Best exercises to get an anxious horse to focus on you

[Manni01]

[QUOTE=beowulf;8510506]
that’s all fine and good advice, just don’t forget to mention that making a hot/keyed up/frantic horse stand still can backfire just as quickly with the horse rearing and your book getting sent flying :lol:

takes a lot more than one session IME, but what is better is to have him stand while you are dictating or participating a lesson, etc - so he can watch the ho-hum of the horses around him.[/QUOTE]

interesting answer to a very good advice… I was trying to imagine to do your advice with any of my horses and I really even had problems imagining it… As far as I understand you hang on to the reins and ride as small serpentines as possible with your hot possibly scared horse…
this is the quote just that you remember…

"[B]they need their hands held sometimes and this is one of those times where the hand-holding reassurance is very important.

i like dressagediosa’s link - and use those exercises. my favorite to get a horse really thinking of you is the four - loop serpentine from K - V - L - D - A , etc - keep it on the short side of the arena and try to fit as many as you can until your guy is practically turning on his haunches to do so[/B]."

Well I have not met a horse yet which will like that method… You will get a very tense horse which will loose all trust in the rider. You might tire it out, but thats it… So please dont put down very good advice, if you are not able to offer anything better… And I did not say anything before, because I usually try to be polite, but obviously you are not. So now I feel free to give my opinion on this…

[MysticOakRanch]

Agree with several here, just standing can work for some horses, but for some that is even worse! My mare needs her feet to MOVE when she’s worried. So my job is to keep her moving but keep her focused on ME. Which means lots of transitions, SI/HI/transitions. Usually once she’s a bit more chilled, has had a good warm up, then I can sit on her and let HER chill, but if I tried that as my initial warm up, her anxiety would elevate.

The other thing to remember with a nervous horse - your legs and hands can become a security blanket. Our natural instinct is to take the legs OFF - but for many horses, that feels like they have been abandoned, so drape your legs, let them touch your horse, keep the contact. And most importantly - don’t be a nervous rider! That is really hard.

[Countrywood]

What works for me (most times) is a lot more mouth flexions and neck flexions, gives them chewing to do and keeps their head from that giraffe straight up posture which leads to bolting and lookie lookie. I do find it hard to remain calm at times not so much because of what my horse does, as how he feels …only 15.1 hands but in “those” moments he feels huge and explosive, so full of fizz as if he doubles in size and energy…a mental thing as he literally can’t grow to that big .

[Countrywood]

Okay everyone…we have a variety of techniques (good posts ) to deal with the anxious horse…how the heck do we deal with ourselves? How do we cure our own anxiety when it gets the best of us in these situations?

[quietann]

[QUOTE=Countrywood;8511008]
What works for me (most times) is a lot more mouth flexions and neck flexions, gives them chewing to do and keeps their head from that giraffe straight up posture which leads to bolting and lookie lookie. I do find it hard to remain calm at times not so much because of what my horse does, as how he feels …only 15.1 hands but in “those” moments he feels huge and explosive, so full of fizz as if he doubles in size and energy…a mental thing as he literally can’t grow to that big .[/QUOTE]

A friend used to describe her spooky horse as “getting big” when he was scared.

The mare definitely does that. She is 15 hands but puffs up to feel like 16 when she’s scared. She’s also one where standing still may not be the best strategy, because if she stops in her tracks, her head is up, and her ears are pricked, she’s definitely not listening. Flexing, shoulder-in’s, leg yield, whatever I can do to distract her until Scary Thing is gone helps. And talking to her, always (which calms ME down too…)

That said, at our old barn when she was sometimes explosively spooky if we were sharing the arena with a jumper and it dinged a rail, I spent hours just standing at one end of the arena either on her or off, until she Got Over Herself, or the jumper left. A lot of the problem was that she was and still is very reactive to sudden noises coming from somewhere she cannot see. But it was basic Safety 101 that was motivating me…

[quietann]

[QUOTE=Countrywood;8511012]
Okay everyone…we have a variety of techniques (good posts ) to deal with the anxious horse…how the heck do we deal with ourselves? How do we cure our own anxiety when it gets the best of us in these situations?[/QUOTE]

That is a much tougher question!

[Countrywood]

Good to know someone else feels that way!

When mine gets real fiery, ( as opposed to just a regular spook), he not only fees big, he feels and reacts like an entirely different horse than usual…I think that is what unnerves me.

