How to get youngster used to traffic?

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Lill

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Well, Merlin used to traffic to be precise!
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He has been out in a field next to the road so has seen it all from the safety of his field,

He has seen tractors, horse lorries, dumper truck, JCB, cars and vans moving around the fields and the yard,

He has seen a car with loud music playing, doors open etc engine running,

So i thought yesterday might be ok to take him for a walk with Blue
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So off we went OH had Blue, i had Merlin, Merlin was brilliant, didn't spook at anything at all until a car came up behind him
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down a bit of a narrow part of the lane
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so he spun round so he could see what it was and was still looking very wary even when the car stopped.

So OH walked Blue past the car first and i followed with Merlin who tried to get past it as quickly as possible
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I was then a little worried by that so thought i would feed him his feed by the gate so he could watch any cars go past
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this, he was fine with, so we turned him around so his bum was to the road, again, fine...
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So i think it was where the car had come up behind him and he couldn't see it?
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Am not sure what to try next though?
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Leading a young horse (riderless) with a rider on a very traffic proof horse is a good way. That way they don't worry because the more experienced horse is laid back about things.
 
Well thats kind of what i was doing, OH was leading Blue who is pretty bombproof and i was following leading Merlin....

Blue didn't bat an eyelid as usual which i think helped, as if he had then i think Merlin may have panicked more!
 
We always ride the youngster on the inside of the older, more experienced horse.

If you are leading your youngster out on the road, then the same would apply. However, you oviously put yourself in a position of danger by doing that. And it's not something I personally would ever do (leading a youngster on the roads that is). However, I suspect plenty do - with some successu.

I'm assuming you didn't have a bridle on, as the horse was able to turn around, and that you were not on his right (which is correct when leading a horse on the right), again, as the horse was able to turn around.
 
We only went about 200m down the lane from the yard so not far! It just seemed the next step to me? After introducing it all to him in the yard, to see how he would react on the road?

Well, i was on his left yes, but we were in the middle of the lane i would think he would have managed to turn around whichever side i was on to be honest?
 
Sorry if this sounds a daft question but I don't know Merlin (there seems to be a lot of Merlins owned on this forum). Is he broken
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If so then I would always advocate using a lead bridle (you will have more control). Always put the young inexperienced horse on the inside of a Nanny horse (older plods are really good for this or extremely laid back horses who wouldn't mind if a bomb went off behind them lol
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You did everything you could so i would have thought practice and always keep yourself safe, maybe try and put the other horse at the back so a car approaches him fist then at least Merlin will learn to take lead and deal with things that he meet head on.
 
If the youngster is broken (sorry not sure how old he is!) Then i would advise riding out with your calmer horse with the calmer horse blocking the youngster from traffic getting too close (my brain isnt working today.. hope that makes sense).
When riding youngsters or green horses on the road i usually chat to them a bit and let them look around as long as they are not silly. Dont let him take the P*ss! A horse I used to ride was petrified of pushchairs, if she saw any she would have a tizz. I realised after a while she was just pushing her look. So i let her look but if she started being a div she got a smack on the bum and pushed forward.

Hope any of that helps
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He is 2 1/2yo so not broken no
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Blue is a good nanny horse hardly anything phases him and really nothing was Merlin either, wheelie bins, the other horses charging about and yelling for him in one of the fields nearby, plastic carrier bags on the road, peacocks..... he didn't spook at any of those things
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i have tried to introduce him to all sorts of scary things so was quite pleased that it seemed to have paid off
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Just the car coming from behind....

I thought maybe feeding him by the gate to the road when i can may help?

Thats how we encouraged him to load fine, fed him on the lorry!
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Would he go ahead of blue? that way the car wouldnt get so close behind him? Would you feel safe to lead him whilst you ride Blue (assuming Blue is able to be ridden!)
 
I walk my 2.5 year old Blue out with 28 year old Ellie. We go from the field to our house, a distance of 150 yards perhaps on a reasonably busy A road with a cross roads with traffic lights to go through.

Ellie goes first with OH and I follow on with Blue. I lead from the right so I am on the outside. I wear high viz. The road is wide and there is a 30mph speed limit, although most don't adhere to it.

I find that by leading on the right it stops Blue sticking his bum out into the traffic. The only thing he has actually not been overly impressed with was a big white camper van thing. I don't think he heard it until the last minute and the size of it shocked him. He went to spin his backside round and all I had to do was to take a step backwards and stick my elbow out to poke him back in
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I would keep doing what you are doing, Merlin will get used to traffic approaching him from behind. I am hoping to start leading Blue out from another horse soon, but at the moment it isn't an option for us. Every time we go out he is more and more relaxed though and takes pretty much everything in his stride now.
 
TBH I don't see any problem with leading youngsters out as long as they are wearing a bridle or suitibly fitted control headcollar and you are dressed apropriately. I have always understood that if leading on a road you should be between the horse and the traffic. so on the right. I find that if I am between my youngster and the offending scary object he is much more willing to accept it than if I'm on the outside i think his theory is 'if it doesn't hurt mum, it won't hurt me' - fair enough. Otherise I think it's just a case of practicing.
 
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Well, i was on his left yes, but we were in the middle of the lane i would think he would have managed to turn around whichever side i was on to be honest?

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If you are walking him on a public highway, then you should be on his right. And he should not be in the middle.....

Just be safe. That's the most important thing of all.
 
He probably would go first without too much trouble however i have never tried to ride and lead so don't think i will attempt that!
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He spun round in a strange way, he tries to hide behind me if things are scary, and so sort of went backwards and left, like clockwise around me backwards?!
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I was wearing high viz waistcoat thing so easily seen
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Will have to practice leading him from the other side too then.
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however i have never tried to ride and lead so don't think i will attempt that

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No you don't ride and lead. You have two riders, one on each horse
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