How do I stop a horse from freezing up and taking off or bucking?

My horse is all of the sudden tending to be very spooky. On trail he will see something that freaks him out and he will freeze up and if i don't get off or turn him in circles he will take off. He may also buck a bunch. Is there anyway to fix this bad habit? I want him to not freeze up at all because this means trouble. I am also worried about him taking off because he might run in some road or something.

It sounds like your horse has lost confidence in you to take care of him. Ride in the ring or the pasture for a while so he can learn that you are in control and he doesn't get hurt or scared of things around him. Sometimes we take for granted that because we don't see anything to scare us that the horse doesn't either. Try to ride with another safe horse while on trail rides, someone that will buddy up with your horse and not leave you behind. A friend will help your confidence and another horse will help you horse. Practice riding in front and behind. After a while it won't matter if you ride alone.When out on trail, watch where he looks and what is ahead of you on trail. Anticipate what there might be to scare him, maybe a dog in the woods or bicycles ar people walking with a backpack. All of these type of things might be a start of a spook. Another thing that I do on trail if I feel my horse tense or lift his head quickly, is to start talking to him in a calm tone. I will always keep him moving if at all possible, if not I stay calm and talk ,talk talk. Keep looking ahead not at your horse, we tend to lock up if we look down, and breathe....He will eventually learn to trust again and be a bit braver.It will take some time for you to enjoy his rides again and also for him to figure out that you are still fun to ride with too.EM

shorted riens and keep there head low