Hi, just wondering if anyone could tell me the best ways of training a horse with a horse that has not had much experiance with traffic ? How long would it take to be fairly good with cars e.t.c ? Thank you x

You will need lots of patience, Mollypoppy4.
When my friend bought a young horse not used to traffic, we used her Dad's horse who was brilliant in the heaviest traffic & I rode him on the outside on hacks, where possible, or at the back if not. He was so good he kept her over into the near side & stopped her from rushing off. When in front she didn't want to leave him.
Sadly not everyone has another horse as steady. If you can find someone with a bomb proof horse to ride out with & both horses like each other, you could do it that way.
Have you tried long reining on quiet roads, with another persons help, or grazing the horse by a busy main road, that often helps? Even lead him on a bridle, to a spot where he can see traffic.
As to how long, it depends on the horse & how quiet it is to start with, if it's been subjected to any traffic before etc.

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Best wishes, Val.

Hi,

I agree it takes lots of pratice and patience. When we are introducing a youngster to traffic, the more experience it gets the better. We start on and around the farm. Grazing him next to a road getting them used to tractors moving on the yard. Leading the horse out in hand with a more experienced horse is always good, starting on less busy roads. Having the less experienced horse follow the more experienced. Once they are calm enough doing this we move on to the busy roads following the same practice. When you begin to ride him out on the roads we do the same, start with the easy less busy roads and work up. Your horse will learn from experience. There is no time limit you can't push a horse to just accept it straight away. Take it at his pace. Rewarding his good behaviour. If he trusts you on the groung he is more likly to trust you on his back.