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My favorite kind of spook is the group spook, where the lead horse spooks at a bear that's actually a stump, and every horse behind them goes along with the idea that the stump is a charging bear even though they can't even see the stump yet. I have a hunch whoever came up with the term "group think" was a trail rider with horses in mind. 😉
Oh yes! What gets me are the snorts and grunts that goes along with the group spook sometimes but one jumps and they all potentially will. Herd mentality.
Funny I been on that ride I died laughing. It was a tire with a a pipe on top. My boy was the only one with common sense. He always makes us both look good. Thoroughbreds are the best🤣
That "group think" recently happened to me...only it was just two of us. First horse picked up to a lope; my horse wanted to follow. I checked him and he went to kicking out his back legs as if to say, "I wanna go, too!" I ended up on the gravel 😒 Here I am watching Ryan to get ideas for training!
We have always called my horse a "city girl" because firetrucks, helicopters, sirens, etc (so things that would normally spook a horse) never scared her. But heaven forbid there be a rock on a trail that just "looked suspicious". And don't even get me started on the first time she saw a "moving rock" (AKA a turtle).
😂That remembers me of that one instance when I found a turtle in the middle of the woods in middle Europe (not turtles in the wild here). We saw this moving stone and my pony had Tontafeln a look. Only then I realized, what it was. Took that guy with me for the ride back home and found his owner days later - he marched over 6km from his home to where we found him 😮.
You have my permission to laugh...mine spooks at his own flatulence. He tooted, lurched forward, and I ended up on the ground! I tried to find a whoopie cushion to desensitize him. 🤣
LOL...I'm sorry, that's hilarious, at the same time, not (since you ended up on the ground). When I think about the fact that when they're running around, and bucking (playing), all most every time they toot, so they should be very familiar with the sound. On occasion, that would happen with my dog. He'd toot, jump, and look around to see what just happened.
Well it came to mind when mine spooked at MY fart(s)... the "brrrrrrut" squeezed vibration and sound in the saddle resulted in a sudden freeze with high head and big nostrils... he made me feel ashamed 🙈🙉🙊
So thankful to see an example of addressing a spooky horse with an actual spooky horse... so we can see the actual progression of the lesson. Thank you for this incredibly helpful video!
"If your focus is on all the things your horse might spook at, guess what they're gonna do? They're probably going to spook at all those things." This bit of wisdom applies to child-rearing, too. As parents, we unconsciously pass on our fears to our children with just our body language. Well said 💜
The spookiest horse I ever came across was a steeplechaser that came every year to get fit prior to going into training. He didn’t miss the slightest change in the environment! No matter how hard he spooked he was safe, he once leapt sideways onto a bank and jump a wire fence, another horse that also spooked ran into the fence. When he first started work, I would give him 10 points and he would loose them all before he reached the end of the drive. He could gain points too. I was never nervous on him, never got cross with him, would just laugh at his antics. I loved that horse, he spent his retirement days fox hunting with me. He never spooked when out with hounds and would jump any obstacles we came across.
Excellent demonstration AND explanations with great techniques revealing what “to do” and what “not to do.” Fantastic foundational descriptions of when & what positions the rider should be in & do. This portion is often left out by trainers. You’re not only training the horse, but mostly the rider (us); thank you! I’m blessed every time you post a video. I KNOW I’m going to learn something good! Keep up the great work!
Well done! Remember that horses take behavior cues from us. If your horse is spooky, first make sure that you're not (unintentionally) telling your horse to spook.
Very helpful! Thank you. Yesterday I fell off my spooking galloping horse, today I stayed on the couch watching your videos making plans already for his training after my back is well again;)
I am late to the party on this one, but my late gelding used to spook like crazy. I had everything checked medically, training, desensitizing him, worked on myself, etc...I finally switched him from a bit to a hackamore and he quit spooking. It turns out he had a messed up jaw from when he was a yearling that took an equine dentist to figure out. Yes, he still did his splayed spooks of a horse eating bird flying to low at him or his own farts, but nothing like what he did before.
"teach a horse to recover". That's the BEST, most logical piece of advice I have ever heard for a spooky horse. All I have heard over and over is that my mare needs to desensitize. Years have been put into that work as well as connection between her and I. As soon as I try to ride she converts to 100% prey animal, fearful and timid of everything on the planet. I just can't take another dirt eating landing. She's my last horse and love her to bits. I have recently joined your Patreon page!
Brilliant sd always. A tip to everybody on the process of training this with their horses: remember to do it on both sides of the horse. The horse being comfortable with whatever object on the left side doesn't prevent the object from turning into a horse eating dragon on the right side. Whatever you do do it on both sides 👀
Like when you’re riding quietly and the trash can or mail box that hasn’t moved or made a noise makes your horse suddenly react like it jumped at them as you get close. My Dutch riding teacher’s theory was that the eye they were seeing the object changed as the angle of approach became closer. ( think of holding up one finger and looking at it with one eye, then the other. It appears that your finger moves). That may be what happens in even a more exaggerated way for your horse as his field of vision changes from seeing the object with both eyes, to just one eye as he gets closer to the “jumping mail box”.
My guy would spook at everything: particularly indoors - wind, rain, snow sliding off the roof, the horses outside running. Got him on some cooler feed, took him to a Richard Thompson clinic and once he had a good, capable leader to follow, he chilled right out.
Years ago, I had a beautiful Morgan gelding who was good natured, willing, and would never spook at the things most of the other horses did (deer, loud noises, flapping bags, etc.) but the poor guy had been abused before I got him and was terrified of men who looked like his last owner. THAT was interesting to help him get past. I wish I'd had your video's back then to help me help him. It would have made things so much easier. Thank you for doing what you do.
Poor little guy in the background wasn't having fun! Great video. I'll share it with my sister. Her horse spooks indoors all the time. But, she noticed once he's doing the drill team moves, he's completely at ease. Thanks for this info.
