Despook Your Horse

Learn to guide your horse past potentially spooky objects with this lesson from Julie Goodnight.

As a trail rider, you likely encounter any number of obstacles and scary objects. Can you count on your horse to quietly and willingly approach such obstacles without spooking? Do you have a plan in place to help introduce him to new challenges?

Because horses are prey animals, they're hardwired to be on the alert, looking for any sign of an attack and preparing to bolt. They easily sense changes in the environment and notice movements, sounds, and smells that people have learned to disregard. Their eyes are triggered to pick up on sudden movements that may signal a predator lying still in the grass, waiting to pounce. You, however, would like to ride a calm, relaxed trail mount.

While some horses are spookier than others, all horses can react to unusual sights, sounds, sensations, and smells. The good news is that any horse can be desensitized and helped to approach most any once-fear-inducing obstacle.

Top clinician/trainer Julie Goodnight says horses have a unique ability to transition from fearful and spooky to trusting and willing if they have a confident leader. Here, she'll teach you how to help your horse through a spook and help him confidently approach any object. You'll practice your approach at home, then apply those skills on the trail.

Goodnight says horses rely on all of their senses to identify a potential threat. Your horse might react to an unusual odor (that you might not smell), a strange sound (soft or loud), or an unaccustomed sensation (such as a branch scraping his side). Even the most predictable trail horse can spook at a new scenario or a combination of stimuli.

While horses easily settle into a routine, they'll notice if something is suddenly different and become suspicious. For instance, if a horse passes a mailbox every day as he leaves the property, he may suddenly spook if the flag is up. He may see the mailbox as a new monster capable of attack - until proven otherwise.

When your horse spooks, he probably balks (stops suddenly on the forehand), then spins, rears, and/or leaps. These extreme actions can unseat even a seasoned rider.

After the initial spook, your horse may also bolt. That's because when he turns his nose away from the scary object, his flight response kicks in. At that point, he may run an eighth of a mile or more before stopping to consider just what it is he's running away from.

Here, Goodnight will teach you how to avoid the bolt and to keep your horse's nose pointed at the object that spooks him. Instead of allowing his flight response to kick in, you'll help him stay present and invoke another natural response - curiosity.

Exercise Prep
Natural-horsemanship lesson: Teach your horse to approach and accept any scary object.

Why you need it on the trail: Even the most benign trail ride can present perceived threats in your horse's mind. You need to know how to keep him from spooking and bolting - potentially unseating you and causing injury.

What you'll do: As you ride, you'll keep your horse focused on the scary object, turning toward the stimulus and stopping him from turning to bolt. You'll take a deep breath, maintain visual and mindful focus, be calm and relaxed, and avoid prompting your horse to become even more fearful. You'll make sure he remains obedient as you ask him to stop and look toward the scary object. Your goal is to prevent his flight response from triggering while encouraging his curiosity.

What you'll need: Your usual tack, a helmet, and an object or situation that's new to your horse. Set up an obstacle that your horse hasn't seen before, or recreate a situation that has spooked your horse on the trail. If your horse is typically "bombproof," test his willingness to approach something that moves or makes an unusual sound, such as a plastic bag caught in a tree. In the following photos, Goodnight added a potted plant to her horse's familiar bridge crossing. This seemingly small addition caused her horse to rethink an obstacle he'd approached many times before.

Note: If you don't feel safe or comfortable with your horse, or if your horse is young and inexperienced, ask an experienced horseperson or trainer to help you through your horse's desensitizing process.

Warm-up exercise: Mount up, and warm up your horse as usual, well away from the new obstacle. Perform small circles to the right and left. Make sure you can calmly turn him in both directions and that he's listening to your turn cues.