Getting a young horse used to roads

[Walrus]

I'm moving my pony to a new yard soon. Currently we have off road hacking or, very occasionally, roads so quiet that a single car is deemed a traffic jam! Pony was broken last year and has only ever hacked out in this location.

Hacking at new yard involves riding through a busy village (bus route) and over a motorway bridge. Pony has never even seen road markings! He's a bit of a country bumpkin.

Aside from covering us both in high-vis and hopefully recruiting some new friends with quiet horses to hack with when I get there has anyone got any tips? How did you introduce your young horses to traffic?

Poor boy is going to get a shock - he's pig proof and currently hacks through fields of pigs but the thought of a zebra crossing and a bus is terrifying me!!

Thank you

 

[Paddydou]

The easiest and least stressful way is to find a nice paddock next to a busy road with a couple of companions who are nice and reassuring. All of mine are bomb proof and I have stood in central reservations with lorrys etc going past and not worried about it. When I got A he was Ok in traffic but ended up being bomb proof after only a couple of months. If you can get it near a regular walk so they get used to screaming kids, barking dogs etc as well all the better.

One thing I would say is relax about it. He may be a country bumpkin but if you are nervous he will pick it up and think that he needs to be as well. Relax take deep breaths and calm your own nerves so you can support your man through the transition to lad about town! If you are not worried and take the attitude of "whats your problem get on with it you gert numpty" your horse will soon wander what all the fuss is about! That on top of what you are doing, hat, gloves and a body protector just in case and you should be tackling speeding artics in no time! Mine are that immune that I jump at the sound of a bird scarer going off beside us and they do not bother at all. One of them will even graze with his head next to it and carry on as though nothing has happened when it goes off. Combines can also squeeze past with inches to spare - but I do have to make sure they don't stick their noses out to see who is in there and if a titbit is coming their way.

My big old boy is not at all pig proof though - he will hide behind the shetties if he smells them going by on their way to market and nearly died when some were rescued from an accident and housed in his barn... he shook all over for days. If your boy can tackle pigs a white line will be a walk in the park.

 

[SpottyTB]

When i bought my youngster at 3 years and 4 months old, the woman claimed she was bombprof, i was a bit apprehensive because of her age and how long she'd actually been ridden for.

Turns out she is completely bombprof!!! Before she broke Gem in she lead her down to the main road on a bridle and stood her there for an hour a day, she was in a safe position and had a good hold on her and she just let her take it all in and learn!

Now i can quite happily say she is the safest horse of her age i have EVER seen in traffic, she's fine with tractors, double decker buses, riding up the side of the dual carriage way (Unfortunetly we have no choice but to do this on that particular ride), cars, motorbikes, horse lorries, oil transporters, big farm machinery, road repair machinery, you name it!

It really works and she said it only took her a week, every day for one hour standing at the side of the road and taking it all in, and obviously the walk down in hand going over all the road markings was beneficial!

I hope this might help!

 

[PC Steele]

Firstly it is paramount that you have a bombproof escort and a switched on rider. Then you need to plan your routes to make sure you don't accidently end up somewhere that is going to frighten or overface him!! Most villages have nice quiet side roads off their main street so I would just weave down the side roads then maybe cross over the buisier bit then perhaps walk along the busier bit for one junction and turn off into quiet. Also identify places suitable to just let your horse stand and take in the hustle and bustle (somewhere close enough to the traffic but you can take him away if it gets too much!!!) The main thing is to do it slowly also be mindful of the days you take him on the busier road bus routes tend to be less frantic on a Sunday early morning so perhaps chose a Sunday as his first time out. I am a mounted police officer and the above are the things we do to train our horses. Good luck

 

[Cadfael&Coffee]

^^ very good advice!!!

I'd also add though, that when you do hack go in company for a little while- preferably a nice steady horse to act as a baby sitter.

Ideally you want to take yours behind at first, and then if anything horrific turns up he can hide in the other horse's bum.

Zebra crossings etc just go calm and steady and after a while he won't notice them

It's not worth frightening him and just zooming out alone, confidence lost takes forever to get back bless them!!

 

[Walrus]

Thanks guys. Yes, I am going to try and commendear a bombproof escort. I do know the yard and area a little and have hacked another horse round there before. I've also already briefed my mum that she will be expected to accompany me on foot at 7am on a sunday morning for his first solo hack!

Good idea about the standing somwhere to watch. Where we are at the moment there really is nowhere as we are in a very quiet location (although we do see the odd tractor). I think there might be a side gateway we can stand at at the new yard to watch the cars from a distance maybe.

Think I am going to have to get dosed up on rescue remedy / valium / gin and put on my best "pull yourself together" attitude and do it!