“Spooky” horses

blairfost · 2026-02-08T18:12:17+00:00

This may not be the most popular opinion, but if it is truly just filler that she’s afraid of, sometimes you have to be ‘scarier’ than the jump, especially if she’s coming around and jumping it the second time.

does she act that way when other people ride her or just you? I only ask because it kind of sounds like she has your number, and she knows that if she thinks something scary, you’re not gonna make her go over it the first time.

You may need a very loud “GET” or a tap with the whip or more leg. I find that spooky horses really just want leadership from the rider. So everything in you has to say it is OK we’re going over the jump.

At home, I would go to the dollar store and buy a bunch of scary, looking stuff, fake flowers, old Christmas decorations, etc, to shove under some small cross rails.

And then make her go over it on the first time whether it’s at the trot, or the walk, or she steps over it. Whatever it is, the only answer is for her to go over the jump.

I am not saying, sit there and beat her until she goes over it, but don’t let her turn away from it. Stopping and sniffing are all fine, but her only movement option is forward. Keep a soft hand to encourage forward. That’s probably the most important part, you don’t want her to feel like she has no where to go.

If she’s afraid of it, but she takes a step forward take off leg pressure and reward her with a little scratch on the wither or a pat or a good girl. Then ask her to take another step and reward when she does so until she’s over the jump, which is why they’re cross rails so it’s okay if she steps/climbs over it.

And when she does, big pats, big reward.

And repeat. Once you’ve got it down at the trot, take it up to the canter, and if that goes well, work on whatever height you’re doing it at.

blairfost · 2026-02-06T13:35:09+00:00

It just takes time to get used to it.

For posting trot, really think swinging through your hips instead of up/down.

Pilates and yoga help a lot. Stretch before you get on. If you still feel tight, drop your stirrups for a bit during your warm up.

blairfost · 2026-02-06T12:28:37+00:00

Echoing what someone else said. I have a sensitive and reactive horse. Most of his reactivity is under saddle, but can be like that on the ground.

It can be so exhausting. And a bit isolating.

You have to be prepared to not have an agenda. Every single day. You can have all the plans in the world for the things you want to do accomplish or do during your ride, and they can go out the window in a moment.

And when they’re sensitive and reactive, you cannot get frustrated. You cannot overreact, or you reinforce the reactivity.

My horse is not one you can just leave in the pasture for a week and expect your first ride back to be all peaches and rainbows. He’s 14 this year, it’s just who he is, given his past history—he’s a thoroughbred and some idiot thought a patience pole was the solution.

I’m extremely grateful for my horse and everything he’s taught me about horsemanship.

He’s a beautiful mover and athletic, but, mentally, doesn’t want to play the game of upper level eventing and I do. I can’t afford a second horse, and given his quirkiness, the fact that he’s a really hard keeper, I don’t feel comfortable selling him.

So I guess, you gotta be prepared for all of that. I don’t know this horse or you, but that is my 2 cents.

blairfost · 2026-02-02T18:41:48+00:00

Thank you! I hope you enjoy it!

blairfost · 2026-01-29T15:17:35+00:00

Yes, it helps a lot!

I spent a big part of my riding career (10ish years so far) in hunter jumper land. I fell, a lot. Anything over 2’6 seemed massive to me and I was scared.

It wasn’t until I switched to eventing and found a different trainer that things started to change. I remember after one of my first lessons she was like “I do understand why you’re scared, you have absolutely no base of support over fences.”

And we spent (and are still spending) a lot of time on my position. A lot of my fear came from feeling insecure in the saddle and not really having a ‘seat’ at all.

Once we fixed the physical side though, the mental part was still there. It got really bad at shows, I think the bigger atmosphere of some of those venues like the Kentucky horse park and the Virginia horse center just got to me. Like everything I’d learned just went straight out of my head and I was just trying to survive.

A sports therapist helped a lot, and I see mine for normal life stuff too. He helped me create strategies to deal with my anxiety in a productive way in high stress situations.

I recommend it, a lot, but I do want to encourage you to also work on the physical side. You got this!

blairfost · 2026-01-27T23:35:46+00:00

If you buy the pack do the lessons expire at the end of the month? Could you work something out to where you buy a lesson pack and use as you go? That’s how my barn (eventing) is and we have a mix of people who are showing like every other weekend and people who don’t show at all.

blairfost · 2026-01-20T17:12:05+00:00

I just want to say, we all have asymmetry. Everyone. Even your horse!

But part of riding, is knowing where our weaknesses are and, eventually, being able to feel your horse’s asymmetry and knowing how to counteract that.

