Tips for when you meet traffic/objects your horse dislikes out hacking?

[Oldenfelle]

Just interested if there's any interesting tips we might benefit from sharing?

My rising 6yo has finally started hacking (Now sadly prefers it to schooling)!!! However being so green, he will sometimes blow his head at silly things like certain flowers or lines on the road.

But the roads are fairly quiet where I am, so when he does meet a lorry or rattily trailer, it can be a little daunting, often resulting in the lorry/vehicle having to turn their engine off for us to do a snorterific extended trot past after some side and backwards steps.

Usually if I wasn't keeping them on my own, I'd take a youngster out with an older horse to walk on the outside, but sadly don't have that option at the moment as failed to find a hacking friend.

 

[Rollin]

Just interested if there's any interesting tips we might benefit from sharing?

My rising 6yo has finally started hacking (Now sadly prefers it to schooling)!!! However being so green, he will sometimes blow his head at silly things like certain flowers or lines on the road.

But the roads are fairly quiet where I am, so when he does meet a lorry or rattily trailer, it can be a little daunting, often resulting in the lorry/vehicle having to turn their engine off for us to do a snorterific extended trot past after some side and backwards steps.

Usually if I wasn't keeping them on my own, I'd take a youngster out with an older horse to walk on the outside, but sadly don't have that option at the moment as failed to find a hacking friend.

If the driver is kind enough to stop, I would hop off and lead past. Not an option for me with my local manic tractor drivers who won't stop!!

You could also get a friend to drive past while you lead on the road at a quiet time. We did this with one of our youngsters. My husband would drive past talking to her out of the car window.

 

[Happytohack]

Best thing to do is to de-sensitise your horse at home. If you have tractors coming to your yard/home - take advantage and get your horse leading/riding past them where it is safe. Have a look at safecobs website - they do loads of desensitising. I always have polos in my pocket and if one of mine has decided they don't want to go past a vehicle because it wasn't there the day before (typical horses!), I hop off and lead past and ask the driver to give them a treat out of their window. They associate vehicles with good things. If your young horse spooks at plastic bags blowing in the wind, get some and tie them somewhere where she has to walk past them to and from the field each day. It's amazing how quickly they get used to things if they are just part of day to day life

 

[Kat]

The most important thing is for you to remain calm and totally ignore the scary object. You have to act like you haven't even noticed it.

If the horse does get upset pull into a gateway, turn to face the scary object and let it pass you.

 

[indie999]

Practice practice practice till they get bored of it and it becomes normal and they then look for something else(!!)!

If its getting dangerous ie you are about to be taken across the road hop off and lead past.If that is safe do it.

If you havent got another horse and its becoming a problem get someone on foot to lead you past (even if you do this for a while). Just like you are a beginner. or walk with you. I have done it where I have got someone walk along side, in front and eventually holding back behind and then gone! ie further away and gone. Just a bit at a time, dont make a big deal of it.

A lot of horses look at the lines on the road and dont want to walk over them or the humps with lines are another one.

If you have no one on foot take your horse on foot in hand and practice.

I agree with the desensitising. Wear your hi viz too warn road users. If you have got space time etc to paint lines at home or put plastic bags etc etc at home do it.

Sounds like you are doing the right things though. Well worth it in the end and good luck.

 

[indie999]

Forgot to add I also was advised to let them sniff look and as said to ignore the fuss of it all and just take them past...a road isnt always this easy is it? good luck

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

The most important thing is for you to remain calm and totally ignore the scary object. You have to act like you haven't even noticed it.

This /\

Also, could you perhaps walk your horse out in hand a little to get them used to traffic?

 

[Marydoll]

The most important thing is for you to remain calm and totally ignore the scary object. You have to act like you haven't even noticed it.

If the horse does get upset pull into a gateway, turn to face the scary object and let it pass you.

^^^ this

 

[BWa]

Agree with the above, if I carry on on a loose rein, relaxed and chatting to him then no issues. When I shorten up my reins and suddenly change my position he will tense and look for things that might be scary.
Otherwise a good old pony club kick sometimes gets you out of trouble.

 

[1stclassalan]

The most important thing is for you to remain calm

Absolutely, this is THE MOST IMPORTANT thing - horses have amazing senses and will pick up your fear through the saddle, down the reins and leg before you know it yourself - if you are prone to being a bit wobbly - DON'T GO OUT!

