tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7657955103086716631.post7007641838409146196..comments2023-10-09T04:52:59.121-06:00Comments on Trails to Lead Old Cowboys Home Again: ContrastCrickethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00834640625999522559noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7657955103086716631.post-3896364720456845572014-03-12T07:25:05.063-06:002014-03-12T07:25:05.063-06:00I think the biggest issue you face when dealing wi...I think the biggest issue you face when dealing with fear based horses is the over reaction they have to EVER LITTLE THING. There is no middle ground. Just blind, frantic panic. I also think most horses fall in the middle, with a mix of fear and curiosity, it's the ones on either end of the spectrum that become special. The horses with more curiosity than common sense would not last long outside the pampered care of their humans, and the horses with more fear and little curiosity can be dangerous to work.Crickethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00834640625999522559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7657955103086716631.post-14347597855104579012014-03-11T11:55:41.599-06:002014-03-11T11:55:41.599-06:00I think a horse can be trained to react to their f...I think a horse can be trained to react to their fear in a better way, but I don't think you can change the core make up of a horse that has more of a fear-based personality. That said, for this horse, it sounds like he will need a lot of training and possiably a rider who can be very consistant on every ride, every time. It sounds like this is not his current owner. They could both be trained to be able to function down the trail, but I don't think that is what she wants. Most who aim to trail ride want to be able to wonder down the trail and take in the views or chat with friends. This horse sounds like he is going to need constant and consistant monitering any time you ride him. Even after he has the training and skills to handel his fear better, it will still be there. He has no base reason for his fear other then the fact that that is who he is as a horse. It's not like he was beat with a dustpan when he was younger, or has had no training until later in life. He doesn't have "baby brain", or any other reason for this. So there is no real way to get him to change that. You can modify it by training him to no react by rearing, but by something else. But there will always be a reaction of some sort, for him. It's who he is. Which sounds like it doesn't mesh with what his rider wants. Depends how much money she wants to dump into training him too, and if she is willing to change what she wants out of a trail ride, and has or can learn the skills she needs to handel him. <br /><br />It might be best to find a more suitable horse. It is better for both of them, unless she wants to put the money into getting him the training he needs and then selling him. That gives him a better shot at a good home. Almost every older horse I have had in for training, or as a project horse; has had issues only from their owners trying to make a horse work that was not suitable for them. People tend to want to hold onto a horse that is too much for them because they feel they have a bond with the horse. 90% of the time that is a one sided bond. And the horse is only getting worse, therefore less chance of a good home, the longer they own it.<br /><br />I trained a mare a few years back who was like this, her mind was compleatly fear-based. She was always looking for something to eat her. What I ended up having to do with her was get out and do the miles, see the scary things, and let her bolt for a few strides before pulling her up and around. If I did it right away she would compleatly panic. In her mind, she needed to get away and anyone who wanted to stop her was trying to kill her too. But if she had those couple of strides to get away from the hungry rock that was going to eat her, so she could think, she was game to go look at it when I turned her around. But this ment that riding her out was always a event and I had better be paying attention to her signs and sitting deep. I also had to keep myself from reacting to fast and picking up my reins too soon. That mare could throw a pretty epic fit if I did, blind panic. However, once we had a understanding of each other (me knowing her per-spook signs and allowing her those strides), and her knowing I would allow her those strides but then she had to walk up and touch said scary object....she setteled down a lot. There was less spooking and more going up to scary things on her own accord. But that was because I had trained her too, not because she wanted too really. She never changed who she was. She also was a heck of a horse in the arena once she was more comfortable out of it. That mare was a lot of fun to train and taught me a lot about fear-based horses and how to work with them because your not going to break them of it.<br /><br />That's my opinion anyways! :)Beckyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04418461551352612607noreply@blogger.com