Boom Proofing My Boy Any ideas??

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twilightstar

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Hi everyone

I would like some tips on boom-proofing my boy as he is a bit of a pussy cat when it come to scary objects and plants lol he makes a mountain out for a mole hill in other words, he’s only a year and 6 months old but I do get the feeling sometimes he overreacts on purpose anyway lol ( by the way I do apologise in advance for rambling on)
He’s not bitted yet I am not going to bit him till he is 2 years old, I walk him every day for 5 to 10 minutes but in my field as we have got 4 acres so he’s in his comfort zone, I do walk him around my parents gardens where there are a lot or tree coverage and island fill with bushes and plants, Plus the garden furniture. I walk him up the gravel driveway past all the cars.
But When I walk him out in these areas is when he starts to act stupid, he flares his nostrils and start snorting and startles at everything and every sound, he seems to go on red alert and get so tense or excited I can’t tell. I do reassure him and encourage him forward but he walks on top of me like hes using me for protection bless him.

I have recently started taking out on the road to get used to the noises and cars, we live on a country lane which is beneficial but it joins on to the main road which is 15 feet away from our house. We live 5 minutes away from the A12 so it gets very busy!!
Thanking my luck starts he is on 13.2 at the moment so he still manageable if he decides to bolt off but this is rare. Can anyone give me any tips on calming my boy down and to make him more boom proof???
Thanks in advance.
 
Do you have an older horse to walk with him who can show him it's not that scary?
Apart from that you just need to expose him to as much as you can get him to go up to the things and touch them when he's feeling brave enough. At our yard the youngsters are exposed to everything from the day they are born. Screaming kids, lawn mowers, chickens running round, tracters, low flying helicopters/bombers, flappy plastic (used as dens by the kids) etc etc...
They just have to get on with it! Eventualy they become bomb proof. It's all about them lurning to trust us. I hope you get your boy less spookey soon but it sounds like it may take time. Good luck.
 
Sorry, your title made me think of " 'Allo, 'Allo"

You sound as if you are doing things with him which is excellent, he's learning something everyday then

You can do quite a lot just in your field. Ride a bike/quad around it, drive a car around, have children play football, put a pole down in the gateway or somewhere that he'll walk over it all the time and learn that they aren't big scarey horse eating aliens, he'll also learn to pick his feet up too. Walk around carrying an umbrella, carry bin bags around then tie them up somewhere out of reach so he can see them but not eat them, tie some bunting up, push things about, leave a tarp weighted down on the ground (might be best to choose a non windy day to do that)

Anything scary can be introduced in his field, just don't fuss about them, give him lots of space and ignore him so that he doesn't feel threatened and can think about it in his own time. If it is safe to do so, leave stuff in there for him to explore in his own good time.

In hand there is loads too, is he used to a rug? You can 'sack him out' with a towel and get him used to having that rubbed all over him, if he can wear a rug you are halfway to having him wear a saddle or roller, and even at a year there is no reason why he shouldn't get used to having the weight of a saddle on his back, everything you do now will make life a lot easier in the future.

Have fun, I love babies.
 
Good ideas. you could also try googling police training that they do with their horse and try things out in your field. get a bit of tarpooling (is that spelt right???) and get him walking round that and eventually build him up to walking over it. if he's gaining your trust in the field he'll be a lot more trusting out of it as well. best of luck.
 
Oh, sorry, as I was de-burring tails earlier on I thought of some more.

Water. Hosepipes and being washed, a horse you can't hose down is a nuisance.
 
Thank you all for the advice it has been REALLY helpful: D

My boy already allows me to pick up his feet to be cleaned,, he stands so still it’s unreal lol

He is already used to having rugs on as I introduced this to him at the age of 6 months and he LOVES having baths!!! He loves playing with the bubble and hose pipe, he’s a freak of nature when it come to bath time he can’t get enough lol
I haven’t introduced poles or umbrellas yet as most of you have mentioned so I am defiantly going to introduce this soon!

I am also going to get the lawn mower in the field to get him used to it and other loud stuff as Laura Wheeler mentioned.
I know it is going to take time and I am going to have to be so patience but I am no rush! If it’s going to take him a few more years to be fully boom proof then so be it and I know it’s going to be worth it in the end!

I keep you all up to date with his progress!  Thanks again
 
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