Traffic proof

[stormox]

The reason I asked the question was because I was reading old 70/80s H and H adverts and at least 50% of the riding horses are described as 'traffic proof' while it's hardly ever in adverts these days.

 

[ycbm]

The reason I asked the question was because I was reading old 70/80s H and H adverts and at least 50% of the riding horses are described as 'traffic proof' while it's hardly ever in adverts these days.

I think that's probably because nowadays the seller will likely be sued the day the horse uncharacteristically shies at a bike and they fall off, so it's safer just to leave it out.
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[SEL]

Traffic proof is quite a claim really

The reason I asked the question was because I was reading old 70/80s H and H adverts and at least 50% of the riding horses are described as 'traffic proof' while it's hardly ever in adverts these days.

A lot less cars travelling a lot slower back then. Much easier to be traffic proof if there's less and they aren't blasting past you at 40mph.

Tractors weren't the size they are today either.

 

[asmp]

I would say mine is traffic proof but not bomb proof. Used to live on an army camp and didn’t care about the tanks rumbling past him but wasn’t so sure about marching soldiers! Now in a different area fine with tractors, buses, lorries but OMG that man eating flower…….

 

[JGC]

I had my friends come from the weekend to our stables for a trek with their horses (so there were four of us) and we set off down a small lane through the village (can't have two cars pass each other for most of it) and within five minutes a forestry articulated lorry with 20 chopped trees on the back came steaming through at least 30 m/h at us - the two front horses span (and god only knows how none of us got killed as we were inches from the lorry) and the two at the back started but did not budge - so so so fortunate as that stopped the front two sprinting from home (as there was literally no space). Those two are what I consider bombproof in traffic!

 

[TheHairyOne]

5 of the horses my sister and I have are traffic proof with anything normal you would expect to find on a road, alone and in company.

The remining one was the only older horse we bought and he is fine with an escort, but not with bigger stuff on his own.

We are very lucky in that some of our bridle ways run very very close to a major dual carriage way A road, so they can see all the traffic without being at any risk which is fabulous for getting them used to it.

However, not bomb proof about other 'stuff' and my horse loathes horses pulling carriages!

 

[Lexi 123]

The reason I asked the question was because I was reading old 70/80s H and H adverts and at least 50% of the riding horses are described as 'traffic proof' while it's hardly ever in adverts these days.

I actually don’t think we are breeding that type of horse anymore. Any horse I know that traffic proof is 14 -20 years old. They are usually the old style Irish draught or ish cross with a lot of old draught and we can’t forget the old style cob .

 

[Glitterandrainbows]

Mines fine in all traffic , but hates postmen! And won’t pass

 

[scruffyponies]

Mine have in the passed close or stood in a vehicle quietly to allow to pass (in no particular order):
Chinook and ambulance helicopters overhead and landing
Salvation army band, plus a Clown with a megaphone
Hot air balloon take off.
Pheasant shooting
Freight train overhead and underneath.

Every horse has his limit. I have several who would stand quietly on the central reservation of a motorway or the side of an airport runway. The local village has a steam rally once a year, so they've seen it all. Vintage tractors, complete with swinging ploughs behind; no problem. Traction engines get just a tense look.
That one year they brought a steam lorry however...

Traffic proof horses are made that way by experience. Stand on the busiest junction in the area for an hour watching things go past. Eventually they'll stop jigging and get bored. At that point the job is done. Repeat as required. Problem is too many people only ride in a school these days, and confident riders are getting hard to find.

 

[PeterNatt]

I would expect a horse of that description to be 100% in all situations and with all vehicles and that it was capable of being ridden by itself through a city centre such as central London.

 

[ycbm]

I actually don’t think we are breeding that type of horse anymore. Any horse I know that traffic proof is 14 -20 years old. They are usually the old style Irish draught or ish cross with a lot of old draught and we can’t forget the old style cob .

I have a 7 year old ex flat racer who is completely immune to all traffic. I could ride him through Manchester and he wouldn't care. I can't take credit for him but I can for my previous horses who almost all ended up only slightly more reactive than that. Traffic proofing is training, not breeding.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

However, not bomb proof about other 'stuff' and my horse loathes horses pulling carriages!

I had a lovey ride and drive mare for many years. Bombproof for almost anything - other than another horse being driven anywhere coming up behind her or to be seen ahead of her, she was fine if she was being driven but if you were riding her it was vary hairy to say the least! Strange animals.

 

[IrishMilo]

I have a 7 year old ex flat racer who is completely immune to all traffic. I could ride him through Manchester and he wouldn't care. I can't take credit for him but I can for my previous horses who almost all ended up only slightly more reactive than that. Traffic proofing is training, not breeding.

