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Post by NFK Dumpling on Feb 28, 2008 8:16:37 GMT -1
Has anyone rehabilitated a traffic shy Dales pony once it has matured, if so how did you go about it?  |
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Post by SuzieP on Feb 28, 2008 8:28:24 GMT -1
Now this could be an interesting thread..........if we get some good discussion going methinks it might be one for pinning in the archives.
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Post by greydales on Feb 28, 2008 8:44:31 GMT -1
Saturn being the huge wuss he is, began to get very worried by tractors and lorries etc. I started to take him out inhand so I could comfort him and stand between him and the vehicles and as he trusts me quite a lot it made a big difference - the next time I rode him out he was miles better. He's still not 100% but doesn't attempt to bolt off like he used to!
My horse Pip was a nightmare, but he could be quite a handful inhand so I couldn't use this method with him! What did work was many months of quiet riding out with Dan who is 200% in traffic, and Pip improved to the point I could ride him out on his own and provided the vehicle slowed down he was fine.
I think in most cases I'd advocate going out as much as you can with a very calm and bombproof horse/pony - it won't happen overnight and you many never get a 100% pony in all situations but 9 times out of 10 they will improve greatly.
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Post by harveydales on Feb 28, 2008 9:01:01 GMT -1
Mmmm, this could be a very interesting and informative thread.
My experience with the horses I've had over the years leads me to believe most horses either are or aren't good with traffic from the work go. Those that are fine, such as Harvey, will still have the odd "moment" and those that are not, like Quest, may improve a bit with constant going out with a good companion as Gill suggests but never get over it completely. I spent years working on Quest and he never got to be safe with lorries or tractors although he did improve a bit.
Quest sees our own tractor going past his stable frequently and still has a blue fit about it. He is still genuinely worried about our quad bike. He also has very sensitive hearing where as Harvey and Winnie don't. So if I was still riding Quest, i would work on the noise aspect of traffic.
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Post by PonyGirl on Feb 28, 2008 9:05:11 GMT -1
I want to work on this with Daisy. She did well. But, I know she will have moments.
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Post by echolady on Feb 28, 2008 10:04:35 GMT -1
echo has always been a problem withl arge traffic, we have had many hairy experiences with the big stuff ! i normaly find a pull in and face the big scary monster with her. that way the only reaction we have is bulging eyes and twitchy ears, any other way we piroet into the grand national lol!
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Post by NFK Dumpling on Feb 28, 2008 13:23:34 GMT -1
The pony is 9yrs. The owner has had him about 3 months. My advice was that 3 months was a relatively short time to build up trust and that Dales generally will do more for someone they trust. However although Dales have a reputation for being bombproof this is not always the case and that they run a whole spectrum from being bombproof to, in the exceptional case, neurotic. I suggested that, based on my friend's experience with her Fell who was also 9yrs, a year was a more reasonable length of time to bring about a significant change in his ability to cope with traffic. The trouble is that he was bought to accompany her young son hacking out on his pony and has on one occaision shoved the smaller pony into the traffic.  This lady sounds as if she is really at her wits end but wants to do her best by him and is convinced that he is genuinely scared (and not being a plonker like someone I know  ) I have a suspicion that if her son was not involved she would relish the challenge. He was sold to her as suitable for a novice, which she isn't but wanted a pony that was not as high octane as the TBX she has had for competition riding. She wanted some input from someone that knew Dales' so I said I would ask some more experienced people for advice - that's you folks! She is boxing him over to a friend three times a week to go out with her 20yo solid bombproof horse. He is 100% in every other way...... |
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Post by justjordie on Feb 28, 2008 13:24:42 GMT -1
This should be so interesting, I was working up to a similar thread. Sooty is fabulous but he has 'issues' with tractors. I have found out from his previous owner that he had an incident with one that peeped it's horn and chased him down a single track road(what an idiot!!!!). He's not dangerous just a bit wobbly. I was thinking of taking him to the farm where my OH works and trying to de-sensitize him. Also if I'm totally honest sometimes he reacts to things purely out of mischief. I am sure I read some where about bombproofing horses, I'll try and find the article.
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Post by NFK Dumpling on Feb 28, 2008 13:59:38 GMT -1
That would be appreciated, thanks
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Post by zeldalithgow on Feb 28, 2008 20:04:58 GMT -1
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Post by stevebartle on Feb 28, 2008 21:50:49 GMT -1
Some of you will recall we rehomed Crystal just a few weeks ago she did not like tractors or waggons but as she has been put in a stable next to the track we use to take water to the cattle she has become immune to them during the last few weeks and we also put her in the yard tied to the little horse lorry while it was ticking over after we let her have a good nose at it the only thing she now dislikes is the noise they make when you start them up, the moral of this is try to let them get a close look at the thing that frightens them and go from there .
On a similar subject when riding out on roads make an effort to thank those drivers that make the effort in their hectic day to bother to slow down for horses not like the misrable
b------s from our local "equestrian centre" and glare at you or worse , when my girls were small and riding out on the roads my instructions were smile sweetly stick your chest out and its magic most drivers will slow down for every horse they see be misrable and they wont bother next time
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Post by harveydales on Feb 29, 2008 6:12:21 GMT -1
lol Steve, I'm not sure a 50+ lady smiling sweetly and sticking her chest out has quite the same effect but Harvey's bright pink fluorescent bridle does! No end of drivers stop to chat to us and tell me how it really stands out from quite a distance. Good to hear Crystal is well and you've been able to make such good progress with her in just a short time.  Quest's stable is also alongside the track where we go up and down with the tractor and quadbike but it has never helped in the slightest - he is 26 and been with me for 16 years! He still keeps well away when I bring hay into the field with the quad and trailer while the other 2 are tring to clamber on board with me. Yet in all other ways he is brave and is the heard leader. |
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Post by greydales on Feb 29, 2008 7:38:00 GMT -1
LOL Pam - perhaps it depends on how big your chest is! ;D Whenever I used to hack out with Anna in the summer (who is very well endowed) we'd get drivers actually stopping and asking her out ROFL! I have a tractor and lorry at home, and drive the tractor around the fields stopping and giving the ponies treats. This has worked to a degree but now I can't get the girls away from it, Cherry has even stood between the tractor and the roller I agree Pam a lot of it can be the noise. Dancer still won't let it too close to him! Although he too has improved since I've had him. |
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Post by NFK Dumpling on Feb 29, 2008 9:49:58 GMT -1
Will certainly mention the sticking out of chest and smile Steve ;D. Part of the problem is that they live on a "rat run" and have to go along it to get anywhere, he is particularly sensitive to white transit sized vans so maybe part of the answer is to find a friendly white van man? Looks like it might help, will suggest it. I liked the sound of this one too www.amazon.co.uk/Groundwork-Training-Your-Horse-Exercises/dp/0715324411/ref=pd_sim_b_img_2 |
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) I have a suspicion that if her son was not involved she would relish the challenge. He was sold to her as suitable for a novice, which she isn't but wanted a pony that was not as high octane as the TBX she has had for competition riding.
