Spook Proof
February 17, 2009
Despook your horse before you end up in trouble.
To help prevent a blow-up the next time your horse gets scared, The American Quarter Horse Journal asked AQHA Professional Horseman Sallie Jo Reid to offer some helpful tips on how to spook-proof your horse.
You can’t be too prepared when it comes to despooking your horse. Once you desensitize him to everyday things you see around the arena, find some unusual props to work with.
Some good despooking tools are:
- Tarps – Tarps make great spook-proofing tools because they can make a lot of noise, and they are easy to move around. Start slowly by showing the tarp to your horse and slowly work up to walking him over it or throwing it on his back.
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- Pompoms – Pompoms are great to work with because they are small and easy to handle.
- Umbrellas – You can twirl them in your hand or pop them open to get him used to things moving around him.
Realistically, no one has time to expose a horse to every possible object that might frighten him, so it’s smart to have an emergency plan for when everything goes wrong. A good trick of the trade is the “safety pull” technique. For example, if you go into a show arena and your horse is afraid of a banner, tip his nose away from it so he doesn’t have to see it. Force him to look across the arena at the buddy he rode in with or anything that gives him good vibes. Ride away from the spooky obstacle, and bit by bit, work your way back.
Don’t Panic
Your response as the rider determines whether your horse will be brave or whether he will let his anxiety get the best of him.
Typical Rider Responses:
- Trying to force a horse to go where he is afraid to go, which only makes him more fearful
- Taking the horse away from what he is scared of; teaching him that if he doesn’t want to do something, he should act afraid
Neither of these responses will help in the despooking process.
The American Quarter Horse Journal offers you great help to get the most out of your horse with the “Borrow a Trainer” series. Subscribe today!
Keep these techniques in mind when you feel your horse get nervous:
- Monitor your own body language.
- Stay calm when your horse spooks. The more confident you are, the more confident your horse will be.
- Redirect your horse’s attention by changing his focus. If you can get your horse to think about something else, he will be less inclined to react to what spooked him.
- Get him to move his feet. Turn him to the right, walk forward, back him up, walk to the left.
- When you feel him start to relax, reward him.
Just remember, despooking a horse takes time. Horses are creatures of habit and learn from repetition. Stay focused, and your horse will gradually learn to trust you more and be prepared for whatever comes his way.
Go to QuarterFest on Our Dime!
AQHA members have a great opportunity to win a trip to QuarterFest: A Celebration of the American Quarter Horse. This one-of-a-kind event, May 1-3 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, will be a chance to ride, touch, observe and learn how to care for your American Quarter Horse.
If you’ve visited AQHA’s new web site, americashorsedaily.com – and you want to visit QuarterFest – here’s the deal: In 200 words or less, tell us which tip on americashorsedaily.com you have benefited from most, and explain why. On the site, you’ll find tips and advice on training, recreational riding, showing, horse health and breeding – so you have lots to choose from.
Send us your entries no later than March 27. And please adhere to the word limit; longer essays will be disqualified. We’ll only accept one entry per person. The contest is open to AQHA members over age 18, and the winner will be notified by April 3.
The prize includes airfare to Murfreesboro from anywhere within the contiguous United States, hotel accommodations and event admission. Visit America’s Horse Daily for complete rules and to submit your entry.
Comments
14 Comments on “Spook Proof”
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February 25th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
i just bought a 10-12 yr old qh mare that has never been handled and if affraid of every thing i have been on her back and have about 2 hours riding her in a small arena but she feels like she is ready to blow at any time have cracked a whip next to her and shot a pistol next to her and that dont spook her but if she steps on a small branch and it cracks she comes unglued and bolts to the side lucky she dont buck hard wind is a big deal also with her any advice mike
February 25th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
MIKE, 2/25/2009
I HAVE HAD AND TRAINED HORSES FOR 40 YRS. PUT HER IN A STALL WITH LOTS OF STICKS OR BRANCHES ON THE FLOOR, PUT A FAN ON HER FOR THE WIND WITH SOME STREMER’S TIED TO IT. AND THEN LEAVE HER FOR A FEW HOURS OR SO. THIS SHOULD HELP HER. IF NOT REPET IT TILL SHE IS BETTER.
April 1st, 2009 at 10:18 am
I have a gelding who has walked over plastic one day and then the next day act like it going to get him and bolt side ways. He also doesn’t like plastic bags…any advice.
November 11th, 2009 at 7:13 am
Try feeding him out of a plastic bag. First just flat with a carrot or alfafa on it, then, as he gains confidence, tweak it while he is eating. Working slowly step by step you can eventually get him running over to you in the paddock when you flap the plastic bag as he will expect a treat. Once he is desensitised, you can substitute praise and stroking for the treat.
November 26th, 2009 at 9:46 am
I have a gelding who is herd bound. I took him out on a trail with about 8 other horses once. We stopped at a point along the way for about 20 minutes and then began to move out. As we did, we were one of the last to leave and he saw all of these horses “leaving” him. He took off after them. After about 10 emergency breaks, he calmed down. When i take my other gelding out of the pasture, he gets quite nervous pacing back and forth. Does anyone have any suggestions for helping him feel better about being separated? Do I just need to practice taking him away from my other gelding on the trail until he realizes we’re not leaving for good?
April 19th, 2010 at 6:30 pm
Have a 6 yr. old quarter horse,spooks at everything,(rares up and throws rider off it back)dogs,cats,everything,what can be done to despook him?
May 7th, 2010 at 4:13 am
I have a big Kentucky Mountain horse,,I have work with him for the last 9 months trying to de-spook him,not scared of a whip,unbrella,or bags above his head,,but if anything is on the ground,,he is very spooked,,no matter what i do nothing is working,what do i do now?
June 1st, 2010 at 6:02 am
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August 23rd, 2010 at 4:03 am
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December 9th, 2010 at 9:47 am
[...] Jason was concerned that the horse would never really turn to the right and thought he was a bit spooky in the pen. Brad took Bailey home and during the next couple of years rode him occasionally to [...]
May 2nd, 2011 at 2:03 pm
[...] trails, but 6 years old is relatively young for a trail horse, and a young trail horse is going to spook now and then at objects, and especially animals they have never [...]
June 1st, 2011 at 7:04 pm
I have a 6 year old mare i broke. When on the trail with me on her back she spooks at everything (lizards climbing on a wall, just everything)…if i get off her and walk her she doesn’t spook at the things she just spooked at while i was up on her….Please help…what am i doing wrong????
June 2nd, 2011 at 9:41 am
I have a 6 year old mare i broke. When on the trail with me on her back she spooks at everything (lizards climbing on a wall, just everything)…if i get off her and walk her she doesn’t spook at the things she just spooked at while i was up on her….Please help…what am i doing wrong????
July 13th, 2011 at 9:42 am
I bought a impressive blood horse didn’t know it at the time but when I got him the only thing he spooked at was cows. I took him to the cow pen and he got over that now it is like he hunts stuff to be silly about. It is a jurking spook he doesn’t take off and run. But my farrier said this was of his bloodlines. Can you tell me if this is so. This horse is 6 and broke well but bought for a handicap child and I to ride together. If you can help Thank You so much.