How to deal with a Spooky Horse

www.SchrammEquestrian.com
/ eventiontv
Welcome back everyone! This is the last episode in a series based in sunny Aiken South Carolina during the winter. This week we're serious. We have a big tutorial lined up, so pay attention. Does your horse spook at just about anything? Or when a new he/she comes across a new foreign object? If so, this is one episode that you may want to watch intently. Lastly, this week we feature a new Schrammo's Shout Out and an Evention Tip of the Day.
We would like to thank everyone for supporting us this year as we accept the award for
"Best Newcomer" in the Equestrian Social Media Awards (ESMA's).
Like what you see? Subscribe to Eventiontv and get all the latest videos and news.
Also, like us on Facebook to interact and to keep up to date with equine events.
"Schrammo's Shout Out" goes out to Blue Bonnet Equine Humane Society
Vist them at: www.bluebonnetequine.org
Evention is filmed by Right Start Photography 2013
Like us on Facebook at: rightstartphotography

[@allysonmarie3823]

"As you can our blue mounting block from the corner of the ring is usually harmless, but now is a horse eating monster."😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@georgiaxo1035]

We have a blue mounting block and I went to get on he was absolutely fine but he saw a purple mounting block and ran off they were the exact same honestly he spooks at everything purple he Even spooked at is rug🐴😹 Monty (my horse) is afraid of purple he just takes off when he sees purple so weird but I love him💞🐴💞

[@georgiaxo1035]

+Equine Addict yes and he bucked me of 7 Times

[@georgiaxo1035]

+Equine Addict I know

[@youkantstopme5363]

+Georgia Reid 7 times? That sounds a bit, umm... Fake?

[@jasminmarioni9097]

+Ellie Young how?😂 if a horse doesn't like something it's going to try get away from it😂 I've been bucked off more than 7 times in a day

[@bishpleeez]

yep....mine is definetly stage 2 of spooky horses. when we were training dressage in the indoor arena, i took off his sweatblanket and hung it over a chair before we proceeded. i must say, he SAW me put the blanky there. i then trotted him for one round, and when we reach the point where there's now a blanket hanging over the chair, he just stops and make's his "OMG WHAT'S THAT?!" sort of face and wants to go backwards and run for it (i just gently urged him towards the scary thing and then it was ok for him). the same thing happened once when he took a dump in a corner. it was winter and the poop was steaming. he was afraid of his own sh*t. but he himself put it there just seconds ago! it made me crack up so hard...XD

[@hisholiness4537]

That actually made me laugh lol

[@JMBHcollection]

I love how he used a horse that was actually reactive/spooky instead of demonstrating with a bombproof, experienced horse like so many other informational equine videos do. It was way more helpful!

[@marievanurk3171]

When my horse has made peace with something "scary" he tries to eat it.....😂

[@jasminmarioni9097]

😂😂

[@rebeccatang9383]

lol

[@lifewithhorses5400]

Marié Van Urk hahaha😂😂😂😂😂

[@emilygarcia1300]

Marié Van Urk same

[@TashEquestrian]

we should all take this as a lesson! If it's scary… EAT IT! 😂

[@katpak14]

Those heels doe!

[@deborahthorne4085]

Thank you so much. Its easy to tense up when a horse is scared which makes things even worse. Your confidence is amazing - you look relaxed but totally in control, I want to ride like that Deb xx

[@callysto_ii]

You forgot a situation, when your horse is just pumped full of energy, and looking for an excuse to take you on a wild ride down the galloping lane just a few meters away (which of course NEVER happened to me EVER. AHEM)

[@princessluna672]

It happened to me

[@callysto_ii]

princess luna oh yeah me too, on the very day I wrote that comment xD

[@princessluna672]

crazymango I fell off of mine she's like 16 hands

[@callysto_ii]

princess luna ouch ! are you alright ? I didn't fall but it certainly was a close call ^^ he bolted when a doe decided wise to jump out the bushes barely 10 metres away from us... Yay forest life !

