Idea please for what to use to get him used to noise

[soulfull]

Micah is as good as gold, not really spooky BUT he is very sensitive to noise. much more likely to be scared by a sudden strange sound than anything visual

have done the plastic bottle with stones in, flapping bags, he was not bothered by the bags at all, but a bit worried by the bottle

its going to be people clapping or banging etc

he is terrified of fireworks (shakes uncontrollably)

Can you get any CD's with this sort of thing on?

any other ideas??

 

[Lobelia_Overhill]

radio playing somewhere in the yard, move it closer/turn up the volume at random...?

 

[Spudlet]

You can get sound desensitisation CDs for dogs with things like fireworks, gunfire, thunderstorms etc on - would that be any good for you?

 

[Dry Rot]

Mine get Radio Scotland. I reckon if they can put up with that, they'll tolerate anything!

 

[Natch]

There must be videos on you tube complete with sound of fireworks, dogs barking etc - have you got a laptop or clever mobile device you can take to the yard and play those to him?

I used to ride in the school with a portable stereo on - you could hear it as you passed but not really the other end. That might help? I discovered, much to my disgust, that my horse didn't like Take That!

 

[Tinseltoes]

My section A doesnt like noise,so when Im waiting for the farrier,I tie her and cobby up in the cowshed,play my mobile phone music (included Rammstein) and I occassionally clonk on the bars.Cobby doesnt care,section A is getting better.

You could put the music on your phone on/radio?

 

[soulfull]

Thanks.

Naturally your Take That comment made me ROFL
He doesn't mind music at all. It's sudden or loud noises so the CDs for dogs are a great idea
As is the you tube. Can use that with my iPhone if it's loud enough

 

[Miss L Toe]

Some horse are fitted with ear plugs, you can try this out with extra large tampax, fluffed up, maybe sprayed to match the ear colour!
try Gibsons saddlers

 

[soulfull]

Some horse are fitted with ear plugs, you can try this out with extra large tampax, fluffed up, maybe sprayed to match the ear colour!
try Gibsons saddlers

That might be something to consider for bigger show (if we ever get there) but I would just like to get him used to it 'generally'. There are only one or two instances when it has been a slight problem, but thought it might be worth doing anyway as its the only thing that bothers him

 

[flyingfeet]

When training my horses to gun fire :-

1. Use ear plugs, although most hate these with a passion especially my big ones:
http://www.saddlery.biz/zilco-moulded-rubber-ear-plugs.html


2. Use a cap gun (available in most good toy stores), start on the ground and give treats every time you fire it (sounds like a party popper with strange smell)
Point away from the horse and stand between cap gun and horse

3. Use cap gun on board, try and keep behind your body initially (so firing behind them)

4. Graduate to the .38 revolver (very loud) !

Here are some more links about training to guns:
http://www.ajhorses.com/intro_to_mounted_shooting.aspx

http://lynn-baber.suite101.com/introducing-your-horse-to-gunfire-from-the-ground-a292342

Edited to add: the bottom link is good for a laugh starts with "have a handler with a .22 at the end of your arena!!"