ridecamp@endurance.net: spooking

spooking

Kimberly Price (PLOUGH1@ix.netcom.com)
Wed, 03 Sep 1997 14:19:06 -0700

Wendy Wrote:

You need to
teach the horse how to respond to spooks in a way that you want, not the
way the horse wants. (I've got a couple of articles on this from the
last time we discussed this topic. If you want them, e-mail me at
wendy@fc.hp.com)

*********
hear hear Wendy! You are always full of such good advice. I emailed
the QH people privately since many are probably tired of hearing my John
Lyons lecture!
But after teaching his "flavor" of natural horsemanship to Mystery, I
can now stay on him when he jumps in place, looking at the spook, and
take that 1/2 second to give him the cue I want. It was when I was on a
QH who spooked and spun that I was thrown and broke my arm this year,
not Mystery, who spooks and jumps, landing in the same spot.

And I agree there are different levels and reasons why a horse
spooks. The rider learns to recognize the many different types and
respond to that spook individually. You cannot generalize how or why an
animal you don't know is spooking. I've also found the horse's reactions
change as they become more experienced.

Kimberly (&Mystery the Morab)
Pt.Reyes, CA

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