[@charli.h3443]

they didn't put this in because it's not really spooking it's more just having a lot of energy or being cheeky. try walking them by hand or lungeing them before hand so they can burn off some energy. hope this helps even though it's a bit late!!! :)

[@Ebonyfox2]

To avoid my thoroughbred spooking from routine things I've started integrating jumping randomly or clapping my hands out of no where. Initially I'd get a good spook but now sudden noises or movements don't bother him at all. Now I encourage my friends to do it too so they'll walk past him and throw up their hands suddenly. :) Found it to be a great and fun training method.

[@young4life.]

ZFoxy That’s very smart. I will definitely try that with my spooky Thoroughbred. Thank you :)

[@amyace99]

Love the tips. Disagree on the OTTBs being inexperienced/spooky though. They have seen a TON. Crowds, trailers, chickens, goats, tractors, cars, you name it. We deal a ton with OTTBs and most of them are super chill, even at 3.

[@jesusismybaeagh425]

Afuzzy Horsey that's great but my experience with an OTTB is that he is nervous and jumpy and anxious. He always try's to please his rider and is an amazing horse but he does get really spooky. He spooked at a flower in the grass once! 😂

[@lynnes11]

You are right, but I think it depends. I think OTTB's can go either way-- some are super chill and have seen it all while others are a cat on a hot tin roof and high strung.

[@stardustgalaxy17]

Usually when my horse spooks (which is at literally everything) I've always been taught to do a one-rein stop.

[@jett888]

Love that "Keep him on his task" (I have to do that to my hubby!) :~}

[@potcallingkettle]

Excellent advice, thank you very much for sharing!

[@leahr4996]

Can you make a video with tips for beginner riders on cantering and jumping? Please and thank you! :)

[@jessicagomez3131]

My horse is 17 and spooky he’s a Dutch warmblood ! You would think since he wasn’t so spooky because he’s older lol

[@mykennahfox8835]

Your guys tips have made me anf my horse more good You should make one on cantering and jump I am ok at it but I am still on the beginner side

[@mckenzieking506]

learn grammar before riding. If you're a beginner then you dont need to jump

[@equiikay1323]

+mckenzie king be nice

[@mckenzieking506]

I meant jump not ride I changed it

[@mckenzieking506]

+jumping_oxers_xo xoxo g

[@iam3.14yearsold6]

Hollow your back when you go in your two point and use your legs to keep you in place. (like an "anchor" almost) Dont push up, push fowards. In the canter push your heals down and really move with the horse and sit up - dont lean back or forward loads. (only a bit if you want to speed up or slow down) And relax your hands when cantering - dont tense up because they'll slow down or even spook and wonder what's going on for you to tense up.

[@MVParnell]

I totally agree with that, Tami as long as the horse is trained for it, ie: gives its head willingly and is in tune with the rider. One does not need a bit to communicate with a horse.

[@Lietjesmarket]

Wow these are usefull tips that i already took in practice. Mine is a stage 3 and i have noticed that as a rider my mindset is so important. In just a few weeks she improved so much. I hope that at the shows my mare will be more confident amd less spooky thank you

[@Face2FaceWithHorses]

This is my first time seeing the program. Fantastic work, very helpful and great example of a simple explanation! Thank you for your work.

[@sleventingsisters4171]

this really helped, i have a stallion that looks like tex and he spooks of everything, and now my horse isn't scared any more, thanks so much for all of this, I'm so happy that i can start eventing, i have been doing zero star eventing and he did amazing he cleared it all and i came 5th place, thanks a lot for making this video, xx

[@rockymuffinboo3136]

These videos are always put together really well!

[@squekers94]

awesome!! We recently moved to a new barn and there are no fences around the jump arena, so my horse get scared when he needs to trot or canter by the tall grass. After using this he was even more calmer and now we can have fun again in the area! Thank you!(-:

[@jesso0o]

This was really helpful! Definitely one of my faves that you've done so far.

