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donna72_uk
Gold Member
 England
1123 Posts |
 Posted - 11 Dec 2005 : 7:08:55 PM
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My Arab just dont like anything with wheels cars bikes and pushchairs etc. He is rising 5 now so i know he is still young but he doesnt seem to be getting better. He is also shying alot at silly things and he absolutely hates puddles. Just wanted to know has anyone tried any calming remedies and do they really work.
Thanks
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Donna
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barbara.gregory
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4531 Posts |
Posted - 11 Dec 2005 : 7:35:33 PM
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If you ring Mile End Equestrian they have a supplement that made a huge difference to a friend's horse; it is now on it permanently as when she took it off the supplement thinking it might have got over it's silliness it reverted to being a pain.
Their number is 01206 214555 and they post out the same day.
I hope this is OK, Paula/Sean and not regarded as advertising. I personally haven't tried it but do get other things (wormers, joint supplements etc) from them and they are very good and you get the stuff the next day or the day after.
Also, if you could find an older bombproof horse to ride out with for a while that will help.
Barbara |
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Roseanne
Moderator
United Kingdom
6708 Posts |
Posted - 11 Dec 2005 : 7:39:37 PM
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Exposure is the answer! Just lots and lots of seeing and hearing the wheels and cars and bikes and pushchairs. All horses are a bit like that as youngsters. It helps a lot to ride out with older, more experienced horses, or lead the youngster out off an older horse. As far as puddles go, you could do worse than lead your horse out in hand and walk through the puddles (you go first to give him confidence). If riding and you get to a big puddle, get off, lead him through, then lead him back through, then get back on and ride him through. Big fuss if he does... It's natural apprehension for him not naughtiness. Puddles reflect light and 'move' with the breeze so it's a fair response by them to avoid walking into them.
Arabs have a very keen sense of what's right and what's not quite safe, and like all horses they see things in different colours to humans, so their shying is a natural reaction to things that are there, or may be...
I believe they are still desert animals, no matter how many generations they have been bred elsewhere, and hedges, woods and trees which could hide predators make some of them feel insecure.
Lots of people may have ideas for calming remedies but your horse gradually realising you won't take him anywhere unsafe - trusting you - over time, will help him be calmer about going through strange terrain. |
Roseanne |
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donna72_uk
Gold Member
England
1123 Posts |
Posted - 11 Dec 2005 : 8:13:52 PM
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I do ride nearly everyday.I ride out with my friend whose pony is bombproof but he is smaller than mine so i feel like he thinks his mate is not protecting him enough,As they are the only two at our yard there is not an option to ride out with something bigger.We also only have to go a very short distance on the road so sometimes dont see any traffic but when we do the problem arises. Have tried leading him through puddles but he puts in such a big jump that he nearly landed on me my friends pony just splashes straight through them so he is a good pony to be with.
Thanks for both your replies |
Donna
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Roseanne
Moderator
United Kingdom
6708 Posts |
Posted - 11 Dec 2005 : 9:18:08 PM
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Do you have a yard where you can get him used to water collecting by having a hose running?
I have a friend who is into the US kind of horsemanship training and he takes his horses to busy interchanges of roads and stands there or sits on them, while the traffic goes by, getting them used to it. First a distance away and then a bit closer. He also deliberately goes down there some days when it's wet so he can get them used to the splashing of the tyres through the water.
With some horses it's not so much rushing from place to place hoping to miss the problem, it's taking the horse a bit nearer the problem each day and keeping them calm at a distance, so it gets less and less frightening as the time goes by.
Was he backed a short while ago?
I'm sure you will find he will steadily improve. He needs to feel that you are not scared by what is scaring him. A hand on his neck while you are pacifying him will help and any companionship by confident horses and riders will be an asset. Keep enjoying him though; if you can lead him through this you'll have a great partnership. |
Roseanne |
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cmills
New Member
United Kingdom
27 Posts |
Posted - 12 Dec 2005 : 12:35:17 PM
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Calming remedies are just covering up the problem, you need to work with him. I'm just going through this with my new 3yo who has done very little. She came from a fairly posh yard and had never even met mud before I got her!
