Horse a bit unpredictable in traffic, help needed!

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coffee1

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My horse has always been a bit spooky in traffic, though now lots of tractors/lorries are appearing everywhere! He tries to spin and run home but as I block that he jumps onto grass verges etc and tries again! He will then walk past eventually if they turn their engine off but I really want any tips to help him get over his fear of large vehicles. He is also spooky in traffic if no one is walking next to him, but that is coming along OK (I think!) :)
 
Another thing- he is only bothered by traffic if it is coming towards or behind him. He is fine at junctions with them passing or them passing when he is in the field. Just dont know what to do!
 
Farmers are harvesting at the moment so they will be everywhere.

Do you know any farmer bods who wouldnt mind having you ride around a cut field whilst they drive closer and closer?
 
Have you got a local friendly farmer that would let you take him along to their farm to do some training under controlled conditions? Even a stationary tractor would be a start.
 
Sorry to hear your having traffic trouble!! Our area is full of large vehicles at the mo due to harvest. Whilst my boy is ok with these vehicles I hack out first thing in the morn (5am) to avoid it all as hacking for me is supposed to be relaxing!! I know this is avoiding traffic but it keeps us out of harms way.
 
Send him here:)
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Echo all the above suggestions really.

Mine don't give a hoot about vehicles, yet my mare will have a hissy fit at a puff of dirt on the road or a woodchuck 20' away in a field - stooopid horse.:o
 
My trainer says that the best way to get a horse used to traffic is to "chase" the traffic away, i.e. if something passes you then urge the horse on and "chase it away". This is what horses will do in the wild/herd situation if an intruder threatens the herd: years ago I witnessed a very staid old horse and fieldmate, chasing a deer out of the field! So yes, they do it in the wild.

She swears by this method.

If you could find a field close to a busy road that might help? Also it might be a case of doing some groundwork and making the horse focus on YOU while a friend or someone drives their car/vehicle/bike etc around the yard so the horse gradually gets de-sensitised.

Mine was a real fruit-loop with traffic when I had him coz he'd been in a trekking centre in the middle of nowhere and hadn't seen much. It really is a confidence issue; when your horse is confident in YOU as herd leader, he'll go past anything.

The other night my boy had a horrid scarey noisy tractor & trailer come up behind us; when I had him he would have turned tail and hiked for home, but we just pulled into someone's drive and he was fine. This was a horse which I was gonna sell because I have to ride in traffic and didn't see any alternative. So it can be done!!

You also might need some professional help; money well spent IME. I did it with mine and having someone else come alongside to offer practical suggestions really did help such a lot.
 
I do ride out with other horses when I can, but most of the time there isn't the option. :( He reacts just the same anyway, even when the other horse is shielding him. We always have someone walking though which helps a lot!
 
PiebaldPeril said:
My trainer says that the best way to get a horse used to traffic is to "chase" the traffic away, i.e. if something passes you then urge the horse on and "chase it away". This is what horses will do in the wild/herd situation if an intruder threatens the herd: years ago I witnessed a very staid old horse and fieldmate, chasing a deer out of the field! So yes, they do it in the wild.

She swears by this method.

If you could find a field close to a busy road that might help? Also it might be a case of doing some groundwork and making the horse focus on YOU while a friend or someone drives their car/vehicle/bike etc around the yard so the horse gradually gets de-sensitised.

Mine was a real fruit-loop with traffic when I had him coz he'd been in a trekking centre in the middle of nowhere and hadn't seen much. It really is a confidence issue; when your horse is confident in YOU as herd leader, he'll go past anything.

The other night my boy had a horrid scarey noisy tractor & trailer come up behind us; when I had him he would have turned tail and hiked for home, but we just pulled into someone's drive and he was fine. This was a horse which I was gonna sell because I have to ride in traffic and didn't see any alternative. So it can be done!!

You also might need some professional help; money well spent IME. I did it with mine and having someone else come alongside to offer practical suggestions really did help such a lot.
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I will try this tomorrow! Thanks. :) So even if it comes towards you, do I turn him and trot after it? And he isn't bothered by them in the field just in front or behind him!
 
PiebaldPeril said:
My trainer says that the best way to get a horse used to traffic is to "chase" the traffic away, i.e. if something passes you then urge the horse on and "chase it away". This is what horses will do in the wild/herd situation if an intruder threatens the herd: years ago I witnessed a very staid old horse and fieldmate, chasing a deer out of the field! So yes, they do it in the wild.

