The 4 steps of dealing with a spooky horse

[@piaffe25rider]

Wow I just discovered your channel!! Going to be binge watching for sure!!!

[@lisafoster4468]

I really appreciate what you've put up for us all. I've learned a lot, and even applied it to my own body, because I do have an anxiety problem! It works! I think if someone took a Clinton Anderson-trained horse and applied your methods, it would result in something absolutely spectacular! He does especially well with the mechanics, and you do especially well with the mind.

[@AbdulAziz-vq7mj]

I like your videos. However i think this one in particular would have made more impact by actually having a spooky horse

[@bjk1234xoxo]

Agreed

[@epona9166]

The spook he was talking about was at 0:37, when the horse reacted to the sunbeam on the ground. I wouldn't call that a spook (more of a balk), but it's worth a video IMO.

[@tiajewels2820]

I started my horse at 5, training in the summers only, no spooks she was a champ, then last year we had a bad spook at a Johnny on the spot (portopotty) and she 180 twist on haunches and bolted. I came off badly. Did not ride for 10 months, sent her for a tuneup training session for 6 weeks, rode her for a month no worries, took her to a Dressage clinic, on day 2 she did the same thing at a blue barrel and off I came one more time. I just don’t trust her anymore.

[@jezda2453]

im so sorry to hear that , praying for you that you don't fall off another horse

[@warmbloodsx2129]

Hello Tia, sorry to hear about your story. It sounds like anxiety, did you both get past it? Hope so!

[@hallhv01]

@@warmbloodsx2129 she fell off badly at a drop the shoulder spin and bolt. Not sure how that's anxiety. Sounds like a legit fear and dangerous horse to me.

[@warmbloodsx2129]

@@hallhv01 horses get labelled dangerous when HUMANS ruin them. It is most definitely anxiety or pain. Horses suffer immensely with anxiety unless trained to relax/how to deal with scary situations. They are flight animals after all. I don't think this girl has done anything bad, but 100 percent the horse is either anxious or in pain, it's where all behaviours like this stem from. KZbin Warwick Schiller/Rick gore and watch as many of their videos as you can, then you will understand and see proof of what I'm saying.

[@AimEmery]

Seems like you could go to a natural horsemanship trainer and learn how to really get your horse relaxed and how to read her body language so that when she is halfway worked up you know it before the explosion and can take action to calm her down. Best wishes!

[@AimEmery]

TRT this is a good topic but it would help if you explain more on that last part, what is it you are telling the riders to do at the time of the spook? Its not clear from this video.

[@lisaschroter9376]

Really helpful👌

[@1sacoyle]

My horse's yard has a mound of dirt in the middle over grown with high weeds. My horse was grazing behind the hill when I went out to see him. I stood quietly when I came into view of him. When he realized I was standing there he spooked, wheeled and bolted away. He then stopped, turned and trotted back up to me. Saying "you scared the sh*t out of me. I really don't understand why he reacted the way he did and would hate to be on him if he pulled that stunt.

[@nala8223]

A horse reacts the way you teach him to react. If you don't teach him how to deal with something that scares him, he'll bolt or jump every time. If you teach the horse that scary or unexpected things usually don't attack, he might jump or flinch a bit as a physical reaction, but will be more curious than scared

[@user-mkru]

I know what to do when my horse spooks. I get up from the ground.....Problem is that some horses spook and other horses SPOOK. My horse falls in the latter category. One moment he is standing here and the next he is standing 5 yards in the other direction.

[@danw6014]

Get to its feet, get to its feet, get to its feet, breathe.

[@epona9166]

I was taught that if a horse spooks at something not to make a big deal about it, just keep going. If you're in an arena, you can circle back around to the scary thing with the horse on a fairly loose rein and he will veer away from it again, but keep him going without trying to make him go closer. After a few times around, the horse will keep going straight and not veer off. (You need to do that going both directions.) That's certainly how I would have handled that scary sunbeam on the ground. I'm curious why you would choose to lead the horse up to [whatever] and make a bigger deal out if it than it actually is. I also don't understand why you are making this about the horse's feet. You didn't show the rider as she was walking away from the sunbeam, but I'll bet that the horse calmed down pretty quickly.

[@hallhv01]

I didn't follow this.... Lead a horse to it. That's nice but what if you are riding? When riding you don't just let your horse spook, you do need to push them to go where you've asked. I've no idea what the last part of this video was talking about either. Look at your outside rein and feel in control? Ok....

[@kidstuff44555]

I think he meant "lead with the front end" meaning while riding he directs their head and shoulders with the rein, but doesn't push with the legs? Guides them rather than applying pressure. That's my interpretation

[@brucepeek3923]

No you don't teach them in the moment. You start years before the spook took place and get control of the horses feet in your very first ground work session. Then in every subsequent training session FOR THE REST OF THE HORSES LIFE YOU WORK WITH YOUR HORSE TO maintain control of their feet. You don't ride them right up into trouble you move the horses feet both toward and away from their so called spooky spot. best Bruce Peek