Stopping and Understanding an Easily Spooked Horse (Emily and Chip)

Have you ever been on the trails and then, out of nowhere, a big turkey comes flopping across your path? Your heart kinda stutters and there you are with your horse flying back over its tracks all spooked up and flighty. Fun, right?

So why do horses spook? In the wild horses are prey animals and in order to stay safe they must stay alert and together. If one horse senses danger, it alerts the rest of the herd. Therefore, if one horse spooks on the trails, it's likely the rest of the horses will shy away or be nervous. Some horses will tell you right before they spook at something. Their ears will dart to the side that they hear noises coming from that are making them nervous. The whites of their eyes will show, their neck arches, and even their pace will change. Sometimes, you can even feel their muscles tense and breathing quicken. Meanwhile, other horses will give no warning but purely act out of instinct.

It’s very important to understand that there are both good and bad spooks. Let’s say you're riding your horse down the road and a big, noisy diesel truck that’s throwing mud and blowing smoke comes toward you. Now, my horse would throw the breaks on and step farther off into the ditch. Her eyes would widen and her neck would arch as she chewed nervously on the bit. She would also slow her pace and take short, quick strides. She would be clearly nervous, but she’d still be listening and trusting me. As they truck passes, she would hop a bit and bounce around underneath me and even spook off further into the cornfield next to us. My horse used her brain and, even though she spooked away, she was willing to let go of her natural instincts and listen to me.

So what’s a bad spook in my book? There are times when a horse overreacts or doesn’t trust the rider. This is normally when a bad spook happens. You are riding down the road, enjoying the great Wisconsin air, and then... bam! A biker comes up over the hill. Before you can even grab up the reins and put your feet back in the stirrups your horse has already went in panic mode. She's running and bucking and doing all she can under God’s great sun to get away. The horse isn’t thinking or listening and, in the end, is putting both of you in great danger. This is a bad spook and is quite terrifying. The horse didn’t give any warning, she won't listen, and her wild side has broke her understanding.

You can help build your horse’s trust and decrease their chance of spooking by desensitizing them to materials bags, pool noodles, yoga balls, tarps, tractors, etc. I teach my horse to first trust that I would not put her through anything she couldn't handle. I start slow and with small things. Take a plastic bag, for example. I wrap it into a tight little ball and let her smell it before rubbing her all over with it. Then I make the bag bigger until it’s at full size. After,I flap and move the bag around. She might spook so I start small and make sure she knows it’s going to happen. From there, I allow her to walk over the bag and I even ride and flap it around. It’s okay for her to spook and jump around, but I don’t stop the motion until she stands still and trusts me.

I do this with everything I find and constantly work on introducing my horse to new things. I can never predict a deer jumping out of the woods or crazy teenage boy busting over the hills, but I can prepare my horse as best as I can and set her up for success. Each time I bring out a new scary thing, I have to remember to only push her so far. If I over-spook her, she may never want to trust me again. If I move slowly and take my time, she will learn to build her trust in my decision. Below is a video of my friend Emily and her gelding, Chip. She has worked to desensitize her horse to many different materials and now has a horse who trusts her.