Site Menu:
This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below: |
HorseAdvice.com » Training, Behavior, & Conditioning Horses » Behavioral Problems » Spooky Horse Under Saddle » |
Discussion on Behavior change and why? | |
Author | Message |
New Member: Liolii2 |
Posted on Wednesday, Nov 29, 2006 - 8:58 pm: I'm not sure if this is the correct place for this request for insight on (dramatic) behavior change involving spooking but here I go. I have a beginner student whose older nicely schooled arab has for no medical or management reason we can see has become a bit of a erratic spook, of course not when she is taking a lesson. I said I would post hear to see if maybe we should check his eyes, saddle fit etc.... I am trying to aid in directing where to go but don't want to have them needless spend money doing all sorts of diagonistics(sp). |
Member: Alden |
Posted on Wednesday, Nov 29, 2006 - 9:30 pm: Gretchen,I don't understand when this horse is spooking. During the lessons, or at some other time? The horse's age and skill level? I've posted here before but sweet feed (grain & molasses mixes) does this to one of my geldings. He's fine on straight oats, but give him sweet feed and he'll spook at his own shadow (and again because the shadow moved)! It's something to look at. Good day Alden |
Moderator: DrO |
Posted on Thursday, Nov 30, 2006 - 6:03 am: I too would be interested in more information: the over all condition of the horse, the feeding regimen, and the conditions under which the horse spooks.DrO |
Member: Ajudson1 |
Posted on Thursday, Nov 30, 2006 - 7:32 am: If we rule out the feed, the saddle fit, change in environmnet, look at how often the horse is used for lessons? Does the horse only get rode in the arena or lesson area?I swear one of my horses starts "spooking" when he gets bored with "lessons". (his lessons, not mine) He's fine if we leave the arena and go out on the trails for a break. And a really simple thing to check is his teeth. Push on the sides of his jaw, and check, with your hand, and see if there is a reaction. Move his head around with the bit in, from the ground. These things will help determine if his teeth have sharp edges and it's the pain that's causing the "spook". It always amazing to me how much things in the mouth affect a horse. |
New Member: Liolii2 |
Posted on Thursday, Nov 30, 2006 - 8:43 am: This horse lives out 24/7 is fed little concentrates get regular maintence shoeing, teeth, shots etc.. Saddle seems to fit. She does some basic dressage work and trails with him on a regular basis. He has yet to have an episode during our lessons but apparently will be going around the arena and seeminly unprovoked stops short and turns slightly. I am trying to employ this wonderful resource as what direction to go towards. We had wondered about eye sight changes as a possiblity. Any direction would be great as I would love to help them not have to take 100 stabs in the dark and my student to lose any more confidence. |
Member: Scooter |
Posted on Thursday, Nov 30, 2006 - 9:55 am: Hi Gretchen, could it possibly be behavioral? We have a very quiet lesson horse at our barn, anyone can ride him. Every once in a blue moon he decides he has to test his rider. The trainer usually has to get on him and give him a tune-up. He will usually do this outside of lessons also, because the trainer isn't directing her how to ride him. Usually when they do this and "get out of work" it becomes a habit. So maybe having a trainer ride him for a few days may help, especially in the arena. Just a thought. |
Member: Scooter |
Posted on Thursday, Nov 30, 2006 - 10:05 am: Sorry, I just noticed you said beginner student. Even the best trained horses will take advantage of them. They think it is FUN. My broke to death old mare even has fun with the beginners, until they figure her out. If you don't think it is physical, try having someone more experienced ride him once or twice a week. |
Member: Ella |
Posted on Thursday, Nov 30, 2006 - 10:34 am: I would check eyes for cataracts to be sure.Ella |
Member: Mrose |
Posted on Thursday, Nov 30, 2006 - 11:18 am: In your first post you talk about "spooking." I had visions of the horse suddenly wheeling around, shying, trying to run away, etc. Behaviour such as stopping suddenly and turning slightly sound more to me like trying to "test" the rider than spooking. I suspect this is a smart, bored with lessons horse that's trying to amuse himself. How about trying to change the lesson plan a little so the horse and rider are doing something a little different than going around the arena? How about incorporating some games into the lesson like DrOpping things into buckets using only legs to direct the horse, for example? Anything you can think of that will break up the monotony for both horse and rider while still teaching skills. There are some excellent books out with such games for both western and english riders. ....Just a thought. |
