introducing strong 2yr coming up 3yr old to traffi

[dimwit]

Need some advice please.
How do you introduce traffic to youngsters?? When they are strong and they take off at things they dont like
What kind of bit would you put in their mouth at moo he has a eggbutt snaffle.
He is a kind,loving pony but hates going up the yard to see the traffic im so fed up with it.
I was thinking about sending him away to be trained !!! who is good in south yorkshire

Thank you

[sarahp]

Best thing I find is to turn them out in a field with a busy road going past if you can, then he can get used to it at his own pace and can retreat to his "comfort distance" if he is frightened instead of having to stand there in fear. They are herbivores who use flight as their safety mechanism, he isn't being naughty, just frightened.

I'm lucky enough to have fields alongside the drive, so make sure the youngsters always spend time in those. I stop and chat to them through the car window too, to start with they shy away, then they realise that it's me, and see the others having no fear and learn to take the car in their stride.

[dimwit]

My field is away from the road, he is such a big baby. When i took my car in the field he was a bit scared but came up to it and licked the bonnet. I will have to try and find someone with a field near a road thank you

[brindlerainbow]

Are you able to drive your vehicle into his field? All my ponies are used to traffic even my 7 month old foal as I often drive the 4 x 4 into the field to hitch up the trailer,roll the field,collect logs.Also the farmer will drive in in the tractor to remove the muck heap or deliver hay and straw.I also walk them down the road to a field I use and I always put a trffic proof one in the front and have the babies behind

[GinaGeo]

I'd use a good control halter with a long rope, so that if he does try to run, he can without you having to let go. I wouldn't use a bit, a young mouth is far too easily ruined.

Make sure you know how to use your chosen halter, my favourite is a plain rope halter, as I think the release is instant, but everyone likes different things. Also make sure the youngster has done ground work in it before and also understands the principle, so he doesn't panic when the pressure comes in to play.

I started introducing my youngster, just by walking him down to the end of the lane to watch the traffic coming past... I had a halter on him with a long rope. I had a hat and gloves on. He ran the first couple of times a lorry came past, but only a couple of metre's, and he never got away from me. It was genuine fear, and wasn't naughtiness. I wouldn't want him get an unecessary jab in the mouth from a bit, when he was scared. It will produce a negative connontation with the bit, and he may not accept it too well.

When he was happy with that I started to lead him about the lanes. And long lining as well. If you have an older quiet horse to give confidence that may help as well. Although I prefer to introduce it alone at first so they don't become spooky when they do find themselves alone.
X

[dimwit]

I have tried a traffic proof pony but he is still frightened and does get away from me, which head collar is the best please and il ask tack shop owner how to use them properly. He has not got a nasty bone in his body but need him to be good on road ready for when daughter rides him at a later date x

[jacksprat]

the best way i have found it to go out with another horse who is really bombproof, it will give the youngster confidence . i would always go out in something you have total control in , be it a bridle, control halter etc, with a nice long rope or lunge line, hat and gloves. we start off with standing and looking from a safe distance and progress to walking on the road at a quiet time of day. i personally wouldnt take a baby out on their own till they are fairly confident.

[GinaGeo]

I like mine to have confidence in me so they don't become clingy to other horses. But everyone does it their own way! There's just me and my mum with ours and once long lining I like to have someone able to go up front or walk in the middle of the road to really control traffic. It's hard doing that with two horses, and two people.

My other horse isn't the most confidence giving on the road either, due to us being in accident last year. So I didn't want him worrying the youngster.

I use a "parelli" halter. I don't like parelli, but find the halter very effective as it puts the pressure on instantly and releases as soon as you do. It basically just a traditional rope halter. Others have had sucess with Be- nice, Dually and the Richard Maxwell ones. But I don't have experience of those. I have used the dually but found it slow to react and I had to continually manually release the pressure over the nose, which I didn't like. But maybe it just didn't suit that particular horse very well. He did have a very dipped nose, with a tiny nose and I'm not sure it fitted 100% .

[sarahp]

I think you need to back track a bit in your education process.

It's very easy for them to get away from you in a head collar, so I'd also recommend a suitable halter - I use an ordinary rope one but daughter prefers a Richard Maxwell one as she reckons it releases more easily. And as said above, do plenty of groundwork in it first to get him light in hand and obedient going forward and back and turns on the forehand in both directions. But use a headcollar for tying up and not a halter.

This one is controversial, but I like to teach them to tie up early too - I have a thick bungie about 15" long attached to a post that I use for this. They can't get away from it, but it doesn't give a dead stop as tying to anything else would, just a gradual increase in pressure. I don't like them to learn they can break a bit of string or they will, I want them to learn that they can't get away from a rope, but also that that is not frightening. I usually put them on it then potter about nearly in case they really pull back, in which case I push them forward into the pressure, that way they learn that is the way to relieve it. They only get taken off when they are standing quietly with the bungie loose, and are not left for very long at all to start with, gradually increasing the time they are expected to stand, and introducing things like leading another horse past them.

[FF]

I think a field next to a road is your best bet. I used to have mine next to the motorway. They NEVER spooked at traffic that's for sure.

