# Riding skittish horses



## shamykebab (Jul 15, 2009)

I was riding a school horse today who for some reason was being really skittish. He was spooking at one of the doors down the side of the school but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle. About half an hour in he started really playing up but I kept my leg on to keep him going forward. This was fine until I got him into canter. I was going large down the school and he was REALLY picking up speed so I tried to half halt - instead he came to an emergency stop! I wasn't expecting this at all so obviously I came off right over the top of his head . 

Was just wondering in the future how to deal with horses like this? I hate riding horses that spook, after having had an accident on one two years ago I really had my confidence knocked. I definitely wasn't too heavy on the reins. What do you guys suggest?


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## Zayna (Apr 19, 2009)

The only thing i can suggest is when a horse is being silly just be calm and reassuring, dont tense or get nervous cos the horse will sense it and will get more nervous still.


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## pamela Renfrew (Jun 9, 2010)

At the end of the day a Horse is a Live Animal.......Who knows what they are thinking sometimes..... You just have to keep calm and not to tense up... and cling on with these legs !!!!!! My boy can walk past something one day perfectly and the next starts snorting away and not wanting to go forward.....wierdo !!!!! He will evetually go... I dont give in..... I do find also that staying on board seems to work.... I know girls who would get off their horse and lead them on past the obstacle but I find it better staying on.... Good luck....


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## shamykebab (Jul 15, 2009)

Thanks! You know what, I just realised this morning that I must've been getting tenser and tenser which was why he was getting worse and worse (vicious cycle and all that). In fact, just before I started cantering out of the 20m circle to go down the long side of the school my exact thought was "I am going to DIE". I'm guessing he picked up on that, and I must have had a death grip with my legs without realising :lol:.

Lesson learned!


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## Melx (Dec 23, 2009)

I think it is very difficult because sometimes you cant help but tense up!! This is my problem lol I know I am doing it but cant stop! :lol:
I definately agree with staying on board whilst walking past something scary though, Mine is like that, one day fine then the next its gonna eat her! So I just stay on and we will fuss around all she likes until she does it! I will not be beaten! lol
Just show him who is boss and that you wont take the crap he is throwing at you because he is just being stupid! If it is somewere he is ridden all the time he was most likely just taking the mickey!
When my horse is being like that and wanting t go faster and faster I just let her and make her stay in a forward canter until I am ready to stop, she is then absolutely nackered and soon tasught her! lol :thumbup:


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## packhorse (Aug 23, 2010)

That's a rotten feeling to have but I wonder why you got that worried about it. Had he been really skittish all the time or only when you were cantering. If it was when you were cantering it could be that you were doing something which made him worried. The trouble is they pick up on our worries. I would try to sing a little song in rhythm with his footbeats or something - a calming song to help you and that will help him.


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## shamykebab (Jul 15, 2009)

I have no idea why I was worried, but whatever it was he certainly picked up on it from the moment I was in the saddle. Yep, he was skittish from the beginning, and I must've been really tense with my legs. The first canter was fine, but by the time I took him round on the other rein he was really taking the mick. Must sing to myself next time - I remember being made to sing "Nellie the Elephant" when I was learning to canter! :lol:


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## momentofmadness (Jul 19, 2008)

shamykebab said:


> I was riding a school horse today who for some reason was being really skittish. He was spooking at one of the doors down the side of the school but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle. About half an hour in he started really playing up but I kept my leg on to keep him going forward. This was fine until I got him into canter. I was going large down the school and he was REALLY picking up speed so I tried to half halt - instead he came to an emergency stop! I wasn't expecting this at all so obviously I came off right over the top of his head .
> 
> Was just wondering in the future how to deal with horses like this? I hate riding horses that spook, after having had an accident on one two years ago I really had my confidence knocked. I definitely wasn't too heavy on the reins. What do you guys suggest?


The horse was taking the pi$$.. I do hope you either got back on, or someone else did and rode this horse through its sillyness..

Was it windy at all??

Best course of action is to try and stay positive adapt a good seat.. And dont take your mind off the riding.. I have had a few silly ones come to me..