I'm working with a young mare right now that hasn't been out much. BUT: she really loves to figure things out now. She's not so spooky anymore (she was in the beginning, even rearing) but tries to understand or find a solution. I think building her confidence has done the trick for her :) Last trail-walk i let her munch on some twigs above her (because i need these twigs to vanish before i start riding there anyway ;)) and realized she had never done that before - she didn't know how to bite off the twigs with her teeth and pulled instead until they ripped ;) the sound startled her so much she froze with head high looking around in the distance where that 'shot' came from ;))) she did that each time (it took her 4 or 5 tries) until she started to wonder that the sound must have got sth to do with her pulling on the twigs :) She stopped before they ripped then and held her head still - branch in between her jaws ;))) and waited for the sound - which didn't come ;) then she ripped them and *bang* there's the shooting ;) she looked so confused but at the same time tried again. This time she slowly pulled the leaves through her teeth to avert that shooting sound - and it worked a little at least, the shooting got quieter ;)) the next two times she always waited before the ripping and i guess she finally realized, that she herself created the mysterious shooting ;)) from then on she just flicked an ear but continued to much on happily ;)) that's our story to spooking and getting horses to feel confident ;))
We had a horse that was born on our farm. He was spooky from the very beginning and hard to handle. One day I was working with him and noticed he had some sort of cloud in his eyes. Sent him up to University of Florida for surgery, he recovered and was a different horse. I realize that any horse on any given day can spook. I have been dumped more times than I can count by a horse spooking at random crap. Just wanted to share my experience with our boy.
Excellent video. I really like the idea of not just "controlling" them with the reins but rather asking them to meet you halfway. I think this teaches the horse to trust his rider more even in scary situations.
My horse Scotty didn’t seem spooky at all when I tried him out before buying him. Which is why I bought him. I really don’t like riding spooky horses. Then one day when it was raining very lightly, we were going down a trail we’d been down many times, when he saw a park bench, and the light was bouncing off it cause it was wet, and he violently bolted sideways. It’s amazing I stayed on. That was the last time I rode. I’m in my seventies and can’t afford to take a fall at my age. So Scotty is kicking back now, in the field with my other retired horses.
I had a once-off spook on a normally non-spooky horse at a corner of the arena he had been around about a million times. Eventually got him past that point - about 3 seconds before there was deafening crack and HUGE branch of an overhanging gum tree dropped right where we had been. I should have listened to him
Blue looks related to my mare lol. She’s blue moon rose. If there was a piece of dirt out of place she would dance around. The resemblance between the two horses is uncanny. Thanks for the video. Edit to add that my mare was trained in the exact way you were working with Blue. It’s amazing tool for a nervous horse.
Glad I found this....as 3 weeks ago I had my first dumping from a spooked horse. Suffered whiplash and bruised hip in an outdoor ring. I definitely understand that I needed to learn how to ride on offence! Thanks for posting - Riding in Canada
It's so much about rider energy. My GSD was my teacher; anytime I suspected he was going to be reactive, he immediately sensed it and felt he had to "take over" to keep us safe. I benefit greatly from first having a positive mental picture of how it's going to go. With my dog and my horse both - it's so amazing! A positive outlook creates good energy.
Ryan, thank you very much for this. I’ve just started learning to ride and I’m about two months in because I want to train to be confident enough to go to a buddy ranch in the US. At my riding school here on the island of Nevis, there are a number of different horses a ride but there is one in particular by the name of La Puente Who is a spooky horse. We ride these horses along the road in traffic and he’s fine, we ride on tracks and he’s fine but if he sees something unusual like a plastic bag mostly and in one case sadly a dead dog, he will react. Most of the other riders are quite reluctant to ride him because they have fear, but I do a lot of box breathing when I’m on him to calm myself down and redirect my thoughts and when he does something good, I always make sure I pet him on the neck. I do at times feel a little anxious on him and I look for possible signs that he may smoke hence your term “defensive riding”. My riding instructor tells me that this horse is very calm when he’s with me and she’s not really seen this before with another rider who is as inexperienced as I am, so I take that as a feather in my hat. I’ve even written him for 70 minutes bareback and went swimming with him and he was amazing. I have taken on all of your points and will implement them on future rides.
Sounds like you have the calmer vibe that some horses like ,,,people tend to think of riding as a physical skill,,how they sit and look ,,its really much more about comunication and trust,, I wish you lots of luck on your horsemanship journey,, ,, 🐎♥️🦋
I just cracked up when you were talking about someone moving the mounting block and he would come in like whooo did that...??? Lol, thanks for that. I've got a 3 year old that is really nervous about new things and I'm not used to it at all. My first horse was a Canadian and he wasnt phased by much, he was a really confident horse. So this is totally new for me, and to be honest a little overwhelming right now. I appreciate your perspective and for sharing.
@@ryanrosehorsemanship I was a patron but realized it wasn’t right for me as my horses ( 25 and 30 years) are retired as I am. If I was younger I definitely would stay on there. Wish I had your wonderful teaching available to me when I bought my beautiful mare 20 years ago. Thanks for sharing your wisdom and best wishes. ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for this video and all of yours. I have found this very helpful because I have a hot little Arabian gelding that I usually ride bitless and with a bareback pad. The only place I have to ride him is in a country cemetery and down the shoulder of an FM road with dump trucks and 18 wheelers going by. He is very easily bothered and easily distracted , but I have been working with him to help him be less reactive. He is very light and I feel safe riding bitless. I have found that walking him places where I plan to ride him helps him be less anxious. I am 77 years young and don't need accidents or falls. I really appreciate your calm, gentle approach and you're trying to go deeper in why the horse is doing what he does instead of just treating the symptom ! You have helped be be better at reading my horse and that has been huge for us.
