Terrified of birds

[Crollaz]

Looking for some advice as to what to do about my 7 year old chestnut mare. She is good with everything except flapping/fighting birds. 2 swans and some ducks fighting and flying off and we were galloping along the track flat out. Eventually stopped and dismounted as mare totally out of control calmed her down eventually lead her in hand back to pond but completely freaked out again got away from me and cantered all the way home - 2 miles - any help advice on what I can do going forward would be much appreciated

 

[Upthecreek]

Repeated exposure to them, preferably next to another horse that is calm and takes no notice. Is it birds specifically or anything flapping around e.g. plastic bale wrap or a flag? If it’s the latter as well there is lots of desensitising work you can do in the arena if you have access to one.

How long have you had her? Is this new behaviour?

 

[Crollaz]

Repeated exposure to them, preferably next to another horse that is calm and takes no notice. Is it birds specifically or anything flapping around e.g. plastic bale wrap or a flag? If it’s the latter as well there is lots of desensitising work you can do in the arena if you have access to one.

It seems to be just birds specifically the way they make lots of noise when flapping and getting stuck in hedges that is a definite trigger aswell - not bothered by bags etc - thinking about it flags waving aswell

 

[Crollaz]

It seems to be just birds specifically the way they make lots of noise when flapping and getting stuck in hedges that is a definite trigger aswell - not bothered by bags etc - thinking about it flags waving aswell

have had her since dec 20 but due to all sorts of diffrent reasons - covid - no saddle etc only been riding about 1 month - do have an arena

 

[Upthecreek]

So if you’ve had her a short time and not ridden very much I would expect the behaviour is a combination of her not being very settled yet, feeling fresh because she isn’t doing much and possibly she doesn’t feel confident in you yet.

You didn’t say whether you were riding alone or in company when she spooked and galloped off. If you were alone is she used to hacking alone? Was she hacking out confidently in her previous home? What was she like when you tried her before you bought her?

Obviously I don’t know how experienced you are so don’t take this the wrong way, but do you have an instructor?

 

[L&M]

Could you get some shooting pigeon/duck decoys and put them at various spots around the field and yard? May help to de-sensitise her?

 

[Orangehorse]

It might be something you just have to deal with. You are not going to see them every day. Mine takes no notice of a pheasant taking off under his nose, but he always shies at ducks, and there are some living on the murky pond next to his stable.

I think it is a question of how to deal with the reaction, so get advice on how to stop her galloping off! It is tricky though, when you know there is something that sends them silly, like being afraid of cows.

 

[littleshetland]

We've got lots of chickens here and they quite often invade the arena when I'm riding......chickens?

 

[Leandy]

When you say she is frightened of flapping/fighting birds do you mean you have repeatedly had an OTT reaction to them (and not other spooky things) or that this is a one off occurence? If you have only been riding her for a month, I'm not sure that you will know will you? I would not necessarily expect a horse to put up with fighting/flapping swans to be honest? Most would find that very spooky. I would be more concerned about the reaction generally than the bird connnection?

 

[Crollaz]

So if you’ve had her a short time and not ridden very much I would expect the behaviour is a combination of her not being very settled yet, feeling fresh because she isn’t doing much and possibly she doesn’t feel confident in you yet.

You didn’t say whether you were riding alone or in company when she spooked and galloped off. If you were alone is she used to hacking alone? Was she hacking out confidently in her previous home? What was she like when you tried her before you bought her?

Obviously I don’t know how experienced you are so don’t take this the wrong way, but do you have an instructor?

Yes I have an instructor - she was alone - she has always reacted right from the start it was just a couple of bucks with birds taking off from field and flags this is a new one but first time with swans as they have just come back - think she may have been hacked out in group - bought from dealer so they always say hacks alone - when I tried her no birds and so nothing to gauge

 

[ihatework]

If a horse didn’t react in that situation I’d be pleased! Just sounds like run off the mill behaviour that needs to be ridden through. I’d just keep hacking that route with a couple of steady companions boxing you in for a bit until she is less scared and reactive and trusts you more

 

[Crollaz]

Been in touch with previous owner apparently used to hack out a couple of times a week alone with her 14 year old riding her so not a known behaviour

 

[Red-1]

How is she with birds when turned out in the field?

 

[Crollaz]

How is she with birds when turned out in the field?

Im really not sure because the field is about 6 acres surrounded by hedges so havent really seen any birds near her in field but shes okay in the school just a little spooky nothing major