Leading out youngsters in traffic - advice

I suspect this is one of those "agree to disagree" subjects!

I like to get mine used to traffic - but then I rather have to! We have stables at the house and a small turnout area but our grazing is half a mile away along a relatively busy road and over a busy railway line.

We have owned our 15.1 AA mare for just over a year. When we got her she was unbacked and had NEVER seen traffic, so it was either load her in the lorry every time we wanted to put her out or teach her about the road. We did this by first teaching her in the yard at home that the car was safe even if it did make funny noises and then taking her out with two leaders, one on either side with long ropes and fluorescent vests, we also took our old driving pony as well as she is 110% and experimented as to where the mare wanted her for her security blanket. We found that she prefers her companion to be behind her and in fact we very soon started to leave the companion behind as she wasn't that fussed.

The worst two occasions were when a red motorbike came out of a side road fast and the mare had never seen one before and wanted to chase it to see what it was (we always let her investigate anything she finds scary). I thought I was about to get towed off chasing the bike; and when someone stopped beside us to ask the way, wound down the window and stuck their head out - she put on a fantastic Arab display of snorting and blowing! We sorted that one by getting a friend to drive past and first offer her a treat through the window and then eventually built up to driving past with the window down, music blaring and a scarf flying out of the window as well.

She is now backed and when I bring her in I will be leading her again (she's been out for the past five months and been on the road only once in that time). I think that various people on here would have quite a lot to say at the sight of 15 stone of me on a fairly fine-legged AA mare! So I'll wait till I can find a helper and bring her in with one of us on each side.
 
I would carry on with what you are doing around the yard so it becomes dull.
Start engines, shut off engines, air brakes, horns, revving etc.

I would go out first time with a "traffic proof" horse as a babysitter and then once you are confident with that go out with you and have another handler on the ground with you to help guide traffic or just being there to hold your hand.

Where we are is excellent for traffic training. The activities around the yard are bizarre!!!
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Horses have come to stay as "traffic shy" horses and have gone home "bomb proof".

Rema's boy is one of those horses.
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I totally see your situation Patches, like you say you cant win either way!

Trying to rack my brain to think of something, I know exactly what you mean about finding a rider light enough, the pony does look quite fine boned.

Its just after my friends horse I can see what can happen when you lead them out, if you do want to take him out at least long reining would be a bit safer for you.

Would never suggest your child should ride him out when he isnt used to traffic
 
What I have been doing is long reining Chancer on a very quiet lane and round the pub car park. We then stand in the car park and watch traffic go past and I lead him up and down the road side of the car park as things go past. Best solution as I have plenty of room to move over - not that anything has worried him to date.

He has had tractors, lorries, motorbikes going past him at the yard - he even had my very loud Harley revving up by him. He has traffic going past at shows.

I also lead him out round the bridleways off Cairo and last autumn he had tractors with trailers, combines etc going by only a few feet away as I stood in the field with him watching the harvesting. The only thing that made him spook was a parked tractor
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So we went past and round it until he didn't blink an eye at it.

He is a sensible sort and has been introduced to everything I can think of over the past year flapping bags, screaming kids, dogs chasing balls behind him etc.

When I eventually do roadwork I will ride out the first time with Cairo just behind and slightly to the side but once he has been out a couple of times, then will go out alone so he does not have dependancy on another horse.

Perhaps you could lead him off Patches round the farm as the next part of his training?

I started off in the school until he knew where he had to be in relation to Cairo, would stop and turn etc. We then did walk and trot. You need a helper from the ground to start with.

We then did 30 mins in the field, figures of eight, halts, walk and trot. Then off to the bridleways and the big wide world.

He loves going out - it is like taking a springer spaniel for a walk - he love to look and sniff at everything and has seen so many new things and had the opportunity to leap through the air and spook - with me safely out the way on a big steady horse. Hopefully when he hacks out this summer, he won't do it with me onboard and he is now used to it all.
 
I think you could further educate the pony by standing in a safe gate way and getting him used to the traffic.

I would also take the pony out to shows/events and educate him by seeing lots going off and the enviroment is horse friendly.

I would lead the pony out on the roads if I had a steady safe horse to walk with. As long as you have good control when leading and someone to assist and choose your times (traffic control) I am quite sure you are senisble enough to go this succesfully.

This summer I will be leading my yearling out on the roads when I have completed her ground work and training.

So good luck, personally I would not put a young rider on a green horse on the roads. I think what you are proposing to do is sensible.
 
Okay, well I shall go against the grain here Patches. I lead all of mine out as babies - generally at somewhere around 8 months old and 1 year old. In my experience this is the very best time to introduce traffic to them. Providing all the groundwork has been done with leading and respecting you as their handler, then it is soooooo easy to do at this age. They do not have the strength of an older and larger horse, they are far more trusting at this age and they generally stick close to you if they feel nervous rather than darting away from you.

I never lead out a baby without an older horse being led by someone else though. I always keep the baby on the inside with the older horse and handler on the outside for their first trip out. After that first outing to the road, they then are always taken alone.

I think that is why all of mine are perfect in traffic and I think this is why so many horses in the UK are useless in traffic!