[loulou25]

My 7 month old foal walks up the lane every Saturday morning now! He's a big wimp too so made it my duty to let him see a bit!

We just take a pocket full of chopped up carrot and take our time, no pressure :-)

But I definitely agree with sarahp, he came on leaps and bounds as soon as he learnt to tie up, I also used the bungie system and found it worked a treat! I tie him up all the time now and I think the ground work helps us no end.

Good luck! x

[lillicob]

Turnout by a road, all of ours from babies have been by relatively busy roads and are pretty much bomb proof in traffic.

[victoria (highhill)]

sarahp - interested to read your comments re tieing up. in the saddlery today i saw an invention whcih you clip them onto which comes undone when they pull back - so how do they ever learn with that - ridiculous as far as i'm concerned!

re traffic - i would turn out in a field next to traffic if possible. an old friend of ours had a triangular shaped field with the railway once side and a busy road on the other 'long side' - allhis horses were very sensible - i remember as a child the odd one of ours being turned out there for a bit to traffic proof them!!

[sarahp]

The bungie I use is designed to break under extreme duress - ie before the horse's neck would - but none of my youngstock have broken one yet although a visiting D mare in a real strop did once.

What happens if a horse has been taught to tie up either by holding and lengthening the rope when it goes back, or tied to bits of string it can break (I do do the first just to start with, before the bungie) and it goes to a show/needs to be tied on the yard or whatever? Either it is free to get loose at will, not a safe plan, or you tie it to something solid and run the risk that if something frightens it or by any other means it discovers it CAN'T get free it will panic and fight, in which case it's a matter of what breaks first, horse or inanimate object. Give me bungie training!

[Welshcob92]

sarah p I would love to know how you attach the length of bungee from headcollar to post? may try this method in the future.

[sarahp]

The ones I use are from Fieldguard, although not mentioned on their website - I've just looked. They are about 15" long and at least 1" in diameter with a clip at each end and can be used for tying up in lorries too, saves leadropes and knots and are supposed to be quick release although I find them awkward but I think that's my problem not theirs!

[speedysally]

try having a lead horse that can pin you in at the side if you need to and i am the same as sarahp, i have an all weather gallops on my yard which runs past a road so my 4 year old is no bother x

[dimwit]

Thanks guys :-D anybody got a spare field near a road spare to rent next yr for 2 or 3 month xx

[bumblebee]

I agree with teaching them to tie up as babies. I currently have a broken wrist where my boy tried to break loose whilst tied up, but didn't (wasn't enough force for the string to break), and I ended up getting crushed when his body kept moving but his head couldnt!! Had he learnt at a young age that breaking away doesn't work then hopefully it wouldnt have happened!

[welshab]

We have a big grass verge opposite us and we take our ponies over there to graze in a headcoller for 5-10 minutes everyday for about a week. they usually spook at the first few cars and are then to busy eating to worry about them. we also take them for a walk round the village with an older pony.

[sarahp]

I'd want something more secure than a headcollar in which to do this, although a good idea as long as the verge is wide enough - maybe a lunging cavesson and long lunge line?

[dimwit]

Thanks everyone

[Deleted]

I think he needs good old fashioned swinging - has he been tied up?
I swear by it, tying babies up supervised is wonderful for teaching them manners, grrom them, leave them whilst you muck out round them its all brilliant experience.

[sarahp]

Agreed!

[rubydoo]

i usually start off in the school introducing pony to scarey things that move and make noises , plastic bags umbrellas ect , then id either use an other pony thats bomb proof to accompany us or box to a quite area and have a few leading lessons keep it short , reward good behaviour and have someone to help good luck

[dimwit]

It was nice to meet you workingcob you were a great help. Your facilites are fantastic hope to work with you soon xx

[workingcob]

You're welcome - good to meet you too

[tafsmum]

I had a lovely experience with my 2 youngsters walking out last week. My rising 2 sec d grew 6" and stuck his chest out to a heavy goods plant wagon until it came alongside when he realised it was much bigger and shrank back a stride or 2 :-) the 16h draft rising 3 was more interested in the sign on a gate whilst it banged and clattered past us. They were both in dually headcollars and found it an exciting trip out. With the bigger baby I am finding things that move, make noise or are colourful he thinks are fine it's the stationary colourless things he finds curious. Markings on the road, signs, mounting blocks etc.. We have been stood on the inside of the gate watching traffic though and it seems to work he is within his safety net whilst experiencing traffic a few yards away - if he did spook or bolt he is still safe and can't get out of the farm.

[dimwit]

caroline1 thats how my young man is heart of gold but hates traffic, so we left him for a good few months going to try him again at the weekend going to take loads of treats and his feed bucketup to top of drive good luck let me know how you go on

[sarahp]

They can get panicked if made to stay outside their personal "comfort zone" in terms of nearness to traffic. Perhaps they would progress faster in the long run if fed at the nearest point they feel comfortable and relaxed and gradually try to work that nearer to the end of the drive? Great having a gate to shut in between in case of problems.

Do read my earlier post above too if you haven't already.