Spooking at traffic

[Romanylouise654]

My pony never used to be spooky but then we moved to a yard where the horses where stabled 24/7 so I couldn't really take her out hacking much as she just bucked and reared all the way up the lane so we moved due to them being in all the time but ever since when i take her out she will spook. Once she has spooked at 1 lorry or big loud vehicle she will spook at every car even if it does pass wide and slow around us. She tries to spin and bolt off.
Has anyone got any tips or advice on how I can stop this?
She is also only 5

 

[Zoeypxo]

How is she following a calm older horse?

 

[TheMule]

This is (obviously) extremely dangerous for you, her and the other road users and you mustn’t take her on the road again until you have this sorted.
You need a rock steady companion horse to be between her and the traffic and start just at home with someone driving up and down past you in the safety of your own yard. Or, engage the services of a pro asap

 

[Red-1]

It doesn't sound like it is just a traffic issue if she would buck and rear all the way up the lane. I would stop hacking for now and get some hands on help with schooling. Then take her to various different places, such as farm rides etc, to help cement the schooling at home.

I would only re-introduce road work when you are in control and have techniques to manage different situations.

 

[SEL]

Leading out in hand. Bridle, hat, gloves.

Stand still for when a vehicle passes with lots of praise and a polo.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Unfortunately its not an quick fix, it will take lots of patience and you being calm and confident, she will take her confidence from you, I would get her confidence up hacking off road at first, lots of praise and a treat every time. Then when she is feeling good about it add a little road work, in hand at first if you want, as much as you feel she will cope with , always end on a high, when she has done enough for you, turn her around and head home. Always praising etc,
I HAD a super spooky dangerous tb, and hes now totally chilled and loves it.

 

[scruffyponies]

If you can do so safely, identify a high traffic area and 'park' her there until she's bored shitless. Ignore her tantrums.; ideally under saddle, but in hand will do.
If this is too dangerous, do you remember the bit in Black Beauty where the owner deliberately sends him away for a few weeks to a field by the railway? Do that, but by main road.

 

[Supertrooper]

If you can do so safely, identify a high traffic area and 'park' her there until she's bored shitless. Ignore her tantrums.; ideally under saddle, but in hand will do.
If this is too dangerous, do you remember the bit in Black Beauty where the owner deliberately sends him away for a few weeks to a field by the railway? Do that, but by main road.

This

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

My Arabi has never been good in traffic he will also spin and run he is much better if I go on the inside of another horse but its not always possible, I've tried various things over the years his 18 now and is marginally better than he was but I just think some horses just will always have a fear.

It's all well and good standing by a busy traffic area and hanging on but I know he would shake with fear and be stressed and I don't think that would work with him, I don't think that is the answer for all horses and I wouldn't be happy putting him through that.

 

[planete]

If you have a wide grass verge near the yard where she could safely graze while you hold her on a long line I would take her there and let her graze. That is how I get my horses used to traffic. You need to have enough space between you and the road for the horse to feel safe and to do it often enough and for long enough that they eventually become blasé all traffic. It is the same principle as desensitisation for dogs: stay under threshold and get rewarded for giving the desired behaviour, ie staying calm. Only possible if you have the wide grass verge somewhere near obviously.

 

[Romanylouise654]

How is she following a calm older horse?

When we went out last week we were following another horses he's not older but he didn't spook once but she just kept spooking

 

[Romanylouise654]

It doesn't sound like it is just a traffic issue if she would buck and rear all the way up the lane. I would stop hacking for now and get some hands on help with schooling. Then take her to various different places, such as farm rides etc, to help cement the schooling at home.

I would only re-introduce road work when you are in control and have techniques to manage different situations.

Think when she did that it was more excitement as she had been in the stable she doesn't do that anymore now she's out and we moved Yards. I did get someone to come and school her but I stopped with that as we both aren't a fan of the arena and she would just nap and it only got worse so I stuck to just hacking. We went out on a pleasure ride last week and she was brilliant as there wasn't any roads.

 

[exracehorse]

Is there a field on the yard by a busy road that she can go in ? To get used to traffic passing.

 

[dorsetladette]

Is it worth getting someone else to hack her out a few times? It might be that she is picking up on your anticipating the spook. If they sense you being nervous the pony sometimes feels there is something to be nervous about so will be more on edge.

Also what are you feeding her?

 

[PeterNatt]

Are you sayng that your horse used to be fine with traffic until you stabled her 24/7 and then she started spooking when you rode her on the roads?

 

[Widgeon]

Are you sayng that your horse used to be fine with traffic until you stabled her 24/7 and then she started spooking when you rode her on the roads?

