My pony is absolutely petrified of cows!?

missponymad

missponymad

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i took my pony liberty (bay pony in my pictures) out on a hack which is next to a massive field and one day some cows were put in it, i tried riding him past it and he took a few steps and then i could just feel him start to shake and his heart started to beat really fast and he got really sweaty and i was only standing him still so he could have a look at the cows. the first part of the hack, where the cows are is up a really thin track and after he had calmed down a bit he all of a sudden span round in the tiniest space i have ever seen and started to bomb off down this hill. i did stop him and thankfully this hack wasn't anywhere near any roads, god knows what would have happened if it was :/ so the next time i rode him i took him up there with my friend riding her horse and he started to shake and sweat again like he did the first time, and my friend was behind me on her horse at the really thin part of the track and my pony span round and pushed my friends horse out the way and galloped down the hill again and i stopped him again and rode him back up but this time with my friend in front and he started shaking and everything again. so when i got back i put him out in the field for an hour to let him relax and then i took him up to the thin track in hand because its not to far from my stables and he refused again (shaking and sweating) ive read magazines about getting the things your horses are scared of and putting them in the manage and working him around them in his normal surroundings but i cant really get a cow and put it in the school. i'm slightly worried that i wont be able to compete him at my local county show because the have showing cows and bulls there. i know at my old home he was very spoilt and he had a massive field all to himself right next to a field full of meat cows so i thought he would have got used to them but then i thought maybe something happened while he was out in the feild but i was never told about anything that did happen from his old owner????? any tips?? thanks :)
 
i just want to add i have got him past th cows but i want him to be happy going past them not with a terrified look on his face :0 thank you xxx
 
The best thing you can do, if it's possible, is turn him out in a field with cows, or one right next them. Ours regularly graze with other animals, and we've had loan ponies in the past with the same fear, who soon got over it!
 
Have cows near you!

We ha an incident ages ago where a herd of cows broke through the fence and into the feilds where the horses are, My loan horse is completely unbothered by them and stayed put, chomping, but most of the others fled.

Its definitely worthwhile to put the time in with cattle, as you will certainly encounter them.
 
he doesnt graze near cows anymore but with his old owner he used to so im half thining something might have happened with his old owner??? i might see if there is anywhere where i can graze him next to/in with cows again to see if it makes him any better?? if not what should i do because i dont ride him much anymore because im to big for him but i am going to walk him in hand up to the cows about three to four times a week to get him used to tem again because hes had about 15 weeks of in the feild because he lost alot of weight during the winter even though he was getting lots of feed???? im also a bit worried because my little sister rides him and she lost her confidence falling off and breaking her arm so i dont want her to get even more unconfident because shes just starting to get back into riding thanks for the tips and SpottyTB im sure if you read the comments i get you will be able to improve her like im doing because most of the people on here are experienced and will help you alot :) xx
 
One of the best things you can do is to find a dairy herd near you and to ride behind the cows when they are being brought in for milking. This way it will give the horse the impression that the cattle are moving away from him, that makes them feel that they are the boss and very clever!

I had a similar problem with a young horse, he would sweat and I would hear his heart beating when he saw cattle even if they were a field away. One day a farmer asked me to ride down his field and herd up the dry cows. I quietly walked him down the field (with him getting in a stew) and quietly got the cattle moving up the field. Once they were moving away from him he thought he was so clever and totally relaxed into being a cow pony instead of a racehorse.
Never had much of a problem after this.
 
SamandDaisy.jpg



My little grey boy and his girlfriends. He like to lick them and they dont seem to mind! Every morning the cows come to the fence to say hello. If you could put your horse in a similar situation it would certainly help him to overcome his fears.
 
My girl is terrifed of cows too, moved to a yard with cattle in one of the fields and i ride her in with them and now she is ok with it, but any different cows and we have trouble again ! no cow is the same apparently and once a new cow comes along its scary again !

should have seen her when we came across deer at a park lol- she could have put a gp dressage horse to shame with that piaffe!
 
I'd be a bit worried about putting the pony in the field with cattle because of the barbed wire. If pony panics it could have grave consequences if he runs toward the fence.
 
My friends horse is petrified of cows. He was chased by a herd of them when he was younger. He got really bad at one point where he would rear and head straight home. He scared my friend so much she sent him to a bloke to help to sort it out as it was getting quite dangerous. He is now much better, still scared but he knows he has to keep walking to get past what he is scared off. So he now has what we call a cow walk which is just a serious speed walk
 
I am so glad you have posted this. Reassuring to know I am not the only one with this problem. My pony is fab in every way except the cow situ. It is now becoming such a problem that if he sees the downs (where the cows are sometimes put) he refuses to move. I took him on a road ride and he saw the downs, freaked out, span, smacked his head into a lampost, backed up down someones driveway. I persevered, however, and won the battle. The worst thing is, there weren't any cows in sight. It was just the idea he might see them that scared him. So now, riding him out anywhere is a problem!

There is a yard near me that has cows in a field next to the horses. I am thinking of moving over there for a month. I don't want to move yards for good as it is ideal where I am. Does anyone think a month will be long enough?

Thanks
 
Where in the country are you?
If you're near me we have lots of cows in fields with bridle paths etc and my mare is fine with cows so you could come for a hack with us?
My horse's field companions are cows so she tries to say hello to any we pass!
 
The pony is terrified of cows, even though she has lived out with them. Every time we bring them up, she goes as far back in her pen as possible, while the TB goes up to them and says hi. Had him in the barn next to the calves, who were petrified of him until one brave soul went over for a sniff and started to luck his shoulder . Horse just stood there and licked her back, was well sweet. :-) I think some just take to them easier than others.

Hand walking past them is a good start, or like others have suggested, putting him in with some if possible may help.
 
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