....totally ignore the scary object. You have to act like you haven't even noticed it.

I realise you are trying to instill some of my first point here - but I disagree with you - your horse will think you're mad if you don't appreciate his problem; however; you can start to tell him about something that might be scarey - before it is by keeping your wits about you! For instance ( and BHS members will have to look away now) I've never ridden around a corner without there being 50-60 mtrs clear road behind me and silence from in front on narrow lanes - trot around until the same distance from the corner so if some idiot does comes tearing passed you have at least a bit of thinking time. I've never deliberately ridden two abreast to stop or block traffic as some say you should - it's fine if all you have to contend with is the odd slanging match but if two cars try to overtake in opposite direction - guess who gets it in the legs?
In situations where there is constant traffic, keep a good watch to the rear and in front and don't be afraid to signal to drivers to keep their distance - carrying a 4ft dressage stick the wrong way round helps in this respect!

Talk to your horse all the time - watch his ears.

If the horse does get upset pull into a gateway, turn to face the scary object and let it pass you.

Very,very good! Always let him face the object - I'm amazed at the number of Horsey's who are content to have him bum outwards - if he is frightened, he will back out into the danger sure as eggs!

NEVER, NEVER - NEVER! DID I MENTION N-E-V-E-R? Get off in a dangerous situation! I know this is the mantra of several noble institutions - but they are NUTS! If you can't control your horse (eg. half a ton of muscle built for running away ) from on top - you certainly ain't going to do it from underneath him squashed like a fly.

I have at least 12,000 hours on one horse and another 5,000 extra on different ones ( some extremely sprightly) roadwork experience over forty years - every time I took one out I re-signed my pledge to do everything I thought best to bring them back healthy - it is us that make the decision to take them out of a comfortable field after all.

I shall now sit back and wait for the returned fire.

 

[indie999]

Another idea is if you can find a farmer or someone with loud engines that you can take your horse to visit etc. ie start up.

Or if they agree pop them in a bit of electric fenced off field near a road or near the tractors. Its just getting use to the noises of different engines. Mine was petrified of quad bikes until I got one! I soon had a horse that liked nothing better than to investigate looking for food and rubbing its ears on the handle bars. In fact the quad became magnet of opportunity! The horse a pest!

 

[Oldenfelle]

I've failed miserably at finding a hacking friend so I doubt I'll succeed in finding a farmer to help, but worth a go.

The horses' live out, so they don't get to see a great deal beyond a fenced off area I tack them up in, their own fencing and hedges/trees.

I luckily have someone who walks on foot with us. I wouldn't say the horse is bad enough to require getting off, just a baby. I try to encourage him to investigate the things that worry him, but even trying this in the field can take all day and just insult him more

 

[Kat]

1stclassalan I agree with you about not getting off. It terrifies me how many do it though. It only takes a relatively minor spook for a horse to get away from you but a capable rider would sit the same spook and bring the horse back under control.

I stand by my point about ignoring spooky stuff though. When my mare arrived with me she hadn't done any hacking and I quickly learnt that if I didn't look at the scary object she didn't either.

This has stood us in good stead as she is about as bombproof as they come despite not even being 6 yet.

We did find going out with a person on foot or cycling very useful too.

 

[indie999]

I too was always taught unless they are about to jump of a cliff you stay on board. However I have got off my old bombproof in traffic etc perfect horse on road when I met some metal detector people. When I met them digging and scanning in their khaki army gear. We ended up in the bracken / woods. I tried and tried to get him back and apart from being dragged throught the trees and yes giving him a good whack(after the nicey pie treatment soft voice blah) I was clearly getting no where and got off and led him calmly past the offending metal detector people, much to my disgust.(& no doubt if I had been on my way home he would have poodled past).

Probably trying to take the proverbial P but I confess to dismounting my sound as a pound plod. UM! Meet the great big tractor fuel refillier truck in the middle of a field and wouldnt bat an eyelid.Aeroplanes looping the loop wouldnt bat eyelid. Hot air balloon whooshing gas, nothing 0!

How about tying some plastic bags to your fence(so cant eat them). Can you take a car or motorbike etc to your field area, make tons of noise horns etc. Remember home field is different to other fields as well.