[@leighhunterjumperz3038]

Great tips!! I've been working with a horse the owner calls "Satan," she well and truly can't stand him but he and I get on quite nicely. I've been able to bond with him and work him well enough on ground manners. He's just TRULY almost unrideable however, above the trot. He's 17.2 and incredibly POWERFUL. Also, since I don't own him, I'm just not able to work him in the training aides on the lunge or in the round pen the way I'd like or feel would be effective (as were in the past). Since this is a moot point-- I now watch your tips to better myself and my own riding, no matter the horse as now I'm riding at an Academy & am also sort of being "re-trained" and advanced from hunter on the flat back to jumps as well. Thank you for your great & informative vlogs, I really 💞 them & how you also demonstrate what you mean. Best wishes, new subscriber!! 🐎😅

[@runningchic234]

This is great. I've just started exercising more horses for my trainer, and as I get better shes been putting more on spooky horses

[@darkduet]

I need to watch this every week LOL. Love this video!

[@saffronhillary2463]

That horse is beautiful! Great video too!

[@charli.h3443]

Great video. helped heaps even though I don't have my own horse i do lessons and the horse I rode a few days ago can get spooky at some objects or things she hasn't really seen before as she was fairly new to the riding school so if I ride her again i will definitely try some of these tips out!!

[@allegroeventing2070]

my 17 y/o dutch warmblood notices EVERYTHING lol he does little spooks in place or looks and like arches his neck and snorts

[@TesselAndSybil]

He makes it look so easy...

[@ridingagain1]

hello guys! you have helped me a lot with this spooky horse video. thank you ! using your easy to follow advice all the time. great videos and love your sense of humor too.

[@marielambert4107]

My mare was a trained horse(?) before and has learned that inexperienced riders usually fall off when she 'spooks'. Spook meaning she kicks at the thing that might potentially be dangerous, before you even know that there is something that she could potentially be afraid of. Once she spooked at a leaf falling on her neck...lots of training for me to do in near future.

[@zoe5317]

Hello! I have recently started riding a horse named Cedar. Cedar has some issues. He's a big dog and is very loveable not riding but as soon as you get on he has some issues. He won't give me his head, and is fairly unpredictable. If you ask him to go politely with your leg, he will swish his tail and stay put, and when you actually kick him with your heel a bit he will hop, buck, and stand still. This horse is 100 percent sound. Some days he is being good and will do as I ask and some days he's being... Strange as I described above. About 3 years ago, I had a friend who rode him all the time and did events on him but only at intro level. She trained him how to jump (highest was only 2'3) but eventually she quit riding all together and Cedar became a pasture pony for the next two years. Now that we're bringing him back to work, it's like he's forgot everything. It's really hard to describe what it's like riding him unless you have ridden him and understood. I've made some progress with him but nothing serious. I've gotten him to jump small crossbars too.

[@mckenzieking506]

I have a horse exactly like that, you just have to start from the beginning and go back to basics

[@lclarke7280]

Great demos and advice!

[@joanwillis6683]

I love the edit in the beginning of the video😍

[@kayleighoakes9294]

The horse I'm riding at a moment for a friend is so spooky he runs away and bucks😂

[@britneysmith5035]

I always enjoy your videos! They are very insightful! (:

[@jhaydenshorse5195]

My horse is definitely a stage three. She spooks at birds, shadows, sunbeams and other things that are in the barn on a daily basis. She jumps to the side or bolts.

[@abzer333able]

Another amazing video! :) Thank you so much!

[@NightmareNinjaNicole]

Thank you! So helpful!

[@cricket27ily]

this helped me so much! thank you for making these videos!

[@meredithmorris493]

This is a very good video :) lots of horses spook differently or have been trained to react differently to getting afraid. My new boy had been trained by his previous owner to stop and look at whatever was making him anxious, he's a very nervous boy and you have to be the confidant rider. The bad thing about him stopping though is he will do it in whatever gait, we've had to work on getting him to just look at stuff instead of stopping, which is difficult in itself as we are also dealing with getting him to work off the leg (he enjoys pretending to not notice it sometimes). As he's starting to trust me a lot more I tend to walk him up to anything he's looking at to give it a sniff. He was very scared of poles when we first got him and we had to do loads of groundwork going over them followed by eventually riding him over them. Recently started him on jumps and had to do the same thing, he's scared of the wings though haha, although it didn't help when I was getting him to sniff a wing he felt comfortable enough to play with the top and he yanked it over, spent another 5 minutes making him feel safe with it again haha.