We're having lots of fun with puddles - she's convinced I'm daft but it's worked with my others, firstly we give a wide shallow bucket to drink from (I should say that I laugh with my horses a lot!), then when she's drinking we play "splash the nosey" making lots of silly noises and plenty of splashy noises too, then we do carrot bobbing, then I jump in the bucket and splash the water out (accompanied by lots of snorting and wide eyes - mostly from her), then we practice putting feet in warm water in same wide bucket, progressing to cold water, then we find a big puddle (or make one) and we do "playing" in that, jumping in it (me), carrot bobbing (her), picking up feet and putting them in it (me first - cue the hokey cokey, then her), then we walk in it (usually she's accidentally already done that) and make lots of splashes. Then next time we see a puddle I squeak with excitement and get her to come and have a play.
I bicycle round and round my horses in the field too and we have a buggy that we push about with various noisy things in - things that rattle and bang as you go over bumps - with raincovers that you can put up and down and flap about. Are you able to get a car in your field and drive that about? Can you leave a car running in the yard and take him up to it and feed him from the bonnet, or open the door and put a feed on the seat - or in the boot. My girl has only ever been out on the road three times (last one was yesterday) we had me and my daughter one either side just in case but she is getting better and when someone pulled up to ask directions she just stood there - I was so pleased with her. We live in a 30 zone and basically we consider ourselves priviliged if the cars slow down to 30 to pass the horses and we also have two lorry yards locally and we are in a farming area with monster tractors and equipment so she's got to get good fast. We have taken her out before with my driving pony who is a star in traffic but next time instead of my husband leading the pony I'm going to get him to drive the car and keep pulling up next to her so that she can have a good look at it. The trouble is that they go past so fast that she can't check them out - she's fantastic when she's had a chance to see and sniff the monsters that I've been exposing her to (wheelie bins, jump stands, plastic jump blocks, road signs, drains) but the cars never hang around long enough for her to sniff them! Mind you even my most sensible boy had a fit the other day when we went past a house and all the plastic snowmen and father christmases started singing jingle bells and flashing on and off!
On a serious note though if you are going the short distance along the road and you notice a car coming up behind you try not to trot to get to safety before it comes past - you are reinforcing your horse's flight instinct. It is permissible to trot towards a car but NEVER away from one! Oh and it's my guess that you get nervous and go quiet, don't! For a start if you are nattering or, even better, singing your horse hears you and can be reassured at the same time as he hears the car. So the next time you're out on the road give the next car that you see a rousing chorus!
Best of luck, keep at it! |
If I could put a piccie on here I would! |
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donna72_uk
Gold Member
England
1123 Posts |
Posted - 13 Dec 2005 : 10:53:11 PM
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Thanks for everyones suggestions.I will be putting them all to use.
I had forgotten what its like to have a youngster and i think as he was only cut last year he hadnt been out much so he hasnt seen much of anything.
Thanks again |
Donna
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mazey
Gold Member
England
501 Posts |
Posted - 14 Dec 2005 : 7:05:21 PM
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| Hi Donna, I think the suggestions cmills said are sensible. De-sensitising is a really useful training method - I do odd things with my horses too. Getting youngsters to walk over strange things like tarps and boards is also useful - they get to trust you - you aren't getting them to do anything that is dangerous for them. If you train your horse on the ground to move away from pressure you can use this principle in any situation e.g. going up ramps, through water etc Having said that my mare will now walk through water but if we are out on the moors and cantering she much prefers leaping over puddles, which I hate. I agree with Roseanne and think arabs are genetically programmed to avoid water (other than to drink) |
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donna72_uk
Gold Member
England
1123 Posts |
Posted - 16 Dec 2005 : 4:27:25 PM
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I do loads with him when i am walking round the yard but when we are out it is a different story he just gets very worked up and when he sees or hears a car he just wants to spin round and go the opposite direction. When i hear cars are coming i always ask them to slow down which most people do but then you get the idiot who thinks its better for them to put there foot down to get past fast then thats when he freaks more and i get worried that if he spins in the road he will end up getting hit its so scary when that happens. But thanks again for everyones help
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Donna
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cmills
New Member
United Kingdom
27 Posts |
Posted - 19 Dec 2005 : 10:03:16 AM
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I do know how scary that is! Can you take him right up next to the road but still on your property and just stand with him and talk to him, just get him used to the cars going past? Horrid question but are YOU scaring him! How is he with someone else who's confident with their horses on the road? Our girl is still bothered by the cars going past - she just doesn't get that chance to look at them, I'm still hoping to get my husband to come and drive past her but before I can arrange that I'm going to tie a haynet to the gate at the end of the drive next to the road so that she can stand there and eat. She's not normally very near to traffic. Can you do something similar?