But just exposure to all sorts of things is good. As I lived on a dangerous A road even when I got my horse someone came on foot the risk was high and I had to be so sure. Then bicycle etc I would be abandoned somewhere on way round to continue on my own.

 

[JFTDWS]

NEVER, NEVER - NEVER! DID I MENTION N-E-V-E-R? Get off in a dangerous situation! I know this is the mantra of several noble institutions - but they are NUTS! If you can't control your horse (eg. half a ton of muscle built for running away ) from on top - you certainly ain't going to do it from underneath him squashed like a fly.

I got off mine yesterday as he was being a total *insert expetive of choice, I would go for the one similar to twit* about some birdscarers in the middle of a crop field (bridlepath, obviously) and was trying explode / spin / generally be a knob. I reckoned I'd have more control on the ground than if he ditched me, but he sodded off anyway and was caught by a very nice, forgiving farmer on the other side of the field (to whom I apologised repeatedly). Most embarassing and could have been a lot worse if he'd made it to the road. Utterly stupid logic and kicking myself for doing it

 

[Toffee44]

Another Handy thing is to teach shoulder in or half past as when you have a joggy snorting pony you can make them become lighter to your hand and think carefully about where to place feet. My mare used to have a habit if planting rather than bolting and shoulder in bump started her everytime. Also very handy when they get their knickers in a twist and convince them selves therebis a dragon around each corner

 

[Caol Ila]

If my horse, who is usually a sensible creature, starts getting sharp and spooky on a hack, whether it is at a herd of Shetlands or the local kids setting fire to an abandoned car, I take contact and put her on the aids (I also do this randomly, for no apparent reason while hacking, so she doesn't associate it with scary). If she's on the bit, I have a lot more control. From there, we can practice our shoulder-in and half-pass if need be, which gives her something else to think about if she is particularly wound up. Then we continue past it. Or, if it's something like kids setting cars on fire or playing around with airguns, we walk calmly away in the opposite direction.

The stupidest thing I ever did was take an ill-advised notion (from myself) that she would find some dairy cows less terrifying if I lead her past them. Instead of sitting on top of a spinning, leaping, rearing horse, I was now underneath one, and reflected that this hadn't been as good an idea as it had seemed at the time.

 

[Toffee44]

I am no dressage rider and taught shoulder in at home in hand along a fence line and then progressed it into saddle.

 

[Caol Ila]

LOL, cross-posted with JFTD and Toffee44.

 

[JFTDWS]

LOL, cross-posted with JFTD and Toffee44.

I take solace in the fact that I am not alone in the occasional faulty decision making process

 

[webble]

Absolutely, this is THE MOST IMPORTANT thing - horses have amazing senses and will pick up your fear through the saddle, down the reins and leg before you know it yourself - if you are prone to being a bit wobbly - DON'T GO OUT!



I realise you are trying to instill some of my first point here - but I disagree with you - your horse will think you're mad if you don't appreciate his problem; however; you can start to tell him about something that might be scarey - before it is by keeping your wits about you! For instance ( and BHS members will have to look away now) I've never ridden around a corner without there being 50-60 mtrs clear road behind me and silence from in front on narrow lanes - trot around until the same distance from the corner so if some idiot does comes tearing passed you have at least a bit of thinking time. I've never deliberately ridden two abreast to stop or block traffic as some say you should - it's fine if all you have to contend with is the odd slanging match but if two cars try to overtake in opposite direction - guess who gets it in the legs?
In situations where there is constant traffic, keep a good watch to the rear and in front and don't be afraid to signal to drivers to keep their distance - carrying a 4ft dressage stick the wrong way round helps in this respect!

Talk to your horse all the time - watch his ears.




Very,very good! Always let him face the object - I'm amazed at the number of Horsey's who are content to have him bum outwards - if he is frightened, he will back out into the danger sure as eggs!

NEVER, NEVER - NEVER! DID I MENTION N-E-V-E-R? Get off in a dangerous situation! I know this is the mantra of several noble institutions - but they are NUTS! If you can't control your horse (eg. half a ton of muscle built for running away ) from on top - you certainly ain't going to do it from underneath him squashed like a fly.

