Hi

This is an interesting one. Can we have some more information please - history of horse, any events that have happened in an arena (no matter how insignificant it may seem) in the past, whats she like being ridden out of the arena? Thanks

Very interesting, love to hear more!

My 12yr old half Shire horse is the same except that it is a person in the arena that spooks him. He is afraid of any of them if they focus their attention on him and/or shout at their pupils (not at him)
I have had him nearly a year, I don't think he has done much and spent a lot of time out at grass. He is spooky at traffic and people in gateways, on the common. He is much better at the people in gateways, gardens now which are quite close to him but the distance common and beach people freak him out.
We have done all the leading exercises which are not problems any more (they were and I got squashed a time or two!) We have done the Monty poly bags etc. and he is not afraid of any of that, nor of me - unless I stand in the middle and teach with him in the class. Actually we have run out of riders willing to ride him as he keeps spooking them off.

His eyesight may be a bit of a problem, the vet said she could see a bit of a shadow on one eye but she could 'see through it' so didn't think it much of a problem, however he is spookier on that rein especially if I remain silent in the middle, he will listen to me if I speak to him and probably won't spook at me (only me though) on the other rein. Ditto when I ride him unless and until his fear of the teacher overides me.
There are spooky areas of the sand school too, near the road with lorries going by.
I am in despair sometimes, as the teacher feeds him carrots from time to time to show him that there is nothing to fear, but it is like riding a cat on a hot tin roof sometimes. Any advice much appreciated.

Whatever reason of the problem: the answer is desensitization. When things become worse the horse has been sensitized giving too big stimuli. My proposal of the steps to do: 1. Moving the horse free (and alone) in the arena. 2. Longlining. 3. Adding one other component (person or horse), and so on.
Outside: passing the fearful things without rider with help of the Dually.
The same advice the forum gave to me in another thread: patience.
Rudi

Well, don't get upset with me, I'm not casting aspersions, just opining here, but is is certainly a possibility, as I have seen this occur on many occasions. Specifically, the riders and their horses were fine when ridden alone as well as when "walked" amongst other horses. Or were being ridden amongst other horses that the horse and riders were already acquainted and familiar with. However, given the scenario that you described, their horses reacted exactly the same way.
The answer to the problem, as it eventually turned out was not with the respective horses at all. The problem was that the riders were extremely nervous and upset and/or downright scared about how their horses were going to react to the upcoming intermingling that they were about to enter into with these "unknown" and unfamiliar horses. The fear/concern/anxiety obviously and understandably was transferred to the horse. All that registers with these horses is that the closer to these other horses that they got, the anxiety/fear/concern level of the rider on their backs was getting higher and higher. These "flight" animals cannot deduce the cause, but only make the simple association accordingly, and as we all know, the "flight" response is to get the hell away from the perceived cause.
Once these riders became more "self-assured" themselves about this being a possible causative factor, and worked on that assumption, lo and behold, the problem with the respective horses disappeared. So, this may very well be something to consider as well? Good luck.

Ditto to pmpleau. I speak from experience. Your emotions, however well you may have felt that you have hidden them, are played out in your horse. Someone once told me that a horse is your true reflection, and I found this to be true.