Often a horse's natural reaction to something that it doesn't understand is to spook or shy. A spook is usually a startled jump sideways, or a quick change of direction with the intention to flee. ... In the wild, this quick reaction is a response that would allow a horse to flee a predator very quickly.

Why do horses scare so easily?

Horses are skittish because they are prey animals, and they pay attention to anything unfamiliar. Horses have many predators in the wild, so to survive, they learned to quickly react to something near they believe may hurt them and stay away from strange things.

What to do with a horse that spooks?

Redirect Nervous Energy. When your horse spooks at an object, put his feet to work immediately. Trot him in a circle around the object, or if you're not able to circle the object, circle in front of it. You can even trot or lope him back and forth in front of the object, such as a fence line.