I have at least 12,000 hours on one horse and another 5,000 extra on different ones ( some extremely sprightly) roadwork experience over forty years - every time I took one out I re-signed my pledge to do everything I thought best to bring them back healthy - it is us that make the decision to take them out of a comfortable field after all.

I shall now sit back and wait for the returned fire.

Speaking from experience I agree with this!!

 

[Brummyrat]

I also speak from experience and would agree, never get off and try and lead a reluctant horse past something really scary. Mine is hopeless in traffic but years ago I really wanted to get from A to B to meet a friend, went through a farmyard, met a tractor and trailer being filled with grain and he said no, I got off and attempted to lead him past... spent three days in hospital, almost lost my hand :-(

As for good advice Im sorry I can't offer any, I completely failed with mine and stick to off road stuff, luckily we have a couple of short bridleways straight off the yard so that's better than nothing.

 

[trendybraincell]

Another Handy thing is to teach shoulder in or half past as when you have a joggy snorting pony you can make them become lighter to your hand and think carefully about where to place feet. My mare used to have a habit if planting rather than bolting and shoulder in bump started her everytime. Also very handy when they get their knickers in a twist and convince them selves therebis a dragon around each corner

This Shoulder-in is a fantastic exercise for many reasons, one of which is getting past scary stuff

 

[riding_high]

i am also with the people that say never get off, i was taught to never do it but one day i had to when a trek i was escorting decided to do their own thing in the last field before home, one person fell off, 2 went galloping off towards the exit and i was left with a horse that was peeing about big style. i had to get off to help the person up, got them back on board (they were fine and laughing) but thought i better lead the last bit home as my horse was going ape and i figured best to not try and get back on.

the horse shot forwards (reins slid through my hands) and then he kicked out, i saw his hind legs coming towards my face so put my arms up to shield me, and got kicked on the inside of my elbow. if i hadn't 'put my arms up then my head would have got it.

when i told my mum she said "i thought you knew better than to try and lead a horse when it's on one, you should have got back on and done as you've been taught". no sympathy!
i've tied balloons and bags to the fences, then bounced the balloons off the ponies, my kids have run around waving flags everywhere and now all the horses accept that. i've used a gym ball to bounce around their feet, umbrellas were scary at first but then they realised that by standing under them they wouldn't get wet coming in from the field and again now accept it all. tarpoline is another thing that can bother horses but mine don't react as we used to put food on it for them and they got to the point that they would climb (or attempt to) anything the tarpoline was covering to see if there was food there.

 

[Janah]

My boy is the exception the the rule of never get off! I have only resorted to getting off in 12 years of owning him. He will pass anything with me leading him. If I stay onboard and am worried I sing, he behaves to shut me up!

He is only 14.2hh and I often get off and lead for 10 mins or so, on a long hack, so he doesn't think it is an opportunity to leg it. He does take confidence from me on the ground.

Each to their own. Whatever works for you.

Must add, in that 10 mins or so he has a mint, I have a fag and we keep walking, shoot me!

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

My boy is the exception the the rule of never get off! I have only resorted to getting off in 12 years of owning him. He will pass anything with me leading him. If I stay onboard and am worried I sing, he behaves to shut me up!

He is only 14.2hh and I often get off and lead for 10 mins or so, on a long hack, so he doesn't think it is an opportunity to leg it. He does take confidence from me on the ground.

Each to their own. Whatever works for you.

Must add, in that 10 mins or so he has a mint, I have a fag and we keep walking, shoot me!

I am with you janah. My late mare and my young mare seem to both take confidence from my lead when I hop off. Yesterday for example a man was cutting a tree down, Nell froze as she only saw the tree move, I could not get her forward so she happily walked in hand with me in between her and the horse eating tree!
I have always happily hopped on and off, late mare was 14.2 and new mare is currently 14.2. I led Nell part way today not because she was scared but because she has been a super pony and I wanted to give her a break.
Perhaps it depends on the horse, but I have never had issues with jumping on and off.

 

[1stclassalan]

With the hop off / stay on board thing - would you do that if it was a car? Yep, so ok, I know that it would be difficult to make a car go at all if you weren't sitting in it and they don't spook - but have a think where ALL THE CONTROLS ARE! Sorry to shout when we are talking of matters spooky but I must insist - we are not going over little niceties here like so many Tack Room "discussions" are - this could be life or death for one or both horse and rider.