Are those spurs necessary? I like Ryan, he's good, knowledgeable, talented, but, why the spurs? I like this horse a lot. So well behaved. I do like Ryan, I am a retired 95 pound female horse trainer and I have ridden over 5,000 horses. One thing I don't see in any of Ryan's videos, and I would LOVE to see, is PRAISE, a pat, scratch, kind word. Those go a long way and really help when the horse KNOWS he is doing well and being rewarded for it. The horse spooks at the tarp, a scary thing for many horses, and when he settles and stands calmly, gets no praise. Why not? Where is the " Good boy! Smart horse!" and wither scratch , rub, or pet? It would help so much! I am not criticizing Ryan, he is good and he gets results, but I would really like it if he would show affection and praise when he's working with horses and I just don't see it. Makes such a difference!~ being in my 60's, I now only train my own horses, which are a three year old mule who is a TANK, and a Friesian/Appy who at 13 months is close to 15 hands already. I hope and expect these to be my last/forever equines. I am now riding the mule in a HALTER and 4 pound exercise saddle [ and this is a VERY fast and energetic mule], and simply messing with groundwork [flexing, backing, etc.] with the yearling. I lean on her, being only 95 pounds it's not enough weight to harm her, climb the rails of the stall to stand over her and drape a leg over her back while she is munching dinner, so I can climb on her back when the time comes, etc. I bought the yearling at 10 months old and she had never been out of a stall, so not only was she not well developed, but she had never seen anything in the world, or been in the sun, or rolled in the dirt. She walked strangely the first month, and never ran. Now, she is sure footed and races around. Developed better and more quickly than I had thought possible. But, by talking and praise, I earned her trust in a short time, even though she started out scared of everything, including the ground. She has learned to go where I go without fear. She trusts me, I praise her for her bravery and effort, and I learned where she likes to be petted and scratched, and she appreciates that. Scratching her withers is how I bribed her to like me.
Perfect! Thank you Ryan again. I would want, in a group riding situation, for the group riding people to support the person who needs to school their horse.To be supportive of that 😎⭐️👍🏻 My perfect trail riding scenario 🤔🙈🐴
Thank you for the extra education been riding my colts pretty much following using your videos on this journey. Amazing trainer easy to understand and love how you use and show on a horse that makes the mistake easier to see the results and understand my colts thank you and so do i
I really enjoy your videos, Ryan. Great educational info. I also want to give kudos to your camera person. Always framed correctly, and in focus. The audio is also excellent. Everything is very professional.
I don't ride horses or own one, but your video's are very entertaining. I've always been afraid of horses, but now I think I might enjoy getting to know one. Maybe some day...
I have a horse,no matter how much training he gets,there is always a little bit of nervousness,i taught him to control his emotions during a spook. Your about the horses psychology when training,i like that. No matter how long i have been training and riding horses,i am always trying to find new ways to connect with horses. Great video,Ryan.
Excellent! Your focus is the maintaining leadership, for sure. Super cool to see how hot lava and the relief technique works. I had 5 horses in 40 years and only 1 really liked to spook... he spooked for fun. This horse was rock solid in the worst conditions, very confident and very much in control of himself. He had been a police horse for awhile and was scared of nothing. He would get in "moods"... and he would spook at nothing... just jump sideways for fun. One day he dropped and jumped sideways, completely out from underneath me...leaving me standing there holding the reins... just like I had just dismounted. I wish I had known this technique to make it not fun to spook. I was always just glad that I stayed on (all but that 1 time) and got to continue my ride. I do have to add that he had also been a cow pony before the police and could really cut out any animal he wanted with ease. Very very smart horse. I miss him. Old fashioned QH.
You are right: developing a connection is key. My horse was a lovely Standardbred mare - an ex-pacer. She had not been treated particularly well, as evidenced by pin-firing marks on her legs. She would spook at things like a blowing leaf, a piece of paper on the ground, going under bridges and anything that moved suddenly. Her reaction quite often was to rear. It took a lot of patience on my part to teach her to relax and trust me, but she got to the point where I could walk or run beside her, and she's copy me, doing figure 8's, stop and start, all without a lead shank, and she became sweet on the bit. I think all the extra training work engaged her interest and took her mind off superfluous spooky objects.
You are an amazing horsemanship trainer. I've seen so many over my years with horses...all my life. In my 50s now. I wish you would visit KY soon. I'd love to be a part of one of your clinics❣️🥰🐎 I love watching you and your videos, and enjoy listening to all your suggestions. Makes me want more and more. I can't seem to stop watching your videos. Addicted!!!! Thanks for all you do and sharing your years of experience and expertise as you do. Wish you were closer to KY so I could bring all mine to you!!!! 🐎
Love the way you explain how to break the steps down for the horse and how to view both the equine & human psychology. Just discovered you and I'm hooked!
I had finally got my Friesian mare to accept most things after she spooked at the walls, floors and any lights. I imported her from The Netherlands and figured the long flight and subsequent quarantine had her jaded and mistrustful. So there we were that day, training alone in the arena, practicing dressage moves, when some idiot turned on the sprinkler system. She jolted with shock, leaped high in the air one way and I flew the other way, landing heavily and breaking my hip and leg. My healing took 6 months and during that time, with no-one to ride her, she needed retraining. All in all, it was a year of reversals, and sh never quite got over getting spooked over ridiculous things.
Football. Quarter back. A type of leader. He’s an Alfa horse. He’s looking at the whole field and herd. Wanting the horses to win/ survive as a herd/ team. Weird way of putting it. But makes good sence to me 😎👍🏻🤔😃 Thank You Ryan! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
He’s so much like a horse I used to work named KC. KC was a very big spooker, sometimes at things that weren’t even detectable. I just had to stay centered, bend his head away, and use inside leg pressure. I like the idea of intentional spooking - the more you do it, the less sensitized they are.
Coming off a week of no riding because my horse spooked on the trail and my lower back got wrenched as he went for his escape route. He was showing signs of being ready to spook/bolt (higher head, tense body, ears forward), but I didn't have these tools. I didn't come off, but I also only stopped his bolt and put him back on trail without making him work. Thanks for this training.
Really good video! I understand things so much better when I see them and hear them!! It also really helps to see horses in the learning process! Thank you!
I had a mare who was horrible in an indoor ring. Outdoors she was fine but indoors scared of Everything. We even took her in with our older horse and she spooked when she saw him. They were pasture buddies.
