Horse and traffic phobia

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ponymadclo

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My 6 year old pony is brilliant in every way apart from his little traffic phobia. I don't know if something scared him as a baby or what but i've been trying for 8 months now and he's still scared of them. It's not him being silly he's just generally scared *****less of them! Cars he's not too bad with it's just anything bigger than a van! Has anyone got any tips that I can try and solve this problem with? Thanks!
 
My 6yo mare is a nightmare with traffic, same as you anything ****** than a van, if they are coming towards us, she rears up and tries to run backwards, if they come from behind she just starts jogging on the spot, its quite scary. I try to go out with another horse who is 100% safe in traffic, each time something comes past I talk to her, pat her. I try to get her out as much as I can, she seems to be getting better. now tractors - well thats a different kettle of fish...No hope!!
 
Any chance you could turn him out in a field next to a road? Few weeks/months of that should do the trick.

Mine literally used to poo himself at the sight of traffic.....bambi-legs, the lot.

I used to pop a bridle on him and stand at my yard entrance...not on the road, and let him watch the traffic come past. For hours:rolleyes:

He doesn't bat an eyelid now...
 
He's already in a field next to a road but not that busy, it's mainly just tractors and trailers that he's bad with however talking to him does help. Thanks
 
Best way I've found is to rent grazing beside a busy road if you can, I'm lucky (or not!) enough to be beside a motorway and have never had any issues with traffic.

I'd also try if i's possible taking him beside a vehicle in a safe area, doing nice things such as feeding and grooming beside it. When he is used to being around them then start the engine and build up to driving past him and using bigger vehicles if possible. Having a brave horse that won't get upset with him can be a huge help too.

If you manage to get him comfortable with that then begin hacking on quiet roads, being careful not to overface him.

Sometimes though I think you've just got to accept that they will never be totally safe in traffic and avoid busy roads.
 
I used to send all my babies to be ridden away at a farm where they also ran a contracting buisness it was fab huge things back and forwards all day, could you find somewhere similar .
 
maybe trying:
put your car in feild/yard, big bag of carrots on a free day and put carrots on/in the car. i know someone would did this and it worked for them.

Good luck with what ever idea you try!
 
My 5 year old was introduced with another 100% in traffic horse, learnt that nothing was scary and is fine with everything, did this as a 3 year old! My now 27 year old mare is terrible with buses, trailers, caravans, tractors etc but I find shes ok in company if I hide her head behind the other horses bum? How is he in company?
 
Feld next to a main road is a massive help we are lucky to have one (plus other horsey firends that aren't scared to help them realise its not so scarry after all) and also there is a large grass area at the end of our private lane before you go onto this main road and i use to take my filly on to the grass in her pareli halter with 12ft line and just stand there with her watching the traffic and let her freak out and run round till she eventually realsied she was being an unesacery wuss and got to munching the grass no matter what came bombing by. This horse was terrified of everything a year later we rode past a combined harvester the otherside of a hedge in full action and she didnt even batt an eyelid.
New lad pretty solid not scared of any traffic but those iron drainage grate monsters are terrifying! silly the things they take a dislike to so i have been placing carrots on these scarry drain covers and taking him for a walk up the lane hes now quite happy to eat a carrot of the top of the iron monster
 
My section a foal was pretty much bombproof by 10 months, as I took him all over while he was tiny. I agree that just getting them used to it in a safe situation usually works - BUT...........
The pony I ride now though lives on a farm, with tractors etc going round all day, but is still bad with traffic. I won't take him out without company, and he has had me off more than once on the road, taking off if a van goes by. Some days he sidesteps even if a car comes towards us. To be honest he seems to have some mental issues that we just can't seem to resolve. I wish I knew what was going on in his head!
I hope you get it sorted. It's no fun riding out otherwise. x
 
The Old Appy never did come right in traffic, she was fine with cars and vans, but anything bigger, particularly on narrow roads and she would spin and sugar off away from them :( She was ok if she was with the big Clydie mare who was bomb proof, we would pin her in to the side and the big mare would ignore the traffic. She was still the same at 30 when she retired.
Fortunately the Current Appy does not care about traffic at all, snow drops are another matter :D
 
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