Turns out my horse hates cows more than me

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Elbie

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So, we have had a horse on loan since November who we have had some issues with in the past, getting him to hack out alone. He would just take the mick and refuse to walk. After several arguements and perservering we can go out, but he's ultra switched on to spooky things.

We are very lucky in tha we just have to cross a road from our yard and we are on the bridleway. Unfortunately for us, this bridleway runs around the outside of a stock field and the other week...the cows have landed!

We consulted his owner who said he'd be ok once he got used to them. They've always been in one section of the field that wasn't too close to us but the other week they were moved, which wasn't a nice suprise for me hacking out alone! We went through the drama of the previous month - him planting himself and then spinning around and refusing to go forwards. The cows were at the last section of bridleway. All he had to do was walk past them and the we could cross a lane and he could forget all about them. Unfortunately horsey decided that it was all too traumatic, spun round LAUNCHED himself into the air, I went flying and landed on his neck. He then proceeded to bunny hop/canter with his neck fixed high in the air. It was truly a feeling of flight response kicking in and his brain had just gone. To make matters worse, the cows then started to run after us! (they are young bullocks who are too inquisitive for their own good ;)) I have never been so scared in my life. Managed to get him to stop and he watched them run past but he had full on sweated up and I could feel his heart pounding on my leg.

A couple of days later I thought I'd try again with a mroe softly softly approach. This time they were in the middle of the field so not even within sniffing distance. I let him take his time and look but then he just started being silly and trying to spin round. The longer he faffed the more the cows started to edge over. And eventually, he went loopy again and cantered off towards home. Might I add we were only 2 minutes onto the bridleway! He was so wound up I had to just go home as there was no way he would go near them (plus didn't fancy falling off on my own).

He is now in a cow rehab programme. Going out with my friends horse who thinks he is a cow and loves them. Last week we made him walk up and down the fence with them. Then when I tried to get him to go without a bodyguard we had the whole leaping and spinning round fiasco again. I got so frustrated that I actually cried! Was so annoying as he'd been standing with them perfectly fine. After an HOUR we managed to get him walking on his own past them.

Last night we went out with the bodyguard again and was fine walking past them but on the way back he got all tense and jogged past them. Luckily the cows are now bored of him so stay put but if they had run over, he would've flipped out. Its soooo frustrating.

I suppose the purpose of this ultra long post is, has anyone had any similar experiences? Have your horses learned to get over scary things?
 
Might I add, I do think he is scared of them...intially! There's a very fine line between him being scared and him taking the p***.

When we were trying to get him to walk past them alone, he was so "scared" he couldn't go forwards, but relaxed enough to try and eat the plants and scratch his knee!
 
I feel your pain. My elderly horse is now retired but although he was a handful and hyperactive when he was ridden, he was not spooky AT ALL. Until we met some cows. My god, we had to go around an etire stubble field rather than walk past them on the track. He completely overreacted and it was only not a problem becuase the track ran alongside this field. My other two were also terrified of them, and I wouldn't take the welsh near the cows at all. the third would go past them with a firm rider.

However, last year I moved to a private yard which had, yes you've guessed it, cows! Only 4, but tame and pets and also friendly, inquisitive and intent on stealing the horses food.

All three are now completely cow proof and will live happily in the same field.

Exposure therapy!!
 
Ah so maybe we need to let him have a cow visit every day!

He would walk reluctantly when my friend's husband led us so if he did play up I could dismount and pull instead of try to push him with my legs!
 
Agree with Brandy - exposure therapy!!! ;)

I know it must be really difficult for you and i feel your pain. I moved to a yard where we have cows & sheep at different times of the year. At the moment we have the Steers!!!! very inquisitive little so n so's and sometimes won't even move when your driving your car at them & beeping your horn!

I wasn't sure how my boy would react, however, i have been very lucky, he had the odd spin, and try to head for home and was generally tense/scared/spooky/unsure etc.

I have continued to ride through the field with them and got to the point where if we canter towards them they run away ;)

My friends pony is wary of them too, and we tend to go out together, and sandwich him inbetween us, and keep walking calmy!!! after a few weeks he is eventually settling down, so hopefully he will soon be able to go it alone with the cows!!

So in short my answer, is, keep trying in company for the time being, i know its frustrating/scary but keep it up and he should eventually realise, theyre jus big bumbling beasties!!! ;)

Good luck x
 
When you say " he's more scared of cows than me " I take it that you are scared of cows yourself and this could be transplanting some fear into your boy. I'm not scared of cows in general - our boys walk in and out to the stables past them - but i hate walking through a field with them in and will always look for an alternative route. I had a pony who hated them and would bolt with me or any other rider , not nice. Brandy is right you just need to get him used to them , could you just bridle him up and let him graze in hand in the bridleway - instead of just ' passing through ' set yourself a bit of time and just bore the pants off the boy , the cows are bound to come over to say hello at some point , but even they'll get bored with you two after a while . If you do this a few days running , i reckon you might just crack it!
 