Ordinarily a decent if unspectacular mover, suddenly he is capable of incredible airborne stunts…caprioles or some weird combination of buck and airborne something, passaging endlessly while snorting, half rearing and spinning if asked to stand still , sideways leaps etc… impressive but so out of what he normally is like. I hate to admit it but when he gets like that I become a puddle of insecurity, even though so far I have managed to sit the antics out. A normal spook/sideways leap no problem but he can enter a realm of excitable where it is other worldly ( at least to me). I just try to cope in those situations but feel out of control.

[Countrywood]

Maybe we can keep a pacifier ready to put in our mouth lol… or just call out Mommy help me…I mean, I can try to calm him down, but if I am not calm, then what?

[TrailRides4Fun]

Always good to have a few, established, ‘calm down’ cues that you’ve practiced in
similar situations, at home, in the safety and security of familiar surroundings.
I firmly believe horse’s are ‘condition response’ animals (John Lyons philosophy).
If you train the horse by setting up the ‘condition’, and rewarding the proper response, when you are in a dangerous/scary situation,
the training is in place to get that same, proper ‘conditioned response’.
Help the horse be a good citizen by having that response, like an emergency brake, in place.

I will do ‘carrot stretches’ while in the saddle, both sides.
And when my horse is overreacting in fear, I’ll have him stand, and practice a few of those to give him an outlet,
as well, give me a familiar opportunity to reassure him.
I will let him get a good look at whatever is bothering him,
but he’s not really allowed to ‘react’ to it, once he’s had his look.

If he gets too over the top, sometimes its safest to dismount.
There is no shame in taking yourself, and your horse,
out of harms way.
I discussed this same problem ^ with a wonderful trainer,
whose clinic I was attending.
He totally agreed that if the horse is becoming more than you can handle,
its SMART to get off.
He told me he’d dismounted many times to avoid a serious wreck.

Best to end on a safe note, if thats the hand you’ve been dealt that day.
Again, JMO.

[beowulf]

[QUOTE=Manni01;8510854]
interesting answer to a very good advice… I was trying to imagine to do your advice with any of my horses and I really even had problems imagining it… As far as I understand you hang on to the reins and ride as small serpentines as possible with your hot possibly scared horse…
this is the quote just that you remember…

"[B]they need their hands held sometimes and this is one of those times where the hand-holding reassurance is very important.

i like dressagediosa’s link - and use those exercises. my favorite to get a horse really thinking of you is the four - loop serpentine from K - V - L - D - A , etc - keep it on the short side of the arena and try to fit as many as you can until your guy is practically turning on his haunches to do so[/B]."

Well I have not met a horse yet which will like that method… You will get a very tense horse which will loose all trust in the rider. You might tire it out, but thats it… So please dont put down very good advice, if you are not able to offer anything better… And I did not say anything before, because I usually try to be polite, but obviously you are not. So now I feel free to give my opinion on this…[/QUOTE]

really? a four loop serpentine makes a horse nervous and upset? i have four OTTBs in my front yard that can tell you otherwise. countless others that have moved on to new homes, horses i’ve ridden for clients, etc. the four loop serpentine exercise is used in many UL schooling programs - i’ve had many clinics with UL eventers where we have used this exercise to calm one of my very mental rides (if it gives you any indication of how hot he was, his name was ‘spooky’ :lol:) . maybe you can tell them they’re silly and that they have really bad advice. the exercise is implemented to get that horse listening to you and really on the aids - it is a wonderful exercise and is great for the very green horses who do not know lateral work yet. it’s a great way to get them supple and attentive without tiring them. i really don’t understand where trust is lost doing this exercise - it is gentle and very low key.

a genuinely hot, fearful horse does not want to be forced to be stood still and they will dispose of you in a HOT MINUTE if they think you may interfere with them getting away safely. certainly NOT if you have a book in hand. keeping a genuinely hot horse moving forward is the best exercise for most of those types of horses.for a lazy horse that is being spoiled or a brat? standing still absolutely is wonderful advice and i have in the past implemented a very similar exercise. but i would never, in a million years, expect a genuinely scared horse to tolerate standing still while i read a newspaper… IMHO a VERY good way to encourage a horse to rear.

manni01, how many OTTBs have you retrained? none, right? my post wasn’t telling TRAIL she was wrong – i was simply pointing out that for some horses, that will not work and will escalate their anxiety. are you telling me that every horse in the world will be able to handle that exercise? certainly, your expertise in retraining OTTBs will help you form that decision.

[QUOTE=MysticOakRanch;8510971]Agree with several here, just standing can work for some horses, but for some that is even worse! My mare needs her feet to MOVE when she’s worried. So my job is to keep her moving but keep her focused on ME. Which means lots of transitions, SI/HI/transitions. Usually once she’s a bit more chilled, has had a good warm up, then I can sit on her and let HER chill, but if I tried that as my initial warm up, her anxiety would elevate.