This video was perfect for me and my Missouri Foxtrotter, a girly girl. I am going to enlist my neighbor with the “horse eating sheep”, to use your techniques. Thank you very much!
Riding next to a highway after crossing a small bridge when a Harley Davidson flies past at over 100km per hour. The noise of the bike doesn’t bother him but a single leaf that got swept upwards in its slip stream had him totally freaking out. 🤷🏻♀️
8:40 that is so unbelievably true. I'd say I'm quite a confident rider and I definitely can trust my mare. She's a good trail horse, I've had her for years and only remember a couple of times she properly spooked. However I do remember one time that happened not so long ago. I was planning on going for a trail ride the next day and I was quite excited. I told my friend about it and she pointed out that the trail I chose has a road to cross and if she was the one on the horse she'd be afraid that if something happens and she falls off the horse will run off onto the road. That wasnt the first time i was on that trail and ive never really considered that since I feel pretty safe on my horse and im not usually planning to fall off of her. However what she said stayed on my mind the whole night. And guess what. The next day we go for the trail ride and it's still in the back of my mind. We're cantering down a path she knows pretty well and all of a sudden we see a car parked in the forest. I'm 100% sure that if I wasn't already stressed out that day she'd be completely fine with it, maybe just jump to a side a little. But because I was stressed out and looking for a thing for her to spook at, when we saw it I already prepared for the spook even though nothing happened yet. Obviously she did spook. Did a full stop and i went flying through her neck. Luckily I was fine and nothing bad happened. The only injury I got was a burn on my hand from how hard I gripped the reins when i was falling off. At least I made sure shes not running away towards any roads haha
My personal favorite spook is from my own personal horse. It's the "OMG I rear! Buck! Rear again! Bronc! I give up! Lay down!" Yes, my trainer and I laughed so hard.
Great advice from Ryan. Offence not defence. The only way I can deal with habitual spookers is to be pro-active not reactive. If you are worrying when they're going to spook and trying to avoid it, you're in a fearful mindset. If instead you are expecting spooks, deliberately creating spooks (in a safe environment), and welcoming spooks because they create opportunities to work through them, you feel confident and in control
Sound advice. My question is...what is the best response when your on a narrow mountain trail, with a drop off on one side , or when crossing a river with a depth of about 3'..
I remember we talked about this kind of desensitization when I was in charge of a horse patrol at a State Park. Often the patrol would find riders and horses in tight spots that could only be rescued by helicopters and we wanted to get them more used to emergency vehicles and equipment. It was really hard to organize. I wonder if horse clubs could arrange field days like this? We used to do have field days with spooky stuff when we were training guide dogs.
Things in the corner of the indoor arena!!! Hang on!! LOL go by it in the right side it's all fine... Come on the left side and something really scary is in the corner now LOL
I like everything you have say. Just horsemen to horsemen Be careful with the ol rear cinch.. Was at a team roping a couple Years ago. Long story short one of the horses kicked up at a horse fly up under its belly. The cinch was loose like that it got its foot cut in the cinch. You wanna talk about a rodeo unintended. Look like the horse almost broke its leg. They were able to open it up and got his foot out. But it happened quick and luckily the horse was tied up That's why the cinch was loose. If it's not tight there's no point in even wearing it. But I always used to ride mine a little loose unless I was roping. After seeing that I have never tried to see if that can be repeated. So just like to share my experience with other horsemen and trainers. Also like learning from other trainers! You're a good hand you look like you know what's going on man keep it up.
We had a horse at the place I ride and he was a little spooky with a dew things so every time we found something he was afraid of we put in near him to desensitize him to it
I have an ex race horse that spooks severely. I almost feel it is a habit, because he spooks very strong and then immediately spooks again which puts rider at a disadvantage. After this he stops and stands. He also does not give any indication he is going to spook. Very hard on riders back. Love your help.
My 10 year old, otherwise very good trail horse spooks at anything in the open field.. partridges, grouse, deer, a blowing piece of debris. If I didn’t have some weight in the stirrups, I would be off. He literally goes sideways a foot when he is spooked. Nothing seems to make him get used to it. Wind just makes him go goofy.
Thanks for watching! If you would like me to be your horsemanship coach, consider joining my patreon page. Go to www.patreon.com/ryanrosehorsemanship or there’s an app
Great video
That horse looks pretty calm to me.......
Amazing.
My favorite kind of spook is the group spook, where the lead horse spooks at a bear that's actually a stump, and every horse behind them goes along with the idea that the stump is a charging bear even though they can't even see the stump yet. I have a hunch whoever came up with the term "group think" was a trail rider with horses in mind. 😉
😂 I’ve seen that one
hahahaha.... we did this just the other day... fun stuff
Oh yes! What gets me are the snorts and grunts that goes along with the group spook sometimes but one jumps and they all potentially will. Herd mentality.
Funny I been on that ride I died laughing. It was a tire with a a pipe on top. My boy was the only one with common sense. He always makes us both look good. Thoroughbreds are the best🤣
That "group think" recently happened to me...only it was just two of us. First horse picked up to a lope; my horse wanted to follow. I checked him and he went to kicking out his back legs as if to say, "I wanna go, too!" I ended up on the gravel 😒 Here I am watching Ryan to get ideas for training!
My horse spooks at two things: Things she can see and things she can't see.
Great video, thanks
😂
I am very thankful to see an example of addressing a spooky horse with an actual spooky horse...
We have always called my horse a "city girl" because firetrucks, helicopters, sirens, etc (so things that would normally spook a horse) never scared her. But heaven forbid there be a rock on a trail that just "looked suspicious". And don't even get me started on the first time she saw a "moving rock" (AKA a turtle).
😂That remembers me of that one instance when I found a turtle in the middle of the woods in middle Europe (not turtles in the wild here). We saw this moving stone and my pony had Tontafeln a look. Only then I realized, what it was. Took that guy with me for the ride back home and found his owner days later - he marched over 6km from his home to where we found him 😮.
this is so funny 😭
I was on my pony once and I had to look at a piece of paper so someone handed it to me and it didn’t even crinkle or anything but she freaked
You have my permission to laugh...mine spooks at his own flatulence. He tooted, lurched forward, and I ended up on the ground! I tried to find a whoopie cushion to desensitize him. 🤣
😂
LOL...I'm sorry, that's hilarious, at the same time, not (since you ended up on the ground).
