Teaching your horse or pony to stay calm on the roads and become familiar with the traffic can be difficult for riders, especially if you are not used to the horse you are riding. It is a little easier if you are knowledgeable about his reactions to certain situations, which can only be developed over time. However, there are some tips you can use to help him get used to the traffic.
Your main objective is to move your horses attention away from the vehicles and fully onto yourself. Distracting him from his concentration on vehicles approaching from the front or behind will help him adjust his viewpoints and place more of his trust in you as the rider.
When riding your horse or pony, pay attention to where his focus is. A lot of horses do get distracted from the ride and ignore commands being given to them which can result in them tripping up and spooking themselves simply from not concentrating.
One way to distract your horse or pony from concentrating on oncoming vehicles and his surroundings is to tweak the reigns and squeeze with your legs to move him into a fast walk. Do this every now and then to reassure him that you are still there and bring his attention back to your commands. Also, gently tapping your horses muzzle with the end of the crop will help stop him turning his head to watch other horses and ponies in nearby fields.
It is amazing how fast horses and ponies learn if they are taught right. Horses are sensitive to your emotions and so it is vital that you do not get angry, frustrated or scared when teaching. When communicating with your horse when riding him on the roads, it is important to talk to him in a calm but firm pitch, which will demonstrate authority and make him listen to you rather than watching the vehicles.
Keep his attention on you when you are riding by not allowing him to choose his own steps on the route. If you want him to walk over a certain spot in the road that he usually tries to avoid, ride with authority and precision to ensure that he does what you want, where you want and when you want. Listening to you rather than focusing on the vehicles or the neighbouring horses will help him respond to your commands more.
If you are at the first hurdle of walking your horse or pony on the road rather than riding them out, it is crucial that you use a bridle rather than a head collar. This will help you gain more control over him just in case he happens to spook at a vehicle.
It is imperative to see how a new horse deals with traffic before buying him. When you pay visits to any horses for sale, make sure that you watch the owner walk and ride the horse on the roads with vehicles to see how he reacts. Being able to see how he reacts to vehicles on the road will allow you to make a decision on if he is comfortable if he needs more training.
Your main objective is to move your horses attention away from the vehicles and fully onto yourself. Distracting him from his concentration on vehicles approaching from the front or behind will help him adjust his viewpoints and place more of his trust in you as the rider.
When riding your horse or pony, pay attention to where his focus is. A lot of horses do get distracted from the ride and ignore commands being given to them which can result in them tripping up and spooking themselves simply from not concentrating.
One way to distract your horse or pony from concentrating on oncoming vehicles and his surroundings is to tweak the reigns and squeeze with your legs to move him into a fast walk. Do this every now and then to reassure him that you are still there and bring his attention back to your commands. Also, gently tapping your horses muzzle with the end of the crop will help stop him turning his head to watch other horses and ponies in nearby fields.
It is amazing how fast horses and ponies learn if they are taught right. Horses are sensitive to your emotions and so it is vital that you do not get angry, frustrated or scared when teaching. When communicating with your horse when riding him on the roads, it is important to talk to him in a calm but firm pitch, which will demonstrate authority and make him listen to you rather than watching the vehicles.
Keep his attention on you when you are riding by not allowing him to choose his own steps on the route. If you want him to walk over a certain spot in the road that he usually tries to avoid, ride with authority and precision to ensure that he does what you want, where you want and when you want. Listening to you rather than focusing on the vehicles or the neighbouring horses will help him respond to your commands more.
If you are at the first hurdle of walking your horse or pony on the road rather than riding them out, it is crucial that you use a bridle rather than a head collar. This will help you gain more control over him just in case he happens to spook at a vehicle.
It is imperative to see how a new horse deals with traffic before buying him. When you pay visits to any horses for sale, make sure that you watch the owner walk and ride the horse on the roads with vehicles to see how he reacts. Being able to see how he reacts to vehicles on the road will allow you to make a decision on if he is comfortable if he needs more training.
About the Author:
Sonia Panesar has spent the past few years caring for her wrong dream horse. With dangerous horses and ponies being sold all the time her free Horse Buying Mistakes report and 5-Day e-course will help you fast-track past horse buying mistakes. Get your own FREE copy and e-course visit www.horseandponysecrets.com
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