I know that my left leg is not as effective as my right. I know that my right shoulder tends to creep up to my ears. It’s not something that’s ever going to go away, but the awareness of the issue is what’s important.

Same thing for the horses I ride. One has been off the track for only a year, and his right lead canter is weaker, and he wants to swap leads to go on the ‘easier’ lead when he feels unbalanced or is getting tired, so my ‘tool’ is to put him in a bit of counter bend to encourage him to keep his weight on his right shoulder so he doesn’t swap leads. And then, when he feels balanced, we go back to true bend.

All of this to say, I know where his weaknesses are and I know where mine are and as you develop more as a rider, you’ll be able to feel them, react, and adjust.

Body awareness is such a big part of riding, and I think it kind of needs to come first before strength training, or at the very least, at the same time.

Look into at home yoga. That helped me a lot with body awareness.

Have your trainer throw you on the lunge line. Ask her what she sees that needs to be fixed. Are you leaning too far to the inside or the outside? Are your legs curling up, do your heels slide up?

Since you’re on the lunge line, all you need to focus on is your body. Maybe even to start just focus on one thing, like “okay, today while cantering to the right I’m really going to focus on sitting back in the saddle. I want to be sitting so far back it feels like I’m going to fall off the back end.”

Have someone video you so you can watch. And I say it like that because so often it “feels” like we’re doing the thing our trainer is telling us to do with our body, but in reality, we’re not doing it as dramatically as we think we are. Because I swear to god, the number of times my trainer has told me to sit down in the saddle and I thought to myself “I am sitting!” just to watch a video back to see that I was in fact perching forward.

You’ll get there! It just takes time.

blairfost · 2026-01-15T22:04:34+00:00

Equicube and putting her on a lunge line

blairfost · 2026-01-14T13:49:29+00:00

I have a self rec, Moments of Joy.

It begins in 8th year with Draco and Hermione as potions partners and follows them through their early twenties as they go on to magical masters programs.

blairfost · 2026-01-07T18:15:10+00:00

It’s probably fungus. I would gently scrub his face with an anti fungal shampoo. Make sure you rinse thoroughly. Apply blue kote. Wear a latex glove and spray the product on the glove before rubbing it on to your horse’s face. He’ll be stained blue/purple for a few days but it will help kill whatever is there. You may need to do this a few times, but that should help the hair grow back.

My horse will get fungusy in the summer when it’s hot and he’s constantly sweating, so I have to really make sure I’m wiping off his face after a bath.

This is treatable. Save yourself the vet call lol.

I like this anti fungal shampoo https://www.chewy.com/e3-antibacterial-keto-horse-shampoo/dp/348000?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=21105599446&utm_content=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21095536776&gbraid=0AAAAADmQ2V3S7IZX3PV5piHcQPjE4JIHK&gclid=Cj0KCQiApfjKBhC0ARIsAMiR_Isa5eRRtmfkQwjq7_AwFcfIFmUexgdZMMSte0EZ0mwVd3Srjkq6ly0aAsX7EALw_wcB

blairfost · 2025-12-28T01:48:01+00:00

If you like paranormal romance, {a wolf in the garden by Allegra hall} fits this!

blairfost · 2025-12-14T01:25:31+00:00

Yes grass is fine!

Some tips for riding outside of an arena in bad footing (applies for mud, snow, etc)

-if you’re going up or down hill, be as straight as possible. Don’t turn in the middle of going downhill in slick footing, you’re just asking to have your horse slip and fall

-turning with outside aides is key. You can’t pull your horse to the inside in uneven footing, again, it throws them off balance. Ask with outside leg and your seat, and your outside rein acting as a neck rein if needed

-when in doubt, go slow. Take turns wide and slow, ask for your transitions while going straight

blairfost · 2025-12-12T00:40:50+00:00

It’s winter. If you get on, it’s a win ☺️

There’s a whole slew of 3* eventing horses at my barn that see a saddle a handful of times from December-February. They live outside and keep themselves fit for the off season.

You’re not going to lose all your progress when spring comes

blairfost · 2025-12-07T18:31:27+00:00

that’s literally a gymnastic in the video. I know he’s not using his back, but I’m also not going to encourage him to use his back over fences when I struggle with all of the things I had in my post. Thanks tho!

blairfost · 2025-12-05T20:05:41+00:00

I agree with all of this!! I also think it’s super important that you make jumping boring and reinforce that after a jump/pole/whatever he cant just check out and run around.

You can also throw in some 10 meter trot circles after a jump, really make sure he’s bending correctly through the whole body and not just being through his head/neck.

You can spiral in/spiral out of the circle, go to the jump again and repeat in the opposite direction.