When I think about the fact that when they're running around, and bucking (playing), all most every time they toot, so they should be very familiar with the sound.
On occasion, that would happen with my dog. He'd toot, jump, and look around to see what just happened.
Yes...you would think they would feel it and yes be used to it!!!!! Bad horse!
Well it came to mind when mine spooked at MY fart(s)... the "brrrrrrut" squeezed vibration and sound in the saddle resulted in a sudden freeze with high head and big nostrils... he made me feel ashamed 🙈🙉🙊
Well, when I got off the ground, he was just standing there looking kinda guilty and embarrassed. Funny what they freak out about.
So thankful to see an example of addressing a spooky horse with an actual spooky horse... so we can see the actual progression of the lesson. Thank you for this incredibly helpful video!
"If your focus is on all the things your horse might spook at, guess what they're gonna do? They're probably going to spook at all those things."
This bit of wisdom applies to child-rearing, too. As parents, we unconsciously pass on our fears to our children with just our body language. Well said 💜
Interesting
The spookiest horse I ever came across was a steeplechaser that came every year to get fit prior to going into training. He didn’t miss the slightest change in the environment! No matter how hard he spooked he was safe, he once leapt sideways onto a bank and jump a wire fence, another horse that also spooked ran into the fence.
When he first started work, I would give him 10 points and he would loose them all before he reached the end of the drive. He could gain points too.
I was never nervous on him, never got cross with him, would just laugh at his antics. I loved that horse, he spent his retirement days fox hunting with me. He never spooked when out with hounds and would jump any obstacles we came across.
It was a sunny day and my boy spooked at his own shadow....
Thanks for this video, very helpful...
Excellent demonstration AND explanations with great techniques revealing what “to do” and what “not to do.” Fantastic foundational descriptions of when & what positions the rider should be in & do. This portion is often left out by trainers. You’re not only training the horse, but mostly the rider (us); thank you! I’m blessed every time you post a video. I KNOW I’m going to learn something good! Keep up the great work!
Thank you 🙏
Well done!
Remember that horses take behavior cues from us. If your horse is spooky, first make sure that you're not (unintentionally) telling your horse to spook.
Thanks
Had my young mare spook bad on a trail ride and I had practices these techniques with her many times before I ever needed them. Saved me big time.
Blue is gorgeous… I’ve always loved the that bleached color pattern on black horses… beautiful
Very helpful! Thank you. Yesterday I fell off my spooking galloping horse, today I stayed on the couch watching your videos making plans already for his training after my back is well again;)
I am late to the party on this one, but my late gelding used to spook like crazy. I had everything checked medically, training, desensitizing him, worked on myself, etc...I finally switched him from a bit to a hackamore and he quit spooking. It turns out he had a messed up jaw from when he was a yearling that took an equine dentist to figure out. Yes, he still did his splayed spooks of a horse eating bird flying to low at him or his own farts, but nothing like what he did before.
This is an extremely useful tool. I hope to see more people handling their horse like this
"teach a horse to recover". That's the BEST, most logical piece of advice I have ever heard for a spooky horse. All I have heard over and over is that my mare needs to desensitize. Years have been put into that work as well as connection between her and I. As soon as I try to ride she converts to 100% prey animal, fearful and timid of everything on the planet. I just can't take another dirt eating landing. She's my last horse and love her to bits. I have recently joined your Patreon page!
I think you have the best philosophy of horse training of any trainer I've heard. And I've heard a lot. I'm 81.
Wow thank you 🙏
Brilliant sd always. A tip to everybody on the process of training this with their horses: remember to do it on both sides of the horse. The horse being comfortable with whatever object on the left side doesn't prevent the object from turning into a horse eating dragon on the right side. Whatever you do do it on both sides 👀
Like when you’re riding quietly and the trash can or mail box that hasn’t moved or made a noise makes your horse suddenly react like it jumped at them as you get close. My Dutch riding teacher’s theory was that the eye they were seeing the object changed as the angle of approach became closer. ( think of holding up one finger and looking at it with one eye, then the other. It appears that your finger moves). That may be what happens in even a more exaggerated way for your horse as his field of vision changes from seeing the object with both eyes, to just one eye as he gets closer to the “jumping mail box”.
@@laraemitchell9064 Excellent point
My guy would spook at everything: particularly indoors - wind, rain, snow sliding off the roof, the horses outside running. Got him on some cooler feed, took him to a Richard Thompson clinic and once he had a good, capable leader to follow, he chilled right out.
This is the best spooking help video I've watched!
Years ago, I had a beautiful Morgan gelding who was good natured, willing, and would never spook at the things most of the other horses did (deer, loud noises, flapping bags, etc.) but the poor guy had been abused before I got him and was terrified of men who looked like his last owner. THAT was interesting to help him get past. I wish I'd had your video's back then to help me help him. It would have made things so much easier. Thank you for doing what you do.
Poor little guy in the background wasn't having fun! Great video. I'll share it with my sister. Her horse spooks indoors all the time. But, she noticed once he's doing the drill team moves, he's completely at ease. Thanks for this info.
