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| I'm pretty frustrated. What do you do with a super smart yet very reactive horse. I was riding today and my mare was great until another boarder at my barn brought a mini into the arena. All she could focus on was the mini and she immediately started to fight me. After running sideways across the arena and pawing at the ground a million times, i went to get off of her to lunge her and she pulled back and trotted away from me.
She also has a problem with whips. I don't use them unless I have to. When I found out she was afraid of them I worked on getting her used to it. Within 10 minutes she was completely fine with it. But if anyone of the other people at my barn pick one up she is instantly on edge and freaking out.
It's almost like someone beat the crap out of her and she's just waiting for someone to hit her with something all the time. Can this be fixed? Could it possibly be a vision issue? Would ulcers make her react this way? I honestly don't know what to do anymore. Someone help!!!!
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 Take a Picture
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| Personally I think you are dealing with a total lack of respect. You might try to find a Clinton Anderson video ROUND PENNING FOR RESPECT. Until you get respect and show the horse who is boss, it will continue to get worse. |
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Regular
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| I already do the Clinton Anderson round pen work and I have been working with her for about 2 months on it. Originally I thought it was a respect issue but now I think it's more of a fear issue. She will do all of the round pen work perfectly (sometimes she snakes her head at me) but as soon as I'm on her back or something freaks her out she goes into flight mode and stays there for quite a while. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| It sounds like the horse needs to be seasoned.
I wouldn't get off, I would keep riding circles around what is freaking her out and not making a big deal about it.
But yes, she needs to respect you.
Some horses are much more sensitive, and some never overcome it completely.
Watch for ulcers in this one, I find my overly sensitive horses like to develop ulcers |
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Regular
Posts: 51
Location: CA | You should check out Warwick Schiller, he has lots of great videos for issues like this.
https://www.youtube.com/user/WarwickSchiller/featured
Edited by CHLOE21 2016-12-05 2:31 AM
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Windoming | TimeFlys885 - 2016-12-04 9:14 PM
I already do the Clinton Anderson round pen work and I have been working with her for about 2 months on it. Originally I thought it was a respect issue but now I think it's more of a fear issue. She will do all of the round pen work perfectly (sometimes she snakes her head at me) but as soon as I'm on her back or something freaks her out she goes into flight mode and stays there for quite a while.
It took me two years of lunging my horse for respect before he stopped being reactive and started being respectful...................................course I'm not a daily rider either. Every time he did something reactive or disrespectful, I got off immediately and lunged him. I know people referred to me as the crazy lady with the black horse..........but he's an awesome horse now. |
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
Location: Montana | cheryl makofka - 2016-12-04 11:24 PM It sounds like the horse needs to be seasoned. I wouldn't get off, I would keep riding circles around what is freaking her out and not making a big deal about it. But yes, she needs to respect you. Some horses are much more sensitive, and some never overcome it completely. Watch for ulcers in this one, I find my overly sensitive horses like to develop ulcers
^^^^ This, definitely! |
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 Expert
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| Sounds bored to me. When is the last time she really got put to work, not riding around in circles but an actual job so that she breaks into a really good sweat and is more than willing to stand in one place the rest of the day? Make up work, put a rope around a log, barrel, tire, anything and make her pull it from one end to the other, go through and open all the gates, go back close all the gates, track another horse around the arena and have her move it from one end of the arena to the other, something to give her a purpose. Set poles up and practice those instead of barrels, set the barrels up so you can jump them. If she gets scared of something move her feet, roll backs on the fence, breeze, anything to make her feet move and get her winded, you'll be surprised at how less scared she is when she is more focused on catching her breath and resting than some little horse riding around or some whip someone else is waving around. |
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 Extreme Veteran
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| Ok, I literally sound like a broken record every time I say this so I hope people don't think I'm crazy by now but my mare was like that and has PSSM (type 2).  She would do dumb things like that as well and I thought it was a vision problem or something as well and it turned out to be that. Also, does her weight or muscle mass ever fluctuate? |
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  Ms. Marine
Posts: 4641
Location: Texas | Like others have said it sounds like a lack of respect and by you getting off of her when she started acting up is only going to encourage her to continue to do so. Just out of curiosity, are you a timid rider or does this horse intimidate you? |
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Regular
Posts: 52
| Ok so I guess I worded my post wrong but I didn't get off after she acted up. I rode out her spazz attack and then after about 15 minutes I got off to end the lesson (after she calmed down a bit) and that's when she pulled back. She did not pull back out of lack of respect. She looked at me like I was going to hit her. I have never hit this horse other than once on the shoulder with my hand because she wouldn't pick her foot up.
I'm not a timid rider. |
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Regular
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| I should probably add that when she has her freak outs she is pretty much impossibly to control. She is very athletic and she will usually run sideways away from things while I have her head bent the opposite direction basically all the way to my foot.
I also just ordered ulcer meds since that's the only thing that I haven't treated her for yet.
Edited by TimeFlys885 2016-12-05 1:29 PM
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Expert
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| TimeFlys885 - 2016-12-05 1:20 PM
I should probably add that when she has her freak outs she is pretty much impossibly to control. She is very athletic and she will usually run sideways away from things while I have her head bent the opposite direction basically all the way to my foot.
Don't try to stop her, smooch her forward and make her move out and then come back to it. You're only increasing her anxiety when she is in flight mode by trying to hold her. |
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Regular
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| I tried encouraging her forward and she just runs faster sideways. But I will keep trying |
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 Elite Veteran
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Location: Loco,Ok | She needs a job for a while. Punching cows. |
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Regular
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| Her previous job was actually working cows on the ranch I bought her from. Then they made her a Reiner. I actually considered that she thought the mini was a cow and she hated her previous job. Lol |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 823
Location: East Texas | Could be she is just scared of minis. I had one that was more scared of a mini than he was a bear. Guess kind of like some people are scared of clowns..... Anyway, got to where he would not move off, but he would quiver and shake like he was scared to death. Just keep working with your horse and I am sure it will get better.
