Despooking Games

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ari on June 24, 2009 at 12:46am

My old thoroughbred used to spook at yellow mailboxes! :)

Permalink Reply by Jennifer Lamm on September 18, 2009 at 2:29pm

OMG, I have a horse that has too much confidence and will eat all that stuff.... the only thing has has any respect for is a white plastic bag.... I want to do despooking games for me kid.. :) I'm trying so hard to trust him.... he is also afraid of this large white crane (bird) that lands in my yard.

Permalink Reply by Equiryder on September 21, 2009 at 7:16pm

Sounds like my old TB gelding who is still here but retired now. Scared of his own breath in winter time. "Scared of the BM's toddler", too funny. Had the same problem here with my own toddler. My old TB still has plenty of spook left in him and couldn't quite figure out the tiny human running in circles on the lawn. Great snort'n, flip'n out fun for my big old guy. Luckily my son grew up some and the TB is turnout & retired! He now looks to my son as the bringer of the treat bucket.
My best advice is constant work routine building a trusting bond. My horses spookiness got worse when not in work. (I know hard to do when recovering from injury.) Best of luck with your TB.

Permalink Reply by Shae-Lyn DeSousa on October 12, 2009 at 1:12pm

I saw this on a show once, but I don't know if it works. . . If you want to de-spook a horse, try to show them the object a lot! Maybe even try to show another horse the object, while letting your horse watch.

Permalink Reply by Shirley on October 22, 2009 at 1:30am

HI Laura, So how have you guys been progressing thru the summer and fall with your de-spooking.?
I've still been timid about getting out and riding around where I feel more at risk from the unknown.. Now that we are experiencing cooler weather I've been getting my exercise by leading Cash around the barn-yard. I let him graze a while in one spot, then walk on to another and stay there a few minutes and then on and on and on. He's doing well. I can go down the non-bushy lane with him and both be relaxed now. On a good day....it's time to give it a go! It's deer-hunting season too so I can't go very far away from the barn to stay safe.
Fill us in!
Shirley

Permalink Reply by Jenna Merkley on December 23, 2009 at 12:50pm

Hey guys sorry I havn't been on in awhile. You will be happy to know (i know I am!) Dez is doing so much better!
she has came a long way this summer and not many things scare her now. Right now our only problem is the flashlight lol. She hates it! She is a bit like a goldfish haha because i keep turning it on and off, and she gets used to it. then when i leave it then turn it back on, it scares the heck out of her again! But I have finally been riding her this summer and we have been doing lot's of hacking and she doesn't spook at things like a bush moving and her own shadow anymore!

Permalink Reply by Ayesha on July 1, 2010 at 10:46am

I use a clicker, and various other methods.
Navara was petrified of carrier bags, and so i attatched a small one to the end of my schooling whip, and on a reward basis every time she stood still to let me do it i would take the bag off her body and move away, however every time she moved I would continue to brush her with it. It creates in the horses brain a reaction whereby the horse realises if it stops and does nothing then the thing they dislike will go away, and eventually they don't bother about it anymore. Navara will now chase carrier bags, wear them, stand on them and even eat out of them.
I leave random non dangerous items in the field for Navara to explore in her own time, from cones, to teddy bears. And I also click and treat every time navara lets me spray her with fly spray etc, as she was petrified until about 2 weeks ago. I would spray, click and treat every time she didn't react.

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