It's inevitable! Almost all horses spook at some point or another. Some are definitely more spooky than others, but regardless you need to know to maintain your composure when it happens. A spook is when your horse becomes frightened of something. It could be a plastic bag, road sign, or even a deer or jogger. Sometimes, it happens in the arena but more often it occurs on the trails. Their reaction may vary from a jump in place to full-blown bolting.

Riding A Spook

  1. Know your horse! The more you ride and handle them, the better you'll understand their behavior. Some are anxious and jumpy, while others are laid-back and mellow. If you have a spooky horse, then you'll need to be ready for anything to happen at all times.
  2. Watch your surroundings. Don't be overly anxious (your horse can pick up on that), but do pay attention to your environment and what's going on around you.
  3. Work on your balance and core stability. This will allow you to stay in the saddle if your horse jumps sideways. Yoga and pilates are a great place to start.
  4. To ride through the spook, keep your weight low in the saddle with your heels down. This will allow you to follow the motion better.
  5. Regain your horse's attention. If they're not running, you can flex their head and neck. Hold the rein until they give to the pressure and touch your toe, then do the other side.
  6. Once you know they won't run off with you, then you'll want to desensitize them to the object. Instead of walking them up to it directly, hustle their feet around it. You may need to start at a good distance away, but slowly you'll get them closer. Circles and rollbacks around the object will put them in the right frame of mind. Once they aren't acting silly, then you can allow them to rest near the object.

Sometimes, a spooky horse just isn't worth it, especially if you're a beginner rider or the horse is very explosive. You may need to go back to groundwork or hire a professional. A simple spook should be easy to ride through and remedy though. Use your best judgement!

horse spook COWGIRL magazine
A horse spooking under saddle. Photo by Rebecca Scholz.

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