Touchy horse

[sammy]

G'day.
I have a 8yo thoroughberd gelding, he's about 16.2 and i've had him for 1 1/2 yrs. He's an ex-racehorse, name Tommy.
He rushes when something goes wrong, no matter how minor. He just doesn't think. He is also a bit skinny, but when we give him feed he just can't think at all. I have him agisted and can only ride 3-4 times a week.
At the moment we're trying him on chamomile to see if it helps him relax and think a bit more.
The other day he clipped himself over a jump, it took an hour to get him over a trotting pole!
I must admit he's getting better with coping with a little pressure, but only a little, for a small amount of time. Yesterday i cantered him on a circle doing small circles every time he rushed and he settled back ok.
Any suggestions to help calm my horse would be much appreciated, thanks, Sammy

[Helen Ward]

Hi Sammy,

It's comforting to hear that i'm not the only one that has the same problem with my ex race horse. But my boys not to bad now but he is still like that when he gets lunged. As soon as he gets a fright off he goes. But that is a horses first instinct when they do get a fright no matter what breed or disipline they do. I have had my Thoroughbred gelding since he was a 4 year old and he is now 20 and still going strong and I am still competing in Dressage with him as well. I found that the best way to help them cope with them rushing off is to totally ignore what they are doing and remain as calm as possible on them and try to get them to think of something else like you did with the smaller circles. The worst thing you could do in that situation is to take hold of the reins and try to pull him up as that will only scare him more. So if you can stay as relaxed as possible on him and make the smaller circles on him and a few other diffrent things like a serpintine and change rein and keep his mind active and thinking he will soon put his energy of being scared into what you are now asking him to do.
Let us know how you get on and I am more than happy to give you a few more pointers if you would like them.
Cheers
Helen