Spooking in the round pen

Doorways and gates are scary - easy to get hurt going through.  Don't forget to step through and to the side before getting your horse through.  I'm sure you know that and didn't have time.   I think he was feeling full of himself and looking for an excuse and maybe psyched himself into being spooky.  Hope it's not a trend.  You know trainer101 will know what to do!! []

[quote=hunterseat]

Doorways and gates are scary - easy to get hurt going through.  Don't forget to step through and to the side before getting your horse through.  I'm sure you know that and didn't have time.   I think he was feeling full of himself and looking for an excuse and maybe psyched himself into being spooky.  Hope it's not a trend.  You know trainer101 will know what to do!! []

 
He's usually excellent at going through gates.  Usually he waits until I get through the gate and then ask him to come through.  I can't remember a time when he's given me any trouble at the gate.  This time he didn't want to wait and wanted us to go through at the same time... the gate isn't wide enough to accomodate this.
Yes, I'm hoping trainer finds this thread and has time to reply.  []

LOL thanks guys.  Well here I sit smelling of gasoline and frustrated that it took sooo long to get my yard mowed.  Had to keep stoping and fixing the mower and then I gave up on the weedeater.  I'll take it apart tomorrow but decided that a cold glass of tea and some time to sit down was just the thing I needed.
 
Well on to the horse.  Did you work him proir or were you just getting started when he decided to start spooking?  Without seeing his body language and if you were just getting started asking him to walk, I would say that he was looking for something to expel some energy.  He's been back from the trainers a couple of months now right?  Chances are he got into a routine with the trainer and looked forward to the work.  Kind of like when we get done with a good workout and feel happy sore the next day, we know we are doing something and it makes us feel good and have more energy.  
 
Were you free lounging him or on-line?  If you were free lounging him I would drive him forward after the buck and have him hustle, but only for a few laps more than that and he forgets why he is being made to hurry.  Ask for a stop and count to 3 then send him calmly off in the other direction at a trot as though nothing happened.  If he does it again or seems tense don't wait till he bucks, be ready and as he rears really go after those hindquarters and drive him out of it agian.    If he has the energy to do it wrong then he has the energy to do it right as well.  Its like his bolting afterwards, let him race around till he wants to stop and then make him do a few more laps before asking him calmly to go the other way.  If he wants to move, he can but when he wants to stop it has to be your idea not his.
 
If on-line I would watch his body language and as soon as you start seeing his body tense, doesn't have to spook just be looking around for something, change him directions and start doing half circles.  ONly let him get halfway around you, yeild the hindquarters and send him off in the other direction, yeild the hindquarters and send.  When he snorts or licks his lips let him go a couple of full circles again as reward.  Your asking for the atttention and when you get it your rewarding him by leaving him alone for a few circles.  If he would get growly about it the best thing to do is just work them through it.  If you stop when they get that way it would be teaching him that each time he doesn't understand something or doesn't want to hustle his feet, all he has to do is refuse to try.  Just had a mare go home and this was her proplem as well.  When he is really paying attention to you then let him stop and give him a good rub on the forehead and let him catch his breath.  This is a great time to flap the flag and throw the lead rope to desensitise them.  When he is relaxed and foot cocked then end the session.
 
Hope this helps some.  Good luck and let me know how it goes.

Thank you trainer!  We were free lounging.  He'd gone around a lap or two before the first spook.
The first spook I'm fairly certain was a genuine jiminey-cricket-what-the-heck-is-that! [:-] The dog ran behind the trailer and out into the field just as Reidar almost had his tail to the dog... he probably caught a black streak taking off like a bat out of heck from the corner of his eye.  Reidar has a history of being scared of dogs. 
 
So, if he is honestly scared of something and trying to run away from it do I keep the pressure on or do I let up?  On the trail I'd like for him to spook in place.
 
The other spooks, I'm not so sure if they were legitimate or just him getting the wiggles out... he's done that before I usually just keep him going until he starts relaxing and paying attention.  The only thing different is he usually does that right away.
 
Thanks again I will try your tips when I go out there tomorrow and report back.

Worked Reidar today... finally!  He was really good.  Spooked once at the dog (again) but I was grooming and it wasn't too bad, just a startle.  Once we started lounging he was fine.  A little out of practice but that's my fault and we got it straightened out.  So, I don't know what his deal was that day.  Whatever it was he didn't relapse. 
We did some desensitization with a red towel.  He did NOT like that at first but by the end he was letting me drag it over his head while he looked at me with half open eyes. 
Also tried mounting bareback from the ground.  you'd think at 25 years old and 5'7" and at a decent weight and in good health I'd be able to hoist myself up on a 13.2H pony... but I can't.  I think he's too wide...and I sit too much.  He was good about it though.  Just looked at me like I was a crazy person.

Thanks for all the tips I will have to file them away in my tiny brain to use if this ever happens again.