Is he frightened of all traffic or just that which is coming up behind him? |
If I could put a piccie on here I would! |
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donna72_uk
Gold Member
England
1123 Posts |
Posted - 29 Dec 2005 : 3:34:53 PM
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Sorry to take so long to reply but what with my daughters birthday and christmas just havent got round to it.As the yard is set back from the road it would be to dangerous to stand down there with him as when he gets scared he just wants to run away,I know what your saying about me scaring him but i am very confident as i have been riding for a long time and my old PBA which i had from birth was absolutely brilliant on the roads but as a colt i use to take him for walks all the time so he really trusted me with estar he doesnt seem to trust me that much but i know its early days as i only got him in april so i will just keep trying with him.
Thanks again for your reply.
 to you all |
Donna
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Roseanne
Moderator
United Kingdom
6708 Posts |
Posted - 29 Dec 2005 : 5:06:08 PM
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| I'm sure he'll become more trusting as time goes on. It would also give him much more confidence if you went and stood closer to the road with someone else and an older, bombproof horse. A lot of these aversions are cured by endless repetition - always with a safe and happy outcome so his worst primal fears aren't realised. He's obviously got a good sense of self preservation which indicates an intelligent horse, so you've got a good one if you can generate that trust. |
Roseanne |
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Libby Frost
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4711 Posts |
Posted - 29 Dec 2005 : 5:36:02 PM
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My lad is a bit nervous and excitable i changed ALL his feed over,he now has Allen and Page Calm and condition Spillers Ready grass and Top spec Calmer,MUCH better !!! Though have'nt ridden him since begining of december due to wolf teeth removal HORRENDOUS weather etc etc etc.......Watch this space for when i get on board again!!!!!
And i had the same problem as you , running away from any thing scary rather than a least stopping to look!!! |
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Edited by - Libby Frost on 29 Dec 2005 5:37:51 PM |
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Judith S
Platinum Member
Wales
15686 Posts |
Posted - 29 Dec 2005 : 5:38:49 PM
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I live in the wild Welsh hills & my Arabs don't see much traffic! This used to worry me when I started a horse on the endurance circuit - going to rides where we would have to ride on busy main roads with TRAFFIC! I used to get so worked up just think about lorries....
Strange thing - when competing I've found that they take no notice at all of heavy traffic as they are so focused (& me!) on the job in hand - they go along with vehicles flashing past them as if they do it every day!
Judith |
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Edited by - Judith S on 29 Dec 2005 5:39:46 PM |
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CeliaS
Gold Member
Wales
646 Posts |
Posted - 29 Dec 2005 : 7:14:22 PM
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As the others say - exposure or desensitisation is the answer and at the age of rising 5 he is very young. My lad is rising 11 and although still awful with water (particularly running water, streams, etc) is pretty much ok with pushbikes, but not motorbikes, and is not too bad with traffic, the big stuff being the worst.
When taking part in an endurance ride, the year before last, at Cirencester, halfway round we were treated to a very noisy aerobatic display by the Red Arrows and terrified I clamped my legs on tightly, but Salty was much too interested in his bucket of sugar beet water to take any notice.
I am now on an arable farm where the biggest machinery that comes around is a combine harvester and that is BIG!! So hopefully desensitising to that too.
best wishes
Celia |
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Sally
Bronze Member
England
120 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jan 2006 : 6:45:20 PM
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I found that digging a shallow puddle (quite big) in the middle of their paddock gets them over the water issue quite well. As for the traffic thing, if you dont have safe access for him to be near traffic, have you thought of taping the noise and playing it outside his stable at loud volume? In the end he will ignor it as it will be normal to him.
Sally |
Sally Terry
Midlands West Arabians
sally.terry@realign.ltd.uk |
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