This is how we train a fearless trail horse!

GREAT WORDING! LOL... I didnt realize I was doing the same. I did it with my mare when I started her, and would let her stop and look, BUT after so many stops I started getting irritated and just pull her head back and make her go! And I never had another problem once I did it. I didnt realize that until now! And I am trying to get miles on my gelding who is green and he sees so much he MUST stop to see. He's like a dog! He'll want to go in someones yard to check out their swingset?!?! Lol....

BUT I totally agree and NOW I understand! Thanks for pointing this out and explaining!

It seems like forever ago when I posted on this thread and a lot has changed since! I now have a rising 9 year old Clydesdale gelding. When I bought him he came to me totally not spooky - we lead groups down trails and if something made him jump he barely twitched. Since he was new, however, I felt that he might need to look around at things and let him stop and look when he wanted to. Guess what? Within a week or 2 he was spooking at things and became timid! He was ready to turn and run at nothing and looking for things to eat him! Why? Because I put his safety in HIS care instead of mine. He was looking for danger and I was saying "I don't know dude! IS it ok?? You tell me" I felt pretty stupid for letting that happen it just didn't make sense to my human mind but it does now and he is back to confident and not any spookier than any other good horse. I don't put up with any nonsense, if I say go then GO, if I'm not worried then he isn't either.

Thanks for your experience! It shows how hard it is for our human brain to comprehend a horses sometimes!

I think if your green colt is simply curious to see things and confident, not timid, then there's no harm in letting him check things out - as long as you don't allow him to just head for things on his own idea without you telling him to. LOL I was thinking about how horses work in a herd yesterday - I took my Clydesdale out solo for a long trail ride - and if a horse in the herd were to act silly about something the herd was going by - what would the lead mare do? Get mad and nip that horse into going right by and ignoring whatever it was looking at. So when Whiskey would start to look at something I'd just squeeze and cluck and get him going right by. If he really insisted on looking (only did that once) I stopped him and had him yield his head repeatedly to get his mind back on work at hand and then we went on no problem. I don't mind if he looks as long as he doesn't fixate.

I'm glad this thread popped up again. I am printing out Cherie's original instructions. I want them handy.
Last year I bought a 14 year old green Paint mare. Not what I set out to buy but after a lot of looking I knew immediately this was the one I wanted. She's calm and mellow and has not been a disappointment. And she is so pleasant on the trails. I look forward to developing our partnership. It is always good to have sound information and advice handy for those situations that pop up.

Cherie, I recently took my 6 year old mustang to a new trail, it was by the river and as we were walking calmly down to take a drink, 2 very large German shepherds came at us barking... his head shot straight up in the air but I assured him he was fine (as the owner was near by and called the dogs back to their boat. Phew!). Then a speed boat blazed by and sent a gigantic wake onto the shore... He had never seen or heard a speed boat before, I assured him he was fine again and I kept his feet moving around in different directions as to focus on me and not the scary dangers, but the wake did him in! He started to trot away and not aknolwedge my hands, so I started to "bump" the reins and force him into a circle, reinforcing that with leg cues (kick in the shoulder), and let him run his fear out without getting anywhere. What can I do to assure that the next time we go to this trail and encounter the same scenario, he will go stand in the water and not freak out? I'll never be able to take him riding on the beach if I don't nip this in the bud.

Dixie - even though you didn't ask me I hope you don't mind my suggestion ;) I would take along a halter and good length lead & take your Mustang down to the water and work with him in hand down along and in the water until he is relaxed with it (head lower, licking & chewing, leg cocked or big sigh type of behavior). Hopefully you will get an obligatory speedboat and wake going along while you do. Does your Mustang know how to do a one rein stop? There are always little things along the trail that are new to our horses we can't help that, your horse actually sounds like he handled the spook pretty well in that he only trotted away and didn't bolt. If you could get him in a one rein stop you can prevent even that.

I loved this post and all the thoughts that followed. I have always been on the fence what would work best, let them stop or encourage on. I know I will lead on and give my gracie something else to think about!! It feels right to me right now!

I also thank you for this post! Our first 'horse' was a very little pony that we trained our selves with a little help from a trainer. We wouldn't trade her for anything, and she's actually worked out quite well for us. BUT...we trained her in all the ways you say not to and the one thing I learned for certain is that when it came time to buy a full sized horse, I wanted/needed one well trained already. We got lucky with our pony but her use is very limited, both by her size and by her training.

We got our new well trained horse and she amazed me by going exactly where you point her, no matter what...lol. Our pony has so much personality, she's such a joy to be around, and for her job she's wonderful; but she'd need your kind of training before I'd feel safe letting anyone but an experienced rider ride her off of a lead line. The difference is amazing and I enjoyed reading you're explanation of it.

My horse crow hopped once when I was on her I was swinging by her reins after flying over neck. Any suggestions? She was very happy when she made this move.