I'm working with a young mare right now that hasn't been out much. BUT: she really loves to figure things out now. She's not so spooky anymore (she was in the beginning, even rearing) but tries to understand or find a solution. I think building her confidence has done the trick for her :) Last trail-walk i let her munch on some twigs above her (because i need these twigs to vanish before i start riding there anyway ;)) and realized she had never done that before - she didn't know how to bite off the twigs with her teeth and pulled instead until they ripped ;) the sound startled her so much she froze with head high looking around in the distance where that 'shot' came from ;))) she did that each time (it took her 4 or 5 tries) until she started to wonder that the sound must have got sth to do with her pulling on the twigs :) She stopped before they ripped then and held her head still - branch in between her jaws ;))) and waited for the sound - which didn't come ;) then she ripped them and *bang* there's the shooting ;) she looked so confused but at the same time tried again. This time she slowly pulled the leaves through her teeth to avert that shooting sound - and it worked a little at least, the shooting got quieter ;)) the next two times she always waited before the ripping and i guess she finally realized, that she herself created the mysterious shooting ;)) from then on she just flicked an ear but continued to much on happily ;)) that's our story to spooking and getting horses to feel confident ;))
I had the same experience with a young horse!❤
We had a horse that was born on our farm. He was spooky from the very beginning and hard to handle. One day I was working with him and noticed he had some sort of cloud in his eyes. Sent him up to University of Florida for surgery, he recovered and was a different horse. I realize that any horse on any given day can spook. I have been dumped more times than I can count by a horse spooking at random crap. Just wanted to share my experience with our boy.
Excellent video. I really like the idea of not just "controlling" them with the reins but rather asking them to meet you halfway. I think this teaches the horse to trust his rider more even in scary situations.
My horse Scotty didn’t seem spooky at all when I tried him out before buying him. Which is why I bought him. I really don’t like riding spooky horses. Then one day when it was raining very lightly, we were going down a trail we’d been down many times, when he saw a park bench, and the light was bouncing off it cause it was wet, and he violently bolted sideways. It’s amazing I stayed on. That was the last time I rode. I’m in my seventies and can’t afford to take a fall at my age. So Scotty is kicking back now, in the field with my other retired horses.
I had a once-off spook on a normally non-spooky horse at a corner of the arena he had been around about a million times. Eventually got him past that point - about 3 seconds before there was deafening crack and HUGE branch of an overhanging gum tree dropped right where we had been. I should have listened to him
Blue looks related to my mare lol. She’s blue moon rose. If there was a piece of dirt out of place she would dance around. The resemblance between the two horses is uncanny. Thanks for the video.
Edit to add that my mare was trained in the exact way you were working with Blue. It’s amazing tool for a nervous horse.
😀👍
Glad I found this....as 3 weeks ago I had my first dumping from a spooked horse. Suffered whiplash and bruised hip in an outdoor ring. I definitely understand that I needed to learn how to ride on offence! Thanks for posting - Riding in Canada
Marvellous training techniques..thanks ❤
Good advice
It's so much about rider energy. My GSD was my teacher; anytime I suspected he was going to be reactive, he immediately sensed it and felt he had to "take over" to keep us safe. I benefit greatly from first having a positive mental picture of how it's going to go. With my dog and my horse both - it's so amazing! A positive outlook creates good energy.
Once again! Thank you Ryan! Simple to understand! And it works! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ryan, thank you very much for this. I’ve just started learning to ride and I’m about two months in because I want to train to be confident enough to go to a buddy ranch in the US.
At my riding school here on the island of Nevis, there are a number of different horses a ride but there is one in particular by the name of La Puente Who is a spooky horse.
We ride these horses along the road in traffic and he’s fine, we ride on tracks and he’s fine but if he sees something unusual like a plastic bag mostly and in one case sadly a dead dog, he will react.
Most of the other riders are quite reluctant to ride him because they have fear, but I do a lot of box breathing when I’m on him to calm myself down and redirect my thoughts and when he does something good, I always make sure I pet him on the neck.
I do at times feel a little anxious on him and I look for possible signs that he may smoke hence your term “defensive riding”.
My riding instructor tells me that this horse is very calm when he’s with me and she’s not really seen this before with another rider who is as inexperienced as I am, so I take that as a feather in my hat.
I’ve even written him for 70 minutes bareback and went swimming with him and he was amazing.
I have taken on all of your points and will implement them on future rides.
Sounds like you have the calmer vibe that some horses like ,,,people tend to think of riding as a physical skill,,how they sit and look ,,its really much more about comunication and trust,,
I wish you lots of luck on your horsemanship journey,, ,, 🐎♥️🦋
I just cracked up when you were talking about someone moving the mounting block and he would come in like whooo did that...??? Lol, thanks for that. I've got a 3 year old that is really nervous about new things and I'm not used to it at all. My first horse was a Canadian and he wasnt phased by much, he was a really confident horse. So this is totally new for me, and to be honest a little overwhelming right now. I appreciate your perspective and for sharing.
Beautiful horse. Another great teaching session Ryan. LOVE your videos 😁
Appreciate it
@@ryanrosehorsemanship I was a patron but realized it wasn’t right for me as my horses ( 25 and 30 years) are retired as I am. If I was younger I definitely would stay on there. Wish I had your wonderful teaching available to me when I bought my beautiful mare 20 years ago. Thanks for sharing your wisdom and best wishes. ❤️❤️❤️
@@ryanrosehorsemanship horse
Thank you for this video and all of yours. I have found this very helpful because I have a hot little Arabian gelding that I usually ride bitless and with a bareback pad. The only place I have to ride him is in a country cemetery and down the shoulder of an FM road with dump trucks and 18 wheelers going by. He is very easily bothered and easily distracted , but I have been working with him to help him be less reactive. He is very light and I feel safe riding bitless. I have found that walking him places where I plan to ride him helps him be less anxious. I am 77 years young and don't need accidents or falls. I really appreciate your calm, gentle approach and you're trying to go deeper in why the horse is doing what he does instead of just treating the symptom ! You have helped be be better at reading my horse and that has been huge for us.
You videos are great! So helpful!
Excellent.
