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. 

Results of the New Feed Plus the Desensitization Process

In addition to changing Cruz Bay’s feed, (see previous post) I’ve also set about desensitizing my big bay. I purchased a copy of Rick Pelicano’s book Bombproof Your Horse and began using some of his techniques.

A set of twelve nerf balls from Walmart began my sessions. At first I showed one to Cruz in his stall then bounced it gently off his neck and gave him a treat. I continued to throw them at his neck, his back, his rump.....you get the picture.

Cruz's eyes bulged and he shied away, but then understood the balls weren’t going to hurt him and allowed them to come at him.

Eventually my son could throw them at him while I was mounted - still offering treats, of course!

Now part of my after-ride routine is to throw nerf balls at him in his stall – from the front, on his head, from behind. He doesn’t enjoy it, but he lets me do it. I can now throw four or five at him before giving him a treat.

He's also learning not to be afraid of umbrellas. I open and close two different sizes and colors of umbrella on either side of him, and hold them over his head. Treats are liberally dispensed and he is being very brave.

In the arena I’ve placed a tarp, which he walks over with no problem now.

Is the Combination Working?
Yesterday I took Cruz down to my arena to ride. I deliberately had a friend drag a noisy chain behind my tractor in the field next to the sand school, with the front bucket raised menacingly high in the air.

The tractor came very close while I was leading him down to the arena. He saw it and raised his head, ready to take off. I offered him a treat and his fear immediately subsided. That has never happened before!

The tractor came full frontal towards us and close to the boundary fence many times while I rode in the arena. A cyclist came past on the other side. But Cruz remained unperturbed by any of it. He listened to me, and performed his walk work in shoulder-in, renvers, tranvers and half-pass as though nothing else were going on.

Conclusion
The feed and the desensitization seem to be working. For the first time in three years I am hopeful that Cruz can become a confident horse who trusts me.

And I have just received information that Rick Pelicano is giving a bombproofing clinic in March at the farm next to me. What a stroke of luck!

I’ve signed up for it so watch this space.