When and how do you start traffic proofing your youngsters?

[flaxen]

At what age do you start traffic proofing your youngsters, how do you do it and how often?

My 2 yr old is already over 15hh ( was only expected to make 15.2hh ) and as i keep my 2 at home ( pony as companion ) I have no older experienced horse to use as help. He has already been bitted ( only gelded earlier this year as was getting a bit full of himself in the winter and needed him to do as he was told as I had a c section and didnt need pulling about).

I bridle him and have started walking him about on the roads where we live. We have a farm so he has seen tractors moving about but passing traffic is a bit different. He is actually very good and is taking it all in his stride, only jittering about a couple of times ( only 2nd time out today, 1st time was 1 mth ago ) he has seen cars, vans, motorbikes and boy racers. Its much quieter on a weekend than the week but still busy as our farm drive is actually on an industrial estate. I make sure he is booted all round including knee boots.

I dont manage to get him out much due to hubby not helping with daugter ( have to do horses 5am before baby wakes up and only have 30mins on an evening to do them before she kicks off at being in her pram ) so only get a chance now and then when baby at grandmas.

When hes not bothered at all with small traffic then I will start taking him out when its busier to see moving lorries. I also dont have anyone who could accompany me on an older horse.

 

[[59851]]

I walk them out in hand with a bridle on with an experienced horse at first then progressing to on their own. I usually start around 2 years of age.

 

[Shysmum]

I got Shy at two. At first I just stood him by the road to listen and watch, and his paddock was by the main road too, which helped a lot. Then I took him for walks in his bridle, both of us hi vized, and with an L plate on. We walked (with hubs and the dogs) for miles, and he was fully traffic proof before I even sat on him. usually every day he went out, even for a short time, he loved it, and it built our relationship.

He also learnt his basic Stand, Walk On, Trot, and Steady doing this, which really helped with breaking him.

He's five now, and other nervous horses come out to ride with us as he's so safe.

Hope that helps :

)

 

[Enfys]

From birth

I am fortunate in that much of my property has road boundaries. I purposely turn the mare herd out on paddocks that are by the road. We have all the normal traffic and then, as we are in a very rural area they get massive combines, some very weird and wonderful machines, and everything in between, plus snow ploughs daily and skidoos in the winter.

Feed is delivered by tractor, and I am in the paddocks everyday on the quad, with or without a trailer/harrow or roller. They take no notice of anything.

We also have crop spraying in Summer so low flying aircraft are ignored as are helicopters, at this time of year the Police helicopters are busy spotting pot gardens planted in corn fields.

Other than trains, anything my horses will meet on a local road they see from the safety of the herd first.

 

[Foxhunter49]

Mine see things from birth.
The ATV is looked on as meals on wheels. Tractors unload and stack big bales right next to their loose pens. Park a tractor within reach of them and they would strip it out in no time, even if it was running!

Tractors and Loadalls remove the muck heap and they see that - if I want to get them in or out of the loose shed or stables, they have to walk past them!

I do not specifically take them out on the roads to get them use to traffic, they get to see it when I start long reining them out.

A lot of a horse's fear comes from the rider/handler. If they see a vehicle coming and think that the horse is going to worry about it then it will. If that person thinks "Here's a new adventure!" Then rarely does anything happen.

I was long reining a TB filly last week and we met a tractor and trailer loaded with silage bales on a single track lane. There was about 3' to get past. Tractor stopped but had engine running, I knew the driver and yelled to leave it running, and she went straight past. I was prepared for her to spook but never 'expected' her to.

The power of confidence, the horse having respect and trust in you results in a young horse that is not bothered by traffic.