Of course I would never take them on busy roads, but lanes or quiet roads with plenty of room are favourite. If that is not available where you live then I would advise you trailer him along with a good traffic horse to a quieter area just to give him a more gentle exposure to traffic.

In my opinion, you are doing exactly the right thing is teaching Talis this now - you won't regret it in later years. Just my tuppence-worth of course......what do I know LOL!!
 
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I think that is why all of mine are perfect in traffic and I think this is why so many horses in the UK are useless in traffic!

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Oh I don't think that's terribly fair tbh. The horses I ride are absolutely bomb proof in the heaviest of traffic - because they have all had time taken with them to introduce them quietly and sensibly to traffic - just when they are older, rather than as babies.

I think the reason why a lot of horses are bad in traffic is because they are never given the opportunity to get used to it - regardless of what age you start them at.
 
I think it is perfectly fair. How many horses that are advertised are good to box, shoe, catch, farrier.......no mention ever of traffic bombproofing....because I'll bet the majority of them are absolutely useless in traffic.

I can't see how you believe that horses are rubbish in traffic because they aren't exposed to it? England has more roads than you can shake a stick at, LOL! The only horses I can think of which may not see traffic are those on moors. I lived in a rural area in England but I certainly had traffic coming by.

No I firmly believe that the main reason for most horses being dreadful in traffic is because people do not introduce these things to them as babies.....generally with the misguided view that someone else will at a later point in their lives.

I live at the end of a dead-end road here. There is no passing traffic, although the horses are used to huge trucks coming to the farm, all the farm machinery and the tractors comings and goings. I have no reason to ever ride on a road, however I always take my horses out as youngsters on the road just to get them over this at an early age. None have had any problems whatsoever with traffic and all will ride out in traffic happily.
 
We'll have to agree to disagree on this one. Don't think it matters what age you introduce them, as long as it's done properly.
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I'm happy to agree to disagree
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I would hazard a guess that most people do not do it properly though, which is why there are so many road issues with British horses. Might be interesting to put up a poll to see just how many HHO horses are "excellent in traffic".
 
i have walked out my filly foal in very light traffic with her mum since she was very little(4months old).she was fine,mum was a very good influence and soon she was walking confidently in front and behind mum over grids etc and getting used to seeing people in gardens and cars come past.
she walked to her first show aged almost 6 months and saw some quite heavy traffic and was not bothered in the slighest.
it was really not a big deal to her to be honest and she never once jumped all over me or dragged me anywhere.
personally i think its a good idea to let them see traffic and new things at a young age when they are more inquisative.
 
Tia - there are so many things I agree with you - your approach to youngsters is one I am taking in. This is will be my one and only baby I cannot afford to screw up.

So far I have exposed Chancer to anything and everything I can find either in hand or lead off Cairo and have backed him young and am then spending a year just gently hacking until he is 3 1/2 and will begin gentle schooling to get ready for showing as a 4 year old.

Personally I have found doing things with Chancer as he has been young easy - but he is not that big and has a steady temperament and to date have never jumped or pulled me - god help him if he did - there would be one hell of a fish finger stancing waiting for him.

Now one question - how the hell do you get the little s*d away from something he shouldn't be doing ie climbing the dog club's agility frame. Shaking bags, sticks, yelling etc don't phase him - maybe he is a bit too used to odd things
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Wearing me out having to go and get him down from things he shouldn't be on top of - climbs like a goat!
 
I feel the same as you Theresa and Tia.

I don't want people thinking I'm trying to rush Talis. Couldn't be further from the truth. I would like to take things slowly with him, get him used to things one stage at a time. Far rather do that than bring him in out of a field as a 3 1/2 year old and have him backed and hacking out in a few weeks. Breaking must blow their minds as it is without introducing lots of new things.

How easy is it to lead horses of such varying sizes from each other? Talis only stands just under 12.1 now and Patches is 15.1 and as far across as she is tall. I've only seen horses similar heights on ride and lead and the youngster is tied to the head collar of the chaperone horse (or that's how it looks when following them) with a lead rope attached to a bit and held by the rider should she need extra control. I will admit I've only ever seen the same girl ride and leading her lot out.

I plan to do lots of in-hand and long reining across the farm this summer. He's quite good with feed bags, flappy silage sheet and the like as it is.

Interestingly Patches had a spook this afternoon leaving our yard. Ever likely...Duncan was welding something on the straw chopper. The mix between welding flashes and him panicking when he set the chopper alight were enough to scare anyone or anything! Men! Pah!
 
Cairo is 16.3 and Chancer is now just 14.3 - no problems - I like having a big solid horse as the lead horse - I also like using the western saddle as when Chancer didn't want to walk once as he wanted to poo, just put the lead rein round the front of the horn (not tied to it) and Cairo dragged him - he now walks and poos.

This is Chancer learning to lead

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and having a quick stop
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And the end of the lesson

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As you can see Mr C is very good, though if Chancer pesters him, he will nip the top of his head
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I have also taken Chancer to local shows on the end of the rein so he gets used to going round without someone on the ground. Freaks out other horses occasionally to see one led and one ridden.

Chancer is led off a bridle with a newmarket coupling and I use an old draw rein which is the ideal length - a lunge rein is too long and heavy and a normal lead rein too short. I have also taken him out with a saddle on and stirrups dangling before he was backed to get him used to it.
 
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