pony and cyclists

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ellis9905

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My 8 yr old daughters pony ( welsh A) is great in all traffic except for bikes ( pedal not motor) he'll happily let all manor of noisy big things pass him, but if a bike passes him it always scares/shocks him- fortuantly he does nothing more than small step sideways and whips his neck round to look.
now hes ok with a bike coming towards him as hes had chance to see it, hes also ok if someone hacks out with him on a bike.

yesterday when walking out with my daughter we both got caught unawares, i hadnt heard or seen the bike coming behind us until pony spooked at it passing.

but it got me thinking, in future how should i deal with this? and can i improve this for him?

if i know theres a bike approaching from behind, if there is a gateway should we wait in it so pony can see the bike approach? would my daughter riding her bike round the filds at the yard by ponies fields help?

i appreciate its the fact that it catches up with and and passes pony silently that he doesnt like as he isnt aware its there until its right next to him.

any advice always gratefully recieved

thanks
 
Mine had a problem with bikes when I first had him, same as your pony had a little jump and looked around. I used to stop and turn his head around to let him see them coming, or talk to him and pat him which seemed to stop him from reacting to it. Now he doesn't bother with them and it's only been a couple of months.
 
My horse does this, but if I notice the cyclist and say 'good morning', she doesn't react at all, as it warns her that there is something coming and reassures her that it is safe. The bonus is, now most of the regular cyclists say 'good morning' to us, first, so we know what to expect. Not sure if this would work for everybody, and you have to spot them first!
 
My first horse was petrified of them coming up behind her.

We took a bike to the yard and a child rode it round (and round and round!). Also took someone with a bike out hacking - he went in front and behind. I stopped to let him pass, encouraged her to look at it, etc. By the end she was pretty blasé about them :cool: :D
 
If you are aware of the cyclist speak to them so they speak back and the horse is aware of it. If you are taken by surprise then you can't expect the pony not to react. Personally I try to educate cyclists to always speak before over taking a horse, a good morning is friendly and works a treat.
 
Ditto Kat! I always shout hello to cyclists, this warns my pony now and the cyclists generally replies (bar the ones round here that ride with headphones on!). If I don't spot them or hear them then I think its fair my pony spooks as they make me jump too!
 
MrsMozart said:
My first horse was petrified of them coming up behind her.

We took a bike to the yard and a child rode it round (and round and round!). Also took someone with a bike out hacking - he went in front and behind. I stopped to let him pass, encouraged her to look at it, etc. By the end she was pretty blasé about them :cool: :D
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Ditto, OH hacked out with us on his bike and still does, he did all manner of brake screeching, riding up banks, wheel spinning clanking stuff, not to help the horse, as I was moaning at him for upsetting my young horse, but because he is a daft joker! I now have a completely bombproof horse around bikes... Big lorries however....another matter, anyone got a lorry they can lend me???
 
The quiet surprise ....

Is this going to be more of an issue when electric cars become more the norm

And is it already a problem with cars like the Prius when it goes to electric when going slow?
 
I had this with my sec D when I first had him. I got the kids on the yard to ride their bikes past him at all manner of speeds from all directions, he soon got used to it!! Plus a friend used to cycle while I hacked too!! If you can do this you'll soon get the problem sorted, it's about exposure and just de-sensitizing good luck!
 
First hack on my girl we met a cyclist and she went wibbly. The lovely cyclist man stopped and let her sniff him and his bike and then she was fine.

We have lots of cyclists round us and they scare me with their legs in those tight things haha!
 
Both Malaga and Picasso hate Silent Cheetahs!
I ask them to please talk to them if I see them but they just whizz passed as if we weren't there :(
 
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