fear in stall

[francesca115]

I am a rider, age 27, who has recently returned to riding after 10 years. I love to ride; however, since resuming lessons a few weeks ago, I have developed a fear of grooming/tacking a horse in his/her stall. I can feel myself getting nervous as soon as I enter the stall, and I KNOW that the horse senses my nervousness. If the horse even starts to turn around slightly, I have to leave the stall and calm myself before I enter again. I guess any advice on how to read horses actions in the stall would help. Also, any tips on human "stall etiquette" would probably help me relax. These are old, school horses who just don’t want to be bridled and ridden; they are not jumpy or nervous. Mostly they just start to turn around when they see the tack, knowing that they are going to have to go out, sometimes the ears go back a little. Should I continue to approach calmly and slowly from the side, speaking in a soft reassuring voice?

I am new to my barn, and have asked people for help with tacking when I get nervous, but I feel sort of ridiculous and embarrassed.

I really hate this handicap and don't want this to affect my relationship with horses and riding.

I appreciate any advice you can give

 

[bexj]

Should I continue to approach calmly and slowly from the side, speaking in a soft reassuring voice?

Yes! Just that! Keep your eyes low too - horses can find it threatening if you stare at them. Can you get someone else to tie the horse up in the stall before you go in? I would go in without the tack first of all, and, if your yard will let you practice on a calm and gentle horse, then approach slowly and start to stroke it's neck. Get someone to show you how to move a horse around in it's stall, just by touching it in the right place. That will give you the confidence that you can move it around without it getting upset. Let the horse sniff you and get to know you too - after all, they don't know that you're not a mad horse-eating monster! Try and spend as much time in the stable with a horse as you can - under the supervision of someone else.

Don't feel embarrassed about asking for help - it's a perfectly rational fear to have - after all they are big animals.
Good luck

 

[Afellpony]

When you say stall, is the old fashioned stalls wehre the horse is tied up, or is it a loose box where the horse can move around freely? If the horse is tied up, there shouldn't be a problem really. First let the horse know you're there and when you enter the stall, if the horse moves its quarters towards you, just give it a shove and say sternly 'move over'. Then go in - but you must praise the beast when it's moved over. Take the headcollar off but secure it round the horse's neck and put the bridle on and again, secure the horse via the headcollar. Then put the saddle on. If it's a loose box, when you enter, speak confidently to the horse in a friendly tone. The horse should come over to investigate you, put the reins over the horse's head and then put the bridle on. If you have a headcollar for the horse, put that on over the bridle and tie it up before you put the saddle on. A lot of horses dont particularly like being tacked up because it means work. If you feel safer, ask the YO if you can bring the horse out into the yard so you can tack it up.

 

[francesca115]

It is a loose box. I am perfectly comfortable tacking and grooming a tied horse ...

I appreciate both comments and I think that they will help, especially learning how to touch a horse in the right places to move him around in the stall.

 

[RustyMary]

I can really sympathise with this one - horses are big animals anyway and look even bigger in the constrcited space of a stall. Can you tack up elsewhere (outside) until you are a bit more confident and know the horses a bit better? - especially if you have only returned to riding a few weeks ago.

 

[Friendly Filly]

It is a loose box. I am perfectly comfortable tacking and grooming a tied horse ...

I appreciate both comments and I think that they will help, especially learning how to touch a horse in the right places to move him around in the stall.

I can sympathise with your nervousness as horses are big and strong, and they don't always respect your space when they don't want to be made to work. Have you tried going into the loose box with nothing in your hands just to say hello a few times, so they don't associate your visit with work. And then you could progress to going in with a lead rope and headcollar and tying them up before grooming. then you could fetch the tack and maybe they wouldn't mind quite so much. You have to be assertive, not harsh or bullying, with horses though otherwise they will not respect you enough - they can always tell when someone is nervous, and riding school horses know how to play on that.
Hope you get on OK.
Julie