Handling An "up" Horse/spooking

[Jolene]

So I've been lightly hacking my three year old filly out around the hay fields a couple times a week and for the last three rides she's been *awesome*.  Swings her head, swings through the back, eager to get out and look at things but keeps tuning the inside ear back to me - all good.  Last night I waited a little later than normal is it was still hot, so we went out a little before dusk.  There was still light, but not a whole lot.  We got around the bend to the field and turned to go down the first fenceline (which is lined with tall grass) and she was totally "up", basically walking as fast as she could without breaking into a trot.  So I circled her a few times along the fence and kept her at the walk, thought she'd settle and just tire herself out of it.  Broke into a trot once (well technically she jogs, she's a pokey little Quarter Horse) but came right back to the walk when I asked.  So we got to the last side and there's a culvert on the other side of the fence which spooked her last time, but she merely watched it closely as we passed.  This time we didn't even get within five feet of it and she was nearly bouncing.  I was going to try and circle her around it and then cut a wider path, but she decided to get out of there and threw a HUGE rollback to the way we came.  Miraculously, I stayed in the saddle and actually in rather effective position.  So I turned her head into the fence corner, had her stand for a second to calm down, then I dismounted and led her past the culvert.  Also longed her back and forth past it.  Finally, the question:  Is there anything I could've done differently besides turning around and going right back to a non-spooky area as soon as I realized she was "up"?  Was it a mistake to get off after she spooked?  I was deathly afraid she'd do it again and I'd end up falling, which I really don't need as I'm just getting my confidence back and was pretty chuffed I stayed on.  Any ideas?  Thanks guys!  PS - here's a pic of her with the saddle I'm loaning from a friend that fits her WAY better than mine, and coincidentally fits me better as well.  I'm sure it helped me stay on.

[Mossy]

It sounds to me as though you did everything right and she is a lucky lady to have such an understanding Mum. So many people would have walloped her. Good luck. Major spooks can be VERY unsettling.  

[Genevieve]

Those horse-eating culverts, they are portals to the underworld!  

I have always found you need to do whatever you have to do to remain confident if you want to handle a spook. Your horse looks to you for guidance, if you tense because you fear she might spook and make you fall off (understandable), this compounds her fear of the spooky thing since it makes her think you are afraid of it too (she doesn't know the cause of your fear is ending up on the gound, and not the culvert!). If being on the ground makes you more confident (and thus more able to instill confidence in her) I vote for it.    

[whisper's mum]

I've sometimes got off Whisper and led her past things that she has been scared of because the important thing to me is that she WILL actually pass it! I'd rather dismount and lead her and have her trust me, than get into a major battle where I MAY be able to force her past but still wouldn't have strengthened our relationship.

It actually rarely happens, I usually find that if I let her look at something she will slowly creep forwards and decide it's ok after all.  If she is really not happy then I will quietly slip off and lead her past and she always follows...although on occasions she has hidden behind me and huffed like a steam train!  

[cptrayes]

Jolene are you in the US and used to seeing western saddles? The reason I ask is that in the UK that saddle would probably be considered too long for her back, as it is allowing the weight to be carried on her loins. Was the spooking new to this saddle, or had she previously been good in it? It is possible there is some connection.

In answer to your other question I agree that you have to do whatever you have to do to keep yourself safe. But personally I would not get off a spooking horse or allow it to leave the area of the spook, because I think it lets the horse begin to believe that it can choose what direction you go in and that can, with some horses, be the start of a slippery slope.

You did right for your particular situation, but if it happens a lot more then you may need to consider getting  a more confident rider to take her out until she is a little more settled, because 3 is very young for a horse to have a rider who is not 100% confident of their own ability to stick to the saddle whatever happens.

C.  

