The sound of screaming kids

dreamcometrue

dreamcometrue

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Help! I moved my mare to a new yard in January. There is a tourist attraction nearby and a holiday place. As Spring has arrived so have the families plus kids. My mare has become increasingly anxious to the point where I can’t hack her out at the moment because she is totally freaked out by the sound of screaming children. She is on high alert and has bogged off back to the yard with me on two occasions now. I have tried leading her out but she became difficult to hold. She really is put in a panic by this.

What to do?

I’m thinking to try a calmer and hope that she gets accustomed to it. No other horses are reacting like this including the mare that moved with us to the yard. It’s just mine.

Maybe those ear bonnets that have some padding to dull the sound? Are they effective?

I really don’t want to have to move her again as the grazing here high on the Pennines is spot on for her (she has EMS).

Anyone been successful with this sort of thing? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
 
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I cant offer any help, but just reassurance you're not alone!

We had 2 kids move into the house next to the yard I'm on livery at & as soon as the suns out, they non stop scream at the top of their lungs almost dawn until dusk. They moved in the tail end of last year & noticed my one lad becoming anxious, but luckily as winter set in it stopped.

They're back out with a vengeance now, no other horses on the yard seem bothered & have got used to it, but one of mine is beside himself - and its very out of character. Hes snorting & on high alert anywhere but his field, wont settle in his stable & gets bad guts as he feels trapped. He was physically shaking in his stable last week!

Luckily we're moving yards in a few weeks (livery closing not due to the kids) so I'm just keeping him off the yard as much as poss, but what I was thinking, if we were staying, I'd as if I could take him round there to the garden to 'see' the noise. I'm sure it comes from lack of understanding & if he understood the source, thought he may settle a bit! That was my theory 🤷‍♀️
 
Possibly try ear plugs as well as ear bonnet to help her gradually get used to it. I use Pomms for evening performances with loud music and noise. Is it quiet enough at the yard and just a problem hacking nearer the noise? Will anyone with a horse who doesn’t mind hack with you. Don’t put either of you in any danger though - are there hacking routes you can avoid the noise?
 
Thank you for the replies.
@awelshandawarmblood I am sorry one of your horses is suffering too. It’s so out of character for mine, she is the most laid back pony and a bombproof hack so it’s hugely upsetting to see her like this. I hope that your gelding settles down at your new yard.

@humblepie thanks for the suggestion. I will try hacking with someone else though we generally hack alone. She’s such a brave mare she takes everything in her stride but this noise is utterly alarming to her. We are on top of a moorland and the sound carries across the landscape so there isn’t any escape from it.

I have ordered acoustic ears and a calmer. I’m hoping she will eventually get used to it though judging by her current state that might be a fairly remote possibility. I wonder why some horses are so sensitive to this sound?
 
Ear plugs are your friend, I live by a school and the kids love to scream at the top of their voices plus kick the ball as hard as they can against the fence, when they see me riding past. With the ear plugs I can ride past without I haven't got a chance x
 
dreamcometrue said:
Help! I moved my mare to a new yard in January. There is a tourist attraction nearby and a holiday place. As Spring has arrived so have the families plus kids. My mare has become increasingly anxious to the point where I can’t hack her out at the moment because she is totally freaked out by the sound of screaming children. She is on high alert and has bogged off back to the yard with me on two occasions now. I have tried leading her out but she becalmed difficult to hold. She really is put in a panic by this.

What to do?

I’m thinking to try a calmer and hope that she gets accustomed to it. No other horses are reacting like this including the mare that moved with us to the yard. It’s just mine.

Maybe those ear bonnets that have some padding to dull the sound? Are they effective?

I really don’t want to have to move her again as the grazing here high on the Pennines is spot on for her (she has EMS).

Anyone been successful with this sort of thing? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
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your not alone, I can't stand screaming kids. Mind you that is not hard since I don't like kids anyway. Calmer is the best thing and maybe a quiet ride ear bonnet for your horse and ear plugs for you. My mare has this, and def makes a difference tried once without and never again. https://www.discount-equestrian.co.uk/schockemohle-air-silent-fly-veil.html
 
Hobo2 said:
I would be careful if you are hacking on any roads with earplugs and bonnet as she could get spooked by cars as she wouldn't know they were coming. I would try a calmer and see if she settles but the sound of screaming children would have me changing yards for me never mind the horse!
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I agree I wouldn't be happy with a horse who has one of his senses ie hearing restricted.

