# Traffic proofing a young horse



## lilly.thompson12 (27 February 2015)

Hello everyone.. I have posted on here before, I was having trouble with the young horse I was sharing! I'm afraid I didn't stop sharing him I stuck it out! We have been schooling a LOT, and he is coming on beautifully, and I am really really starting to get my confidence back. We seem to be teaching each other and forming a real bond! We have schooled and jumped a lot and got the napping under control, he may nap once on the way up to the school but I have learnt to be firm with him as he doesn't do anythinf scary! And as soon as he starts working he is good as gold and loves his work.

HOWEVER.. We still haven't got over the traffic thing. I have been taking him around the small village where there are a few cars but rarely any lorries. I have pretty much got him passing moving cars without a problem in the village, sometimes looks at cars coming up behind him but is pretty much bomb proof with the ones coming towards us unless they are particularly loud or fast!! 

BUT to get on any decent hacks we have to cross a busier road which he hates! Always has been scared of it and he has crossed it many times but can't get over that fear. Crossing is not so bad as we usually manage to stop all the traffic and trot across, and I think trottinf distracts him a bit so he's not so scared.

But today we crossed the road ok, it was on the country lanes we had a lot of trouble. At first we had about 5 or 6 cars pass both ways, I felt him tense up a bit but didn't do anything. But then we had a string of 3 cars come up behind us... The first one passed and then he swung his bum out into the road in front of a taxi (who didn't stop. Seemed to speed up!!!!!!) and then jumped across to the other side of the road and we nearly ended up in a ditch... His owner then put her pony on the road side of my horse to prevent him swinging his bum out, which did work but obviously is not safe to walk beside each other on country lanes.

A driver then very nearly hit my friend on her pony and then beeped his horn and revved his engine.....!!!!!!!

So an eventful day today!!!!! I just want to know how to comfort him and stop him swinging his bum out as I am absolutely terrified that he is going to get himself hit by a car :'( I do talk to him to try and calm him but when he's scared he is SCARED!

If anyone has any help I would be grateful, I would just avoid the roads but there are no hacks to go on without going on at least one road and I really think he's get bored schooling every time!!

Thank you in advance xx


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## Tiddlypom (27 February 2015)

If he's that scared of traffic, then keep him off the road, otherwise you are going to cause an accident. Some horses never settle on the road, maybe he is one of them.

Box him up and take him to some nice off road hacking, or a farm ride, or similar.


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## nianya (27 February 2015)

I'm guessing there's no place where you can step off and let him watch the cars go by?  That's usually my method with young horses but it does depend on having a shoulder you can be out of the way on.  

That said, I hate riding on roads so I can hardly blame the horses if they hate it too.  If you can take him somewhere like Tiddlypom suggests that would be best.


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## lilly.thompson12 (27 February 2015)

Well he's turned out right near to that busy road! And the field I often ride in is literally the other side of some trees to it! So it's not like he doesn't see them, he's just terrified when he's facing them!


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## Emsarr (2 March 2015)

Could you borrow a horsey friend to drive while you rode? Somewhere quiet and safe obviously. Let him see that the car isn't scary etc and the horsey driver will know when to back off if he is getting overly stressed


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