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Post by lorddaxter on Oct 23, 2014 20:07:52 GMT
Why do horses spook?
Dax is scared of no traffic item, the biggest wagon inches from him carrying scary load, he doesn't care, oh one did scare him, but only as it had a huge flag on top of it blowing and flapping and noisy, but he just stopped dead and stared!
He spooks at cones, boxes in ditch, pipes in ditch, signs, people standing with signs, pallets at side of road, actually more or less anything in ditch!....oh and his really freaky stood dead spook is if someone has thrown coffee out the window and its dried the road a different colour!
What I don't understand is he walks the same route every day and still spooks at these things, is it possible for him it's just a game?
He cannot be scared, he was spooking at new cones they put out yesterday, they were taller so I took him over picked one up, he's small!....he didn't move or care then sat it down and walked on, he spooked at the next 3!
I just don't get it, can anyone explain?!
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749 
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Post by mistersmom on Oct 23, 2014 21:12:47 GMT
I can't explain but I would suggest getting as many as these items as possible (cones, pipes, empty boxes, coffee cups) and putting them out where he eats dinner to try and get him used to them. Perhaps you could even borrow some of the signs from the construction crew?
Is it possible that he has trained you to be worried when you see these items and he feeds off of that?
What do you do when he spooks? Do you just calm him down and walk on? Perhaps you need to make him bored with the object. Circle it, walk next to it, pick it up and move it if you can, have the guys with the signs move the signs around, serpentine between the cones - all until the point that he is just completely bored with everything.
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Post by lorddaxter on Oct 23, 2014 21:32:42 GMT
He just swings his ass to wards the traffic, sometimes not so bad sometimes really bad, sometimes if I feel him about to do it if I growl quit he won't, sometimes if I bump the left rein it stops him, he ignores my let leg mostly, I just looked my whip out, he hates that, I'll try it next time!
I do make him weave in and out of them, even the poles with flags tied to them, he doesn't care but if I try to just walk him past them he spooks, it's like he wants to go look or play with them, when he spooks at anything he always wants to go look at it, every day, even a guy standing on the back of a wagon, he had to go sniff him!
It's a bit embarassing and become a spectacle for the workmen who are amazed he ignores the digger feet away but jumps if he kicks a stone in the leaves!
He was driven on the road before I got him, hadn't been ridden much, just a couple times in the pen, I'm wondering if maybe he's used to having blinkers on, is this possible, maybe if I ride him in blinkers he will be 100%?
They said he was perfect in traffic, he is!
I don't think he's trained me, it's hard to predict his stupidness, I never expect it till he starts with the ears then I feel his quarters starting to move ever so slightly, I've been trotting along before and he will just suddenly stop at a stain on the road, luckily he doesn't do anything crazy and if I growl and tell him to quit he will just go on, maybe a pony thing?!
I don't calm him down when he spooks as he's not really what I'd call worked up, he first few rides I gave him the benefit of the doubt but now I let him know he's an idiot as I think he is just being, an idiot!
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Post by horselover4life on Oct 24, 2014 0:42:07 GMT
It very well could be with blinkers off......he is literally seeing everything at different angles than just roadside and surface level.
nationalbridle.com has a nice selection of blinkers/blinders.
So does horseloverz.
Maybe limiting what he can see would help. His attention would not be wandering although he might be more reactive with limited sight and increased then hearing...
Would a fly mask possibly work?
Jo probably has the most exposure to the blinder thing with the race horses she has had contact with. I also remember Jo going crazy trying to find a particular fly mask for one of her clients horses...sort of had cups to protect the eyes...maybe something like this would help....
I think your horse is just so inquisitive he forgets to pay attention to where he is and gets caught off-guard and gets nervous when something suddenly appears {or so he thinks}.... 
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Post by lorddaxter on Oct 24, 2014 1:21:58 GMT
Yes,I think that's making more sense, I'm planning to get a sleigh for him for winter, be interesting to see what he's like as the harness set has blinkers that I'm ready to order, that reminds me we don't have a driving section in this forum, do you think it's worthwhile for the future to make one?
I haven't driven before and it's been a few years for him, I'll do a fair bit of long reining with him when his harness arrives, have to go look for a driving forum I guess!
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hugs
Junior Member
Posts: 2,647
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Post by hugs on Oct 24, 2014 1:43:25 GMT
Here's my two cents. Sounds like we're trying to come up with solutions for a problem we don't understand. It'll keep you busy but it won't get you anywhere near to understanding. Will it make you any safer? Maybe, maybe not. I think your solutions are an answer to the wrong question. The right question is, How do I train him to spook in a way that keeps us both safe? Now that's a question for which you can figure out an effective answer. Then no matter if you know what he'll spook at or not, you'll be ready in an instant to respond appropriately. Seems to me if you can get a horse to spook in place, it'll go a long way. Or if at the instant you feel a spook or any movement toward a dangerous situation you can steer your horse to safety. Keeping a good steering wheel and speed control is critical. At this point I'm not comforting myself with that, but not having those skills isn't any better.
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mingiz
Junior Member
Los Lunas, NM
Posts: 3,320
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Post by mingiz on Oct 24, 2014 2:05:13 GMT
Horses see in shades of grey. I know mine don't like road pipes they go past them but shy away. It may be that what your seeing and what he sees is totally different. Like the different color of the pavement. Mine have shied over the stripes on the road. Things in ditches may look like a hole to him and he thinks a booger bear will get him. People standing with signs are something big to him. If I come across hikers on the trails. Mine as seasoned as they are. Don't want to go ahead. But if that hiker says something or moves along it's ok. They also shy at logs that have been cut out of the trail. Also could be the was the sun hits it or a shadow it cast. Even with blinders on he will still see things. But not as bad as open faced.
