Q: My older off-track Thoroughbred is as brave as they come on cross-country and rarely stops at fences, but he is terribly spooky when not on course—especially at home. It’s to the point where our trainer recommended that we not even ride in our big back field at home and, rather, do all of our cross-country schooling at off-site locations, so we have positive experiences. Why might he do this, and is there anything I can do to help him be less spooky?

—Kristen, Versailles, Kentucky

A: That is a very interesting question, and maybe with a better idea of the conditions and his specific behavior we could try to figure out why. But the recommended behavior modification would be very similar in principle to helping a horse overcome anything scary—for example, the oncoming horse and rider in the previous question. Do everything you know to keep him calm, while also remaining calm yourself. You might start by walking around the areas where he’s spooky at home in-hand, and bring along a steady, calm ridden companion or two. Try to stay below the meltdown point. Stop and take breaks as necessary, and give him a treat or a scratch to reward good behavior.