One of them occurred when we were on our way out to the back pasture, ground driving towards the logs that will soon be cross-country jumps. They are set in the pasture in such a way that you have to walk up a little hill before they become visible. As I was ground driving Dewey towards them, we got to the top of the hill and suddenly they appeared, lurking on the horizon. Dewey was understandably alarmed, and while he tried to keep his composure he was pretty sure they were predators crouched and waiting to pounce! Since I was behind him holding the reins, he figured he was going to be the first to get eaten. He started to spin around in circles, trying to determine the best way to escape.
When I saw that I wasn't going to be able to straighten him out using just my reins I literally dropped everything. Dewey was looking around nervously wondering what he should do next. I oriented myself so that I was between him and the logs so that he would see me as a safety barrier between him and the horse monster. Then I called him to me like I do when he's at liberty in the round pen. He gratefully hurried over to my side and took a deep breath putting his head near me. He calmed down immediately once he realized I was in control of the situation and I would protect him. He let me untangle my long lines from around his body and rearrange the reins.
Once I had him settled and listening to me as his protector I sent Mahzi the dog ahead to approach the logs in front of us. She went up to each log and either jumped it or climbed up on it, which showed Dewey that the logs were safe and not predators after all, since Mahzi didn't get eaten, and she wasn't even nervous about approaching them. This is one of the reasons I use my dogs so much with the horse training. Since Dewey is used to Mahzi working with him all the time he sees her as friend and companion (they even play tag together - chasing each other in the round pen), not a predator, and so by bravely approaching something she can prove to him there's nothing to worry about. I may or may not have been able to lead Dewey close to the logs on my own, but by having my dog trained this way, and my horse trained to do what the dog does, it works out quite well.
My other story about Dewey spooking is from just this week. I had another potential buyer come meet him and we worked down in the covered arena. I lunged Dewey like usual to start, letting him get his wiggles out before I really ask him to think hard about something. He showed the woman that he has plenty of "forward"! The trick is to channel the energy for good instead of evil. Once he was warmed up the woman and I got to talking about him and how even when he's being a silly baby horse he's pretty well behaved. He will jump around a little on the lunge line and frolic and run fast a couple times, but I don't need a chain on him and if I ask him to stop he comes right to a halt and looks at me. I don't mind him playing because at this point in his training that's what the lunge line is for. He knows he has an acceptable outlet for his energy, because if you try to simply bottle all that up and never let it out the horses develop all kinds of stress-related behaviors.
While we were standing and talking in the middle of the arena, the snow on the roof began to shift. I recognized the sound: crackling and squeaking comes with the sliding of large bunches of snow melting above us. Dewey stood at attention, listening as well. Then the snow began to squeal and roar, sliding in huge amounts down the angled roof and crashing to the ground on the open side of the covered arena creating huge drifts. I again positioned myself so that I was between Dewey and the snow falling, in that protector position. I talked quietly to him, and his "big spook" was to toss his head in the air and take a tiny little jump to the right, away from the snow. Once the snow was mostly done crashing to the ground, I sent Mazhi over to the pile. Usually she is right by my side so that she can fulfill these assignments.
That dog LOVES the snow. She came to me from Arkansas through Mountain Pet Rescue just a few months ago. Weeks ago it was hysterical to watch her play in her first snowfall as she pounced and burrowed through, tunneling into drifts and emerging with snow caked to her face. When this vast amount of white fun landed on the ground she was more than eager to go digging and romping through it. When I sent her over to the snow, Dewey watched her, and then eagerly followed me over to the pile as well. Dewey even pawed at the snow and stuck his muzzle in it just like Mazhi. A few more bunches of snow slid and fell off the roof nearly landing on Dewey, but because he was already calm and interested in the phenomenon it was no big deal.
I have found using my dog for this kind of training works quite well. However, if I don't have the dog with me there are a lot of other ways to keep a horse calm and looking to me as the protector. How I accomplish this also varies depending on the horse. Dewey is an investigative soul and wants to check things out as long as he feels safe. I've have other horses who absolutely would have a mental melt down if I asked them to directly approach something that was scary for them. Those horses I distract with some kind of work, like circles or transitions or changing the bend of their body, something that will redirect their attention off of the horse monster and back onto me. Once they can focus on me they tend to ignore the horse monster.
Dewey was calmly able to get back to work, happy and focused. He made a wonderful first impression!
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