Every spring it’s the same story. You call out to your horse and they come running, tail high and nostrils flared, with a few bucks thrown in for good measure. You sigh because you know that it’s going to be a rough ride, but you saddle them up nonetheless.
Did you know that most difficult rides can be avoided by doing a few simple things before you mount up? Start their day from the ground, and work your way up to the saddle. Not only will this help your horse’s brain focus better, it will allow them to work out some of their post-winter energy.
Read on for a few of our favorite tips and tools to help your horse shake the winter spooks.
What causes a horse to be spooky?
There is no one thing that causes a horse to be spooky. It can be a combination of things or that one spot in the arena. We get so comfortable with our equine companions, it’s easy to forget that, at their core, they are prey animals. It is their natural instinct to be afraid of everything. It’s our job to help them work through their fear.
How can you do that, you ask?
You may not be able to anticipate all of the things your horse will spook at, but as time goes on you can identify things that they seem to struggle with.
Work down your list one thing at a time and be patient with your horse. They’re having to unlearn millions of years of instincts to do what you’re asking them to do.
How do you calm a spooky horse?
Horses are different, just like people. This means that to calm your horse down, you need to know your horses’ personality first.
A couple of questions you should answer first are:
Is my horse spooky all the time?
If no, then:
Is my horse spooky seasonally?
If you answered yes to the first question your horse may just be a high-energy type horse.
There are a few things you can do to help bring them down a bit. Do you feed your horse grain containing molasses? Or throw out a flake of alfalfa with their meals? Both of these feeds contain high amounts of sugar and can be a bit rich for some horses.
If your horse relies on the alfalfa for weight gain, try giving them a flake of a 50/50 blend (half hay, half alfalfa) alongside their normal feed or just taking out the alfalfa altogether.
Reducing the amount of molasses that your horse consumes will also help. Especially, if your horse is not being worked a lot. While it is a good source of potassium, not all horses can process the high amount of sugar that accompanies grain containing molasses. Try asking your local Wilco Animal Health Expert for a grain that has all of the vitamins and nutrients, but without the molasses.
Another thing you can try is lunging your horse for a bit before you jump in the saddle. Allowing your horse to just “run it out”, and come down to a walk on their own will strengthen your connection and get them to pay attention to you better than just getting on and taking off.
If you answered no to question 1, but yes to question 2 then it’s extremely likely that your horse doesn’t do well without a regular job, or schedule. Give your horse a 3-day grace period. Most horses take about 3 days of consistent work to remember their manners.
In those 3 days make sure you focus on the foundation of your relationship with your horse. What are some easy things you can remind them of? Stop. Go. Turn. Flexing their neck. Just the basics. You can also work on a desensitizing routine with them. This will remind them that they don’t have to spook every time they pass that one scary rock.
Lunging your horse is an amazing way to get rid of extra energy. If your horse is extra frisky get them to work up a bit of a sweat before doing groundwork. Doing in-hand exercises with your spooky horse is a huge part of what builds their trust and confidence.
If you plan on taking them through obstacles, take them through on the ground first, instead of pushing them through the saddle. This gives them a chance to come to terms with something scary in their own way and will help keep the risk of accidents down.
What can I use to desensitize my horse?
Does your horse fall asleep when you stand on the ground and shake a plastic bag at them? Try adding in a few jumping jacks while holding the plastic bag. You can get as creative as you want with the desensitizing tools. The more bizarre the obstacle, the more likely your horse is to not spook at random things.
You could even put bells on your feet, a plastic bag in your hand, and learn the latest trending TikTok dance if you really want to spice things up in the round pen.
If that’s not really your cup of tea, or you’re starting from day one with your horse, try swinging the lead rope around them to start with. Then, once they understand that they’re not supposed to move, start introducing them to more stuff.
It’s important to take things slow with your horse. As you know, some days it’s one step forward followed by two steps back. No matter how “bomb proof” your horse is, it pays to keep up on the basics while introducing new challenges that will make them a better horse and you a better rider.
There are so many tools you can use to desensitize your horse. Many you probably have in your barn already!
Check out some of our favorite tools you can use to desensitize your horse.
- Lunge line
Weaver Rounded Cotton Horse Lunge Line 25 ft.
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- Lunge whip
Weaver, 65" Lunge Whip
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- A Whip with a plastic bag attached to the end
- Trash can lid
Rubbermaid Brute FG263100GRAY Lid, 32 gal, Round, Gray
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- Flag
U.S. Flag Set, 5 ft.
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- Tarp
Multipurpose Yard Tarp with Drawstrings 6'x6'
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- Umbrella
- Water bottle or milk jug with rocks in it
Whether your horse is seasonally or regularly spooky, the most important part is to remember to have fun and patience with their training. Just like any job you’ve ever had, it takes as much time and repetition to learn the regular ins and outs, as it does to learn anything new that’s thrown at you.
Have an idea for a desensitization tool, but didn’t see it on our list? Visit your local Wilco Farm Store and talk to our expert staff.
We would love to see your horse photos, use #mywilcolife on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and tag Wilco Stores.
