Ridecamp: RE: [RC] Horses+Cows+Bicycles

I bring horses occasionally from EXTREMELY protected environments like
riding clubs with no turnout, small arenas, boxes and high walls to the
Egyptian countryside where we have half wild farm dogs, water buffalo, cows,
horses, donkeys, camels, people on bicycles, motorcycles, trucks, irrigation
canal dredging equipment, fires, geese, ducks, chickens, goats, sheep,
laundry lines, and football games....and these are in the trail. Basically,
if you can imagine it (and even if you can't) you will meet it. My latest
rescue was an Appaloosa/Dutch WB gelding 6 yrs in age but 2 yrs in brain who
had almost never been outside a 10' x 10' box. What did I do to calm him
down? Absolutely nothing for 3 months other than calm, quiet handling and
turnout with other calm horses who had seen in all in a small paddock where
he was treated to a daily parade. From there we went to hand-walks down the
trail for short distances and from there to walks with older, wiser horses
also for small distances, gradually increasing.  I've had Jack 6 months and
I figure that he will meet my expectations of calmness in another 2 years.
The answer is large doses of patience and small doses at frequent intervals
of experience.
Maryanne Stroud Gabbani
Cairo, Egypt
maryanne@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.ratbusters.net


My mare also has problems with cows but not to the
extent yours does.  I agree with the other posts in
that it sounds like you have a real trust issue going
on with your horse.  I would work with her on smaller
spooky items (for her) before working on the larger
issues of cows and big trucks.


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