[@naomisgray]

Thank you for another great video :) Really helpful, as I have just gotten a polish warmblood mare who can be extremely looky/spooky, especially while being tacked up, and I will try this on her :) Thanks again :)

[@averywhite4124]

I rode an 18 year old horse who was so spooky that sometimes I didn't want to go to a 2point canter.

[@horseandagilitylover]

Great video!

[@ellatarves3666]

My horse is generally not scared of the things shes spooking at, shes just figured out that with beginner riders she can scare them

[@vannascardullo2551]

I was training a very looky Arab x Quarter gelding, he was never payed attention to about his bad habits, so I got the task to try and get him to do some nice steady ground work and a few poles, it took a few weeks to just get him to walk, trot, and canter around the round pen without me on and then I had to ride him, he had a beautiful head placement, a smooth walk, choppy trot which I fixed XD and I couldn't get him to canter until I got him used to the "kissing" noise, leg and seat, he spooked at trailers and pieces of plastic that flew about the wind, I eventually got him to walk over a few poles without me on and then when I rode him over the poles he took it as if it was a 3 foot vertical, oh how much I loved that horse xdD

[@mikedomanski1487]

fantastic video

[@HorseDreamer1998]

Thanks so much!! this will really help!!

[@hollytrounson6462]

This is really helpful for me thanks

[@letash17]

ive used the steps on my horse who is very spooky on Hacks and he is much easier to handle...the horse in this video is stunning :)

[@gerrycoleman7290]

When a horse views you as a confident leader and has been properly exposed to numerous things, the problems are reduced.

[@hfequestrian4681]

When I first got my warmblood mare ( she was 6 at the time and is now 10 ) we was approaching a 1 metre fence and she spooked at a FRICKEN LEAF ON THE FLOOR 😂

[@jessica2006mar]

if your horse sees something spooky get him into a fast walk, trot or canter and he will be concentrating so much on doing his job he will have no time to look at the spooky thing

[@natashas6319]

do a video on improving position without stirrups! w/ posting trot, and cantering!

[@jesusismybaeagh425]

So I was getting on my horse bareback and kinda slid off the other side (I know, horrible mistake 😂) my horse stood there calmas can be, but my foot was somehow still on his back. As soon as I took it down he turned his head round, sniffed my boot and attempted to eat it. Not bite, not anger, just eating it. I don't really know why that was, but he did the same thing with a mounting block that he was spooked of.

[@mirandasaborio4742]

Panic! At my chemical fallout Oh my god, that is gold 😂 That happened to me too, a few times actually. I was schooling a gelding and we were working transitions, so we did a basic walk-trot-canter Dressage test. He did that great, but as soon as we were back at “x” and squared, he turns his head and starts chewing on my paddock book! Not biting, being angry or anything, but from what I guess was just boredom.

[@AandB2306]

Really good video! It's very helpful. Greetings from Germany

[@colth0und]

one of my favourite lesson horses at the barn is a stage 3 spooker, he was actually the first time a horse ever spooked on me. the lesson just started and he absolutely refused to go by the door (we were indoors, it was mid winter), and he just ran away from it i was like "reign wtf" my trainer had to help me by walking him by the door and helping me talk to him lol

[@karadeniz5137]

What a beutifull horse!

[@Lottshorse]

'Scary' things around the place. Just generally introduce them to everything and anything. :)

[@laurenstone1668]

I dont ride english... Im in rodeo and recently got a new 4 year old mare who is really green and this video helped with that... So thanksith

[@clairebloomfield1642]

Very helpful thank you

[@andreahicks6081]

I like how he was scared of the green boxes 😂 mine was scared of bunnies

[@alexanderrogers2525]

Haha love the spooky chair at 4:10

[@101jumpergirl101]

this was so helpful. there is a horse i ride sometimes that spooks alot

[@ambergrayson477]

The intro is my favourite part😂

[@silversunrise321]

bahahaha! Loved the random clip of sully for the "horse-eating monster"!!

