Desensitising a horse to donkeys

Ben2684

Ben2684

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I am at a lovely yard on the new forest, I’m happy... my horse is happy. Or rather was happy. Whether it’s the lack of forest visitors or just chance but this year there are LOTS of donkeys around. We’ve seen a few (from a LOOOONG way) out hacking and he snorts/prances/grows to 30hh but we have coped however they are now walking up and down the lane adjacent to his field and he has turned into a nightmare to ride out, to the point it is just not fun

I am at a loss as to what to do-he has turned into a nervous wreck out hacking. Teeth back saddle Etc up to date and goes nicely in school but the minute we leave the yard he is on edge which is making his general spookiness quite severe and Totally unenjoyable. Have looked at some other yards but where we are really suits us apart from this issue so if I could overcome it it would be amazing. It’s that bad I think if I turned him out with one he would run through the fence :( any suggestions??
 
I truly do understand where you are coming from with this problem!

My old lad was bombproof in every respect - except when he saw a donkey, then he would turn into a complete nervous wreck. The first time he clapped eyes on one he spun round and tried to bolt for home (and we were on the road). I couldn't avoid them at all, so I just persevered. Every time the donkeys were out. I just talked to him and kept riding him forward really positively (whilst quietly waiting for the panic to set in). I had to pick my moments when there wasn't any traffic looming, and gradually, he did get better. The last time we were in a safe spot, and the donkeys were right by the bridle path, so I asked my lad to stand quietly and just look at them. He huffed and puffed a little, but he did take some steps towards them to investigate them a little bit more. From that point on, whenever we did encounter them he would just prick his ears up, take a look and carry on walking.

You could try hacking out with others whose horses are not fazed by them if you can - it may help calm your horse down. This helped me too, but mainly it was just patience and perseverance. Having said that, I am sure someone else will be along very soon with some better advice than mine. :)
 
Baywonder said:
I truly do understand where you are coming from with this problem!

My old lad was bombproof in every respect - except when he saw a donkey, then he would turn into a complete nervous wreck. The first time he clapped eyes on one he spun round and tried to bolt for home (and we were on the road). I couldn't avoid them at all, so I just persevered. Every time the donkeys were out. I just talked to him and kept riding him forward really positively (whilst quietly waiting for the panic to set in). I had to pick my moments when there wasn't any traffic looming, and gradually, he did get better. The last time we were in a safe spot, and the donkeys were right by the bridle path, so I asked my lad to stand quietly and just look at them. He huffed and puffed a little, but he did take some steps towards them to investigate them a little bit more. From that point on, whenever we did encounter them he would just prick his ears up, take a look and carry on walking.

You could try hacking out with others whose horses are not fazed by them if you can - it may help calm your horse down. This helped me too, but mainly it was just patience and perseverance. Having said that, I am sure someone else will be along very soon with some better advice than mine. :)
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Thanks BW
The issue is when he sees one he almost forgets I am there and I have a huge fear that if he reacted really negatively, and I could come off, causing him to gallop home and cause himself injury. This is why it scares me as I feel I have no control, if I could just find a way to show him they are not to be feared we could maybe make some headway but his anxiety is so high he pretty much just goes into full on flight mode
 
Ben2684 said:
Thanks BW
The issue is when he sees one he almost forgets I am there and I have a huge fear that if he reacted really negatively, and I could come off, causing him to gallop home and cause himself injury. This is why it scares me as I feel I have no control, if I could just find a way to show him they are not to be feared we could maybe make some headway but his anxiety is so high he pretty much just goes into full on flight mode
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^^This is pretty much where I started off with my old lad.

Would it be possible to hack there in a larger group of horses who are not concerned by the donkeys? The others may have a calming effect on your horse, and if you can, try and stay in the vicinity of the donkeys for a little while to start getting him used to them. I used to talk to my horse and reassure him constantly which helped a great deal. This is understandably a big issue for your horse, and it is making you nervous too. Your horse will pick up on your nervousness, which will in turn make him more on edge. If you can hack out with others, this will give you more confidence and peace of mind. Even if you can do this from a long way away to begin with, it is a step in the right direction.

Also, would it be possible for anyone to come with you on foot as another calming influence? This may help too......
 
Baywonder said:
^^This is pretty much where I started off with my old lad.

Would it be possible to hack there in a larger group of horses who are not concerned by the donkeys? The others may have a calming effect on your horse, and if you can, try and stay in the vicinity of the donkeys for a little while to start getting him used to them. I used to talk to my horse and reassure him constantly which helped a great deal. This is understandably a big issue for your horse, and it is making you nervous too. Your horse will pick up on your nervousness, which will in turn make him more on edge. If you can hack out with others, this will give you more confidence and peace of mind. Even if you can do this from a long way away to begin with, it is a step in the right direction.

