Is My Horse Really Afraid When He Spooks?

Does your horse have favorite ‘spook spots’? Mine does!

Every time I lead him down to the arena he hopes that deer will rustle in the woods, to justify him giving a big leap. When that doesn’t work, he waits until I’m in the saddle, then keeps an eye out for any kind of movement at either end of the sand school.

How much of this is real fear, and how much is just putting it on?

I understand that horses are prey animals and watch out for predators (you know, like deer and the barn cat), but I have noticed that Cruz’s ‘fear’ depends a great deal on how he feels on any given day.

For example, I once rode him in the arena with the entrance gate open. The one thing I promised Cruz would never happen, happened. A stag ran into the middle.

Unbelievably, Cruz didn’t bat an eyelid. Turned out he had a respiratory infection (from weed killer spray): he had no energy left over to be upset by the intruder.

I’ve noticed that my gelding’s level of spookiness increases in direct proportion to the intensity of his work.  He’ll seem relaxed at the beginning of our riding sessions, even walking quietly past the short side of the arena where the vicious deer, squirrels and barn cat hang out .

But when I ask for true bend in trot and canter, it becomes Work with a capital W. Suddenly he just knows those varmints are out to get him and leaps sideways. (So much for my outside rein.)

Hmmmm…. Interesting!

So I’m using this evasive behavior as practice for later, when I’m at a show. He’s a strong horse, and it takes a lot of effort and energy to combat his naughtiness, but I have to prove that I can thwart his attempts to avoid work and frighten me.

I drive him powerfully forwards - past the area where he acts up - over and over again, from both directions and in different gaits. Additionally I ask for extra inside bend before, during and after the ‘scary’ spot (he tries to scoot off when we’re past it).

We often have to go through this charade. But on his new CoolStance feed I’ve noticed a considerable increase in his willingness to give in and get down to work.

Translating this into preparation for shows this season, I know I have to ride him this way whether he’s acting out of fear or just misbehaving to avoid work.