[@FancyHunterHorse]

I think this vid is really helpful but it would be even better if they used a horse who was actually SPOOKY. Like a horse who would actually jump sideways or really react to something, just to give people a better idea of how people should react when they are actually experiencing a spooking situation.

[@candymeadowalmondjoy]

Can you do a video about how to control/help a horse that takes off and gets super hyper? Great video!

[@fcthecool]

My boy is a stage 3 spooker. I have pretty much reduced the frequency of his outbursts to out on trails. He used to spin and bolt any time he was confronted with something new. The thing about giving him a job to do really rings true for me. If I stop driving him forward and changing directions etc. his mind wanders and that's when suddenly a bird becomes a dinosaur. I don't know if he will ever grow our of it or lose the habit though..

[@poodleish1]

At the barn today, I was ridding this really old horse, Zeke. He's very lazy, and i was surprised when he spooked and bolted at a siren.

[@cairobamako]

This was a very good video and one of my favorites even though I can't really relate my horse to any of these. I own a half Percheron gelding that tends to spook more at the everyday things then the abnormal. Sometimes if even feel like he is "spooking" for fun. He also tends to get bored quite frequently no matter how much I switch up our works. Just wondering if you had any ideas that might help.... Great vid!

[@lizzybelle11]

Hey! Can you do a lower leg position video, like how to develop heels like yours? They're textbook perfect :O

[@sorchal9559]

Now it's a horse eating monster 😂

[@Friesiansforever1]

you all should do one on how to bend a horse correctly. with how to do it,what it should look like, and how to train a gree horse to start bending.and anything that comes with bending.

[@GoobergirlieLPS]

This really helped! I've been riding for almost 3 years, but I need some advice on something. I don't lease and im not planning to, but there's a horse at my barn I ride every now and then. The person who leases him, well first of all at the end of my indoor ring there's a big door that doesnt go anywhere, but it leads outside the barn. The instructors typically leave it open to let fresh air in. But theres no glass or a grid like door, its open and the horse could jump out it any time. Going back to this horses' leaser, his leaser lets him cut his corners. And he's spooked on other people this way, so when the rider does make him go in the corner he thinks there's something to be scared about. Last time I rode him he tripped pretty bad when I was cantering and fell off, and in the same lesson he spooked and bolted pretty bad at the door. He calmed down afterwards, but the next Monday, a different horse also spooked at the door. (and fell off) Sorry for rambling so much, but is there any way I could handle these situations better?

[@kmartvan]

Goobergirlie LPS maybe you could try to ask someone if they could close the door or you can turn the horses head slightly away from the door to remind them that it's not a big deal. I also ride a spooky horse every once and a while and this is just what my trainer says to me. Hope this helped, sorry I'm not a horse expert.. I've also been riding for 3 years.

[@horsemakeup11]

There was a purebreed Spainsh Horse (Andalusian) that i rode for about 2 months. She was the most beautiful horse that i ever robe but she was also the most spookiest horse i ever rode. There was only 1 lesson that i can recall that she didnt spook. She also just came off of being a pasture horse for 10 months aswell. I wish the owner would have cared alittle bout my safety and not just money...

[@elsamrsbs]

This video was realy helpful! Thank you:) I'm currently riding a very fresh horse and in the closed arena he is fine and Aldo ,sometimes he spooks he is calming down and starting to get used to it ,but now is the weather is turning sunny which allows us to go to the open arena but every time I go there I feel my horse tensing up and it always ends up me falling off.Do you have any suggestions on how to calm down a tense horse?Thank you

[@AbdulAziz-vq7mj]

I think it will make more sense if the video actually has a spooky horse being handled

[@heiraekblad8731]

New subscriber👌🏼👌🏼

[@livingmau5runcatrun]

Loved the video :D My horse got kind of fat during the winter, so can you maybe do a video with som exercises for that? :) ♥

[@ydm.equestrian.connection944]

My mare is spooking at everything *

[@SarahDactyl12]

thank you for the video! any chance you could do a video on engaging the bit? I'm having trouble with my gelding running through the bit. I can not get him to relax under saddle all he tries to do is pull you forward and faster in the arena

[@martysmosaic]

any ideas how I can help my horse overcome her fear of her own stable, mainly when it rains, she is petrified of the noise it makes on the roof. outside she 100% with anything, but inside she becomes a wreck. shes jumpy at any noise eg the noise of the iron grid front if I touch it.

