Horse stressed by robotic lawnmower

[phizz4]

The neighbouring property to the yard where we keep our horses has started using a robotic lawnmower. My mare is seriously stressed by it. not just when it is moving in her vision but also when it is out of sight. Research suggests that these machines emit high frequency sounds as part of their tracking system so they don't pass certain points. Has anyone come across this before? The other horses in the neighbouring paddock also seem to be reacting, staying as far away from the machine as possible but don't appear to be getting very stressed. I know horses can detect higher frequency sounds than humans and my mare certainly has very acute hearing. Any observations please?

 

[Cocorules]

Not come across this, but aware they are meant to be bad for hedgehogs who have been hurt by them.

 

[nutjob]

I have relatives who have one, it works by gps. I don't think it emits a high frequency but it roams around constantly all day every day in the growing season and does make a noise. They cut about 5 acres not a small lawn. I think my horse would be afraid of it to start with high frequency or not, this one moves randomly not in a defined pattern. it looks strange and its just not something they are used to. Can you find out what model it is and contact the manufacturer to see how it operates?

 

[AdorableAlice]

Our neighbours have one and it does upset my horses, especially Ted who is a high alert on edge type.

 

[Catbird]

A neighbour has one and our horses got used to it after a while. They'd usually spot it as we were leading over a narrow wooden bridge which was fun, but after a while they learned that it wasn't going to leap over the fence and eat them, and they now ignore it.
How long have they had it for and is she getting worse? The mowers usually run most of the day, so she might just get used to it?

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Ours is works by sensing a line that is buried just beneath the surface.

Mimosa dragon snorted it down and then decided it was safe. The others didn’t seem interested.

 

[eggs]

My very sensible, non-spooky mare completely lost the plot when we came across one out hacking some years ago. We were on a one-way street and the only way I could get home was to turn back and go the wrong way back up the street and even then she was exceptionally edgy.

Another of my horses was not bothered by it.

 

[Ceriann]

Mine found one we rode past v exciting - she’s safe past motorbikes, lorries, large farm machinery etc so not normally reactive. Is it the constancy of the noise maybe?

 

[Mrs C]

There's one in the garden next ti mine. She freaked out for a while but is used to it now x

 

[Sossigpoker]

My old yard which we just left has one next door that we had to ride past to hack out. Mine was suspicious at first but soon accepted my reassurance that it's OK. He didn't worry about it after.
I think the issue is that it doesn't smell like an animal but neither does it have an engine noise that most horses recognise and are used to.

Would the neighbour be up for facilitating some desensitisation sessions?

 

[Spottyappy]

My very sensible, non-spooky mare completely lost the plot when we came across one out hacking some years ago. We were on a one-way street and the only way I could get home was to turn back and go the wrong way back up the street and even then she was exceptionally edgy.

Another of my horses was not bothered by it.

If anyone has ridden round Milton Keynes, they may have encountered the autonomous delivery robots….
They are rather interesting, to say the least!

 

[Ownedby4horses]

Most properties over here have the robot lawn mowers and horses do get used to them.

 

[Ownedby4horses]

If anyone has ridden round Milton Keynes, they may have encountered the autonomous delivery robots….
They are rather interesting, to say the least!

They sound quite scary!

 

[Spottyappy]

They sound quite scary!

Yes! We haven’t encountered them at too close quarters, but horses like watching them at a distance. I would think if they were too close, and we couldn’t move away, the results maybe interesting!

 

[southerncomfort]

If anyone has ridden round Milton Keynes, they may have encountered the autonomous delivery robots….
They are rather interesting, to say the least!

I was just going to mention the MK delivery robots! ? Thankfully they were introduced after we'd moved away!!

 

[MagicMelon]

We have a robotic one, it runs right in our back garden which shares a diving fence with the horses field. The horses were a bit confused as to what this thing was moving about to begin with but now they couldnt care less. They'll eat their hay right near it no problem so I dont think it makes any weird sound... As its yours neighbours, not much you can do about it? Id perhaps ask them if you could bring your horse over to beside their garden to watch it daily (eat grass in the verges maybe so they realise its not scary)?

 

[dogatemysalad]

We have several horses passing our garden everyday. So far they prefer the silent robot over me with the manual lawnmower. Ours is kept on the lawn by the perimeter wire.

 

[Peglo]

We have one in a garden on our hacking route. It can go one of 2 ways.
We’re nearly home and already have dancing feet so must make a deal of it
Or more usually
That hill has tired me out today so will have a look at it and when your not expecting get a mouthful of grass

 

[Red-1]

I heard a good quote last weekend, about a different hazard with someone's horse, but it is applicable...

"He isn't scared of the ******, he just doesn't know what it is yet."

I think this is true.

Could you work him in-hand near the area, starting at a tolerable distance and maybe using treat-reward whenever he does a good response to it (as in ignoring it, relaxing, listening to you as you make a request)?

 

[Nudibranch]

There are no "high frequency sounds". Our neighbour at the old house had one. Mine looked at it a few times and then carried on. They navigate either by random (or learning via random like a robot vacuum) within an area defined by a line, or occasionally gps.

Much like anything, the more they are exposed, the more they grow accustomed to it. I generally welcome stuff like this as it's good for bombproofing in the long term.

 

[phizz4]

Thank you for all of the advice. As a temporary measure she has been moved to a more isolated field and I am in the process of getting her more exposed to the machine as and when we get the chance. My research has found that some mowers do emit high frequency sound waves from their ultrasonic sensors, which are part of their system of detecting obstacles and avoiding them. Husqvana have two models in their range which have ultrasonic technology to detect objects in their path. These high frequency sounds are above the level of normal human hearing but can be heard by animals such as dogs and horses. Some models of robotic lawnmower cannot detect hedgehogs, so if you are planning on buying one look for that ability, especially as many people leave their mowers running 24/7, through the night.