gets stressed when other horses do?

[VickiGG]

does anyone elses horse do that?

My boy is quiet as a mouse unless one of the following happens;

Another horse bucks
Another horse gets a telling off
Another horse gets excited or stressed
Another horse calls out
Another horse gets a fright in a paddock and runs around

If I am riding him when any of these things happen he bucks and or shoots forward - or like today - both! :eek: Today I managed to come out of the saddle and just as I was thinking "I'm falling off again" - he stopped and I grabbed his mane and pushed myself back into the saddle. I was really angry with him but I know that's not the answer. We did figure eights for a while!

You may ask what happened today to set him off... :rolleyes:

We were riding in the arena and the YO brought her two horses in and prepare them for going on the truck. He did a little buck then. Then the YO loaded one and the other did that rocking horse thing while tied up...my horse had a real tizz - he could see them being loaded....I got off in the end, and he calmed down a little but was still a bit highly strung - until we both watched the truck drive away - then he was absolutely fine - no spooking no bucking no shooting forward???!!!

Anyone elses horse do that? Any ideas? :confused:

He did it while long lining the other day too - see "Garbos week" thread...
http://www.newrider.com/forum/showthread.php?t=89328

It's really annoying because it means other people's actions and horses effect my day/ride.... and I have a show this weekend - now I am really nervous about it because it's one of the first shows for the season and most horses are not yet back into work properly and they all seem to call out much more at the beginning of the show season....:(

[nicolaj]

Yes my horsey tends to do that. We can plodding around quite nicely and then he sees another horse being silly, spooky or whatever, and so thinks 'oh that horse is doing that maybe I will as well!'.

I know exactly what you mean, I even start to tense up and worry even before anything has happend, 'just in case' he sees another horse playing up, especially at a show.

I'm sorry I don't have any help by way of an answer, but I know what you are going through!!:rolleyes:

[Selle Francais]

Hi Vicki

I'm sure there are many people better qualified than I am to answer that, but my boy used to have similar tendencies in the past, and it was put to me by the RIs that in a sense, I was the trigger of the problem. Because he had done these spooky things, and sometimes unseated me, I was overly alert to potential threats - so I was getting nervous whenever I spotted something, and he was picking up on my nerves, thinking "Whoops, I'd better be frightened", and so we had a vicious circle developing.

The answer for me was to turn my eyes away from anything, stay calm, and ride him forward as positively as possible, really strong leg, let him know that I wasn't worried and therefore he shouldn't be - "trust me, I'm in charge, I'll look after you". And then lots and lots of reassurance, praise, pats, to reinforce the message that he had done well.

And it didn't take long - a couple of months tops, and ok he still gets a bit on his toes at times, but he's very easy to bring down now, and is a much calmer bunny. It's only natural to be angry, but it's not fair when really what he needs is confidence and reassurance from you.

Good luck with the shows

SF

[capalldubh]

Because horses are herd animals, they tend to respond to each other like this - if a nearby horse is looking alert and scared, it may be because they can see a big hungry lion that your horse can't - so it makes sense to be on the alert too.

What VickyGG said is true for my share horse as well - if you don't look at the thing, and in fact look at something else entirely, your horse will probably be much better in time. When scary tractors go by, I now gaze happily at sheep in nearby fields or big fluffy clouds ;) Isn't it strange how sensitive your horse can be to your movements? I would swear sometimes that all I've moved is my eyes, yet my horse seems to know exactly what I'm looking at!

[Selle Francais]

[QUOTE I would swear sometimes that all I've moved is my eyes, yet my horse seems to know exactly what I'm looking at![/QUOTE]

Too right, Capalldubh - when we're jumping, I only have to swivel my eyes to the next fence and he changes his leg to suit! He'll even change his landing leg if I do it in mid-jump.

Stunningly sensitive creatures that they are.

SF

[VickiGG]

Thanks - I didn't get really angry - just a 'grrrrrr' out loud! :)

I know what you mean about not looking at things - but in this case he reacted before I even knew anything was worrying him... as is often the case....

:rolleyes:

[Whatanejit]

Mmmm - well it depends.

We used to ride out with a very nappy horse. Cooper would just stand still watching her shenanigans and when her mum eventually gave up making her lead, with a gentle nudge, he would overtake and lead the ride without a problem.

If we passed a herd of horses in a field who were horsing around he would be very inquisitive, possibley go into giraffe pose mode but with encouragement would just move on.

He freaked one day passing a field where a horse was galloping in a crazy fashion around the field. The two horses we were with were absolutely fine, didn't twitch but Coops decided he would let it bother him.
He didn't take any confidence vibes from our fellow hackers - infact they just when on and left us. Hmmm. I was on the bike so stayed with OH who was on top and led Cooper a little of the way through it.

Saying Grrr is absolutely fine and I did it a lot on my solo hacking expeditions last week - convinces him all is well HONESTLY!:rolleyes:

xx

Dee

[VickiGG]

I have wimped out of my dressage test tomorrow. It's a great big open show ground and I am just not up to all those horses that will be there possibly winding up my horse.

I know I should deal with it - but I just don't have the energy today. :(

I am going to work at the yard instead....there is always next time - when it's a bit more on in the season and more horses are in work so not so uptight when out.

Plus my circles are cr*p at the moment! :)

[Whatanejit]

Oh! Would you not just take him over for the experience and not compete?

That is what we did with Cooper at the beginning of August and what we plan to do tomorrow.

xx

Dee

[VickiGG]

Whatanejit - normally I would yes - but we have been to these shows lots before (it's a local riding club show so quite low key)... it's not really the competition/test I was nervous about - it was riding in the warm up area...

It's crazy - when I first got him a year ago I entered this very show without a worry in the world. :(