Hmm, how to overcome being spooky.

Hello,

I'm not a beginner saying my horse is "bad", "stupid", or "scared" and wont listen, but I know that he spooks easily.

What I really need to learn is how to keep him controlled, due to the events yesterday.

We we're in my neighbor's hay field (which is open, and he always goes there.) and my neighbor was in the woods, setting up for hunting, on the other side or the pasture. The only thing I can think of that would be scary was the fake deer, which was barely visible! I know he saw it. I know it wasn't scary either. But anyways, we trotted circles worked on steering, and then turned to canter (his trot was awesome, by the way). I pushed him into our usual smooth sort of fast canter, and before I knew it he took off galloping. At first I was happy, I mean, I love the adrenalin rush, but what happened next is the card he pulls when he gets mad at me. He bucked and bucked and bucked. He only does this at MY farm! In the ring at my lesson barn he never pulls a stunt like that! Well, to end our lovely story, I threw myself out of the saddle, flipped and bruised my bum. Which is still sore.

He also KNOWS that field, he has been lunged in it before, heck even turned out! So what can I do to end the bucking madness?! I can ride them out but there should be something else I can do.

Anny

If it's a consistent thing that he's doing, I'm going to assume that it's not the field or the fake deer at all. I think he's having temper fits.
Whenever this happens, is it always when you after or during your lope while your exercising?
He reminds me of a horse I was training that would start off well, but when he had enough, he had enough and he let me know it. Unfortantely for him, he figured out that wasn't a good idea. There was no saddle pinching, itchy girth, lameness with this guy - he was just a grumpy teenager having a fit until he realised who was boss.

What happened after he bucked you off?

Ok, well im not sure what you want to know like if you want him to be less spooky which would be the first thing to work on. You need to do a lot of groundwork (yea, i know its boring but it helps you and your horse bond and understand eachother so much better. It is the best way to communicate with your horse, and vice versa). Do a lot of desensitizing with him! It sounds like he needs it lol. The bucking will stop when he knows that if something scares him he is to stand still instead of freak out. That is all part of desensitizing, it teaches them not to run away or freakout, it makes them think about it and they will just stand still or flinch instead of freak out. Is this kinda what you wanted to know?

It may of been the saddle, but I highly doubt it. He does it during the lope. My boy is 9 years old, I think he's all grown up, but he is very very green. After I hit the ground, he stopped dead, and I (he was in a halter, i don't do bits, he responds better to a halter.), got up and yanked on his face to make him back up. Hetried to drag me back to his field, I made him turn in a circle a few times, so he would slow down, but I was frustrated which didn't help the situation.

He jumps to the side when he spooks, or his spins like a reining horse. He almost NEVER takes off. And yes, We do do ground work and desensitizing, I'm not sure what we need help with.

I wouldn't say it's the saddle, either.
Did you get back on him after? Or lead him home?

If you ask me it just sounds like he needs a major attitude adjustment... if you can ride out the bucks then my suggestion is simple...

When he goes to bucking spin him out of it and dont stop spinning him in circles until hes so dizzy he almost falls over when you stop...he will quickly realize that if he doesnt want to be spun he will stop bucking...if your horse doesnt mind spinning circles then pick something else...

For example my boy doesnt like to back up...so if he acts up or acts a fool i make him back up atleast five steps...usually more...it fixes the behaviour pretty quick....

Past that I dont know how to help you really... good luck though!

If he is very green why are you riding him in a halter? You need to be able to stop him. Maybe you don't realize how seriously you could be injured or how easy it is for your horse to develope very bad habits if you don't have sufficent control. Get a snaffle bit and learn how to stop him when he runs off. Nobody should be riding a horse in a halter outside of an arena or pen unless they can effectively control thier horse. He ran off and bucked for the simple reason that he is very very green and you had no way of stopping him.

My 6 year old is spooky. I recently bought this DVD (I'm not affiliated with him) Horsewhisperer.com Store and will be using some of his ideas.

You need to start despooking on the ground before you continue in the saddle. That much I know.

If it is truely just him spooking and not an attitude thing, I don't know that there is much you can do except work him through the episode. Walk him up to the deer, make him sniff it (with you off first) then get back on and make him walk circles around it until he stops freaking out.

my 6 year old TB Demi is a stereotypical TB in that she is very flighty. She spooks at just about everything. It really is just a part of her personality and I have learned to live with it. However, she never spooks at jumps if she is doing a course. lol. I have found that just walking her around before I ride in the area (if it's new) helps her get adjusted with me right there with her. It makes her feel safe.

Hope you get the spooking resolved soon. Sorry you fell!

I took him in, I had no one to help me get back on him, and if he did bolt I would of gone with him. LOL.
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Thank You, but truthfully he doesn't mind either. But I did spin him when he tried to canter off earlier in the day.
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[quote=kevinshorses;446535]If he is very green why are you riding him in a halter? You need to be able to stop him. Maybe you don't realize how seriously you could be injured or how easy it is for your horse to develope very bad habits if you don't have sufficent control. Get a snaffle bit and learn how to stop him when he runs off. Nobody should be riding a horse in a halter outside of an arena or pen unless they can effectively control thier horse. He ran off and bucked for the simple reason that he is very very green and you had no way of stopping him.[/quote]

Now, I have a problem here. You do not understand my pony, and he will stop when told. The reason I came off was myself. He listens, he just doesn't understand everything in the world. His teeth are have not been done yet, so I choose ride in something comfredible for him and easy for myself.
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Thank You, I'll check it out.
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Thank You, I will try this too. (:

Anny