The other thing to remember with a nervous horse - your legs and hands can become a security blanket. Our natural instinct is to take the legs OFF - but for many horses, that feels like they have been abandoned, so drape your legs, let them touch your horse, keep the contact. And most importantly - don’t be a nervous rider! That is really hard.[/QUOTE]

this is wonderful advice too - i have one right now that is very much a mental ride - you cannot suffocate him with aids but you cannot leave him alone either. he needs his hands held. for him, asking him to stand still makes him worse – he will settle down much quicker if you ask him to go - small circles, gentle changes of bend, four loop serpentine (hasn’t ruined him yet). when he’s worried he needs a job - marching forward at a good pace keeps him focused. he is still green to S/I but using the serpentine and then leg yielding to the wall from the second to last loop is a wonderful way to get him really on the aids and ready to work.

[Countrywood]

I get off many times when he reaches this state but then he continues the antics on the ground in hand. Am working on it…thanks for replies!

[TrailRides4Fun]

[QUOTE=beowulf;8511095]
really? a four loop serpentine makes a horse nervous and upset? i have four OTTBs in my front yard that can tell you otherwise. countless others that have moved on to new homes, horses i’ve ridden for clients, etc. the four loop serpentine exercise is used by literally every UL eventer i know, from denny emerson to lainey ashker. maybe you can tell them they’re silly and that they have really bad advice. the exercise is implemented to get that horse listening to you and really on the aids - it is a wonderful exercise and is great for the very green horses who do not know lateral work yet.

a genuinely hot, fearful horse does not want to be forced to be stood still and they will dispose of you in a HOT MINUTE if they think you may interfere with them getting away safely. certainly NOT if you have a book in hand. keeping a genuinely hot horse moving forward is the best exercise for most of those types of horses.for a lazy horse that is being spoiled or a brat? standing still absolutely is wonderful advice and i have in the past implemented a very similar exercise. but i would never, in a million years, expect a genuinely scared horse to tolerate standing still while i read a newspaper… IMHO a VERY good way to encourage a horse to rear.

manni01, how many OTTBs have you retrained? none? okay. i’m having a really hard time understanding how you got “pull on their face and put them in tiny circles” from my post.[/QUOTE]

For one thing, I didn’t say newspaper < that WOULD be stupid!!
I said a book, meaning a small paperback that you can stick in your
pocket.
And if you continue too allow a hot, excited horse to move when they are hot and excited,
you are only reinforcing the exact behavior that needs to be eliminated.

I assumed the OP is looking for TRAINING suggestions to improve on hot excited behavior,
not ways to continue to reward the wrong behavior.
Ideally, you want to reprogram the horse’s hot behavior.
And yes, it can be done!

[Gloria]

[QUOTE=Countrywood;8511012]
Okay everyone…we have a variety of techniques (good posts ) to deal with the anxious horse…how the heck do we deal with ourselves? How do we cure our own anxiety when it gets the best of us in these situations?[/QUOTE]

I think this is really the toughest question. We can all talk about what techniques to utilize, but no technique will work unless we as riders remain calm and collected.

For me, it starts with off the horse exercises. Yoga is a good one. It puts you in various difficult positions, and you are forced to learn how to remain calm and collected. Essentially it trains you how to remain mentally collected while facing adversity. I see so many people get frizzled for so many little things. These people have no chance winning the nervous horses’ hearts.

Then on the horse, breath through the nose. In-Out-In-Out, slow and long, rhythmically. You also learn these from Yoga. Sometimes you can feel the horse’ heart start pumping. Sometimes you feel him stop breathing. You know he is on the verge of explosion, and you instinctively get your own Adrenalin and heart bumping. This is when you must use your breathing to control your heartbeat. Sometimes this alone will save you both. Horses are very sensitive.

The finally, while sitting in your balanced position, engage your core so you are strong (the horse can feel it) but keep the seat supple so you don’t disrupt him. Follow his back while he walks. Feel his back swinging. The harmony between your seat and his back will help to calm him down.

Then, sometimes, things are just too bad. Dismount, play on the ground, and try again next day. No point picking a fight you can’t win.

[beowulf]

[QUOTE=TrailRides4Fun;8511104]
For one thing, I didn’t say newspaper < that WOULD be stupid!!
I said a book, meaning a small paperback that you can stick in your
pocket.
And if you continue too allow a hot, excited horse to move when they are hot and excited,
you are only reinforcing the exact behavior that needs to be eliminated.