OP have you thought of asking Red? she would be a good person to advise on desensitisation.
 
pistolpete said:
Why are they screaming? Could that be addressed?
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My house backs on a school yard. There are multiples screaming their heads off every few minutes. Honestly, this reminds me of my SO asking me why the kids were screaming. Why they do, who knows. After about 20 years of living here, it just seems to be what kids do.
 
pistolpete said:
Why are they screaming? Could that be addressed?
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I think the screaming isn't screaming in fear or terror, its shrilling, they are probably all having fun, it does go right through you though. I like blitz idea of getting her used to kids etc maybe get the kids to run around making noise then feed her a treat, eventually she will get used to it and realise its nothing to be scared of.
 
I swear my smallest pony breathed a sigh of relief when we moved from a yard with a load of kids. My biggest mare never settled with the screaming & shouting (& no, telling the kids to be quiet around horses didn't work) but my old boy loved them.

Some horses never get used to it but I think I'd be trying some kind of ear bonnet.
 
Hate the sound of screaming kids.

My old neighbours had three kids who were chucked in the garden at the first sign of sunshine and then screamed and screeched all day, way more than ‘playing’ noise. I was constantly on edge and felt like I couldn’t relax in my own home. I’m an adult and can rationalise it so can understand that a horse can’t.
 
The neighbour to our farm has a lovely thatched cottage that they rent out as an air b and b. Millie is petrified of it when there’s people there and kids playing/screaming in the garden.
It’s far from our stables and grazing but one of our farm ride tracks goes right past it.
There’s been times I’ve been riding and actively gone a different way as soon as I hear that it’s occupied. It’s not worth the meltdown and then the remaining tension for the rest of the ride (Millie holds grudges 😅 )
 
I hate the sound of screaming kids.

I saw on FB that Chessington World of Adventures has applied for planning permission to dig up its glamping field in order to put in another new ride and amusements. That field is immediately alongside Kingston Riding Centre's turnout fields and next to another yard's turnout field. If it goes through, as it probably will, I can't imagine any of that will be pleasant for the horses out there.
 
Well I managed a 3 mile hack of sorts today. I led her out halfway round the route with lots of freezing and staring into the distance plus jumping out of her skin at passing cars (this is a bombproof pony). She seemed to have relaxed by the halfway point so I got on and rode the jiggy joggy way home apart from an interlude when we passed a stallion in a field next to the road. He was very interested in her and it was mutual 💘 so I leapt off and took her past with her making circles around me like tight lunging as we progressed down the lane with head and tail in the air. Luckily the following motorist was very understanding as he could clearly see the nub of the matter. 🧐

I feel glad that I have achieved a ride and weathered it all without injury. 😎
 
what about playing the noise through your phone, to let her get used to it? not something i’ve ever tried for a horse, but i used to put firework videos on the tv when rory was a puppy, and now he happily sits watching them through the window🤣 i’m sure it’s something you could find on youtube!😂
 
On the other side of this, I think horses can also notice the quiet when they’re used to more hustle and bustle. One of mine came from stables and turnout between a busy village church and primary school, it took her a while to settle into my yard. Which is at home and very quiet in terms of coming and going of people.

And probably why she had a treat begging habit!

I can’t really add anything helpful to OP other than keep at it and sooner or later she’ll get used to it.
 
dreamcometrue said:
Help! I moved my mare to a new yard in January. There is a tourist attraction nearby and a holiday place. As Spring has arrived so have the families plus kids. My mare has become increasingly anxious to the point where I can’t hack her out at the moment because she is totally freaked out by the sound of screaming children. She is on high alert and has bogged off back to the yard with me on two occasions now. I have tried leading her out but she became difficult to hold. She really is put in a panic by this.

What to do?

I’m thinking to try a calmer and hope that she gets accustomed to it. No other horses are reacting like this including the mare that moved with us to the yard. It’s just mine.

Maybe those ear bonnets that have some padding to dull the sound? Are they effective?

I really don’t want to have to move her again as the grazing here high on the Pennines is spot on for her (she has EMS).

Anyone been successful with this sort of thing? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
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Have you hacked her with another horse who isn't phased by it? Horses often learn quicker from another horse than they do a person.

xx
 
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