happy with rules/boundaries.

Theponylady

You may want to go up to the Gawani Ponyboy "relationship training" clinic this weekend. Sounds like he could help you quite a lot to understand and fix your horse's issues.

As others here have said, horses need a leader. If the human in their life doesn't take over leadership, the horse becomes the leader. and if the horse isn't a confident horse, that means he's going to be jumping at every little thing. And if he IS a confident horse and takes over the leadership role, then you end up with a horse that is going to constantly ignore and often bully his human, to the point of being dangerous.

Too many people want to be the horse's "friend". They don't realize that their relationship with their horse is more like boss/employee relationship. A good boss is a friend to his employees, but at the same time, he sets firm rules and makes sure people do what they are supposed to do. A bad boss is a dictator who doesn't listen to his employees, and they do things because they are afraid-or they run away and go somewhere else. Then there is the boss who is a wimp, who is not good at setting rules, who lets employees break the rules, and consequently, the employees take advantage of him and very little gets done efficiently.

You need to be the boss. You need to listen to your horse, but you need to be the leader. You need to set down firm rules, but in a way your horse will understand. You need to be the brave one, the leader.

When your horse starts looking at things, what most people do is focus on the thing the horse is afraid of. That tells your horse that YES, whatever he's nervous about IS A PROBLEM, as his human is also focused on it, confirming his fear.

When your horse gets nervous, take your focus completely away from whatever is bothering him. Give him a simple task to do, such as bending away, circling(a LARGE say 20 meter circle, not a little yank and spin around), a leg yield-anything to get his mind back on you and off the scary thing. Do this every time. Do not punish the horse for being afraid. However, do insist he at least make an attempt to do whatever the task is you have asked of him to do. Make sure you don't start yelling at him, make VERY sure you have turned your head away from the scary thing, just stay calm yourself(practicing slow and steady breathing will help), and be a confident leader.