Idiots on the road. Nervy youngster?

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Troyseph

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I'm trying to bombproof our rising 3 YO welshie he is good with all traffic apart from trucks large noisy vehicles etc but if a large truck van etc comes past he panics and goes into flight mode...
Which is obviously dangerous to me and him!
We wear hi vis , would u get a tabard asking people to slow down? I'm sure in a few weeks he will be a different pony but trying to get him traffic safe ATM is rather dangerous! Thanks!!
 
The more hi viz the better; think the 'Polite' ones are highly recommended.

Unfortunately, even decorated like a Christmas tree you will find that some traffic will refuse to slow. I would avoid going out during busy times, and take an older, bombproof lead horse and handler to help out a bit if at all possible :) Do you have him in a bridle?
 
will be interested in replies as my horse is ok with cars, transits etc but if a lorry or motorbike rocks up he goes into flight mode to! i have to have a walker beside me atm until we get on the bridle way otherwise it would be too dangerous and he would bolt off, doesn't help our yard is on a 60mph road for the first 5 mins ride!
 
I wear one saying "Please pass wide and slow".
I prefer it to a blank hi-viz as it makes your wishes very clear, which can only be helpful to the drivers who are unsure of how to pass a horse. Am thinking of adding "very" before the slow! or perhaps a suggested MPH at the end... and a "THANKS" aat the end :-)

If someone is coming from behind it can also make them slow down sooner if you keep looking back over your shoulder at them in a worried fashion! If i do this 2 or 3 times it seems to make the slow a little more.

Unfortunately there's not much you can do if the driver doesn;t want to slow down :-(
 
If he panics more when they're coming from behind (and you can't as easily slow traffice form that direction) can you get someone to walk/cycle behind you to pre-slow stuff down? Might be enough to do a couple of times to get him used to it.

Or take him out and find a nice large, so unclaustrophobic patch of grass and let him eat whilst the world goes by, safer if you can be in an enclosed field next to a big road, but wide verge, large gateway might be good enough?
 
Sorry but I dont agree with teaching them about traffic on a road. Roads are dangerous enough as it is without adding to the risk.

Mine are in a field next to a road which I think helps. But we got our youngster used to the larger stuff in the yard or on the lane, in reasonably controlled conditions.
 
I strongly recomend the wearing of Long Sleeved Hi-Viz Jackets when riding out because others can clearly see your hand signals.
When taking a youngster out on the roads I would do it when the roads are quiet and always with an experienced road safe horse and rider. Once you start taking them out one needs to do it regularly on a daily basis.
 
Long sleeved 'Polite' hi viz is a very good idea.

I used to get young horses used to traffic by using a very busy dual carriageway which had extremely wide grass verges and over time, riding nearer and nearer the road itself. That location was an absolute gem, if you can box to a location like that it would be worth its weight in gold. Seriously, it was brilliant.

A one word hi viz slogan is best, by the time a driver can read 'pass wide and slow' he or she is too close...when I was training/retraining all I had to choose from was 'caution, young horse'! Too many words, not enough time.
 
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