Are those spurs necessary? I like Ryan, he's good, knowledgeable, talented, but, why the spurs? I like this horse a lot. So well behaved. I do like Ryan, I am a retired 95 pound female horse trainer and I have ridden over 5,000 horses. One thing I don't see in any of Ryan's videos, and I would LOVE to see, is PRAISE, a pat, scratch, kind word. Those go a long way and really help when the horse KNOWS he is doing well and being rewarded for it. The horse spooks at the tarp, a scary thing for many horses, and when he settles and stands calmly, gets no praise. Why not? Where is the " Good boy! Smart horse!" and wither scratch , rub, or pet? It would help so much! I am not criticizing Ryan, he is good and he gets results, but I would really like it if he would show affection and praise when he's working with horses and I just don't see it. Makes such a difference!~ being in my 60's, I now only train my own horses, which are a three year old mule who is a TANK, and a Friesian/Appy who at 13 months is close to 15 hands already. I hope and expect these to be my last/forever equines. I am now riding the mule in a HALTER and 4 pound exercise saddle [ and this is a VERY fast and energetic mule], and simply messing with groundwork [flexing, backing, etc.] with the yearling. I lean on her, being only 95 pounds it's not enough weight to harm her, climb the rails of the stall to stand over her and drape a leg over her back while she is munching dinner, so I can climb on her back when the time comes, etc. I bought the yearling at 10 months old and she had never been out of a stall, so not only was she not well developed, but she had never seen anything in the world, or been in the sun, or rolled in the dirt. She walked strangely the first month, and never ran. Now, she is sure footed and races around. Developed better and more quickly than I had thought possible. But, by talking and praise, I earned her trust in a short time, even though she started out scared of everything, including the ground. She has learned to go where I go without fear. She trusts me, I praise her for her bravery and effort, and I learned where she likes to be petted and scratched, and she appreciates that. Scratching her withers is how I bribed her to like me.
Perfect! Thank you Ryan again. I would want, in a group riding situation, for the group riding people to support the person who needs to school their horse.To be supportive of that 😎⭐️👍🏻 My perfect trail riding scenario 🤔🙈🐴
Thank you for the extra education been riding my colts pretty much following using your videos on this journey. Amazing trainer easy to understand and love how you use and show on a horse that makes the mistake easier to see the results and understand my colts thank you and so do i
What a nice looking and moving horse! Great techniques!
One of the most beautiful horses I've seen in a while...
This is the coolest marked horse I've ever seen!!
What does my horse spook at? Nothing. Blade of grass does just fine. 😂
😂👍
EXCELLENT explanation of reason for "lift-and-slide"!
I really enjoy your videos, Ryan. Great educational info. I also want to give kudos to your camera person. Always framed correctly, and in focus. The audio is also excellent. Everything is very professional.
I don't ride horses or own one, but your video's are very entertaining.
I've always been afraid of horses, but now I think I might enjoy getting to know one. Maybe some day...
Thank you good reinforcement to keep moving and coming back to the original site
I have a horse,no matter how much training he gets,there is always a little bit of nervousness,i taught him to control his emotions during a spook. Your about the horses psychology when training,i like that. No matter how long i have been training and riding horses,i am always trying to find new ways to connect with horses. Great video,Ryan.
Excellent! Your focus is the maintaining leadership, for sure. Super cool to see how hot lava and the relief technique works. I had 5 horses in 40 years and only 1 really liked to spook... he spooked for fun. This horse was rock solid in the worst conditions, very confident and very much in control of himself. He had been a police horse for awhile and was scared of nothing. He would get in "moods"... and he would spook at nothing... just jump sideways for fun. One day he dropped and jumped sideways, completely out from underneath me...leaving me standing there holding the reins... just like I had just dismounted. I wish I had known this technique to make it not fun to spook. I was always just glad that I stayed on (all but that 1 time) and got to continue my ride. I do have to add that he had also been a cow pony before the police and could really cut out any animal he wanted with ease. Very very smart horse. I miss him. Old fashioned QH.
You are right: developing a connection is key. My horse was a lovely Standardbred mare - an ex-pacer. She had not been treated particularly well, as evidenced by pin-firing marks on her legs. She would spook at things like a blowing leaf, a piece of paper on the ground, going under bridges and anything that moved suddenly. Her reaction quite often was to rear. It took a lot of patience on my part to teach her to relax and trust me, but she got to the point where I could walk or run beside her, and she's copy me, doing figure 8's, stop and start, all without a lead shank, and she became sweet on the bit. I think all the extra training work engaged her interest and took her mind off superfluous spooky objects.
Such a cute horse❤❤!!!
Excellent video. Thanks for the great advice!
What a beautiful horse!
You are an amazing horsemanship trainer. I've seen so many over my years with horses...all my life. In my 50s now. I wish you would visit KY soon. I'd love to be a part of one of your clinics❣️🥰🐎 I love watching you and your videos, and enjoy listening to all your suggestions. Makes me want more and more. I can't seem to stop watching your videos. Addicted!!!! Thanks for all you do and sharing your years of experience and expertise as you do. Wish you were closer to KY so I could bring all mine to you!!!! 🐎
this has been the most helpful video Ive watched. Thank you so much!! I am struggling with anxiety with my horse.
Love your blue horse what a beauty
Love the way you explain how to break the steps down for the horse and how to view both the equine & human psychology. Just discovered you and I'm hooked!
Thank you SO VERY MUCH I needed this lesson for safety.
So beautiful
Good job.
You do a great job .
He is a beautiful horse!
My pony Dobby will spook at everything and nothing🤣
I had finally got my Friesian mare to accept most things after she spooked at the walls, floors and any lights. I imported her from The Netherlands and figured the long flight and subsequent quarantine had her jaded and mistrustful. So there we were that day, training alone in the arena, practicing dressage moves, when some idiot turned on the sprinkler system. She jolted with shock, leaped high in the air one way and I flew the other way, landing heavily and breaking my hip and leg. My healing took 6 months and during that time, with no-one to ride her, she needed retraining. All in all, it was a year of reversals, and sh never quite got over getting spooked over ridiculous things.
Thank you! Very useful vid! I needed your advices a lot, not everybody can explain what to do in so clear way as you did 👍
I love how you are NOT on that horse's mouth at all. I like your rein length, too! Very nice!
Beautiful horse!! Thaks Ryan Rose!
Football. Quarter back. A type of leader. He’s an Alfa horse. He’s looking at the whole field and herd. Wanting the horses to win/ survive as a herd/ team. Weird way of putting it. But makes good sence to me 😎👍🏻🤔😃 Thank You Ryan! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
You are like a nice version of Clinton Anderson. You sound like him and teach in a similar manner. And it's meant as a compliment. Great video!
