ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: spooking

Re: spooking

Barrows & Gundersen (nevermor@ixi.net)
Thu, 4 Sep 1997 08:45:06 -0600

I think the suggestions put forth by many ridecampers have been excellent
and well worth trying on most horses that occasionally, or even often,
spook. However, there is one suggestion that no one has brought up, so, at
the risk of taking a lot of flak about this, I will.

There are a lot of horses in this world who are just plain insecure, and
will always be afraid of things when they are removed from their "safe"
place; it sounds to me as though your mare may be one of them. Whether
these horses are chicken-hearted or lacking in their ability to analyze a
situation and respond with a ho-hum doesn't really matter at all, because
the result is the same: a ride filled with tension, unpleasant for both
horse and horseman. If, as you indicated, this mare is getting worse,
things could escalate to a very dangerous point. Horses' brains are not
all created equal, and individuals will react differently to stimuli, even
within the same breed (although flightiness or sensibility is often
associated with a particular breed), and although one can often work
through a lot of little problems on one's own, my feeling is that unless
one is a terribly experienced and knowledgeable horseman, with a lot of
understanding of horse mentality, one can unconsciously aggravate the
horse's fears and insecurities, which results in even more problems to
overcome.

I am not unsympathetic to the fact that you are very fond of this horse,
but please keep in mind that there are millions of horses in the world
which do not spook at the phantom demons along the side of the trail, and
which you can ride anywhere on a loose rein, relaxed, and enjoyably. All
too often I encounter people who, for one reason or another, have been
paired with the wrong horse which they subsequently form an emotional
attachment to and are then unable to part with in favor of a more
appropriate horse, one that doesn't erode their confidence. If your mare,
after all this time, is telling you that she would rather be a ring horse,
why not look for one which enjoys the trail? It sounds as though right now
neither of you is happy, and that's a shame, for riding should be a fun
endeavor, and not a cause for agitation.

Pam B. (whose horses, now that we breed only Morgans, all have good minds)
Nevermore Morgans
Helena MT

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