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  Discussion on Horse spooking at oncoming traffic
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New Member:
Meggles

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
Member:
Kthorse

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.
Member:
Gillb

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.
Member:
Kckohles

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
Member:
Jojo15

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
Member:
Gillb

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!
Member:
Meggles

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.
Member:
Christos

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.
New Member:
rackn1

Posted on Monday, Mar 1, 2010 - 9:02 am:

I realize that it has been several years since you posted but I am experiencing the same problem with my horse. It appeared out of nowhere. I am the only person who has ever ridden him and he has never had any traumatic experiences with vehicles to cause a fear. I really think it has something to do with sight and how the car appears to him.

He whirls into the oncoming traffic and I am seriously afraid that we are going to get hit.
I do not ride on the road very often and when I do I get behind another horse and turn his head a little so that he isn't looking directly at the car. But I need to work on this problem!

But now I am not helping matters due to my fear of getting hit. I don't fear his bolting b/c he never goes far, I fear the car. I am sure I am tensing up an causing more apprehension.

Did you ever solve this horse's problem? Any advice?
Member:
cometrdr

Posted on Monday, Mar 1, 2010 - 10:52 am:

Have you hand walked him on the road? (I see it was recommended above as well) When I first moved back to AZ a few months ago we moved in to a 'neighborhood' is quite rural as you explain above in your first post, nice twisty turny roads, plenty of horse places everywhere and some traffic on the road. Very different from the desolate forest we lived for 4 years. But, to get my horses used to this place I spent over a month (and still do) take them for long walks on a lead rope on the roads. They seem much more at ease if I am standing next to them then on top of them. Practice this in an arena a lot and on Familiar Ground (in and around the stable your property) first so the horse respects your space and walks well. I also keep a crop in my hand for the stubborn, non respectful moments they may have. Do not underestimate them just stopping to check things out. Let them. Mine would stand sniff and basically just look around on full alert but calm because I was right there next to them talking to them quietly and low and keeping them at ease. Then when we went riding - it was a total non event. Also I always do have them face the traffic as you noted above as well. How did that water treatment work out for that horse?
Member:
lhenning

Posted on Thursday, Mar 4, 2010 - 2:23 pm:

Some things to try:

1. Think about your breathing while you are riding on the road. Always breathe slow and deep, using your diaphragm. I find it helpful to make an O out of my mouth (like I'm blowing out a candle) and think about my breathing. Sally Swift says you can literally breathe a horse to calmness. It helps me when we are near spooky things to think about the breathing and not the spooky thing.

2. Move slow. My impulse in scarey places is to want the horse to move quick and get out of the way. Horses perceive this as scarey and become more nervous. Force yourself to ask him to waaaalllkkkk away like no big deal.

3. Practice. Get at the end of a driveway and walk on the road, become calm, reward by walking off the road. Start tiny, like just the very edge of the driveway (or wherever you both feel comfortable) and work yourself out to the middle. Do this over and over until you and the horse feel no tension at all on the road.

4. Hand walking can be an effective tool, but if you are calmer while on the ground and more nervous while riding, it won't do any good. The key is to become a calm leader while riding.

5. All this is with the assumption your horse is listening to your aids and in all other ways is a pleasant horse to ride. If not, go back to basics.

I have worked through many fear issues in this manner. Takes time, but it works.

Good luck,
Linda
Member:
rackn1

Posted on Friday, Mar 5, 2010 - 6:46 pm:

Thanks Linda for your advice.

I realize that I am not helping the matter because I am sure I tense up in fear that we are going to be hit if he veers into an approaching vehicle.
I think the thing to do is going to be to get a friend to help me by driving and work on it in a safe setting before we actually ride on any roads.
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