Some of you have asked me how to prevent a trail spook. But first let's decide what a 'spook' is. To me, a spook is when a horse spins back, bolts sideways or just tries to turn himself out getting away from something. Spooks are NOT good!!
To make a good trail horse takes a lot of wet saddle blankets! Exposure is one of the best ways to take spook out of a horse. The more the horse sees and encounters, the less spook he'll have when meeting the same object the next time. He's seen it, been there and done that!
But often out in the wilderness a spook can come when a rider least expects it. Spooks usually result when we first 'spook' something which in turn bolts and then spooks our horse! So my thought is to prevent the spook in the first place.
Deer seem to be the number one wilderness spook. Deer spook because they are used to the scent of a horse or the noise of a horse but when the smell is people or people begin to talk, the deer will spook. Usually jumping up from a spot they've bedded down or when just grazing along the trail or meadow. They bolt and often so does the horse!
Click here to read more
