Tips for horse thats freaks when noise is behind him!!

italylyns

italylyns

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rayleigh, essex
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I am loaning a young horse who is very green and in the 4 months i have been loaning him he has come on loads.
He has always had a fear of noise behind him but whilst out on the road yesterday he could hear a van coming up behind him and starting bucking and trying to spin round to see what it was! He was bought up on a farm so is used to all types of traffic but all i can think is that maybe he has backed into the electric fencing and got a zap with a cracking sound and now his is so scared of things coming near his bum.

Does anyone have any tips to try and help him overcome this, its so frustrating. Even if a tree rustles behind him he rushes forward LOL

Please help lol
 
Is there any way you can turn his head slightly one way so he can see behind him a little better what it is that is there? One of my horses is a bit like this with things she can hear but can't see and this works really well for her.
 
Is there someone who could ride behind you or even walk along behind you so that they can 'protect' him from the monsters behind. Perhaps if you could do this a good few times he will start to become more familiar with the things which might come up behind whilst feeling less vulnerable.
 
Lots of de-spooking work on the ground, and then in the saddle. Have a friend in the arena who can make noises with objects - ie tarp, bags, bouncing a ball, rattly cans, dragging something, etc. Obviously start with him being able to see what they are doing, and then gradually getting closer if he copes with it. Lots of praise, pats and a encouraging voice too.
 
When teaching horses for driving they have to learn to drag a log or a tyre, and walk over concrete with gravel etcetera and progress to tin sheets , the tyre is on a quick release knot just in case, and of course you are walking behind, you can start with an assistant at his head.
Use voice commands and get him used to listening for commands.
 
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