Getting worse in traffic

[SEL]

My youngster isn't a fan of those weekend cyclists who gang up and hammer past faster than the cars. We've spent a few Sunday mornings in a gateway with him being told he's amazing every time some came past and he stood still. Also treats (he is a cob!)

Annoyingly they'd all slow down for the training session which they never flipping do when I'm riding. We met 6 while I was on board yesterday and we stopped to watch and he was fine. Despite me asking them to slow down they made no effort. I think if you can get them out in hand it gives them time to process but once you're back on board then just keep thinking forward, forward, forward. Talk garbage to your horse if necessary - I tell him out loud that certain drivers are W****** - and I think that's as much for me as it is for him!!

 

[vhf]

I want a camera but so far haven’t gotten one. Horses… always something they need ? but it’s on the shopping list.

I have a bulky headtorch (front and rear light) and I swear people slow down when I wear it even switched off so I wonder whether they think it's a camera! They also nearly always slow down when I'm in my hi viz fly rug, I think that much hi viz in one eye-full jolts them out of autopilot.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

You aren't going to stop the traffic being idiots. Unfortunately. You can change you and your horse's reaction to it.

Feed her a treat every time a car passes. If it is something bigger or a trailer, stop and give her a few treats in a row. Start on quieter roads. Then with you on the ground on the busier road if you feel safe doing that. Or with other horses.

Having to go through the action of feeding the treat gives you something to do other then tense up. Breathe. I used to joke that The Beast was getting a treat and I needed a swig of gin, enough of a little mental joke to give me a smile or a giggle which changed my emotional reaction too. She used to be upset by lorries and tractors but by doing this she's very solid now. Extremely food-orientated horse though!

Exactly this saved me and my horse!! I had an idiot wheel spin in freshl6laid chippings right next to my horse, who up to that point was fine in traffic. After that everytime we heard an engine, the car didn't even need to be visible, I could feel him tense which made me tense. So to start with everytime I heard an engine and he tensed I stopped and gave him a treat. Everytime we saw a car I stopped and gave him a treat. It worked so well that everytime he heard an engine or saw a car he stopped himself and as for a treat!! It only took about 2 weeks daily of doing this and fortunately he was back to normal.

 

[rabatsa]

I used to have a rock steady neddy who became traffic shy.

Turns out it was the hard feed that I was giving him. Four days after stopping all hard feed he was back to being his usual bomb proof self.

There were some right hairy moments until that discovery and I was in two minds about riding him at all at one point.

 

[Smogul]

Another trick to gain confidence was given to me by my instructor: as soon as the vehicle has passed, put horse into trot. He said it would make my pony think that she was chasing the vehicle and it was running away from her. OK, she was a Shetland but I have used it with other horses and it does seem to increase their confidence.

 

[Pippity]

Blue has taken to having a little jump and trot when some bad traffic goes past us. Reading this thread made me realise that it's pretty much entirely because I automatically tighten my reins and tense up. Last night, I very consciously stayed relaxed. End result: Taxi whizzed past close enough to hit my crop and she didn't react. Trailer full of pigs rattled past (very slowly and carefully, and with the driver warning us there were pigs - full credit to him!) and she didn't react. Flock of cyclists whizzed past and she practically yawned.

 

[Onlywayisup]

So Tali is the least confident horse I’ve had with traffic but never bad. Last year I could get her past a running but stopped tractor with just a bit of quick feet but quickly settled after. But we were usually with our field companion who never looked at traffic.
my cousin who rides Tali’s field companion hasn’t done much riding this year but we have been meeting up with friends but we have had to a hack along the main road solo to meet them.

Its not a silly busy road but every time we have ridden along it something has happened. A pickup has gone past us a few times at an alright speed but then realise it’s towing a boat and she gets a fright. 3-4 big camper vans have gone past us without slowing down at all (on different days) and she’s gotten upset. And then little things like a van going by a bit too fast and she has a look but is fine but it’s followed by another car that’s going the same speed and that upsets her.

her confidence is getting worse and worse with traffic now and so my plan is to just walk her in hand along that road for a while and hope we can have at least a few non eventful hacks. I’ve also ordered a hi-vis with ‘please pass slow and wide’ and plan to get ‘nervous horse’ put on it too in the hope people might slow down. Is there anything else I can do?

she has gotten a bit more spooky as she’s gotten fitter (she wasn’t as fit last year) but the traffic does seem awful this year. (Although there’s many thoughtful considerate drivers but it just takes one dodgy vehicle to panic her


if I can get off the road she is totally fine. A bus and tractor passed us when we were in a lay-by and she just tried to eat grass but obviously a lot of people won’t wait until I get off the road to pass us. Last time I walked her along that road the bus overtook us and she was ok with me on the floor with her. (And the bus driver was very nice and went by slowly)

sorry long post but any advice appreciated.