I never understood why my trainer always had me riding a figure 8 until today! Thanks, ryan!
He’s so much like a horse I used to work named KC. KC was a very big spooker, sometimes at things that weren’t even detectable. I just had to stay centered, bend his head away, and use inside leg pressure. I like the idea of intentional spooking - the more you do it, the less sensitized they are.
Coming off a week of no riding because my horse spooked on the trail and my lower back got wrenched as he went for his escape route. He was showing signs of being ready to spook/bolt (higher head, tense body, ears forward), but I didn't have these tools. I didn't come off, but I also only stopped his bolt and put him back on trail without making him work. Thanks for this training.
Really good video! I understand things so much better when I see them and hear them!! It also really helps to see horses in the learning process! Thank you!
My favorite is one horse stumbles over everything and another one spooks for no reason.
I had a mare who was horrible in an indoor ring. Outdoors she was fine but indoors scared of Everything. We even took her in with our older horse and she spooked when she saw him. They were pasture buddies.
Good job
This video was perfect for me and my Missouri Foxtrotter, a girly girl. I am going to enlist my neighbor with the “horse eating sheep”, to use your techniques. Thank you very much!
Awesome
Riding next to a highway after crossing a small bridge when a Harley Davidson flies past at over 100km per hour. The noise of the bike doesn’t bother him but a single leaf that got swept upwards in its slip stream had him totally freaking out. 🤷🏻♀️
Great demonstration and explanation - very helpful - thank you!
The sacking out type of desensitization is a great way to get a shut down horse. The bend for relaxation is good though.
This was a very helpful video thank you I y
8:40 that is so unbelievably true. I'd say I'm quite a confident rider and I definitely can trust my mare. She's a good trail horse, I've had her for years and only remember a couple of times she properly spooked. However I do remember one time that happened not so long ago. I was planning on going for a trail ride the next day and I was quite excited. I told my friend about it and she pointed out that the trail I chose has a road to cross and if she was the one on the horse she'd be afraid that if something happens and she falls off the horse will run off onto the road. That wasnt the first time i was on that trail and ive never really considered that since I feel pretty safe on my horse and im not usually planning to fall off of her. However what she said stayed on my mind the whole night. And guess what. The next day we go for the trail ride and it's still in the back of my mind. We're cantering down a path she knows pretty well and all of a sudden we see a car parked in the forest. I'm 100% sure that if I wasn't already stressed out that day she'd be completely fine with it, maybe just jump to a side a little. But because I was stressed out and looking for a thing for her to spook at, when we saw it I already prepared for the spook even though nothing happened yet. Obviously she did spook. Did a full stop and i went flying through her neck. Luckily I was fine and nothing bad happened. The only injury I got was a burn on my hand from how hard I gripped the reins when i was falling off. At least I made sure shes not running away towards any roads haha
My personal favorite spook is from my own personal horse. It's the "OMG I rear! Buck! Rear again! Bronc! I give up! Lay down!" Yes, my trainer and I laughed so hard.
Great advice from Ryan. Offence not defence. The only way I can deal with habitual spookers is to be pro-active not reactive. If you are worrying when they're going to spook and trying to avoid it, you're in a fearful mindset. If instead you are expecting spooks, deliberately creating spooks (in a safe environment), and welcoming spooks because they create opportunities to work through them, you feel confident and in control
Sound advice. My question is...what is the best response when your on a narrow mountain trail, with a drop off on one side , or when crossing a river with a depth of about 3'..
Low flying aircraft, is my ponies major spook.
How do ya desensitize to that!?!
I love your work!
Well…….Time to get your pilots license 🤷♂️
@@ryanrosehorsemanship ok!! Great idea, i will fly my horse around!! Cheers!
I remember we talked about this kind of desensitization when I was in charge of a horse patrol at a State Park. Often the patrol would find riders and horses in tight spots that could only be rescued by helicopters and we wanted to get them more used to emergency vehicles and equipment. It was really hard to organize. I wonder if horse clubs could arrange field days like this? We used to do have field days with spooky stuff when we were training guide dogs.
Things in the corner of the indoor arena!!! Hang on!! LOL go by it in the right side it's all fine... Come on the left side and something really scary is in the corner now LOL
I like everything you have say. Just horsemen to horsemen Be careful with the ol rear cinch.. Was at a team roping a couple Years ago. Long story short one of the horses kicked up at a horse fly up under its belly. The cinch was loose like that it got its foot cut in the cinch. You wanna talk about a rodeo unintended. Look like the horse almost broke its leg. They were able to open it up and got his foot out. But it happened quick and luckily the horse was tied up That's why the cinch was loose. If it's not tight there's no point in even wearing it. But I always used to ride mine a little loose unless I was roping. After seeing that I have never tried to see if that can be repeated. So just like to share my experience with other horsemen and trainers. Also like learning from other trainers! You're a good hand you look like you know what's going on man keep it up.
I'm 90% sure he was thinking about biting your boot on one of those turns lol. At 5:56. I love your videos. This horse has such cool coloring too....
We had a horse at the place I ride and he was a little spooky with a dew things so every time we found something he was afraid of we put in near him to desensitize him to it
My horse spooks at a loud noise. Slamming door on the tack shed caused him to buck. Flapping flags, wind blowing bushes. Etc.
I have an ex race horse that spooks severely. I almost feel it is a habit, because he spooks very strong and then immediately spooks again which puts rider at a disadvantage. After this he stops and stands. He also does not give any indication he is going to spook. Very hard on riders back. Love your help.
Dang nice horse
lol, i think i know him
You know your horse is very well
My 10 year old, otherwise very good trail horse spooks at anything in the open field.. partridges, grouse, deer, a blowing piece of debris.
If I didn’t have some weight in the stirrups, I would be off. He literally goes sideways a foot when he is spooked. Nothing seems to make him get used to it. Wind just makes him go goofy.
Excellent!