Also, would it be possible for anyone to come with you on foot as another calming influence? This may help too......
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all really good ideas, this has only become an issue in the last month or two

did you ever lead your out in hand and try and introduce them to the donkeys?
 
Ben2684 said:
all really good ideas, this has only become an issue in the last month or two

did you ever lead your out in hand and try and introduce them to the donkeys?
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I only ever jumped off once, and he got himself into such a tiz I had no choice. I was then able to stop the traffic because the drivers could see my horse was being such a complete loon. After that I always stayed on board, but I did have other riders hack out with me and, in the beginning, I would also be accompanied by someone on foot. Apart from that one incident, I always felt much safer and more in control in the saddle.
 
Baywonder said:
I only ever jumped off once, and he got himself into such a tiz I had no choice. I was then able to stop the traffic because the drivers could see my horse was being such a complete loon. After that I always stayed on board, but I did have other riders hack out with me and, in the beginning, I would also be accompanied by someone on foot. Apart from that one incident, I always felt much safer and more in control in the saddle.
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and this is my issue

with how open the new forest is I am scared my horse will react, I either can’t hold him or I fall off and he gallops home and does himself an injury! It’s that bad. A few people have suggested I lead him out in hand and ‘find’ the donkeys and allow him the time and space to see they are not scary? Will this work?
(I will at this stage try anything!!)
 
Ben2684 said:
and this is my issue

with how open the new forest is I am scared my horse will react, I either can’t hold him or I fall off and he gallops home and does himself an injury! It’s that bad. A few people have suggested I lead him out in hand and ‘find’ the donkeys and allow him the time and space to see they are not scary? Will this work?
(I will at this stage try anything!!)
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I suppose this would all depend on a)how much control you have on the ground, and b) if you are able to hold him steady enough to stop him tanking off.

I would be inclined to do the group hack with someone on foot if at possible.
 
Something else I have just thought about (but not tried personally)…..

Would there be any chance you could borrow something with the smell of donkeys on it - either a brush, rug or headcollar? This may help get your horse used to the smell of them in the 'safety' of his own surroundings.
As I said, I haven't tried it, but it might be worth a shot....
 
@Ben2684 There are some older threads on this forum covering the same subject - it might be worth taking a look at those too. There are others who have had the same issue and overcome it.

As I have said before, I truly do understand how you feel about this. It isn't an "Ooohh look at those nice long eared things - I think I will have a bit of a prance on the spot" - it is more like "Oh hell they are going to eat me alive in two nano seconds so I just need to get out of here RIGHT NOW!!!!!" reaction. Some do go into a blind panic and it can be really, really scary.

Good luck!:)
 
My horse is petrified of donkeys. I only found out when I moved to livery that had 2. Luckily she just tries to get past very quickly, thought she’d get used to it as had to go past their field twice a day to get to her field but she never settled. Schooling her was hard as she wouldn’t go in the bottom of school as nearer the donkeys. I used to hand graze her near them but she wasn’t having any of it. Ended up moving her in the end but then one of the nicest hacks went past the Donkey pub. Yep donkeys in the paddock ?
 
Ah donkeys...my big horse's hacking Achilles heel. I used to keep him on a lane with donkeys in a field a bit further up. He never really got over the ordeal of having to pass them, even though we hacked past their field every.single.day.

He did improve from sideways teleportation to just snorting with suspicious eyes. Mainly from just standing on the verge by their field (it was a byway, but very few cars and all going very slowly), allowing him to watch them and encouraging him to graze. He got to the point of being basically fine as long as one of them didn't pop their head up from behind the lowish hedge as we were passing.

But yeah, you have my sympathies.
 
Frank hates Donkeys,
Frank had to switch places with his donkey loving pal on our new forest holidays. Even the rheas sharing the field with him were better than the donkeys, and he has watched 'The birds' too many times normally.
Frank has a donkey mare living a few hundred yards a way, who gets very excited about seeing him.
Frank still hates donkeys.
13557704_10157253729495438_5304570144195266934_n.jpg

I think they were braying at this point.
 
It's strange they get so bothered by them isn't it. I would have thought that with them being a similar species they'd be ok. In saying that, when one of my geldings came across a shetland out hacking he bolted for home. It just fried his brain.
 
Frank is usually just about coping with his small admirer, then she brays and it all falls apart.
Their field almost backs on to ours (she only has sheep friends hence the excitement!)
 
