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RE: [RC] help with trail shy gelding - Smith, Dave

Sixteen months ago when I adopted my then-3yr-old mustang gelding, he
was extremely spooky.  Since I didn't ride him for the first five months
(we completed the Level 1 Parelli ground-handling program first) his
spooking was aimed mainly at man-made things (gates, tractors, trucks,
mower, side of house, etc.)  Once we got out on the trail, I learned he
spooked at odd-shaped logs, boulders, brushy trails that look like
tunnels, etc.)  

I handled the man-made things by resisting the impulse to avoid areas
that might prove scary and walking him thru such areas -- using the
approach and retreat, circling technique.  I made a point of walking him
(on the ground) by stepping boldly toward the object until he stopped,
and then walk him around the object until he was willing to take another
step toward it.  So on until he passed it.  Then turn around and do it
from the other direction. Once we could walk by it without the spook, I
got on and rode him past it -- often having to repeat the approach and
retreat, circling game.  It's a pain, but it eventually worked. He
rarely spooks now at such things. Now I look for scary places and make a
bee-line toward them. I'm amazed at how he is improving and learning to
trust me. 

On the trail, I found that as long as he was in the middle of the group
(my wife and I ride with another couple) he was quite confident.  But,
he wanted to lead, so he would step forward until he was the leader and
that's when he would soon lose his confidence and begin eyeing logs,
etc.  So my solution was to ride in the middle for a while until he was
in the rhythm of the ride and then step forward and lead for short
periods, retreating back to the middle and his comfort zone just before
he begins to spook.  Each ride we'd lead just a bit longer. Now, we
often step right out and off he goes.  Also, I often stop and let the
others get about a quarter mile ahead and then follow.  At first, he
wanted to trot or canter to catch up.  But I insisted he walk.  The urge
to be with the others drove him past the spooky places. It also insured
impulsion that you can then use to work on controlling his gait.  Now,
sometimes we walk to catch up, sometimes we run.  Currently we're
alternating a run, walk, run -- developing some finesse in my controls
and his responses.

The best thing is for you to cultivate patience.  You have one of those
horses that require special treatment.  Don't look at it as a curse.
It's a blessing.  He will force you to be a better horseman (horsewoman)
that you would be if you had the perfect mount.  And when he begins to
respond you'll feel so good about him and about yourself.

Good luck.     

-----Original Message-----
From: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Diane Trefethen
Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2006 1:30 PM
To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [RC] help with trail shy gelding

Hi Amy,

You said you think the refusing and spooking might be a trick.  That is 
where to start.  Is he trying to intimidate you into avoiding work or is
he 
really suffering from a lack of self-confidence?  A lot of riders are
not 
very good horsemen or horsewomen and run roughshod all over a pony's
fears 
so your gelding's having been used "to do endurance" doesn't mean that
he 
didn't go down the trail scared and uncertain.

If he is truly worried about all the horse-eating boulders and logs,
your 
easy going attitude, laughter and taking the time to stop, get off and 
introduce him to the monsters (I find a smart smack on the offending 
rock/log/gate/whatever is very effective in convincing a horse that *I*
am 
Alpha and the rock/log/etc ISN'T) will help settle him down
considerably. 
Once he knows YOU can handle anything, then HE won't need to worry so
much 
:)   And don't forget the laughter!!!  Still, Barbara is right about
some 
horses never getting over that push the panic button first response and
if 
he is one of those... ah well.

On the other hand, if his tactics are just avoidance, the focus changes 
from "poor baby; how can I help" to "not on MY watch, sucker".  Until he

gives up his avoidance tactics he never gets his way, EVER.  It doesn't 
matter as much what you DO do with him as it matters that he DOESN'T do 
what he wants.  In this regard, if you know he is going to be difficult,

leave yourself 2-4 hours for his next "lesson".  If he "gets it" right 
away, you can have a lovely trail ride.  If not, you won't have to cut
the 
lesson short because you ran out of time.

Say YOUR objective is to go out on the trail and HIS objective is to
stay 
home so he refuses to go through the gate to the trails, immediately
change 
YOUR objective to a very boring going-through-a-gate lesson.  Get off
and 
lead him back and forth through that gate at least 25 times.  Unlatch
it, 
open it, close it, re-latch it and back again, over and over till the
horse 
is ready to scream "ALL READY!! I GET IT!!"  Then do the whole thing
again 
from the saddle, side yield, unlatch and open gate, through, side yield,

close gate and latch, then back again... and again... and again.
Remember 
to praise every small thing he does well (with your voice not a treat)
and 
growl at him every time he messes up.  End the lesson on the TRAIL side
of 
the gate and start to ride away from home.  If he acts up, turn around
and 
go back to have a SECOND incredibly boring gate lesson.

While you might not get to go out on the trail THIS time, you have
followed 
the #1 rule, HE doesn't get his way, EVER.  If he's been pretty good, do

not reward him with goodies when you get back to the barn.  That, from
his 
point of view, is a reward for getting back to the barn, NOT for the
good 
work out on the trail.  In fact, it is a good rule of thumb to never
give a 
horse goodies upon RETURNING to the barn.  If you do, that is the 
association he will make and be even more reluctant to leave, never mind

wanting to get back as quickly as possible.

Good luck and have fun!


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Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

Ride Long and Ride Safe!!

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