Horse worried in traffic - any solutions?

[Doormouse]

My 6 year old ISH is not good in traffic. He is fine with a nanny and slow moving traffic but not fine at all if he is on his own or if the traffic is a bit faster moving.

We live on very small lanes where traffic has to virtually stop for us to pass and so he is fine and in the places where cars can keep moving steadily he is covered by his nanny and is quite happy. However, on his own I have to make the cars stop completely for me to pass and if they move off whilst I am alongside he scoots off in a hurry and a panic. Again when I'm on my own, if he sees a car come round a corner suddenly he will whip round and try and make a break for home but he will turn round and pass it ok. He has never refused to pass anything but he does also whip round at bicycles!

If I take anywhere with friends to hack I have to make sure he is very well covered by a nanny if the road is wide enough for cars to keep moving at about 15mph and above or he will whip round when they are coming towards him or canter alongside them if they come from behind. Vans are worse than cars.

He has got better since last year but I do think much of that is because he his rarely asked to hack alone now as I don't much enjoy it with his traffic issues. I do feel when I ride him solo that although he is slightly better than last year on his own he would soon revert to awful if I did it a lot.

He has been turned out by a busy road and was fine, he watched the silage trailers in his next door field this summer and coming up and down the road and he was right next to the hedge, not bothered at all. He is fine in traffic when I lead him off another horse.

I'm a bit at a loss, just wondered if anyone had any brilliant solutions please?

 

[Doormouse]

Anyone?!

 

[SusieT]

Have you tried getting friends to drive cars near him?

 

[Merlod]

I spent the summer riding a huge cob (farrier thinks part shire) who was frightened of anything bigger than a small van. Pulled a muscle in my arm when he took off with me from a bus!

I find the easiest way was to reward the good behaviour. Instead of having him move with the traffic or the traffic stop for you I found it best to halt for the traffic and let it pass you and let the horse look, once it has passed then pat and treat, tell him how good he is an walk on. They soon get into the routine of stopping and waiting, and it keeps them calm. Once he is happy you can introduce the concept of walking past!

I would try an phase out the nanny a bit, as he's most likely going to be looking to the nanny horse for reasurance instead of you. I know it won't be fun taking him out alone but if you want him to progress he needs to look to you for confidence, even if you only take him out in hand and do the above.

 

[Merlod]

double post

 

[madlady]

Do you have anyone who can go with you on foot?

For me that would be the next step - currently the nanny horse is his security blanket - a foot soldier would be my next step - they can walk in front/at the side and then gradually drop back (or even out of sight) as he gets more confident.

Also get him out in traffic as often as you can while he is still in this learning phase - once he is more confident and relaxed you can then take away the foot soldier and start taking him on his own.

 

[AengusOg]

He has been turned out by a busy road and was fine, he watched the silage trailers in his next door field this summer and coming up and down the road and he was right next to the hedge, not bothered at all. He is fine in traffic when I lead him off another horse.

I'm a bit at a loss, just wondered if anyone had any brilliant solutions please?

It's maybe you on his back, doing something which is worrying him, then?

 

[flirtygerty]

good advice, especially from Merlod, my young cob lacks confidence when going solo, since he has a tendancy to rear and try to take off when nervous, I long rein or walk him in hand, while he is confident, I ask for a stand, give a treat, be it a piece of carrot, mint, scratch or a lively "what a star", treats are easily reduced, in your scenario, I would walk in hand along a road at his head, giving a treat while a vehicle passes, as he relaxes, move back to his shoulder, use your voice to keep him going, again treat when you hear a vehicle coming, I find if I sing on hearing a car etc, I remain calm and so does my youngster, good luck, you will get there