This is why I love ex racers. Sure they can be a bit bonkers but you can count on them to not bat an eye at traffic!

 

[SilverLinings]

The reason I asked the question was because I was reading old 70/80s H and H adverts and at least 50% of the riding horses are described as 'traffic proof' while it's hardly ever in adverts these days.

When I was a child riding in the 80s nearly everyone still hacked regularly (I didn't know of a single yard where people mainly schooled, even those who competed as serious amateurs), fewer places had a menege, and fewer people had horse transport so it was common to hack to local competitions and hunt meets. In PC even children with transport would only use it to travel to events or rallies that were too far to hack, they didn't just use the horsebox for convenience as the hacking there/back was seen as part of the experience. Because of this a non-traffic safe horse would have appealed to a very limited market (and would probably have only sold if they had an outstanding competition record to make up for it), as nearly all horses were expected to regularly hack on the roads.

I think back then there were also fewer very busy and/or fast roads that riders regularly needed to negotiate, so although it was the same type of traffic as today (tractors, lorries etc), it wasn't quite so relentless or so fast on the whole so maybe it was also a bit easier for horses to get used to.

 

[planete]

Tractors never used to be able to travel at 35/40 miles an hour like some do nowadays.

 

[southerncomfort]

I actually don’t think we are breeding that type of horse anymore. Any horse I know that traffic proof is 14 -20 years old. They are usually the old style Irish draught or ish cross with a lot of old draught and we can’t forget the old style cob .

I have a 7 year old Fell pony that I would describe as traffic proof.

I don't think traffic proof horse are bred, they're made.

It's hard work to produce a traffic proof horse and time consuming too. It starts from when they're very young, just letting them stand next to a road watching the traffic go by, and you build up from there.

For me it's an absolutely fundamental part of producing a young horse.

 

[Pippity]

The reason I asked the question was because I was reading old 70/80s H and H adverts and at least 50% of the riding horses are described as 'traffic proof' while it's hardly ever in adverts these days.

I'd say because nowadays, 'hacks well' is expected to include being good in traffic. In the 70s/80s, it wasn't so essential.

Blue is solid with most of the traffic we've encountered, but our roads are mostly (fast) cars, small vans and motorbikes, with tractors depending on the season. She's fine with articulated lorries on the yard, but I can't say how she'd react to them on the road.

I've done absolutely nothing to make her good in traffic. She just arrived like that. I know nothing about her background, but I suspect she grew up in an area with heavy traffic.

 

[exracehorse]

How would you expect a horse described as "traffic proof" to be on the roads?
I would expect it to be able to be ridden on most roads, and passed by cars lorries bicycles even tractors with no problem.
Do others think differently?

Yes. All mine are traffic proof. Even the five year old. I’d say that a massive heavy piece of machinery heading towards us would make me turn around and find a field entrance or driveway to stand until it passed. I hack on the roads every day and they go past most things.

 

[paddy555]

many years ago, early 80's someone at work wanted to sell his horse (a 15 hand all rounder type) at Exeter Market. Presumably didn't want to pay for transport so he rode it there. He was about 12 miles away, rode out to the A38, ie the Devon Expressway which even in those ways was fast 2 lanes traffic on each side and rode along the side of the road from Drumbridges (for those who know it) to Exeter horse Market.
Rode into the market and the vehicle behind him stopped him and bought the horse before it ever hit the sales because he has watched it and decided it was traffic proof.

some of us were a little horrified he had chosen to ride the horse there.

 

[paddy555]

I'm sure traffic proof horses are made but you can only make it to the extent of the traffic you have. We are fine with tractors and lorries but the lorries are only going at 10mph because the road is so narrow they are trying to squeeze past us or vice versa. They have hardly ever seen a coach.
OTOH their "traffic" is animals. Almost every day they ride through or past cows and sheep.

It's hard work to produce a traffic proof horse and time consuming too. It starts from when they're very young, just letting them stand next to a road watching the traffic go by, and you build up from there.

my friend lived very close to a quarry with many heavy tippers going backwards and forwards each day. She would tie the youngsters to the fence and leave then to stand and watch.

In a similar vein I yard our youngsters next to the road with a bin of hay and they watch cows, sheep and ponies going up and down. Sometimes, if they are very lucky, they may see a car and occasionally a tractor.

 

[Roxylola]

Define traffic proof...
Both boys hack alone, in front, behind, and up sides down a major road in to Manchester - on Saturday 5 double Decker buses passed bon in about 10 minutes. They also hack alongside a motorway on some routes (and under motorway bridges) and next to, over and under a railway line. But, bon gets a little squiggly and I think with a rider who reacted would quickly become worried. Charlie is quirky and likes to keep you on your toes. They're good boys and safe but not just anybody's ride

 

[Boulty]

I would expect to be able to ride it along a bus route plus or minus road works with some big lorries, motorbikes, mobility scooters and the odd tractor thrown in and to be able to cope with rattling trailers etc being towed. I would also expect it to be capable of crossing bridge over a motorway & to be able to wait at traffic lights. If unable to do all of this in a safe sensible manner I would not consider horse to be traffic proof.

