Horse petrified of cows someone help me who's been in my shoes!?

That's my aim for this week I think! Thankyou :) surely things can only get better.
Little update: in outdoor arena he is still very much aware of the cows in the field next door. However, were starting to just have minimal "moments" and after 2/3 circuits in walk we can have a fairly nice walk around without any incidents. Thanks everyone for your input I think we're finally getting somewhere. Still need to hack him past any yet but I'd rather have company when this happens. Hopefully this week! Thanks everyone you've been so helpful 😘
 
I have the same problem with my horse and sympathise. He is 19 going on four and is scared to death of the sheep that shelter under the trees that run down the side of the ménage. I can't ride, jump or lunge if they are there and there are many times he's nearly had me on the floor because they have suddenly moved as we have gone near.

I would like some lessons but whats the point if I can't even ride around the edge of the school!
 
It will just take time of keeping him going past them and not making a big deal about it. "Just boring cows, don't be a plonker, they don't eat horses, just walk past." kind of attitude!

Shame you aren't near me. My cob loves cows and his favourite thing is rounding them up and herding them away from scared horses. He has helped loads of horses overcome their fear as they just watch him happily surrounded by curious steers and shoving them back from gates.

You will get there with him. Don't let it be a big deal for yourself and gradually it will be less of a drama for him.
 
I am late to this thread but have had similar experiences. We breed Cleveland Bays and Shagya Arabs and sell them broken. Hacking out with a bomb proof friend is one solution but they can still panic. I watched a film of Police training, the instructor said if the horse is frightened by a balloon or plastic we LET them back off. We don't push them to accept what frightens them it makes things worse.

We do a lot of ride and lead and we have lots of cows. When we encounter cows we let them stop and look and go home. Next day we walk a bit further etc etc. It is slow but worthwhile in the long run.

Having said all that I still haven't managed to pass a flock of 1,000 free range guinea fowl who think they are Indian Runner Ducks.
 
Rollin said:
I am late to this thread but have had similar experiences. We breed Cleveland Bays and Shagya Arabs and sell them broken. Hacking out with a bomb proof friend is one solution but they can still panic. I watched a film of Police training, the instructor said if the horse is frightened by a balloon or plastic we LET them back off. We don't push them to accept what frightens them it makes things worse.

Interesting that you have said this because my horse can be scared of cars coming towards him on narrow roads and going past him faster than he would like. If I ask him to continue walking as the car is going past, he gets worried and feels like he wants to spin round. If I let him stand still as they go past, he stands there quietly. So basically if I don't force him to keep walking as the scary car goes past, he doesn't worry. I think we sometimes forget that we wouldn't want to be forced to go past something we were scared of.
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