Horse with whip phobia

[skeeder]

Hi my horse is absolutely petrified of the whip it seems to be the noise more than anything so I do not use the whip at all however even though I dont want to use the whip I need to get him over the fear as when we are out riding with someone if they so much as use one lightly on a horse near him he runs a mile he is so scared I think he must have been mistreated in the past?
Do you have any ideas how to get him over his fear of the sight and sound of the whip?

ThankS

Mel

[potto]

Hi Mel.... I have had a pony who was a tad worried about whips and sticks and in an ideal world it would be easy... but facing reality and all you need to desensitise him... Depending how bad he actually is around 'stick' whip type things i would go with anything from a feather duster or a whip wrapped with soft things or with something tasty treat wise taped on. I would change it into an itching stick and make it part of the grooming routine and use it to praise him with every time he had done something well. Just starting on the ground use it as a 'thankyou' hand. That way if you need to use it later for dressage or traffic control or fly removal he will be happy for it to touch his body.

If you are riding out with other people it is tricky... because if their is a 'noise' it sounds worryingly like they have hit their horse rather hard to the point where it has become more than a reinforcement to an aid... and more like a painful punishment... the other horse is going to show resentment i would think, possibly fear...'who knows?' That is a harder one to change...as an influence to your horse and I can only suggest that either you ride with other people for a bit until your horse settles or by yourself until your horse has absolute trust in the fact that you will keep him safe and realises that it is in fact the 'person' not the 'whip' that is at fault in his eyes...

That is only my view... i am sure their will be some excellent view points along shortly....xxxx good luck..

(I have to say having re--read i am unsure about what noise of a whip you mean....maybe it is my age... i think my hearing must be goin.... or is their some new type that i don't know about yet? ;D)

[skeeder]

Hi Potto,
Thank you so much for your helpful reply it has helped a lot in what I need to do to help him.
The noise is that kind of whistling noise the whip makes when it comes through the air and then the crack noise its more the whistling noise that scares him than the crack from what I can make out its quite upsetting to see him almost brace himself for the pain and the noise he makes is like a low wince as if he is wincing getting ready for it even though in all the time I have had him I have never raised a whip to him although he came from Spain before I had him so maybe it could have happened in his past poor lad xx

[potto]

Oh yes... Its all coming back to me... vague memories of people shouting... horses panic..king, tempers flaring.... streeessssss.....

Hmmmmm i take the calmer approach to life these days prefer a hum and a joke to a whipwhistle and a crack LOL ;D better for the blood pressure.... sweet dreams xxxx

[cookie]

hmm, thats a tricky one.

I used to ride a mare who was very scared of whips and by carrying a very short one around carefully I gradually de-spooked her to it, however she never ever heard the noise you are refering to from me and I suspect it would still have set her off in a frenzy even after all my work desensitising her.

My youngster is not at all worried by whips, i carry one for schooling and he is used to a lunge whip. However he still doesn't like it when someone else uses the whip on their horse in the manner you are refering to (as I found out on a sponsored ride...). Personally i don't think my boys reaction is unreasonable.

I think you can desensitise to the whip by slowly and carefully as described by Potto but the noise, which by nature will happen at unexpected times... I'm not sure, thats hard. i assume you don't want to change who you ride with

I am sure you will get more considered advice from others
C x

[jonnorris]

Ditto cookie plus I have taught Molly that the whip is only an extension of my arm. We did this by rewarding her with a scratch on the wither after each tap of the whip - Starting with a small whip and working up to a long dressage whip.

She's now absolutely fine with a whip. Although I very rarely need to use it, she is aware of its presence and swishing it gets her attention if needed.

[mozann]

My old pony was very whip shy when I first got him and would run in a blind panic. To start with I placed various whips/crops and sticks round his stable and would always carry one in my boot. Once he became comfortable with the sight of them, I used a very short cane and at the end of each grooming session would scratch around all the bits he liked rubbed with the end. We then progressed to a longer schooling type and desensitised in the same way. The noise is a bit harder to master, but starting after the rubbing,scratching sessions I would gently move the whip along side me just enough to make it swish and very gradually built it up from there. In the end I could ride with one, and tap it against my boot to make a slapping noise. It took me a long time, but I did get there in the end.

[Honor]

George, my shireX won't come near me if I have a whip or stick in my hand. I've had him for seven years ans suspect that he wasn't kindly treated before I got him. I've got him over the fear of brushes and forks (pinned himself against the wall if you tried to muck out with him in box) and he's no longer head-shy (was fine about head collers and bridles but stroking his face was a no-no) but sticks and whips are out. If you are close to him with one he tenses and almost cringes. I wanted to use a schooling whip to use as an extension of my arm and he wouldn't come near me in the field until I've cobbed it back over the fence.

For George, it's just not worth distressing him - his problems go very deep and I've just had to be grateful that he trusts me with everything else.

[jen1]

just a quickie maybe food for thought, whip phobia I'm in no doubt that it doe;s exist, however
a phobia can be broken down in much smaller chunks, i suspect the horse/horse with such phobias, are more frightened of the human holding it, thats how i see it anyway, and a very good place to start with working on confidence without a whip in sight, id be inclined not to ride out with anyone using a whip , why would anyone want to use one anyway, good luck

[Persianhorse]

Hi,
A whip has never left a horse without hurting the horse,
1- Show the whip to the horse and take it away,continue this for few sessions when the horse is calmer and getting used to the whip seeing it without hurting the horse go to the second session.

2- Touch the horse to the muzzle and let the horse smell it for as much as the horse wants,you will feel the horse getting calmer by the breathing take it way and do the same for few sessions.

3- Start touching the horse by the whip on the neck and shoulders and take it away do this as long as needed so when doing it the horse stays clam without any worry and frighten of the whip.
4- The last session is to touch the horse all over the body especially on the half towards the hinds and rear of the horse and if there is no negative reaction by touching the whip to the horses body the session if full filled and no more WHIP PHOBIA.

You can use this rule in many ways of horse training.
No predator has ever run from it's prey.

Wishing you the best,
Good luck and take care,
PH,x