I assumed the OP is looking for TRAINING suggestions to improve on hot excited behavior,
not ways to continue to reward the wrong behavior.
Ideally, you want to reprogram the horse’s hot behavior.
And yes, it can be done![/QUOTE]

unfortunately, you seem to be missing the point. forcing a horse to stand still is not the answer for every horse. there is nothing wrong with having multiple solutions in your tool box for anxious/mental rides. i was offering a different approach to your suggestion, which IMHO works only on some horses and not all. i think it’s a wonderful idea for piggish horses, but i also think that attempting to do that with a genuinely fearful horse is a good way to get the rider hurt and the horse losing trust in you. i really don’t think you’ve ridden a truly nervous and excited horse if you think that forcing them to stand still and read a book is always the answer.

[Countrywood]

Good suggestions… I really have to work on myself and having some go to actions such as slow breathing or a mantra to repeat could help.

[Countrywood]

And if you continue too allow a hot, excited horse to move when they are hot and excited,

The point is for us to be directing their movement so we are in control of it, till the horse regains focus and a sense of equilibrium

Your suggestions of standing still can work for some but could put the rider and horse in jeopardy with others.

[right_horse_at_the_right_time]

[QUOTE=Countrywood;8511012]
Okay everyone…we have a variety of techniques (good posts ) to deal with the anxious horse…how the heck do we deal with ourselves? How do we cure our own anxiety when it gets the best of us in these situations?[/QUOTE]

For me, this is the absolute easiest question to answer.

I worked on myself for 3 1/2 years. I worked on dealing with myself, my reactions, and I tried it in every way possible. Training, therapy, psychologists, meditation, drugs, you name it.

It wasn’t until I learned to work on him, to get control of the situation and have the tools to deal with him, that I fixed myself. It seems counterintuitive, but until I had the confidence to know that I could control him, nothing worked.

I needed the tools. Now I have them.

ETA: I do not mean to suggest in anyway that all of those methods are bad; on the contrary, they all are extremely important :). I just wanted to add in my experience, because often those of us with a lot of fear/anxiety in riding tend to blame ourselves and only look inward, when sometimes the answer is a little different. Everyone has a different recipe that works for him or her.

[MysticOakRanch]

[QUOTE=Countrywood;8511012]
Okay everyone…we have a variety of techniques (good posts ) to deal with the anxious horse…how the heck do we deal with ourselves? How do we cure our own anxiety when it gets the best of us in these situations?[/QUOTE]

Well, they don’t drug test the riders… :lol:

In reality, some really good advice that comes from musicals (I LOVE musicals) - The King and I - Ana says when she is worried, she whistles a happy tune. And Maria (Sound of Music) thinks of happy things - raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens… this is GREAT advice and really does work - I sing to myself. Some do better with positive images (think of a warm beach). It is a real mental game, but if you can refocus yourself on something positive (hard to do when there is a puffed up powerhouse under you), it does help. Do NOT envision yourself dumped on the ground - that won’t help!

[Countrywood]

I REALLY have to work on it! I feel like my mind goes blank when he gets to that stage and though I can mechanically go through the motions to calm him or ride it out, emotionally I freeze (and being so intuitive, of course he feels it)

It’s definitely a mental thing as I am probably in more actual danger driving in regular traffic to the barn…

[MysticOakRanch]

[QUOTE=Manni01;8510854]
interesting answer to a very good advice… I was trying to imagine to do your advice with any of my horses and I really even had problems imagining it… As far as I understand you hang on to the reins and ride as small serpentines as possible with your hot possibly scared horse…
this is the quote just that you remember…

"[B]they need their hands held sometimes and this is one of those times where the hand-holding reassurance is very important.

i like dressagediosa’s link - and use those exercises. my favorite to get a horse really thinking of you is the four - loop serpentine from K - V - L - D - A , etc - keep it on the short side of the arena and try to fit as many as you can until your guy is practically turning on his haunches to do so[/B]."

Well I have not met a horse yet which will like that method… You will get a very tense horse which will loose all trust in the rider. You might tire it out, but thats it… So please dont put down very good advice, if you are not able to offer anything better… And I did not say anything before, because I usually try to be polite, but obviously you are not. So now I feel free to give my opinion on this…[/QUOTE]

I like a 4 loop serpentine the length of the arena - it is not that small - 15 meter 1/2 circles. . Most clinicians I’ve worked with say keep the horse on curved lines when they are tense - so a serpentine is great because you are always on a curved line, and even better because you are mixing it up to keep them focused. I find serpentines do the opposite of what you suggest - most horses seem to like the flow. And you can add some transitions in the process to keep the horse really focused - what’s next, a change of bend, a transition?