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Faracat
Silver Member
270 Posts |
 Posted - 08 Sep 2014 : 7:55:32 PM
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I'm just wondering if anyone else has a horse like this and how they keep everything on an even keel?
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Callisto
Platinum Member
6905 Posts |
Posted - 08 Sep 2014 : 9:08:07 PM
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| What are you feeding, what do you do with him/her? What is it them makes them reactive and hot? Has something happened in their past that you are having to deal with? How do you feel about it? If you are uptight then they will read you. I sing to mine to make sure I am relaxed, and she does react to my voice, when we come across something that she is unsure of, I can (sometimes eventually, it's not always immediate) encourage her through the situation, could you give us some more detail? |
  Zahkira (GR Amaretto x Taffetta)
Linda
East Sussex |
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Faracat
Silver Member
270 Posts |
Posted - 08 Sep 2014 : 10:54:43 PM
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I was trying to be vague on purpose! I didn't want to influence people's answers as I was hoping that they would describe their horse and how they deal with it. Then I could pick tips that i thought would suit my horse. I guess I should have been clearer.
He's not nervous, he passed both a chainsaw and tractor with hedge trimmer the first time he met them. |
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debs
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3218 Posts |
Posted - 09 Sep 2014 : 07:23:03 AM
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The only time Ali gets very hot and reactive is if we are schooling in the field and other horses trot past on the road. The hedge is so tall and thick you can't see anything at all through it! I used to try to make him stand and would stroke him to try and calm him down.... But then it clicked his distraction technique was working! So now I try to ignore it and keep him working! I'm sure if he was grazing he wouldn't take any notice at all 
Have to say though he is pretty chilled and has quite a lazy disposition ! |
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Offira
Platinum Member
England
1583 Posts |
Posted - 09 Sep 2014 : 08:04:42 AM
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My mare is hot and reactive but also very calm and steady. Sounds like a complete contradiction doesn't it. I bred her so we have had a number of years to work each other out. I liken her to a pan of boiling milk you need to keep blowing on it to stop it going over!
What she doesn't respond to is soothing behaviour - no patting, no words of encouragement, all she needs is is clear instructions, just one at a time and never repeated or flooded with information. She takes her lead from me but without interference.
She had a panic button built in and would hit it at the slightest provocation. So I took the time to teach her that when presented with a situation she didn't like or that scared her she must stop and think - I would give her no help at this stage but she had two options, panic like hell or wait for guidance from me. The choice was hers. Any other horse I would soothe/instruct/demand as required. She never saw lack of interaction on my part as an open door (as my other horse would - I would NEVER have given him time to decide what we were doing next  ).
It is difficult sometimes because my geldings love praise and interaction, she is happiest when left alone to get on with the job.
She is very rewarding as can now be trusted not to boil over. |
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Faracat
Silver Member
270 Posts |
Posted - 09 Sep 2014 : 09:13:36 AM
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It's nice to know that I'm not alone, so thanks for the replies they're very interesting. We should never forget that horses are individuals.
If anyone else has a horse like this, I'd really appreciate it if they described them and their training strategies. |
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Arachnid
Platinum Member
England
1872 Posts |
Posted - 09 Sep 2014 : 09:26:06 AM
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Spider answers to this description. One of the best things I did was change yard. He couldn't cope with even a medium size livery yard. Now he is kept on a private yard where his needs can be prioritised! He is much less stressy - although he still gets his knickers in a twist on occasion. He is now holding his weight well too. Also, hes definitely much better now hes 15.
When he was younger I spent hours hacking him out and singing to him like a maniac to keep him calm!Hes still very spooky but actually a lovely ride, so perserverance is key.
My 5 year old is not all like this so its not necessarily an 'arab thing' |
   
West Sussex |
Edited by - Arachnid on 09 Sep 2014 09:39:42 AM |
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Faracat
Silver Member
270 Posts |
Posted - 09 Sep 2014 : 09:46:42 AM
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| A - you're quite right, it's not an arab thing. I also have another purebred that's very calm and sensible. I have to try very hard to not compare them, or expect him to react exactly how she does, as their temperaments are just so different. |
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FireLight
Gold Member
620 Posts |
Posted - 09 Sep 2014 : 1:03:11 PM
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I have a hot boy but you can do anything with him on the ground. If he is really upset he will tremble but will still allow you to do anything with him. He was an ex-racer so I think he has learned to keep all his worry in but it comes out as a body tremble and nothing more. I was very concerned when I bought him but have found that he thrives on a very strict routine, even down to he has to stay in the same field with the same horse, tacked up and rugged up in a certain way and every day is kept as routine as possible. He has gone in to shock before when we went on a pleasure ride and he got himself so worked up. The vet had to sedate him, but that is extreme. I am lucky to be on a small private yard where I can meet his needs. Life isn't always easy with him but he is so loving and a fantastic ride, he will go past anything with so much confidence, that I persevere. I also sing to him and can calm him by stroking him repeatedly on his neck. No it isn't an arab thing as my other boy is so laid back he is horizontal.  |
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debs
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3218 Posts |
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P.S
Junior Member
40 Posts |
Posted - 09 Sep 2014 : 7:32:57 PM
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I've rehomed a hanovarian - just a 17.1 arab really. Been on a stud all his life and very institutionalized, when he was ridden he was ridden very 'Germanly' strong in leg and hand.