Edited by CrossDRanch 2016-12-05 1:45 PM
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| TimeFlys885 - 2016-12-05 1:20 PM
I should probably add that when she has her freak outs she is pretty much impossibly to control. She is very athletic and she will usually run sideways away from things while I have her head bent the opposite direction basically all the way to my foot.
I also just ordered ulcer meds since that's the only thing that I haven't treated her for yet.
When she starts running sideways when you get to a safe spot you turn circles till she settles down, this ,any take you 5/10 min and you may get dizzy, don't pull on both reins, just one.
This is something that will not change overnight as it sounds like she has gotten away with her behaviour for awhile.
Also so many people jump to horses being abused, I have seen horses who have been abused that are not flighty, and I have two who have never been abused and both are flighty in their own way, and it is a continual work in process with both, and my guess is it will always be. |
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Regular
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| Thanks guys! I'll try some of the things suggested and see how it goes! |
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 Expert
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Location: Kansas | TimeFlys885 - 2016-12-05 1:20 PM I should probably add that when she has her freak outs she is pretty much impossibly to control. She is very athletic and she will usually run sideways away from things while I have her head bent the opposite direction basically all the way to my foot. I also just ordered ulcer meds since that's the only thing that I haven't treated her for yet.
Bending her head to your foot in the opposite direction is allowing the far shoulder to pop out making it easier to move away. You need total body control, head to tail, not just the front.
Kick her forward or disengage amd move the rear end. As of now, I think she is in charge
Good luck
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Regular
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| My point was that when she is scared she is out of control. She does not respond AT ALL to bit or leg pressure. She is fully capable of running sideways with her head bent all the way around.... in either direction. |
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Expert
Posts: 1857
| TimeFlys885 - 2016-12-05 10:13 PM
My point was that when she is scared she is out of control. She does not respond AT ALL to bit or leg pressure. She is fully capable of running sideways with her head bent all the way around.... in either direction.
it's all about redirecting her, try to catch her the moment before she blows and move her feet, don't give her the chance to react. Make running away really hard on her, if she takes off, smooch and kick and don't let her stop running until you notice her focusing on you again and then make her work for even longer. Take her back to what spooked her and let her rest looking at it. She'll get the idea that if she bolts and takes off, she's in for a long hard experience.
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 Elite Veteran
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Location: Sunny So Cal | Maybe try some THE calming cookies and powder to take the edge off. Also sounds like she may just need more mileage. My grey mare is a spazz and when she loses it she loses it. It has taken a few years for her to really be calm and ok with stuff. I just started taking her to more place and putting her in more situations that I knew she would be uncomfortable with but not lose it. Also I kept treats in my pocket so when she handled a situation wellI could give her a cookie or mint or something. I know not everyone agrees with this method but she is so food driven it is ridiculous and it can change her attitude to be focused on me in a half a second.
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 Too Skinny
Posts: 8009
Location: LA Lower Alabama | Without being on it I can't help too much but if I cannot redirect with my hands or feet I would stop all signals and allow them to move and try again in a second praying it was in a safe direction and that the second attempt would be heard.
Some horses have a higher flight response and once in that mode any directions from you cause more flight.
Edited by cowgalsissy 2016-12-06 11:38 AM
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Regular
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| That's exactly what it is. When she is in flight mode any of my directions seem to make her more anxious and she goes off the wall. And then when she finally calms down she has turned into a combative/overly excited horse. |
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Regular
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| The most frustrating part about this whole thing it that even if she has seen something ten million times she still wants to react to it. I've worked with her with the whip almost every day I've had her and while she's better with it, she will still react to it like it's day 1. But only if something else is different. Example....
Whip + human = good
Whip + human+ ground pole on the other side of the arena that was never there before= bad
Does that make sense? Lol
So it seems like no matter how many times I show her something or desensitize her to something, she will still react to it at some point. |
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 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | I won't mess with a reactive horse that mentally checks out. If they lack self preservation, that's asking to get hurt. Now, a reactive horse that keeps some brain cells firing while they panic, that I can work with through redirection, moving feet, and maybe some calming help through supplements or diet (I've had good luck with Springtime Daily Calm). Usually, you know it's coming before it happens and can teach them to think their way through and come back to you quickly. |
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Location: in the ozone | cheeka77 - 2016-12-05 9:56 AM
Ok, I literally sound like a broken record every time I say this so I hope people don't think I'm crazy by now but my mare was like that and has PSSM (type 2 ). She would do dumb things like that as well and I thought it was a vision problem or something as well and it turned out to be that. Also, does her weight or muscle mass ever fluctuate?
Thank you! I cringe at all the horses that have (had if the horse is now dead) this disease & got punished/worked harder & harder for behavior they have no "choice" over. I am sorry you are dealing with this but so glad you are getting answers and trying to help. People need to get their heads out of the sand about this horrible disease! PSSM1 & PSSM2 are much more prevalent than most think! |
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Location: in the ozone | TimeFlys885 - 2016-12-05 9:13 PM
My point was that when she is scared she is out of control. She does not respond AT ALL to bit or leg pressure. She is fully capable of running sideways with her head bent all the way around.... in either direction.
THIS is a huge sign of PSSM. Please check in to it. For more, really thorough info, go to the PSSM Forum on FB |
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Regular
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| I definatly will. Thanks!
She is new to me. I haven't had her a year yet but she was skinny when I got her and has since only gained weight.
Edited by TimeFlys885 2016-12-06 7:03 PM
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Extremely reactive horse- HELP!!!