She swears by this method.
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Only if the horse is dominant within the herd. If the horse is submissive or scared then it wouldnt chase anything away- it would run!
 
PiebaldPeril said:
No, you wouldn't "chase" it if it comes towards you, only chase it if its going away from you. That way, the horse gets the idea that you as herd leader are saying that its OK to "chase" the "intruder". It basically takes the fear thing away and harnesses the horse's herd instinct.

Good luck!
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OK thanks, will give it a try tomorrow :)
 
hmm, i am not convinced by the chasing away idea to be honest. i have had my pony 17 years and he has always been and still is not good with tractors or large vehicles> he is a bit neurotic anyway but he sees a lot of tractors around and even in his field and is ok with that but on the roads he panics. He is normally ok if it comes from behind and just goes past without slowing down too much (he doesn't then have time to think). However, if it comes towards him it's a different story and he will go into reverse (at speed) or spin round.

i actually realised his main issue is not the vehicles itself but actually more the space he feels there is for him to get past - ie not enough! i think he is a little claustrophobic. i do not have porblems on large, main roads with a tractor, bus or anything comeing towards him but on a smaller b road it's an issue!

The only way i can actuaully get him past (and it's more something we've devised between us! lol) is to make him spin/let him spin and then reverse him past it. For some reason he can do this and does it calmly (although I have to be ready for a quick spin back round once we're past!). 'Chasing' something away would not work with him, he needs something his brain can cope with. Oh, he is the herd leader as well and a very dominant one at that!!

i think the trick is to not make an issue out of it but try an find out what the problem is. is it the vehicel itself or more of a space issue. if the latter then just try and find a wider part of the road or a gateway to stand in and let the vehicle past. Do not make a fuss, just stand, wait and then walk on. the more we make of it the more the horse will feel it's an issue.
 
Having thought about it a bit more. When does the herd leader ever take another horse with it to chase away an intruder? It doesnt! Quite the opposite actually because it wouldnt let the other herd members near a potential threat. The herd leader will even chase other herd members away from a threat and then go back to the threat to tell it to get lost.
 
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I've tried varying methods with my boy who is fine with most traffic (now inc small trailers on the backs of vans etc) but is genuinely scared of dumper trucks/artic lorries, of which we get a lot. I've tried ignoring them, walking him in hand (on a lose rein because I know what he will do and can control it), praising him lots etc but I've found recently the best thing is for me to give him a nudge and say "Oi, stop being so blinkin stupid!" It seems to make him realise that if I'm not scared then why should he be? Other than that, all I can say is get him on the road EVERY day, whether in hand or ridden, for 5 minutes to cool off or for a hack, in company and on your own.

I feel your pain! For years I never hacked my boy except on sundays because the heavy stuff wasn't around but we've got to get on with it at some point :)
 
We had an Appaloosa who hated to feel trapped by big vehicles - she wasn't great but much better on wider roads. When we first got her she didn't like travelling in a trailer or stabling in a barn.
We had a Clydex who was the dominant horse in the herd and a very calming influence - she once took Appy and 2 strangers past a bus on a very narrow road - although Appy trusted her and would allow her to shield her from any traffic (oh and donkeys, lol) she didn't really get any more confident herself.
 
I definitley agree with the chasing away method! He needs to feel like he is chasing the scary tractors away and not like they are chasing him. My horse was terrified of tractors and would spin and bolt in the opposite direction. I took him to a local farm first, with the farmers permission of course, and let him sniff round stationary tractors at his own lesuire. Then whenever I saw a tractor near the stables I would take my horse and out and let him 'chase' the tractor away down the road (even just in-hand with me walking). If you pass a tractor whilst out hacking let him 'chase' it away if you can, even if this means altering your route or changing direction. It will just help give him the confidence that he is in control of the tractors movements and not the other way round. Thus helping over come his fear! Good luck!!
 
PeterNatt said:
Having got a number of horses used to London traffic I believe that it is down to the horses temprament. They either have the temprement to cope with traffic or don't. If you want a traffic proof horse then buy one that is traffic proof.
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I know, but I would like to try at least. He has got a lot better with cars so I think it can be done, plus he is only young!
 
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