Okay... well I hold out hope that it can get better

if he sees a donkey (even from a huge distance) his whole world falls apart and everything may be harbouring a donkey. He will then be on edge until we are back within the confines of the yard. The issue is he is then so wired everything is terrifying.. gorse bushes, sticks, logs, shadows... he just becomes ridiculously reactive and I just feel sorry for him really. He has stopped enjoying hacking out which is the saddest thing as his anxiety levels go through the roof. I will accept him not liking them very much at all but his behaviour is bordering on dangerous now so will try some of these suggestions but ultimately, if it doesn’t get any better then I may just have to consider moving :(
 
I haven't had this with donkeys but have had similar with pigs. In that case I took the horse in hand to the furthest point from the pigs where he could still see them and fed him his favourite treats then left without attempting to get any closer. Repeat daily until treats are more interesting that scary pig/donkey. Then go a little closer but stay within the horse's comfort zone and retreat if he gets too stressed. I found the initial stage took forever but he progressed quite quickly after that. Try and avoid all contact with donkeys between sessions (so this may mean not hacking out for a while in your case). It may also be worth chatting with your vet about some mild sedation for the initial sessions to help break the cycle of fear and adrenaline?
 
I acquired a donkey last December and one of my horses is still a little worried by her. He isn't a big fan of any other livestock and reacts to cows, sheep and deer on hacks and at home in the field so I guess a donkey was going to be a challenge for him.

Anyway, I've worked out, I think, why the donkey is so scary, apart from braying (which my horses all got used to very quickly), it's her ears. I reckon that when she pricks her ears it gives the horses an extra alert message because they are so big, so normal pricked ears means wariness, massive pricked ears means RUN!!!

That aside our donkey is a hilarious person who makes me smile every time I see her :)
 
Can you find someone who rides a donkey to ride out with you? I used to ride a lovely big donkey called Jasmine, and a few times was called in to help work with de-sensitising horses. I even took her cubbing once. There was the huntsmen up front and a few horses, then a huge gap with me in the middle on Jasmine, then the remainder of the field at the rear.
 
Yikes I spoke to my yard owner, and two donkeys arrive next weekend!!
Just need to work out the best way for B to become accustomed. They will be a few fields away to start with and I suppose gradually move them closer may be the answer!?
 
My boy is terrified of donkeys, ridiculously so. At my old yard he had one in the next field, it took him about 3 months to accept the donkeys existence while he was turned out or on the yard where he could see him. But if I then took him off our yard and the donkey poked its head through a different part of the fence, or was in a different place to usual... or started messing about while we were in the school... he was still pretty ridiculous.
There was another donkey half way down the drive and I rarely managed to get him past it mounted when we were on our own (though he’d follow me on foot - snorting and wild eyed and a hand taller than usual). We were there 10 months and it didn’t improve consistently.

Guess what I’m saying is good luck ? I hope you fare better than I did!

Mine also hates foals (like totally loses it) and is deeply suspicious of minis too ?
 
Ben2684 said:
Yikes I spoke to my yard owner, and two donkeys arrive next weekend!!
Just need to work out the best way for B to become accustomed. They will be a few fields away to start with and I suppose gradually move them closer may be the answer!?
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That sounds like a good plan! Let us know how you get on! :)
 
mule said:
It's strange they get so bothered by them isn't it. I would have thought that with them being a similar species they'd be ok. In saying that, when one of my geldings came across a shetland out hacking he bolted for home. It just fried his brain.
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Entirely reasonable!
 
Ben2684 said:
Yikes I spoke to my yard owner, and two donkeys arrive next weekend!!
Just need to work out the best way for B to become accustomed. They will be a few fields away to start with and I suppose gradually move them closer may be the answer!?
Click to expand...

My old boy didn’t like the donkeys we pass on one of our rides, it was always a tense few minutes not knowing if my life would end. What cured him totally was one day I stopped to talk to my friend who looks after them and they all came over and once he’d seen them with her he no longer worried.

He likes them so much now that he’ll drag me over to say hello. Last year he went up to sniff one and it started braying very loudly in his face and he didn’t flinch.
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My other newer horse isn’t so keen though. We rode rather tensely past yesterday with old boy leading and then he freaked at a mini pony looking through the fence a bit further on. I need to arrange a friendly encounter.
 
So. Quick update!
B got kicked in the field and is currently unable to be ridden (staples and Swelling!!) but vet said walking is fine so we have been walking out in hand daily. TREATS seem to be the answer. Twice we have met donkeys and cue the snorting, prancing, stressy and reactive ponio. Stick a treat under his nose and though still prancing around focuses him back on me. Question-how to capitalise on this? I’m walking him out for the next week or so I reckon I can do some in hand work to help with the issue, as he is so food orientated

would clicker training help? I’ve been looking at bits online about it but have to admit I’m not 100% sure of the concept

donkeys arrive on yard this Saturday (delayed by a week) how would anyone suggest I positively look at how to get him used to them?

thanks for all the responses-they are keeping the hope alive we can overcome this and enjoy hacking again :)
 
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