 

[paddy555]

Define traffic proof...
Both boys hack alone, in front, behind, and up sides down a major road in to Manchester - on Saturday 5 double Decker buses passed bon in about 10 minutes. They also hack alongside a motorway on some routes (and under motorway bridges) and next to, over and under a railway line. But, bon gets a little squiggly and I think with a rider who reacted would quickly become worried. Charlie is quirky and likes to keep you on your toes. They're good boys and safe but not just anybody's ride

there is also the traffic proof rider. More nervous horse and 100% confident rider equals traffic proof horse. Alternatively confident horse and nervous rider and horse soon starts to lose some of his confidence.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Define traffic proof...
Both boys hack alone, in front, behind, and up sides down a major road in to Manchester - on Saturday 5 double Decker buses passed bon in about 10 minutes. They also hack alongside a motorway on some routes (and under motorway bridges) and next to, over and under a railway line. But, bon gets a little squiggly and I think with a rider who reacted would quickly become worried. Charlie is quirky and likes to keep you on your toes. They're good boys and safe but not just anybody's ride

To me 'traffic proof' means with any rider, which is why, tbh, I think they are born not made. Obviously training helps but it has to be building on the right unflappable temperament.
We had a Clydesdale mare who we hacked home after purchase. We had just turned onto the A road with the yard she came from still in sight when a group of about 40 cyclists overtook us, whooping and hollering, she didn't turn a hair! I very much doubt that she had been trained to put up with that, at any point in her life. On the journey we were overtaken on a narrow road by a milk tanker and an emergency ambulance (siren turned off), still no adverse reaction. Then a few minutes later we needed to turn right, there was a field full of young cattle on the corner, she really didn't like the idea of turning towards them. She soon learned that cows have loveable babies, when she lived next door to some, so got over her wariness. She once got her shoe stuck on a wire fence at livery, she simply stood and waited for help to arrive.
We bought my current cob as a just 2 yr old, at the viewing, we walked her through a small but busy town centre on a Saturday lunchtime, she took parked cars, double deck buses, motorbikes, a man power-washing his car on the roadside, a couple of dogs barking behind a gate, a gardener's elderly Land-rover Defender pulling a trailer full of rattling tools and a full washing line dangling over the pull-off where we turned round, absolutely in her stride. Since being with us she has met goats for the first time, she was very interested in them and grew a bit as they approached her but continued walking forwards sensibly. She is unflappable by nature. We hadn't had her long when she got tangled up in a big straw bale, she simply stood and waited to be freed without fuss.

 

[Pippity]

there is also the traffic proof rider. More nervous horse and 100% confident rider equals traffic proof horse. Alternatively confident horse and nervous rider and horse soon starts to lose some of his confidence.

Absolutely. I went through a spell of tensing up when something came past too fast/close, and Blue would always have a little jump and trot. Once I realised what I was doing and consciously relaxed, she went right back to ignoring the traffic.

 

[Roxylola]

there is also the traffic proof rider. More nervous horse and 100% confident rider equals traffic proof horse. Alternatively confident horse and nervous rider and horse soon starts to lose some of his confidence.

I frequently seem to have the opposite of an electric bottom. One of the other liveries sometimes rides for me and was astonished at first at how much was going on under her that she never sees when I'm on board

I sort of agree with this (I can't seem to get my cursor below the quote) but I'd argue you're expecting a traffic proof horse to be anybody's ride and I don't think they're the same thing necessarily. Mine are traffic proof with the right rider, but even in an arena they'd go wrong with the wrong rider.

To me 'traffic proof' means with any rider, which is why, tbh, I think they are born not made. Obviously training helps but it has to be building on the right unflappable temperament.

 

[Quigleyandme]

My Dales pony had spent some time being driven in Greater London and Kent and was immune to all traffic including logging trucks but completely lost the run of himself at the sight of a little girl on a pink trike with glittery tassels hanging from the handle bars. My son’s army charger objected strongly to rainbow crossings and was leery of those digital bus shelter advertising screens that change image every thirty seconds or so. He had to stand at a bus stop with the horse staring at a Miss Sixty/Boohoo/Pantene/Marks and Spencer screen before the Lord Mayor’s Show as everyone who passed told him “You can’t take that on the bus mate”. I agree that traffic proof horses are made not born though.