Afraid of indoor arenas

[Frosty55]

Hello,
I have a 4 year old gelding who is scared of being in indoor arenas. He was pretty spooky when we first started him out, but now he is only jittery when indoors. I can put plastic bags all over him, tarps, cans in a bag, you name it I can do it. He stepped in the bag of cat food next to the barn and did not even flinch. He acts so calm on the ground and even when I ride him out on the trails. I took him to a trainer for a month and she went back to the basics in the round pen, but he still acts so afraid when inside the arena. Any little sound will startle him and then he bolts, sometimes throwing in a buck or two, but mostly he bolts. He has awesome breeding and is doing so great when I work him outside. I am at a loss for what to do with him, I really think he will be a great barrel horse if I can just get past this. I have had him since he was a yearling so I don't think it is anything in his past. Any help you could give would be greatly appreciated...thanks!

[lauraSchumann]

Hi...sometimes a horses fear of being inside exists from a something we can not
begin to understand.  I run across a couple of really nice horses each year that
are as you've described.  I will haul these horses with me to indoor facilities and
i will tie them in catch pens (where they cant get to another horse or a human)
behind the arena where they catch the action, and the noises of the envirement.
I will wait til the barrel race, (or rodeo) is over and pony the horse on another
horse around the arena until the colt relaxes.  With horses like this, there is
safety in numbers and hauling this horse and continueing this will eventually ease
some of his apprehensions...in the meantime, you have to keep doing everything
you can to de-sensatize your horse in every way possible when you are at
home.  It is not unusual for me to haul a colt around for even as long as 3 months
trying to get him adjusted to an indoor arena....the more that you can haul him,
the better it will get.  When I finally feel he is ready, I always ride with a
buddy horse the first few times to help him relax, til I feel he is at ease and
can be trusted not to hurt me or hurt someone else.  Good luck and let me know
how its going...
Laura Schumann
LAURAS LADDER TO SUCCESS BARREL CLINICS
"I BELIEVE" TOUR 2009