[Jolene]

Thanks for the replies guys!  Caroline, yes, I am in the US and am used to seeing western saddles, but I've always ridden dressage and this saddle is just on loan as my own doesn't seem to fit her well.  The woman I borrowed the saddle from is larger and the saddle has an 18.5" seat.  Would I be better off to ride in my own saddle (which contacts her across the seat but not much at the pommel and hardly at all at the cantle, like a banana-shape) or this one that may be a bit too long for her?  She does have a pretty long back too and she seems quite content in this saddle.  I rode around the field the other direction the first time, so she saw the culvert with her left eye the first time and eyed it and basically kept her head pointed to it the whole time she passed and banana'd her body out, but she did walk past and without any real "funny stuff".  Generally she isn't a very spooky horse and I've been confident enough to ride her out quite a few times before.  Normally the most she'll do is scoot off in a trot, this is the first serious spook I've ever had on her.  I think tomorrow I might take her back out the "good direction" and just circle and walk and work her all around that thing and then let her rest right up next to it and then turn around and come back the "bad way" again.  I'll be able to be out during the day so won't be as worried about falling as there will be people around.  Thanks for the suggestions guys!

[cptrayes]

it could have been the failing light Jolene, that's enough to upset a baby - all sorts of shadows with lions hiding in them .

Of the two saddles you describe, I definitely would not use your banana, it sounds completely wrong. Can you buy or borrow an air filled pad (Korrector, I think they are sold over there too), which would sort it out? Otherwise, I would ride in the borrowed one and make sure you stay well forward on it.

Given what shape western saddles are, I have always wondered if we make slightly too much of "loin pressure" in UK saddle fitting. If you're sure she's happy with it, then she's probably happy!.

Hope this helps.

C
 

[Genevieve]

I have wondered about the length of western saddles vs loin pressure too, especially considering that (over here anyways!) there are lots of western riders who sit at the very back of the saddle in a chair seat... either they have very tolerant horses (now I know some of them do with the things they put up with!   ) or loin pressure is not that much of a problem.

P.S. I do not mean to slag westen riders in any way, I have personally known some very skilled western horsemen, but a lot of those I see around here belong to the 'yahoo' variety who handle their horses the same way they would a motorcycle...

[Jolene]

Thanks a bunch!  I was wondering if it might be something simple like the shadows.  I can't for the life of me remember where I read it, but I remember reading that the idea that a saddle that sits too far over the loins pushes on the kidneys (I think it's kidneys, some sort of organ) isn't actually correct, that there's plenty of muscle over everything vital that a balanced saddle wouldn't hurt.  Now if the horse was atrophied or the saddle was horrendous or the rider really sat back on the cantle that would come into play.  So far she's still perfectly comfortable, and bless her little heart she tells me in an instant when she's not.  Strangely enough though, this saddle has a County Logic Girth and Lady *hates* it!!!  Kinda sad as I was planning on that being my "perfect" girth, it makes so much sense and was planning on getting one when I had the money for a new saddle and fittings.  But she's perfectly happy in her neoprene Thorowgood dressage girth.  Must prefer the overall stretchiness or "give" of the material I guess.  She pulls the worst faces even when I lightly tighten and will fidget and take steps forward and she never does this anymore with my neoprene girth.  She used to nip at me when I first got her when I girthed her, but this was related to her back pain.  I've been palpating her back before and after every ride and I'm not getting a reaction so apparently the girl just doesn't like leather girths.  Go figure.  :unsure:  

[shoveltrash]

Jolene - based on my own experience (i, too have a youngster just started under saddle), i actually like to dismount & lead past a 'horse-eating monster' (read: scary culverts, etc.).
it seems that when i walk up to the 'monster,' and my young stallion sees that it won't eat ME, he's perfectly fine!  i've thought about forcing him to go past such things under saddle, but i don't want to escalate a potentially nerve-wracking situation with such a young horse.  
i wouldn't want it to become an evasion, though -- so as he becomes more confident under saddle i might change tactics.
i think you did great!  certainly, your safety is paramount.
also - i remember reading somewhere that dusk/sundown is visually difficult for horses.....as are deep shadows.
Trish

ps - i too think that saddle looks a bit long on her....but i'd let your horse be your guide.  she'll let you know if it bothers her.