Spat tea all over my keyboard laughing at 'cow rehab' :D

My huge horse is scared of calves. He is a superstar with everything else - cement mixer lorries, vans, trailers, bouncy castles, flatbed lorries, metalwork factories, quad bikes etc - but calves are the spawn of the devil (not mummy cows) and could DEFINITELY eat 17 hands worth of horse. Have found that the best way to deal with these Monty-eating Monsters is to just trot straight past them asking for 'proper' work at the same time (bending, working long/low, sending on and bringing back)... if I keep sending him forward and keep his mind busy there's less sidewaysness and knobberness.

He's also been better since the farm next door to our yard moved the calves to a field he can view from his own. He's still a bit of a pain in the backside when it comes to passing them in fields but once he's kept occupied and sent forward he's ok :)
 
My TB is fine with any sort of bovine if it is standing still or eating, it's when they start running about he gets panicky so I have every sympathy with you about being chased! The lady I bought him from had him turned out with a dairy herd and he was fine, I actually had my first ride on him in the field amongst the cows. The farmer next door to us has in the last month turned 50 young bullocks out into the field next to our little schooling paddock, they have access to about 100 acres but you can guarantee as soon as I mount up they all appear over the horizon like a bad episode of Bonanza :( You can feel the ground vibrate. The first time this happened he span round on the lunge and fell over:( 4 weeks on and he is getting better, I always try to make sure the cows are standing by the fence before I start work, they find him fascinating and once in place just stand and watch him performing his moves, he in turn is fine with them as long as they dont start running about. Strange thing, cows!
 
I keep my two in a field that is flanked by 2 farms: one beef herd and one dairy herd. every ride I go on i have to tackle either one or the other and my TB is a prat around the both of them!!

She even freaks out if they are in the field next door to hers - she got so bad she fell over the other night.

She is getting better but I am moving soon so hopefully we will find somewhere cow free (or at least less of them!)

I think she is so bad because her breeder kept her with young cows who apparantly chewed her mane and tail off!! Cant imagine that was a pleasant experience for her.
 
One of my mares fancies cows, and not just a little bit, we have to go through a dairy farm when hacking and all i get is jogging, side stepping, has been known to do a bit of piaffe lol and then for the grand finale and in true arab fashion up comes the tail over to the side and she will quite happily wink away :D shes an embarrassment, mr farmer has a couple of sons who no doubt find this hilarious as does my OH :rolleyes:

Also got cows on the opposite side of the lane to the girls field, they always come to the gate in the morning to say Hi to the horses which just sets the tart off again...:p
 
Could you turn him out with some cows? That will get him over his fear!
My late mare used to live with cows and she couldn't give a toss about them. They used to roam free over the common and once a massive hairy one with horns was blocking our path home! I was so scared it was massive! My little mare put her ears flat back, pulled the most horrendous face at it and shoved her way past it lol, gotta love a good mare!

My current gelding is like yours. He's OK with sheep and OK if the cows are across the field but if they are right by the fence or the other side of a hedge he does exactly the same as yours does. If we have an escort he will follow it past them after a minute or two of being scared, if not I have to get off and lead him past them or he really frightens himself. The cows field borders the slippery lanes I ride on so not ideal! My mum has a farmer friend who keeps cows so I am thinking of dropping him off for a weeks holiday with the cows for therapy :).
 
Thanks guys! I'm glad I'm not the only one having cow issues.

When I said he hates cows more than me...I mean I don't like cows if I have to walk through a field of them myself. These are ok as I'm on a big horse (who is not so brave!) and there is a fence between us. I have started to be able to tell when he is about to catapault himself towards home so can gauge that - its just a bit hard to sit there all "la de da, oh look cows, everythings ok" and sit relaxed as I'm jamming my feet in the stirrups for preparation for take off!

I share so ride 2 weekdays a week and unfortunately our field friend can't always come out with us. I have toyed with the idea of hacking out and then if he starts to get really silly dismount and lead past. I may lead him out tomorrow with a lunge line (just in case!) and just walk him up and down and get him to graze. So much easier being on the floor sometimes.
 
OH bought a mare that would at original 'home' happily wander through a wood with tanks and fully camo'd troops with guns flying around it, but a cow, bloody hell that was way too scary!!!

I agree with the exposure therapy, turn it out in a field next to then with them.
 
Can share the pain of the cows. I was exercising a horse for a friend and had another one out with me on a hack. We had to go past a field full of the young 'uns when they came bouncing over. Well the horse was trying to spin and when he wasn't allowed to do this, he went up on his hind legs (I've never been on a horse that went that high). The minute his feet touched the ground, he reared again. I finally slithered off and led him past.

He was still rearing! His legs were level with my head and I was bricking it! Got him away from the cows, got back on and he settled all the way home.

I then got told, oh yeah, he is scared of cows, have to go out with several other horses and box him in around them.


My little mare is wary of them. I put her out in her field last year and while we'd been gone on our hack, some cows moved in across the road. My little mare hung aroudn the gate for 30 minutes waiting for her buddy. They then moved slowly into the field together but when one cow even looked at them, they rushed back to the gate, for the whole thing to go on again.
 
