Suggestions please

[charliefar]

I'm having yet another dilema but as you have all been so helpful thus far I thought I'd pick your brains again.

Jet's really brave in sooo many ways and he takes most things really easily however he has a phobia of noise behind him.
Not banging or people jumping out at him just the sound similar to dragging your feet.
He worried lots in the stubble fields last year on the long reins and took me a while to understand why as he was ace on grass.
Do I ....

a) Try and desensitise him which to a certain extent I am trying to do. Exercises include dragging silage wrap around with us when I'm leading him, he hates the noise but is not in anyway, shape or form frightened of the plastic, he stomps all over it and will carry it on his back, doesn't mind what its doing as long as its not making a noise
Or
b) Should I leave him alone til he's older and wiser and just accept this is his quirk and try and work round it ??

I really don't want to spoil him by pushing him too far so any advice is appreciated..

[charliefar]

Oh and he's back to school today, not that he looks that impressed, must be the embarrassing saddle cover

[tinkerdorisalison]

sounds like he is doing really well so far.

sometimes with the youngsters just keep gently doing what you are doing, but continue with other new stuff too and before you know it there'll be a new scary thing and the reins following him will have been forgotten.

and as always little and often

[valerie n scout]

ohhh he's lovely looking sounds like your doing the right things and just give him time, he will get there X

[maggie]

he's looking great, what a lovely pony.

I'd continue with what you are doing, taking it slowly and gently. I find the most effective training is that they do to themselves, if you understand me? I have large sheds/covered yards for winter housing and can hang things up or have scary stuff on the floor in positions where, if the pony wants that treat, they have to go through/over the scary stuff. That way, I'm not forcing or coercing them in any way, it's entirely their decision.

We had a lad who was ultra-sensitive to the stirrups touching his sides, so we got a whole load of old spanners and used baler twine to suspend them from the roof so that they were 'stirrup height' on his sides. If he wanted to get to the yummy treats, he had to go through the spanners, which were placed so close they bumped against his sides. Greed won and he was barging through without noticing in a couple of days, stirrups went on Day 3 and he never looked back. I also regularly fasten plastic sheeting so that the ponies have to push through it if they want carrots!

Is there anywhere you can put a 'noise barrier' down that he needs to cross to get to treats and then leave him to it?

It can be fun devising scary stuff and seeing the ponies working it out for themselves.

Good luck

[cutemangurdi1]

What brilliant ideas Maggie. I'm going to pinch those ;D

[charliefar]

Thanks everyone,
I've been out playing with him this afternoon and decided little and often is the way forward.Instead of trying to protect him from the big wide world I'm going to show him as much of it as I can safely.

I also remembered he is food obsessed which is why he only ever gets carrots on the floor of his stable HOWEVER, I used this to my advantage today.

I lead him around whilst carrying 2 balloons on string which were bounching together in the wind, he was a little confused by this (can't say I blame him) but not really worried

Then out came the silage wrap ... I dragged it behind me and instead of keeping him alongside I let him drop behind and follow it from the end of the lead rope, the result was a fat black pony stomping on the wrap looking most pleased with himself. Rewarded with a carrot it was game on and soon he was alongside, not totally relaxed but better than before, he was much more interested in when his next treat was appearing so I finished there and will do more of the same tomorrow.
May as well put this last few days off to good use..