Spooky Horse

Cartoon horse ponders true or false
Horse Behavior

Trivia Challenge: What’s Your Spooky-Horse IQ?

Challenge yourself! Have fun and test your knowledge of horses and horse horsemanship with Horse&Rider’s Trivia Challenge, featured in The Ride newsletter.

Clinician and horseman Warwick Schiller is face-to-face with a horse, communicating with it and honoring the horse’s spirit.
The Thinking Rider

*Whoa*—A Brand New Take on ‘Desensitizing’

Learn Warwick Schiller’s new method of desensitizing a horse— an approach that honors the horse’s spirit plus builds trust and connection.

Clinton Anderson holding a plastic bag next to a horse.
The Thinking Rider

3 Ways to De-Spook Your Horse

Being spooky comes naturally to horses—some even more than others. Learn how desensitizing can dial down the spook-o-meter.

Credit: Photos by Tom Marshall Desensitize your horse to your parade costume, too. Here’s how I prepared Dude to accept the animal skin that’s part of the Nez Perce Indian garb we wear in parades and for legacy (costume) classes in Appaloosa shows. If your horse trusts you, you can—given enough patience—get him to accept almost anything.
Western Horse Training Tips

De-Spooking Tips to Parade-Proof Your Horse

These de-spook strategies will train your horse to be calm in a parade, plus they’re excellent desensitizing for any horse.

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Horseback Trail Riding Training

Training a Spooky Horse

Good spooks, bad spooks, fake spooks—here's spooky horse training techniques for a more enjoyable ride down the trail.