I wont tolerate it...

Horses need to be easy going and make you feel comfortable.. When you fellt the sillyness come on if your in a lesson you need to speak up and your intructor address the situ, positively and calmy even if it means going back to walk... 
Sometimes if you are working on transitions this can suddenly liven a horse up aswell..

Unless a person is actually there it is very hard to advise on a situ... But quite often if a horse is about to get silly I always feel a can of lightness from them.. suddenly a kind of glide...
Hope your ok after your fall.. xxx


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## packhorse (Aug 23, 2010)

Hi Shamekebab Well that is weird. My friend and I used to sing that when we were out on our hack together over the south downs when we were about 11 ! It is just the right rhythm to keep a slow and steady canter. It might not just have been your legs tensing up. You wanted to know if anyone had any suggestions for riding skittish ones but you need to try to work out what you do to make it more skittish.

Maybe it was your bottom/buttocks and upper thigh you were tensing. Try sitting on the chair now and very slightly tightening them - thighs first and then buttocks. Then relaxing again so that your seat spreads completely over the chair. Do it about ten times at least. that way the muscles remember it (muscles do have a kind of memory believe it or not). 

Then do the same with your arms, see if you can tense first the forarm and then the upper arm - now tighten and relax them all ... ten times. now do same with shoulders then stomach. I bet you do tense lots of these parts when on a skittish horse. You have to really really concentrate to relax all this and relax into the saddle when you get on a skittish one. You have to do it the very first instance you feel them starting to be skittish. Relax and let your body sway a fraction if / as they move - like a mini mini wave motion / sensation but so small that it cannot be seen.

Have a go at tensing on the not skittish ones next time and see what it does - sometimes it speeds them up - other times it acts as a block and they slow down. With skittish ones though it is bound to speed them up. Hope some of this might help you to work out what you do. I would try this all on a chair and then on a not so skittish one to get practised at it. Let us know how it goes though wont you.
Packhorse


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## shamykebab (Jul 15, 2009)

Thanks guys!  

Momentofmadness, yep he was definitely taking the pi$$ - we were working in pairs at one point and he kept shying away from the other horse, trying to canter away in a circle, it was a hell of a job keeping him in a straight line! I got straight back on him after I was off (he was just standing there looking at me on the floor, butter wouldn't melt, I tell you ). I kept him doing walk-trot transitions after that, and he behaved (kinda) though he still kept insisting on cutting the same corner by the door. What a weirdo. I know exactly what you mean in the 'lightness' when they're being silly - it's something I've come to dread!

Packhorse, Nellie the Elephant is the one and only song to canter to :lol:. Those exercises sound fantastic - I'll definitely give them a go and learn to relax!! Haven't been riding again yet as my back's still a bit achey so will try it next week on a saner horse!


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## cherry.chops (Jan 1, 2011)

I didnt read all the replies, so you may have already had this answer but i hope i can help anyway.

1) try sitting as quietly as you can. Just relax all your muscles so you move with the horse and stay in your seat.

2) TRY to stay calm!

3) try to engage right side of horses brain. Ask for circles, changes of rein, if you can next time- transactions. Get him/her thinking rather than acting on instinct

4) RELAX YOUR LEAGS AND SEAT! Getting nervous automatically makes you tense your bum and legs so think about them and make an effort to relax them.

5) *shove your heels down as far as they can go* and move your legs a little further forward than you would have them normally. It will stop you from being thrown forward.

and of course, once a fall- get straight back on!

Good luck


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## bonnieanme4eva (Mar 2, 2011)

I had my confidence knocked when I was riding an extremly spooky horse who would jump at her shadow, I was realy enjoying riding her until I came round the corner at the top of the school and there were a bunch of kids in the seating area the sudenly dicided it would be a good idea to stomp out of the schools seating area making loads of noise, well of course she swerwerd and I went out the side door. the next time I rode her I had it recomended that I should have a leader, to help me regain my confidence in her and get used to her and how to relax her if she dose spook, i havent had a leader since 2008 and that happened last year, maby this could help.
if it dosent ,all horses are differant this is just what helped me


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