Member: Shanson |
Posted on Thursday, Nov 30, 2006 - 1:28 pm: How long has the student owned the horse? |
Member: Erika |
Posted on Thursday, Nov 30, 2006 - 2:42 pm: I too have experienced bored horses pretending to spook. Good suggestions here.I also like the idea of a good rider taking the horse through his paces here and there to see if it is just rider testing. Don't you think that if it was an eye problem there would be some new odd behavior besides under saddle? Poor beginners, these horses probably get a good chuckle out of breaking them in. |
Member: Gailkin |
Posted on Thursday, Nov 30, 2006 - 3:15 pm: I have a friend who has a 14 yr. mare for 2 years and had a spooking, constant jigging and nervousness problem with her. I noticed that she had two walnuts at her poll (her muscles were so knotted up and tense). I finally talked her into taking a lesson with my trainer. After ONE lesson, she was able to connect with the horse and learn to relax, giving the mare confidence and allowing her to relax. It is like riding with a completely different horse now. The mare has also started to put weight back on (she had gotten quite thin) and their whole relationship is at a different level. My friend is continually working on breathing deeply, relaxing, stroking and giving positive reinforcement to her mare and keeping her own anxiety down. She tries not to be frightened and has changed who she rides with both people and horses. Some of them made my friend uncomfortable and some of the horses were not compatible. It is so wonderful to see the positive changes in both of them. The horse even relaxes at the trailer now and eats calmly. If the horse doesn't have confidence in the rider, then it feels it must be in control. Can you focus on doing more things to get the two of them to relax and learn to trust each other? With my friend it was just learning how to walk her horse moving her hands and body with the walk and to relax and also riding with other confident people and horses. As my trainer was first riding the mare to assess her behavior and finally got her to settle and relax my friend said something and the mare immediately tensed at her voice! As it turns out, my friend said her mare did not have a problem previously with her old owners, so the problem really was my friends's behavior. |
Moderator: DrO |
Posted on Friday, Dec 1, 2006 - 8:01 am: She stops and turns slightly does not really describe a "spook" to me which generally feels more like a light electrical charge has run through the horse as the horse (may or may not) jump sideways.Assuming this is a spook and to get back to your original question, the answer is yes, anything which might cause the horse to misbehave under saddle should definitely be checked. I don't know any shortcuts to a careful exam. Spooking rarely presents as a medical problem without other signs of disease. After a careful check of the tack and the horse for problems that might cause pain I would first try to correct the behavioral problem and if attempts to correct it fail then call the vet. What the rider is doing when the horse misbehaves might give clues if there is a painful reason for the behavior. DrO |
New Member: Liolii2 |
Posted on Friday, Dec 1, 2006 - 8:46 pm: Dr. O- Thanks for the sound insight. I just hate to see a customer spend $'s needlessly. And being that it doesn't happen when I'm around it's hard to know what I am really dealing with. In the lessons he acts very much like the nicely schooled older horse. And thanks to all for their insights as well, I shall keep your "posted".Sincerely, Gretchen |
Member: Lhenning |
Posted on Tuesday, Dec 5, 2006 - 11:25 am: When my horse started this behavior, it turned out most of it came from me. As a beginner, I became afraid of him when he acted "out of control". He would stop and turn abruptly, which caused me to tense up, which caused him to lose confidence in me as his leader. What helped was some advice I got from a book called "Riding With Confidence". Have your student find her "comfort zone". The place she can be with her horse that feels comfortable and not scarey at all. (For me that was on the ground!) Gradually have her reach out of that comfort zone and push a little. In time, her fears will subside and the horse picks up on that so his erratic behavior will subside.Also, it was very important information when my instructor explained to me how relaxing my back affects the horse, and I could see it for myself when I tried tensing and then relaxing on purpose. So at first, inside I was afraid and tight but I concentrated on relaxing my body so my horse did not pick up my fears. That relaxed my horse and that relaxed me. This fear issue really escalates between horse and rider so getting a grip on that makes all the difference. Hope this helps. Linda |