This is how I read it too....I was a bit puzzled.

 

[nagblagger]

Must admit i nearly stopped reading when I heard a 5yr old horse was being shut in a stable 24/7, no wonder it started spooking and spinning.

 

[Romanylouise654]

Is it worth getting someone else to hack her out a few times? It might be that she is picking up on your anticipating the spook. If they sense you being nervous the pony sometimes feels there is something to be nervous about so will be more on edge.

Also what are you feeding her?

I could try find someone
She's just fed chaff so she can have her supplements and antihistamines in for her sweetitch and a carrot

 

[Romanylouise654]

Must admit i nearly stopped reading when I heard a 5yr old horse was being shut in a stable 24/7, no wonder it started spooking and spinning.

I know it was horrible seeing her in all the time before we moved there we got told it was daily turnout in winter but turned out it wasn't. She bites now aswell whilst being led shes not as bad with it as she was a couple month ago but she does occasionally try

 

[Romanylouise654]

Are you sayng that your horse used to be fine with traffic until you stabled her 24/7 and then she started spooking when you rode her on the roads?

Yeah before she was fine in traffic but then I couldnt take her out on the roads as she would buck and rear just going up the lane so it would of been abit dangerous going on the road and now she just really spooky

 

[Romanylouise654]

Is there a field on the yard by a busy road that she can go in ? To get used to traffic passing.

Unfortunately not

 

[Romanylouise654]

If you have a wide grass verge near the yard where she could safely graze while you hold her on a long line I would take her there and let her graze. That is how I get my horses used to traffic. You need to have enough space between you and the road for the horse to feel safe and to do it often enough and for long enough that they eventually become blasé all traffic. It is the same principle as desensitisation for dogs: stay under threshold and get rewarded for giving the desired behaviour, ie staying calm. Only possible if you have the wide grass verge somewhere near obviously.

Thank you I will have to try this

 

[JackFrost]

If this is a horse that naps, bucks, rears, spooks, bites... I doubt the problem is traffic. It does sound like she is very unhappy or in discomfort.
If it was my horse, I would have her seen by the dentist, vet, saddle fitter and farrier and see if there is something wrong which is making her behave in all sorts of ways that a happy and comfortable horse does not. Also you say she is 5 - you don't say how she was started but I might think about giving her the winter off and then get a sympathetic professional to restart her.

 

[Zoeypxo]

If you say she used to be fine, Moved yards to a stressful routine (no turnout), then had a behavioural change i would consider gastric ulcers.
Does her tack fit ok?
Id seriously consider getting a vet check.

 

[Romanylouise654]

If this is a horse that naps, bucks, rears, spooks, bites... I doubt the problem is traffic. It does sound like she is very unhappy or in discomfort.
If it was my horse, I would have her seen by the dentist, vet, saddle fitter and farrier and see if there is something wrong which is making her behave in all sorts of ways that a happy and comfortable horse does not. Also you say she is 5 - you don't say how she was started but I might think about giving her the winter off and then get a sympathetic professional to restart her.

She doesn't buck or rear anymore that was only when she was in 24/7. I do agree she is unhappy with something. she is fine on the yard with the tractors she won't spook at them but if it's one on the road she does. She was started when she turned four and she was fine never put a hoof wrong but we didn't have an arena when she was started so it was all done out hacking which is why she was good in traffic but now she's not

 

[Lois Lame]

My pony never used to be spooky but then we moved to a yard where the horses where stabled 24/7 so I couldn't really take her out hacking much as she just bucked and reared all the way up the lane so we moved due to them being in all the time but ever since when i take her out she will spook. Once she has spooked at 1 lorry or big loud vehicle she will spook at every car even if it does pass wide and slow around us. She tries to spin and bolt off.
Has anyone got any tips or advice on how I can stop this?
She is also only 5

What is her turnout at this new place? She sounds like a horse who is not getting anywhere near enough movement and freedom in her life. (I mean, if she's not ridden much, is not turned out much, she'll be going mad. We all would.)

 

[Lois Lame]

Also, what is she fed? (I mean the main part of her diet.)

 

[Romanylouise654]

What is her turnout at this new place? She sounds like a horse who is not getting anywhere near enough movement and freedom in her life. (I mean, if she's not ridden much, is not turned out much, she'll be going mad. We all would.)

She's been out 24/7 for the last couple month

 

[Romanylouise654]

Also, what is she fed? (I mean the main part of her diet.)

She gets fed a handful of chaff a day

 

[Lois Lame]

But what other roughage?

ETA: Sorry - brain not engaged. I forgot she's been turned out 24/7. There is adequate grass?