Most of the hop off brigade seem to be pony riders which I suppose is not so evil but even a small one is much stronger than me and most of you are wee slips of gels I think - you'd stand no chance. Don't even think about hopping off over 14.2hh - anyone you does would do well to listen to my Chief Flying Instructor, his favourite bark at some awful error was :- WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO? KILL US ALL???

And to continue with an aeroplane comparison - if you can't sit a problem when you're out - perhaps you need far more practice in the simulator (arena - not many folk killed in them).

 

[Boulty]

I think it very much depends on the horse, the rider, the situation and what equipment you have to hand. A horse with a tendency to rush past / try to spin and sod off when they see something scary then I would see getting off as not a good idea and likely to end with horse getting loose and rider getting trampled. On the other hand with a horse who plants for any longer than a few minutes but who will lead quite calmly following someone then if I was on my own I'd prob consider hopping off provided I was sure I could remount easily once past the scary thing. I would say that if you're someone who makes a habit of hopping off as your default way to deal with getting past scary objects it would be advisable to carry a lunge / long line out with you as at least then if the horse have a bit of a freak out you've less chance of being pulled over and more chance of keeping hold of horse.

My old boy I only once dismounted to lead past an object in the entire 8 years of me having him and that was only because of the unique situation. Someone had dumped a load of rubbish at a bridleway entrance and to get onto the bridleway I needed to pass fairly close to it. I could see we we going to have an argument about going past and it was one I didn't want to have with my horse's backside a few feet away from a fairly busy road so I hopped off, led past with no issues and got back on after a bit of spinning around. (one of the reasons I hardly ever got off him whilst out even to do tricky gates was that he could be a bit of a pig to remount). Every other time we came across something scary I managed to persuade him past whilst onboard with a bit of stubbornness and reassurance. Tbh I always felt safer on that horse than off him in traffic as he was terrified of tractors and big lorries and had a habit of jumping sideways away from them regardless of what was there (ditches, pavements, other horses...) and I always felt better able to control this from up on his back. Anything else he was generally fine with but would never have led him on the road unless necessary because of that.

Current horse seems to retain more awareness of what's around him when he's being spooky so may change how I deal with certain situations with him depending on how he seems to behave ridden but think I'll still be a lazy arse who doesn't really fancy keeping hopping on and off every five minutes

 

[mirage]

We are currently traffic proofing a green 6 year old who had hardly been out of the school when he arrived.As my daughters are young,I'm always on foot with him on the lead rein for extra safety until he is more reliable.I have found that if we ignore whatever the scarey thing is,and keep going regardless,he is far better than if we stop to let it pass us.So we either sing or do our times tables as we march pass tractors/bikes/tankers/ramblers ect,and if he does spin,his jockey laughs at his silliness.

I found he was worse off the l/r,because then if something scarey hove into view,I'd grab the reins,which tells him 'uh oh,it must be scarey if mum is bothered'. With the l/r,it isn't so obvious and he seems more relaxed.

 

[RCB8]

I have a big black scary looking Welsh D with a neck of steel, but inside he's a bit of a wimp! I've tried jumping off and leading him past (worked well but that was when I was more confident on the ground than in the saddle with him - first year of ownership! Now it's the opposite I'm glad to say), treats, singing, sighing etc. etc. Today we met (quiet country lane) 2 lorries, 1 tractor and some farmers herding cows in a yard the other side of a hedge with loud 'whoops' and much charging about (my boy hates cows). As my daughter was behind me on her little 12.2 I decided enough was enough. I could either freeze and offer him no comfort, probably resulting in him storming off (his name is aptly Storm) or blag my way through it, pretending to be confident. I chose the latter and it worked! I held him firmly (strangely enough this helps him - I've tried loosening the reins but he almost acts as if I'm not there then!) and talked in his ear over the din of machinery/lorries and farmers + cows. I simply said reassured him and praised him over and over - I was so focused I forgot to be tense Act confident! It works! (difficult though!) Don't give up hacking though - it's all good training for the inevitable spooks they'll face and it bonds you with your horse IMO. You provide the reassurance and they'll love you for it.