Traffic proofing

[T&T]

Hi I'm new here. I have just brought a new pony he's 5 yrs old. I've had him 6 months. Had a few little problems lameness , but he's fine now. Anyway traffic. He came from a manor that had lots of woodland so didn't see any traffic, now he's with me, he needs to see it. He's OK with car's. Van's he's still a little nervous, 2weeks ago I came off in the road, due to man in van not stopping when pony got spooked.he still didn't stop, when I was laying in the road. Police are dealing with him. I have walked him out in hand and now riding with instructor on foot. So far so good. He still worries a little, does a tap dance instead of spinning and running. Been around horses over 30 years. This is my first youngster. Any tips please.

 

[joosie]

Unfortunately there are a lot of idiot drivers around these days! But I'd say it
sounds like you're doing the right things so far with the in hand work and foot soldier. Are you hacking him alone or with other horses?

 

[T&T]

At the moment on his own. He was going out in company before. But I decided we would go back to basics and start again. Hence going out on foot. When ride with someone else on foot walk with us. I did think about asking some one to ride out with is next week, but I don't want to rush him. The roads are very busy, there are no fields or bridle paths around us.

 

[joosie]

You see I would say going out with another horse at this point could be really beneficial, I wouldn't see it as "rushing" him at all. It depends on the horse of course, but generally from my experience bringing on youngsters for work (I've done quite a few!) they do normally benefit from hacking with other horses in the early / nervous stages as they get so much more confidence having a horse to follow. Don't underestimate the value of having a sensible, traffic-proof companion for him to take his cue from (not to mention being there to shield him when necessary). Saying that, I am also an advocate of teaching young horses to hack alone as it's such a useful skill and the earlier you get them going the better. So I'd say a combination of the two would be the way to go.

 

[Jessey]

Horses generally take confidence from another horse and learn not to panic about traffic, it's very important to pick the right nanny horse though, so I'd be practicing in company.

 

[carthorse]

I'm another who'd be trying to find a safe companion horse to hack with.

 

[Lemme]

At the moment on his own. He was going out in company before. But I decided we would go back to basics and start again. Hence going out on foot. When ride with someone else on foot walk with us. I did think about asking some one to ride out with is next week, but I don't want to rush him. The roads are very busy, there are no fields or bridle paths around us.

This is exactly what we have done with our rising 6 yr old - back to basics - our Mare was similar used to quiet lanes, so we spent 2 or 3 weeks with her last year just schooling and on the ground been led out to see stuff! Ridden out on her own with a foot soldier for a month or so before being turned away for winter, hopefully she has retained some of it when we restart next month - but it will a couple of weeks refresher on the ground and then back out to ridden again. A Welsh sec C mare lovely nature but green and quick, they say they can be 8 before they fully mature

 

[T&T]

He's a 13.1hh Dartmoor hill pony. I was riding out with someone in the beginning, but she would never wait for us if he was spooking at something. She wouldn't even come back for us.so I ended up having to get of and lead him past. Don't really want to teach him I get of if he spooks. But at the moment its going well. Next week my instructor is bring her horse out.

 

[joosie]

Yeah a "companion" like that would be no help at all! Your instructor will have a much better idea of what she should be doing!

 

[HaloHoney]

Flash and I are hacking companions to some much greener horses. They really take confidence from him being so calm (just don’t take us through the cornfield, lol).
We ride two abreast where we can, with the more confident horse on the outside. This helped get a reasonably green horse past a horse-eating bin lorry with a real minimum of drama a couple of weeks back.

 

[chunky monkey]

I would mix it up. I have a youngster who when I brought him it very quickly became apparent he was frightened of anything big lorries, buses, transit vans, trailers even motorbikes. He would want to turn to run or mount the pavement, even kicked out on occasions.
I have another very sane horse who others rode out for me when they weren't available I went out on my own. Also when hacking in company mix that up. Go in front, then drop back behind etc.
I found that my youngster was better able to cope with the lorries and buses if I could stop him and ask for a stand. He was less likely to run. If he was moving and the vehicle was coming towards us he couldn't concentrate and mounted the pavement more.
Also when a bus came up behind I asked for a stand then once it had gone past. Lots of praise and quickly trot on straight behind the bus for as long as you can stay with it. (Just be careful the air brakes don't go off).
I also introduce clicker training. Although we made progress by getting him to stand, I didn't feel it was enough progress. So when the bus came I asked for stand. As soon as he did stand I clicked. Then he would turn his head for his treat. His mind was then taken off the passing bus. We could then carry on. This really helped turn a corner.
I have gone from mounting the pavement or spinning on every large vehicle to now about 95% all good. The 5% is usually the ones that come so quick it doesn't allow me time to ask for the stand.
I know other people might say just kick them on but mine has gained confidence by standing.

 

[Jessey]

Its a good point there @chunky monkey sometimes they only ever see big things when lots happening, if I find a large vehicle parked up I use it as a learning opportunity, get them right up to it and let them sniff and explore it a bit, it seems to help in the long run when they then meet one moving.

 

[chunky monkey]

Me to. Any opportunities. Like this weekend. Im going to do some digger training this weekend as a contractor has parked a large digger and roller in the yard. I've asked him to move the arm so I can ride Billy under it. He had a good look at it tonight and moved away from it when I rode back from a hack but I was pushing light so no time to play. So tomorrow I'm going to spend ½ hour walking him round it and under the arm. Did this previously at the yard I was at when they had a digger on hire. He wouldn't go near it to start with, then ran under the arm, then eventually he walked no questions asked. He hates stuff above his head. Think that's why he fears big vehicles. So this weekend is a perfect opportunity to reinforce.

 

[Bodshi]

@chunky monkey that's the same method I've been advised to use with Raf. I was always told you should just act as though there was 'nothing to see' and kick on but I didn't get anywhere with that (Raf is scared of tractors and wagons).

I got my RI to hack him round a road deliberately in search of large traffic and she worked out the best method for him was to stand and let him see the vehicle and reassure him. I then started riding the same route myself with her as an escort so she could train me too. We got to the stage where Raf is very nearly ok with tractors as long as they slow down and only does a little drama queen jig at wagons if they slow down, but any that fly past will set us back a step. Not that I've done that route for ages, probably why he's better with tractors than wagons because we see tractors whichever route we go in.

The only drawback is that Raf now thinks he should stop at every wagon we see, even if it isn't particularly close, e.g. the car park of a PR.