need to take horse on road alone - tips please

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darkhorse123

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My cob is 8 years old - an absolute star in traffic, only nervy on country lanes - hates weird changing coloured leaves and moved logs etc
BUT - i am so so scared to take him out on the roads alone. I live in leeds - have to cross main leeds ring road to get anywhere
I cant change yards - local to home. love yo, other liveries - yo is brill - but after 2 years im stuck!
I so so want to take him out alone - on back lanes im fine - with others on road im fine - but when alone, or even with my husband on foot its different, my foot actually shakes when the ring road comes into view =
I approach ring road, see traffic and wobble. so of course my horse wobbles -
Deep down im thinking if i forced him out there and somethign happened - Id never forgive myself.
On back lanes im fine - but our back lanes till ring road are very very short and boring - we can and should be going further - but to cross the blasted ring road!!!
Oh god i hate cars!!!!
Daft thing is my horse is leeds born and bred - its leaves and birds he spooks at not traffic - he can and is passed by anything!!!!
Its me - I know a leaf or bird cant hurt him - I know a car can
Any tips or advice????
 
If you're feeling anxious, talk to the horse.
That in itself will make you breath and hopefully not tense up.

I talk to mine when I see a milk tanker, they are my nemesis :o ...... but not hers thankfully :)
 
ty kat - i do know i need to - maybe have a tott of somethign before i do - thing is my left foot does start ot shake lol when im bloody nervous - so annoying!
might do what hunters do and have a dash before we do it with hubby next to us ready to grab him in case - ty xxxx
 
ty quirky - it is all me.
Last week my husband and his friend said they would walk out with us - all went well till ring road came into view, i saw traffic and my foot went - shaking.
My boy immediately napped and though i turned him there, made him go further - i just couldnt do it onto the bloody road.
Its so different dealing with a nappy horse on a rural country lane than a main road full of traffic - next week though on hubbys day off im determined to do it - hubby knows to keep to his side and grab reins if anything happens
 
from our back lanes to next village and woods and georgeous countryside we only have to trot 5 mins down ring road to turn off - thats all i have to do!!!
 
Where abouts in leeds are you? I have that problem with my horse too (also in leeds) but slowly getting over it now. Thing that may help could you get a more confident rider to ride while you walk out with them? Then the rider is giving the horse confidence as well as you being on the ground to give him that back up?
 
that is an excellent idea sitch - wow i feel daft now i hadnt thought of it!
My husband is a very confident rider - (hence hes getting fed up with me)
he is confident and good (grew up with horses) but isnt into it like me - but will take over when needed!
Thats it - he can ride him out over the ring road and i will run alongside - lol i love this forum!!!
sometimes you worry so much yu dont think straight! ty xxxx
 
darkhorse123 said:
that is an excellent idea sitch - wow i feel daft now i hadnt thought of it!
My husband is a very confident rider - (hence hes getting fed up with me)
he is confident and good (grew up with horses) but isnt into it like me - but will take over when needed!
Thats it - he can ride him out over the ring road and i will run alongside - lol i love this forum!!!
sometimes you worry so much yu dont think straight! ty xxxx
Click to expand...

No problem :) ... I just find that is one of the easiest ways, as a rider we tense up and worry constantly over the little things, but someone else on him, who doesn't have the same worry, your cob won't pick up on the vibes there. Once they've had a few good experiances, and with you on the ground seeing how good he can be as well, then you can hop on as you'll have the confidence also.

Good luck!
 
I'm not the bravest in traffic, have had one major crash in a pony and trap where the pony was stung by a wasp and leapt out into traffic, going through the windscreen of a peugeot 206. Also having several near disasters, one of which involved breaking a wing mirror with my ankle, another ending up with front feet IN a convertible Merc.

However, I make both a habit and a living out of hacking out on horses that are bad in traffic, so I have had to "man up" and find a way of doing it that is safest for everyone.

FORWARD AND STRAIGHT is the key to being safe in traffic. I totally know that feeling when you're about to turn onto an A road and you are convinced you're going to die, as the 4 year old with several screws loose turns cartwheels at the junction.

Pull out, get out into the road so that everything HAS to slow down, don't cringe in the gutter. Then go forward at a fair old trot, until you can get off the horrible road!
 
Might not help,but when I'm walking with my daughter's pony and they are riding,we do times tables or sing as we go past scarey things.It is difficult to be frightened when you are chanting 2x 2 =4 or singing.I tried it when walking out a traffic shy pony too.I knew he'd react to stuff,so I;d feel anxious.He'd pick up my anxiety and think that there was really something to be scared of,and react.Gossiping to a friend as we went or talking constantly to him improved things considerably.I had a really sore throat though.
 
lol ty all yes i need to man up and sing some songs - i will do it im determined!
so glad to hear im not alone being woosy - ty all i will update you!!!
 
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