I had the same problem in the past and it took quite some time to desensitise. They always seemed to be waiting with calves huddled against the gate as if it was about to fall out onto the lane. I dreaded going past. Fixed gaze etc. Now if you can go past them coming home??? ie go a different way so that the only time you meet them is homewards thats what I did and he was much better.

It did take quite a long time that they became quite boring lot of cows. Can you borrow one or two to graze with?? or put yours nearby!

Get someone to lead you past if its that bad, then walk in front or go with a horse who has no problems etc etc

Good luck dont give up
 
indie999 said:
I had the same problem in the past and it took quite some time to desensitise. They always seemed to be waiting with calves huddled against the gate as if it was about to fall out onto the lane. I dreaded going past. Fixed gaze etc. Now if you can go past them coming home??? ie go a different way so that the only time you meet them is homewards thats what I did and he was much better.

It did take quite a long time that they became quite boring lot of cows. Can you borrow one or two to graze with?? or put yours nearby!

Get someone to lead you past if its that bad, then walk in front or go with a horse who has no problems etc etc

Good luck dont give up
Click to expand...

Unfortunately for us its the same bridleway out and back. The only other option is to miss out the cow field by going 10 minutes on the road - however this is a busy main road and the drivers are mentalists! Its bad enough having to ride on the road 100 yards to the bridleway entrance.

Think tonight I will ride out and if we encounter the slightest problem, I will dismount and give hime some 'cow time'. Why are they so scary?! But to be fair, my horse spooks at tufts of grass, and also his shadow the other day so maybe he's a bit 'sensitive' ;)

The grazing the cows use is council owned plus don't know the farmer so little chance of us letting our horse into one of the fields. Plus the sections within the field (all split up with fencing and gates) are so large even if we could put him in a spare one he probably would avoid the moos!

Fingers crossed for tonight. After a long day at work and hour commute the last thing I want to do is become a cow girl!
 
We bought a bombproof Clydie mare, hacked her home past a cycle race, an ambulance with flashing lights and a milk tanker with no problem, until we got to the field of cows - she was not impressed by them!
She even hesitated when going anywhere near a farmyard.
Then she moved to a field next to some cows with calves. She fell in love with the babies and never looked back. I think your 'cow time' idea is a good one. Could you give him a small feed next to the cows?
 
My daughters horse Sam is actually in love with cows! There are a herd in a field behind his paddock at the moment and every morning they come to see him. They stick their heads over the fence and they nuzzle and lick each other, quite bizarre! I can only imagine that he was raised with them in Ireland before we got him lol

SamandDaisy.jpg
 
My TB as the same. It took a LOT of head pulling away from the cows to get her past them. It was all about folding her round my leg and making her leg yield acros the road in a zigzag pattern. When there was a car behind us it was incredibly funny. When she looked, she jitter and panic, and I had to make her think abotu anything else other than the cows.
 
One thing that will help is if you can actually go where cows are being brought in and ride behind them (pretend you are a cowboy!) Once the horse realises that the cattle will 'run' away from him they become far more secure about them.

I had one horse that was similar in that he was genuinely frightened of cattle and one day when out hacking a farmer asked me to bring up some dry cows he wanted in. I walked him around the field and got behind the cattle and walked them to the gate. To start with his heart could be heard but as soon as the cows started to move he thought it was great fun and was happy to work them.
 
Agree that it is down to exposure, my old horse was terrified of pigs until I moved to a yard with 4 Pot bellies that had free access to all areas! He spent a while terrified of them then eventually they became normal and he never batted an eye at pigs again.

Sorry can't resist this but meet Denis who we use to get horses used to cows for the cow work clinics, he zips up and down a wire at the end of the school....I can post him over to you :-))

cowtraining2.jpg

cowtraining1.jpg

cowtraining7.jpg

cowtraining6.jpg


And the real thing
cowtraining4.jpg
 
Chavhorse that is hilarious!

Well, last night I braved riding and fully kitted out: body protector, spurs (don't normally hack in spurs but he can be a bit of a pain to get out on his own anyway!), schooling whip, D-ring strap and a lead rope. Cows were nowhere near the fence!

On the way out he was scanning the horizon with his little ears pricked up like antennae and when we got near-ish to them he did start to hesistate (bit like when a toddler has a tantrum brewing) so I kept my leg on and got him to walk in an outline and bend away from them. I could've taken a right and the bridleway would've then run straight past them but I decided I wanted to have at least more than a 5 minute ride!

Did a loop and ended up coming back in the direction the cows originally were. This bit of bridleway is narrow - fence with cows on one side, hedges on the other. Thought I would ride halfway and then walk to let him graze near them but the cows had moved! Horse was still very tense - think he remembered the path from the other week when we made him do the cow shuttle repeatedly! He did have his eye on them but he was very sensible and had NO jogging so I'm thinking he must be improving slightly!

The only thing we really had to worry about that scared him was...a stick on the ground. (he spooked at it on the way out AND the way back!)

Silly ned
 
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