[@louishennion8015]

Hi ! I found this video really interesting, the way you explain that when the horse spooks you must be like "Ok you scared, no mater trust me and move forward". But this works when the horse spooks something in front of him. How do you do when he spooks something arriving behind him ? I think this might interesting to know

[@MssPinkhead]

+Louis Hennion Same question, what to do when a tractor is behind you for example on a hack? :p

[@missorigamigirl]

thanks for the good advice!!!! just want to know how on earth do you have your heals so far down without them hurting like hell?

[@oOShowjumperOo]

You should make a video on how to get nice extended/flowy gaits ;)

[@vanessavayy]

Thanks for the video! I have a four year off the track and he can be quite spooky. I can usually handle the spook but this week we were trotting and out of nowhere he spooked and dropped his shoulder and I came off. So I feel like my inability to stay on further exacerbates the problem. 😢 Any advice on how to address a young horse who also can react quite harshly?

[@ScooobTube]

You should do a video on the "claustraphobic" horse. When another horse is inthe arena with me, my horse puts his hears back. He used to kick out and once he kicked me when I was on a different horse and someone else was riding him. That would help a lot! And sometimes when I ask for a transition, he gets upset and tries to crowd me against the arena wall. THANKS!

[@beckydodge3217]

you should do a video about how to deal with a horse who refuses jumps! My horse use to be great, but once i started to introduce larger fences with boxes in front (for showing) he just wont go over them... very frustrating once youve fallen off twice already, especially when you bought him knowing he could jump 4'

[@audreyjensen7287]

My horse is definitely stage 1, she just turned 7... i took her on her first trail ride today, not even look but of course the "monster" (jump shed) in the corner is GOING TO KILL ME

[@FutureTruckerJen101]

My horse, I find it easier to control her on her, not on the ground. I was training her for a trail competiton, I've never done, shes a mustang to. She was pretty green but we got out on 5th.

[@yamixyoukai]

I ride a 20, nearly 21, year old gelding(Don) who used to compete at reasonably high level dressage. Despite all his experience he is rather spooky, even though he has known the arena for years, he still spooks. He stops, is afraid of a number of mares, refuses to walk the F corner, is terrified of beams, and though I always stay calm (I know him to well to even react to his antics) I can't stop his spooky behavior. It doesn't help that I only ride once a week, and not always with Don (riding-school, not a lease or own horse). What can I do when I ride him? (I usually ride him weeks at a time, before I switch horses)

[@kemosobifriend4895]

My thoroughbred mare get scared without another horse alone i’m not really sure how to get her to be calm.

[@katpak14]

Can you do a video of how to canter properly?

[@ColinAndShishka]

I usually let my horse sniff the spooky object and reward him for touching it with his nose :)

[@jadegreen5861]

my horse likes to run off with me any time. he is a spooky horse to!

[@Ciscogirl27]

Could you guys do a video on how to desensitize a horse from plastic bags? That would help a lot!!

[@katietutz]

Could you do a video on how to gain a stronger seat or a stronger leg position without actually being in the saddle? Like some exercises you can do? Thanks x

[@maravetgirl]

I have a 15 year old TB/Andalusian jumper who is very spooky on one end of our arena. Nothing scary, just a small shed and gravel drive. Last fall, he would bulge to the inside and bolt a few strides. When jumping towards that end, he would refuse to go forward and bolt to the side. I have lunged and walked him in that area but that doesn't seem to work. I keep a steady inside leg and bend, but he gets very strong. Now that riding has resumed, he has picked up the same habits. Any suggestions?

[@charleshills1408]

;-; my horse Molly needs help...she’s terrified.... Wait for it... Wait for it... Her shadow.