“Desensitising to buses/lorries and tractors”

ed&arch

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How do you do it?
My Section D is great hacking out with cars/cyclists/joggers etc, is spooky when not ridden for a while but that’s to be expected.
He just hates lorries, and tractors especially with implements behind them!

We live on a large herd dairy farm so he is use to all the noises etc. What have people done to get around this issue? I have to get off him on the road when a lorry/tractor comes towards us. Is the best thing to do; take him around the farm in hand while tractors are moving about and reward him? Should you directly face them to the problem?

Any advise welcome - thank you!
 

PapaverFollis

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The Beast was very nervous of lorries and tractors when we first got her and our hacking was on a 60mph road... not a great combination.

In that environment I stuck her behind another livery's rock solid horse. When a lorry came we halted, at first with Beast's head tucked behind the other horse's quarter. As the lorry passed us I gave her a treat. She's very food motivated so it took a surprisingly short time until she was seeing lorries and starting to look for a treat! Same with tractors. Increased exposure gradually by increasing distance from other horse's backside. Eventually in front. Eventually on her own.

She is happier to turn towards an approaching from behind truck then turn and "chase" it once it has past but you have to be careful not to confuse the driver of the truck there. My current hacking now single track lanes with passing places so although the speeds are less we have to do a bit of waving and signalling to get safe passage. I tend to wait facing the truck or tractor with the passing place between us, signalling for them to pull into the passing place and stop. I then ride past them while they are stationary in the passing place. Rather than trying to hold a halt in the passing place while they move past me. Or I duck off the road down a drive or into a field if I can. And give a treat as they pass.

That really was the key for us. Lorry = biscuit.
 

SEL

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I used to have to go on the A40 to get to hacking routes. It was supposed to be 30mph in that area but speed limits were optional. Loads of farm traffic.

I also used a collection of bombproof horses to shield the Appy. She got relaxed with all kinds of things - Inc combines - pretty quickly.
 

paddy555

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I train my youngsters to tractors (and lots of other things) If you live on a farm you are half way there. Get a nice patient tractor driver. Find a quiet yard and park tractor, lead and long rein horse around it, and then round it backwards. Many times till he is happy. Next start tractor and do the same with it running, then rev up tractor and do the same. Park tractor close to a wall and long rein horse between the two, do it with tractor switched off, then with tractor going, revving etc. Stand behind tractor and raise the hydraulics, if you move big bales do the same thing with one on the spike. Long rein round tractor with loader going up and down or whatever type of implements you use. Then get tractor moving and you pass the tractor, and then the tractor passes you getting closer and closer. Then start doing a little dance with the tractor weaving around each other on long reins. OH and I go along the road doing this. People look at us but it makes the horses bomproof. Do it initially on long reins and then when you are confident and he is totally bored by the whole thing do it ridden. I don't reward, I do make then face up to the problem (calmly and slowly) and deal with it.

You need a tractor driver who has plenty of time to have a couple of sessions with you and who you can trust. I've done this with lots of horses and it works well. After tractors move onto tractors with large implements then lorries etc.
 

MagicMelon

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I would definately take him around the farm every day in hand, I'd take him as close as he's still ok with and give him lots of fuss while he's relaxed. I'd probably let him graze while in-hand as near to tractors working as possible as well so hopefully he'll learn to relax around them. Once he was good in-hand, I'd try long lining around the farm and up to / around tractors. Once onboard, Id ride round the farm while the tractor drivers were on a lunch break so nothing was running, then treat him when he got close/sniffed the tractor etc. I'd just keep doing it over and over until he almost found them boring, building up to them moving.
 

ed&arch

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I train my youngsters to tractors (and lots of other things) If you live on a farm you are half way there. Get a nice patient tractor driver. Find a quiet yard and park tractor, lead and long rein horse around it, and then round it backwards. Many times till he is happy. Next start tractor and do the same with it running, then rev up tractor and do the same. Park tractor close to a wall and long rein horse between the two, do it with tractor switched off, then with tractor going, revving etc. Stand behind tractor and raise the hydraulics, if you move big bales do the same thing with one on the spike. Long rein round tractor with loader going up and down or whatever type of implements you use. Then get tractor moving and you pass the tractor, and then the tractor passes you getting closer and closer. Then start doing a little dance with the tractor weaving around each other on long reins. OH and I go along the road doing this. People look at us but it makes the horses bomproof. Do it initially on long reins and then when you are confident and he is totally bored by the whole thing do it ridden. I don't reward, I do make then face up to the problem (calmly and slowly) and deal with it.

You need a tractor driver who has plenty of time to have a couple of sessions with you and who you can trust. I've done this with lots of horses and it works well. After tractors move onto tractors with large implements then lorries etc.

Great advice, thank you.
 
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