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Sarah Woodman
New Member
Username: Meggles
Post Number: 1
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Monday, Jan 17, 2005 - 2:56 pm: |   |
Hello.
My friends horse has developed a very bad habit, through fear (we think) in that he spins and canters off in the face of oncoming cars when riding on the roads. Most of our riding is on narrow country lanes where the horses have to be good in traffic - they aren't very busy but there are lots of bends and cars pass close so the risks are high. He wasn't always like this and is only like it when the weather is wet and its the noise the cars make on the wet roads that seems to set him off. He's fine with cars passing from behind. His rider is competent and never backs off with her leg when he tenses up. She stays relaxed and tries to push him on with her legs when he goes to spin but nothing works - he is the master of evasion when he wants to be. In company he tends to leap out to the side into the ditch which is not as bad as spinning but still bad. He is extremely bad when alone on the road - he only has to walk for 10 minutes to get to our local menage but its turning into something really traumatic. His owner rides him out regularly in company so it is something he should be accustomed to. We've tried testing him with splashing water i.e emptying a bucket noisily next to him, but he's not in the slightest bit bothered. I think we need to desensitise him somehow but I'm stuck for ideas.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
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Katrina Turner
Member
Username: Kthorse
Post Number: 314
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Monday, Jan 17, 2005 - 4:31 pm: | |
How scary,
I would love to know the answer to that one also. I had a pony mare when I was a kid who when in heat would do the same thing. As a kid it did not bother me, but years later I hate to ride on roads even though my horse is great. I have flash backs from my pony mare.
I hope she gets this resolved fast. Its very dangerous. |
Gill Bridgeman
Member
Username: Gillb
Post Number: 68
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, Jan 17, 2005 - 5:48 pm: | |
It is a very scary thing, I can sympathise! I had a horse that did this, not just in wet conditions. He was okay with cars but anything larger he would spin anti-clockwise and put us both in the path of oncoming traffic! If he was particularly stressed he just ignored leg aids. He did eventually improve, but it took many years.
What helped was me driving my lorry around a dry field in summer and a competent friend rode my horse. First of all we'd start with the lorry standing still ignition off, ride him up to it and I'd feed him out of the window. Then engine running, then moving the lorry slowly around and riding the horse at it from all angles; walking him alongside it etc.
I also have a bomb proof pony who is brilliant in all traffic and we used to hack out and put my horse on the inside if anything scary appeared. As I said it did take a long while but he did improve to the point that if the vehicle slowed right down he would pass it, and I could actually ride him out on his own. However he was never 100% and if a large vehicle approached too fast he would still try and spin, although by this time he was more obedient to my leg.
I think some horses are a bit claustrophobic and I found my horse was always worst on narrow lanes with very large oncoming vehicles, I think he felt trapped. |
Kim Glaza
Member
Username: Kckohles
Post Number: 40
Registered: 7-2000
| | Posted on Monday, Jan 17, 2005 - 10:04 pm: | |
Sarah,
Setting up a controlled environment like Gill is suggesting is a good idea to help the horse understand that it can survive around a car and not have it really be a dangerous situation.
The other thing I have seen be very effective is to lead the horse down the road and as a car approaches take a hold of the lead and let the horse know that it is going to be okay and keep walking. The thing is that with the leading you have to allow the horse enough space to safely jump around if need be and not get stepped on.
Another idea is to take the horse rather than try and prevent the spin, use that and take the horse around. Have it be the riders idea rather than a fight. I want all my horses to know how to spin and use their hindquarters and what better than when it is already going to happen. I would take the horse around in the spin and then take control of his feet after we got through the turn. In other words I wouldn't let him bolt off but once the car is gone and you have made the turn you can then use more of the road to direct him. One rein if he starts to get out of control. You want to show your horse what you can do not what you can't because it scares them to think they have better and safer ideas than we do. They think that they need to be in charge of their own safety because we don't make good choices.
The rider of this horse also needs to get control of the horses' hindquarters. Because they know when the horse is going to spin before it happens you can disengage the hindquarters to prevent the spin. But I still think the best idea is to take the horse in the spin, have it be your idea.
KIM |
joj
Member
Username: Jojo15
Post Number: 493
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Monday, Jan 17, 2005 - 11:26 pm: | |
Totally agree and disagree with Kim... I would never do it on the ground. Too dangerous. I personally feel i can better control a horse while mounted. But i totally agree in making his antics a part of the riders idea. and creating the turn before he has the chance to. and maybe ride the horse back a few paces till the car moves on. It might desensitize him enough.
You might never get him to relax and act great, but with time you should be able to make him spook in a controled manner that won't injure you or others. does that make sense? I know its nerve wracking. I have a night vision problem with my mare and oncoming cars. so i know the frustration and fear. Also, now the horse is probably reading the riders fear when oncoming traffic is approaching not helping the situation. so controlled lessons like gill said would help.
Does stopping and facing away from the car been tried?
I do recall a lesson i had learned that the horse looking straight at a vehicle coming towards it could spook them. Instead pull their head down and then slightly left or right a bit so that they are looking at it from an angle. I don't know why this might work but that their ability to discern movement might be better thru one eye at time vs. both straight on.. This is what i did for my quarter horse. It was totally a different lesson with my TB.
joj |
Gill Bridgeman
Member
Username: Gillb
Post Number: 69
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, Jan 18, 2005 - 4:39 am: | |
Joj has just reminded me that this is another thing that did work with my horse - if I turned him sideways on he wasn't so freaked out. I could stand him in a driveway or at a junction while large vehicles passed and so long as he was not looking towards them he was fine! However he was not so good earlier in his training. I have always thought it was something to do with the way my horse 'saw' the vehicles moving out of both eyes - he always reacted to those that were higher than his eye level - he was also a horse that did not like to walk underneath anything strange but he would walk under branches etc no problem.
As to why some horses react and some don't, I have no idea - wish I did! |
Sarah Woodman
Member
Username: Meggles
Post Number: 2
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, Jan 18, 2005 - 12:47 pm: | |
Hi
Thanks so much for the replies. We'll spend some time trying them and let you know what happens, particularly the suggestion about controlling the spin rather than avoiding it, and also, trying to turn him in the other direction. The bends in the roads may be difficult as you can't see whats coming and have to get around them so you aren't vulnerable at the back but its worth a try. I don't think she could do this leading him from the ground as he does have a tendancy to get away from her from time to time on the ground and when he does, he heads home regardless! Its interesting because in the summer, when he's feeling full of grass and the roads are dry, he doesn't spook at a thing. Its only now, when its cold and wet, and he's more fresh, that he has a problem. Weird!!
Thanks again. |
Christos Axis
Member
Username: Christos
Post Number: 584
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, Jan 18, 2005 - 3:50 pm: | |
Sarah,
You may want to try holding a dressage whip on your left hand. Some horses are very reluctant to turn into the whip, especially if it is held with the tip somehow forward. |