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Post by horselover4life on Oct 24, 2014 10:14:44 GMT
LD....out of curiosity try from the back the word "GEE" & "HAW".
Two separate words and commands. Or maybe try if you have long-lines or 2 lunge lines and can stand behind to see if Dax responds...
"GEE" is left
"HAW" is right
I wonder if that is taught to most pulling horses, not racers but horses used for work & pulling.... 
The team I drove were taught those commands when they logged off the mountainsides those huge logs. I hardly needed to use reins to direct them, just my voice for turns and just about a complete halt too for that matter. We used "Easy"....if you said "WHOA!" you got whiplash it was so fast.
I could hitch those boys up by myself with just use of a word to align them into their trace securing positions....
Remember these guys were over 2000 pounds a piece, so you were not fighting with them or pushing them around EVER.... wag finger
They were trained to pull, but they allowed me to ride them home many a day in their full harness. It was great fun, they were so tolerant....or it would of been a disaster.
{Now I look back and cringe at my stupidity...}
MULE... I know you have a pulling horse{s}...
Does George know commands like the ones above???
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Post by horselover4life on Oct 24, 2014 10:18:09 GMT
Going with that thought ld....
Does Dax actually turn his neck and look or turn his body as a whole?
Like he was between shafts on a cart they can not turn and bend in the middle but must step over step to turn when harnessed...
I never rode to my knowledge a riding horse who was also trained to pull/drive.
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Post by lorddaxter on Oct 24, 2014 11:54:03 GMT
Going with that thought ld....
Does Dax actually turn his neck and look or turn his body as a whole?
Like he was between shafts on a cart they can not turn and bend in the middle but must step over step to turn when harnessed...
I never rode to my knowledge a riding horse who was also trained to pull/drive.
(:))
He turns a full(or wants to and does sometimes succeed!)45 degrees to face it, his whole body, not good, I know when I rode him with the whip for a while last year when he was doing it he stopped, he has a lot of go, I know the people who had him before bought him to break to ride for their daughter aged maybe 4/5 but it didn't work out so they started driving him, when I saw him he was down, not super skinny but just a bit under condition, seemed sad too and he wasn't sound, he seemed brain dead if you know what I mean. Ill have to try the gee and haw! Does anyone know if shafts can be too long for your horse, he measures 70 long, I've found a sleigh but it has 90 long shafts, they are not adjustable, would this work? Hugs, yes, you are right, he needs to learn to always listen to that left leg instead of running through it, the whip will hopefully fix that, I e noticed that the more intense I get with that leg the more he fights it though! |
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Post by horselover4life on Oct 24, 2014 12:21:35 GMT
Does anyone know if shafts can be too long for your horse, he measures 70 long, I've found a sleigh but it has 90 long shafts, they are not adjustable, would this work?
Hubby said "No they are probably about the right length for a large horse...."
Hubby told me why and why I was not thinking it correctly..... wag finger {the link below will explain how to determine correct length}
You need to add length for the point of hitch connection to the vehicle/wagon as the horse does not stand up tight against it but needs room so he can walk freely, digging in with his hind legs to pull effectively....good pulling horses push not pull themselves along. They use their entire body to control speed up hill or down and they need "room" to move in those shafts. They also need to have use of their heads for the same reason so tight head-check reins to me are not kind.
Wood shafts can be cut to length, I don't know if fiberglass shafts will allow this to be done.
My hubby really understands the aspect of driving more than I do...with application and turning radius and all the other that goes with driving. I can do it {or use to do this } well...
I found this for you....maybe some information you can work with to answer some questions.
When I opened this I found a huge amount of informative links along the side about driving and related "need/must know" topics....
www.ehow.com/how_5894113_measure-length-horse-cart-shaft.html
You know besides "MULE" who has driving horses, LIP does too....I bet they could both add a lot of insight and help for you...
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nhg
Junior Member
Posts: 2,429
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Post by nhg on Oct 24, 2014 15:49:25 GMT
I'd try leading him the same route and see if he still acts like that.
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Post by lorddaxter on Oct 24, 2014 19:11:31 GMT
I'd try leading him the same route and see if he still acts like that. I think I'll try that |
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Post by lorddaxter on Oct 24, 2014 22:08:03 GMT
My heads done in with all the reading, thanks everyone so far!
I've found one in Ottawa that is perfect size, excellent condition and a quarter of the price than Alberta, now just waiting on shipping quote, the one in crossfield though, I have found out how to extend the shafts, the lady is in BC till next week so I will talk to her then as I now need to know the width between the shafts and height as that can create issues too, I think bigger is better as its easier to see over the horse and make adjustments, but anyway I'll know soon enough:)
I'm hoping this will make me enjoy the winter more, I do understand you need decent conditions, not too cold or thawing as the runners ice up, we have decent range roads here that should be plowed to perfection for a sleigh, I used to see one of the neighbours out with his team years ago, looked fun, I may pick up an old set of skis to and try skijorring see if I can break something lol!
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Lipizzan
Junior Member
Europe, Croatia
Posts: 2,572
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Post by Lipizzan on Oct 26, 2014 13:56:34 GMT
Horses are naturally a pray. They have to observe and watch at everything. Expecialy things that are under or above them. Many horses are affraid of water because it is shiny and stuff reflects of it. They use their side views for observing and front vision for magnifying. That's why you should never come to horse from front suddenly because they will see you closer then you are and you will scare a horse. Dax maybe does not see trucks as something scary because he knows that this is something that will just pass by him. Ans stuff that are strange and "hiding" in a dich are unknown and more like a predator stoking their pray. I know that he is not spiking for no reason, there must be something in a shape, color or position of a object that is scaring him.
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