He has the mentality of a stallion- wants the fight, so I allow him now to go along on the buckle when being ridden, the harder he works, hills and canters etc the happier he is but without undue pressure-you can almost see him sigh the stress away. He likes to think it's all his idea first what ever we do.
He LOVES routine- it settles him unbelievably. And lots of flexion- making sure I can have control of his hind end/ front end when ever I want so I can flex and ask him to work away from the tiger with the machete in the hedge. The more I react the more he uses it as an excuse- even if we've done half pass in gallop spooking down the long side I carry on as if it hasn't happened.
Failing that brandy makes it all better ;) |
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Faracat
Silver Member
270 Posts |
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Ari
Platinum Member
1657 Posts |
Posted - 09 Sep 2014 : 8:56:51 PM
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Racehorses galloping past from behind will get my boy bouncing a bit till they have gone but he recovers very quickly, which makes all the difference. He is spooky at times but his reaction is stop and think get over it and move on.
He has been on the same medium size yard next to the moor and racing gallops from being a baby so is used to seeing groups of horses in the distance galloping and horses in the school or jumping in the field.
Having said that he is no couch potatoe and if not happy he will go on high alert (like when he met killer pigmy goats) but he remains gentle to handle and if I don't react to the situation, stay calm and apply our trusted verbal signal "you'll be fine" he responds.
I have built his trust in the "you'll be fine" que by setting up challenges in a safe environment with all things scary like plastic, umbrellas etc. We will never stop learning from each other.
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Mags
Silver Member
354 Posts |
Posted - 10 Sep 2014 : 3:18:16 PM
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| I do think the most important things with hot horses is diet, management and attitude(of the handler/rider) But then I guess thats a pointless comment as that applies to any horse. But the hot ones there is less room for error. Like p.s I think less is more, let them do the thinking instead of worrying about what we want, helps focus them. |
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Mags
Silver Member
354 Posts |
Posted - 10 Sep 2014 : 3:19:33 PM
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| I do think diet is the most important one though, so many horses are reactive as their uncomfortable in there gut or something is missing |
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Emmo
Bronze Member
Wales
132 Posts |
Posted - 12 Sep 2014 : 09:16:27 AM
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I have one of these. He's 4yr old home bred and has recently been backed. He spooked at absolutely everything, every day is the same routine!! His reaction has always been to flee so I have been doing lots of groundwork with him, approaching him with scary things till he looks about to run, then backing away and repeating, getting closer every time and lots of praise when he stands his ground.
The spooking in the school I have to ignore as any issue made of it turns into a battle that gets us nowhere. I just pretend it's never happened and I just hook a finger under my breastplate and ride through it till he gives up! With Oz it's a case of keeping him mentally busy. Lots of small circles and figures of rights work well if he's really on his toes, constantly changing the direction while I make a conscious effort not to shorten the rein or tense when he feels like he's about to rocket. To be fair it seems to be finally clocking and I can now ride past the poles, barrels etc most days and he'll not bother.
Out hacking he's really good which is surprising. I never take him on his own though just in case!! |
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Pasch
Platinum Member
2277 Posts |
Posted - 12 Sep 2014 : 9:07:43 PM
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| Emmo maybe your boy is trying to tell you he hates schooling and would rather go out hacking |
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Callisto
Platinum Member
6905 Posts |
Posted - 12 Sep 2014 : 10:19:33 PM
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| Good point Pasch! |
Zahkira (GR Amaretto x Taffetta)
Linda
East Sussex |
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Emmo
Bronze Member
Wales
132 Posts |
Posted - 14 Sep 2014 : 08:29:51 AM
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| I'm not sure that he hates schooling but he is very expressive in what he does or doesn't want to be doing and he has an opinion about absolutely everything! |
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bexr
Gold Member
England
818 Posts |
Posted - 16 Sep 2014 : 7:00:30 PM
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| I have an easily upset mare too. She can not handle anything out of routine, without getting very upset. Yet she is the most loving mare I have ever met. At the moment I am trying to get her to go back out in the field,( after she frightened herself by getting stuck in a tree. Long story and not a single cut!!), but she is so frightened and won't settle even with all her friends. Her sister is the most chilled mare ever, it makes no sense. |
Bex |
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Quarabian
Platinum Member
Wales
4340 Posts |
Posted - 20 Sep 2014 : 4:55:25 PM
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Ground work is the key for me. Teaching a horse to respect you from the ground goes a long way towards them seeing you as a good leader when you are on top.
I have one who is very anxious and overreacts to anything when in open fields. She is much better on tracks. I have taught her in the school (well it's a sheep shed) to turn softly from my leg and very light rein so when she gets wound up in a field I pretend there are cones and turn her gently around in figures of eight until she settles again. I have to do this on a soft rein, if I try to hold her she would just go, but she is getting better. |
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proctorclaire
Silver Member
437 Posts |
Posted - 05 Nov 2014 : 1:13:54 PM
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| Mine is hot and reactive, can explode at any time. She was mistreated as a foal. Taking a lot to gain trust but she is getting better. The key to her is routine. She gets worse when routine goes to pot. Lots and lots of ground work. I have started her on Thunderbrook feed as you shouldn't need to feed calmer with that either. |
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Hot, reactive and easily upset horse.
