Traffic training

[Dermski]

im Looking for a traffic training course for my horse that doesn’t involve clicker training. I live in a fairly rural area, so not a huge amount of traffic but my horse (i’ve had her 3 years), still cannot cope with traffic coming head on at speed (ok with anything coming from behind). Her reaction is to spin into the road, which is a little unnerving! She’s ok with company, but I ride alone a lot so it’s a problem. Any courses out there? Thinking full on exposure may help?

 

[Green Bean]

Any chance of putting your horse in a paddock right next to the road with no hedgerow screening the road? This may help to desensitise the horse in a safe way over time. It is difficult though as a road is the worst place to have a horse lose its mind on due to slipping and falling on the road. My horse is scared off anything 3.5t and above or even a car with a trailer on the back, and although we have worked on this a bit, I still consider the road dangerous for us both as my worst nightmare is horse slipping and crashing down on me.

 

[ruby930]

A clients horse I had a few years ago was terrified of cars so I drove my car into one of my sand arenas and put the horse in there with it.
she was scared at first and didn’t walk away from the gate but the next day I caught her stood next to the car.
thay made her a whole lot better with stationary cars.
Next thing I did was put her in a round pen and drove my car around in circles until she wasn’t scared of it anymore.
people thought I was crazy but hey ho it worked wonders?

 

[J&S]

Ruby, that sounds like it was worth the effort. I had a non traffic proof horse and it was a night mare.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

One of my horses is 16 and I have tried lots of things as he really is scared of any motor vehicle coming towards him, if they crawl past he is generally ok but any faster he will spin or jump out of the way, he has got marginally better over the years but I just think some horses will never be comfortable with some things.

Hence why I don't really take him on roads it's not worth the risk as I can't guarantee that the drivers round here will slow down enough.

 

[scruffyponies]

I have a lovely busy spot by a roundabout in the middle of town where I stand the pony until it stops fidgeting, and will stand on a loose rein whilst I talk to people and all kinds of things clank past over the cobbled centre. Once it has relaxed we can go home.

Exposure is key.

 

[RHM]

I agree with the others exposure is the best thing. What I did with mine was walk him out in hand on the roads, he was much more confident with me stood on the side of the traffic and now is completely bombproof. I’ve put in some serious miles over the years but it has worked wonders.

 

[DabDab]

My big horse was incredibly traffic shy when I first backed him. He was in a field next to a busy road but it didn't seem to help. Cars coming towards him were an issue for quite a bit longer than from behind. I used to pick my routes carefully so I had plenty of gateways to park him in if we met oncoming traffic, so at least the spin was away from the vehicle. I also found a couple of places where I could just stand in the entrance of a quiet track/lane and watch cars going past on the busier road and would stay until he was relaxed and not jumping.

It took 6-12 months for him to become pretty solid with cars and then another year or so before he was good with bigger stuff. He's solid as a rock now though, so was well worth taking the time to get him there.

 

[Dermski]

Thank you all. We do get a lot of farm traffic and bikes on the nearby road so I think the walking in hand would be a good idea. We also have a layby just down the road I could stand in to watch the traffic. Should I walk in a bridle or halter?

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Thank you all. We do get a lot of farm traffic and bikes on the nearby road so I think the walking in hand would be a good idea. We also have a layby just down the road I could stand in to watch the traffic. Should I walk in a bridle or halter?

Definitely a bridle always if near a road.

 

[Beachbabe]

Any chance of putting your horse in a paddock right next to the road with no hedgerow screening the road? This may help to desensitise the horse in a safe way over time. It is difficult though as a road is the worst place to have a horse lose its mind on due to slipping and falling on the road. My horse is scared off anything 3.5t and above or even a car with a trailer on the back, and although we have worked on this a bit, I still consider the road dangerous for us both as my worst nightmare is horse slipping and crashing down on me.

My Connie was brought over from Ireland and put in a field which was on the junction of two really busy A roads, and has never had an issue with anything. Too brave sometimes I think. The dealer did everything with him in this field.

 

[RHM]

Thank you all. We do get a lot of farm traffic and bikes on the nearby road so I think the walking in hand would be a good idea. We also have a layby just down the road I could stand in to watch the traffic. Should I walk in a bridle or halter?

I always use a bridle on roads.

 

[Theskebaldmare]

I always use a bridle on roads.

quite agree with you

 

[DabDab]

My Connie was brought over from Ireland and put in a field which was on the junction of two really busy A roads, and has never had an issue with anything. Too brave sometimes I think. The dealer did everything with him in this field.

My connie has never been kept anywhere near cars and is not traffic shy in any way.

My big horse (mentioned up thread) was kept next to a busy road all his young life, and was incredibly traffic shy

One swallow does not make a summer.