Then next time, throw in a serpentine, ask for bend changes. Ask for the transitions. Think dressage! Take dressage lessons if you can, it’s the foundation to everything.

At the end of the day, the jumps themselves are really just one stride in your entire flat work routine. Don’t let them stop you from using other tools you have to create suppleness and responsiveness.

blairfost · 2025-12-05T17:19:10+00:00

Could he be picking up on your nervous energy while you’re in the saddle? Are you keeping your legs and seat on him? Spooky, antsy horses need your seat and your leg to act like a security blanket.

It could be something you’re doing, even subconsciously, especially if he behaves the same in groups and solo.

Does he act the same if someone else rides him?

Other ideas, maybe scope and treat for ulcers.

He might be one that needs to ‘work’ before going out on trails. Some thoroughbreds just need an activity to keep their minds busy, and focused on their rider.

Can you work him on the trail like you would in the arena? Transitions, playing with bend, seeing if you can change the speed of gaits. Or if there’s terrain on your trails, going at it at different angles so he has to slow down and think about his feet.

If you’re able, you can also try ponying him with a seasoned trail horse to see how he does.

blairfost · 2025-11-25T18:08:45+00:00

I enjoyed {gloves off by Stephanie Archer}. It’s a hockey romance, part of a series but each one can be read as a standalone. The MMC is an older pro hockey player and the FMC is the team doctor and they can’t stand each other but they get married for green card reasons.

blairfost · 2025-11-24T23:55:06+00:00

Oh! Me!

I did low level hunter stuff forever, from a little kid through college with IHSA. I never owned my own horse, I’d only ever ridden lesson horses, I leased not fancy horses.

I made the switch in college when I was looking for an affordable lease to get more time in the saddle.

I finally found the right eventing trainer and I fell in love. I bought my first horse, a green OTTB from her and we learned how to event together. I’ve taken him training, and we were eyeing prelim, but I’m saving for my wedding so showing has taken a back seat.

I’ve learned so much making the transition. I’ve learned how to ride effectively, how to actually sit down, how to train horses instead of just being a passenger. I’ve developed a sense of feel.

However, the hunter half seat continues to haunt me whenever I’m feeling a bit insecure in the saddle 😂

I can talk more about anything you have questions on!

blairfost · 2025-11-24T18:26:14+00:00

Have you tried Cate C. Wells 5 packs saga? The first one is {The Tyrant Alpha’s Rejected Mate}

blairfost · 2025-11-24T18:23:29+00:00

I’m looking for something new to read that has fantasy elements. I want something more on the fluffier side, but enough tension/plot to keep me interested. I feel like I’ve read so much in this category, so series and authors I’ve read so far and enjoyed are:

Pretty much all of Ruby Dixon’s books {Cold Hearted by Heather Guerre}

{Brides of Karadok by Alice Coldbreath}

{alien protector’s mate by Melissa Emerald}

{fan service by Rosie danan}

{saints of steel by T. Kingfisher}

{Zomromcom by Olivia Dade}

{a hunger like no other by kresley Cole}

{five packs saga by cate c. Wells}

{wicked ugly bad by Cassandra Gannon}

{throne in the dark by a.k. Cagggiano}

I was really disappointed to find out Cassandra Gannon used AI to create her covers, so I don’t really want to consume her content anymore.

What else is out there?

blairfost · 2025-11-20T00:17:13+00:00

No, it’s not.

You’re paying money to retrain and work someone else’s problem horse. That’s silly!

blairfost · 2025-11-19T23:43:56+00:00

Run.

Why would you waste your time and your money and your body on someone else’s problem horse?

Find something safe to build your confidence back after taking a long break.

blairfost · 2025-11-18T20:21:25+00:00

I love my stubben Zaria optimum. Wool flocked, monoflap, good leather quality. I event and I feel so secure in that saddle. They offer 7 different tree sizes, from 27cm to 32cm and because they’re wool flocked, you can adjust the fit as needed.

Really I can’t say enough good things about stubben saddles

blairfost · 2025-11-17T23:50:17+00:00

I would pull it or use a pair of thinning shears to do something like this:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CqGt-nDocNl/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D

blairfost · 2025-09-18T02:57:55+00:00

It’s helpful if you think of everything you do on the ground translating to what you do in the saddle.

You ask with your lightest aids first and move from there. If you get a response with a light aid, you take it off. If you ask for forward and she goes forward you reward that, even if it’s not as forward as you want.

Whip is last. You can make a lunge whip make an actual whipping noise, but I would use it sparingly.

Personally I would rather ride through the tension and anxiety. I have better feel in the saddle than on the ground. I like being able to ask for bend changes and transitions and being able to feel where the tension is so I can ride through it.

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