 

[JumpTheMoon1]

Forget the Nervous Horse signs etc as most road uses now are ignorant pigs and will speed up on purpose.
Back to basics and further training at home - all the noisiest things you can think of and plastic sheets and flags etc rattly things - get the horse de sensitized and also boost your confidence.Reward the horse a lot and praise.

 

[anguscat]

I had HighViz tabards made with a big red L on them. No words to interpret and immediately understood by all road users. I think they are pretty effective at suggesting to other road users passing us that it might be best if they slow down and give us wide berth. Doubtless they might also be concerned about themselves if they suspect my horse might be unpredictable.
We’re not learners though…horse is in mid-teens and pretty good on the roads and I’m in 60s been riding since teens. But I’m happy for anyone to regard me as a learner if it makes them back off.

 

[maya2008]

Calming yourself will make an enormous difference. Our old NF pony was horrendously traffic shy when I got her (would run away flat out if approached by a vehicle and refuse point blank to go past a stationary one). She never quite got over it, despite hacking miles on roads with me, then others as she matured and became calmer. Took her out once with teenage sharer (who usually managed her fine). We met one motorbike, then another, then another. Gradually the reaction got bigger until she reared at the last one and got herself in a right state. Couldn’t even cope with a car at that point, So off sharer got and we swapped ponies. As soon as I got on, I could feel her relax. No issues all the way home. Yes the bikes were scary, but she needed her rider to be calm and reassuring, not to panic with her!

 

[J&S]

I am going to make a suggestion that may not be possible for you., can you ride another horse down the same road, a horse that you know is not in the least bit traffic shy.? The point being to restore your own confidence. I have had a really traffic shy horse in the past and am very aware of the build up in tension it can cause. When I broke in the next horse I lead her for miles on the road from a one hundred percent safe horse and so we both got confident together. It is a very difficult situation when you have a frightened horse and worried rider. You need to break the cycle. I do realise that is easier said than done.

 

[Peglo]

I am going to make a suggestion that may not be possible for you., can you ride another horse down the same road, a horse that you know is not in the least bit traffic shy.? The point being to restore your own confidence. I have had a really traffic shy horse in the past and am very aware of the build up in tension it can cause. When I broke in the next horse I lead her for miles on the road from a one hundred percent safe horse and so we both got confident together. It is a very difficult situation when you have a frightened horse and worried rider. You need to break the cycle. I do realise that is easier said than done.

actually yeah my cousins pony is sitting in the field doing very little and is a super hack so I’m sure she wouldn’t mind me taking her out. That’s a very good idea. Thank you.
when we went out hacking with my cousin and her pony last summer we never really looked at traffic so it’s a shame we haven’t gotten out more with them. Will see if I can’t persuade my cousin to come out with us a few times too.

 

[J&S]

That would be a good idea Peglo. A confident companion is worth their weight in gold. Best thing is to chat away, either to horse or friend/cousin!! Also, two horses take up more room on the road and make a bigger mass for passing traffic to take notice of. Lots of waving from you both and "thank you's", less of the teeth gritting!.

 

[Birker2020]

This is the exercise sheet I bought from Your Horse Live

 

[Birker2020]

I bought two cycle lights (the silicone ones from Poundland) and attached them to the back of the exercise sheet. They were great for when conditions were very dark/rainy/bright sunshine as they really lit up, liveries on the yard said they could spot me 1/4 mile away on a straight road which isn't bad! They are for sale on ebay too (see link)
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/333609616780?hash=item4dacaec58c:g:uRwAAOSwuh1ezqQf&amdata=enc:AQAHAAAAoIDC7LLzcsJ1g4GuYefHaRB1RswFbuxGpzdSECiEvHM+brqIdfWtHxHj+nAqDtxiaPIocgUxyO9cYlGjQcR38TAjTDg6DYZJVwxqkz4If6K9WIO+8uHaWqiZmzkX90dNS553l0LjYpsOuXqppqq/xjcvIMpeegC7kXtaEPEjLk/ZGQOjCjSlKhN0Y0xN+Lz3ptp0KVsUO150kFZHC6l073M=|tkp:Bk9SR_TAmrOGYQ