# Horse spooked by Loud motorcycle,



## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

nyg052003 said:


> Is it a bad thing that he just kept running to the house/didnt stop and waited?
> 
> Perhaps not desireable, but I wouldn't call it bad. Better to run home than run away somewhere else. There is a point when a horse (or any animal) is scared to the point that it stops thinking and instinct takes over...and at that point there is little that you do about it. Sounds like you have a good plan...good luck.


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## cakemom (Jul 4, 2010)

Our Red is not afraid of much, but my husbands Harley makes him a wreck. I don't think I'd take him leaving you personally, dear does that, he ran to his happy place.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

I think he was looking for an excuse to turn and head for home. If you do ask the neighbor to run the bike, do not be on the horse. Have him approach it while the bike is running from 50' or more distant. If he gets upset back him until he relaxes. Don't force the issue. When he's ok with it, walk the horse toward home 50 yards or so then bring him back. He may show some reluctance but it may have more to do with him thinking he was going home not the bike. On your way home, turn him and lead him away from home a bit. If he wants to hurry when you turn, go back the other way again. Keep doing this over and over. He needs to learn that getting in a hurry takes him away from home. Then go past your own driveway. One stable demanded that regardless of gait we were doing there was a clear point where the horses were turned away from home. Had to settle and wait for the rider to give permission to turn. The horses quickly learned to not rush the last distance. We also had to make them face away from the barn door before dismounting. This became automatic with the horses.


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## nyg052003 (Oct 11, 2010)

Saddlebag said:


> I think he was looking for an excuse to turn and head for home. If you do ask the neighbor to run the bike, do not be on the horse. Have him approach it while the bike is running from 50' or more distant. If he gets upset back him until he relaxes. Don't force the issue. When he's ok with it, walk the horse toward home 50 yards or so then bring him back. He may show some reluctance but it may have more to do with him thinking he was going home not the bike. On your way home, turn him and lead him away from home a bit. If he wants to hurry when you turn, go back the other way again. Keep doing this over and over. He needs to learn that getting in a hurry takes him away from home. Then go past your own driveway. One stable demanded that regardless of gait we were doing there was a clear point where the horses were turned away from home. Had to settle and wait for the rider to give permission to turn. The horses quickly learned to not rush the last distance. We also had to make them face away from the barn door before dismounting. This became automatic with the horses.


 thanks to all that replied. This sounds good but not sure i will be able to get the guy to go down the road and do that so i will probably need to take the horse to his house and see if we can get some training there with the bike and noise. If not I will just next time stop him and make him face it and let it pass letting him see the bike won't harm him.


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## Tianimalz (Jan 6, 2009)

My mare used to be DEATHLY afraid of motorcycles! My quiet trail horse would transform into a bucking bronc trying to run away from the loud thing that scared her so badly. 

For my own safety, (since road riding is a essential to get to the trails) I started to dismount when I heard or saw a motorcycle approaching, and I would hold Indie as it passed.... at first she still freaked out, but I was better able to control her from the ground. After awhile of doing this, I started to let her graze everytime the bikes would pass. It got her to start putting the bikes together with yummy grass... and since the bikes never hurt her and I was calm she slowly put it together that there was no reason to spook. 

If you have a pasture that is next to the road (I use my front yard), putting your boy in there for a few afternoons will help a lot too. As the bikes pass, they will start to become quite normal, and he'll learn they're not scary. Pasturing next to the road has desensitized my mare from school buses, trailers with equipment and flapping tarps, and yes motorcycles. 


Hope that helps some, and be careful! Falling off a horse and onto pavement can end badly real quick... better to dismount if you have too than risk a bad fall.


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## FlyGap (Sep 25, 2011)

I'd do exactly like Saddlebag said.
Go over there without the horse first and chat with him. I'm sure he doesn't want to be the cause of a bad accident and will be more than willing to help you out.
As far as being on him, no way. Please just lead him over there and from a far distance let him start it up, then slowly approach it as he calms down. 
Good luck, stay safe!


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## nyg052003 (Oct 11, 2010)

FlyGap said:


> I'd do exactly like Saddlebag said.
> Go over there without the horse first and chat with him. I'm sure he doesn't want to be the cause of a bad accident and will be more than willing to help you out.
> As far as being on him, no way. Please just lead him over there and from a far distance let him start it up, then slowly approach it as he calms down.
> Good luck, stay safe!


 thanks sounds good i will give it a try


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## FlyGap (Sep 25, 2011)

I'd also let him check it out before it started running. Like getting mine used to a bicycle then gradually get them used to my kid riding it from a distance.


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## nyg052003 (Oct 11, 2010)

FlyGap said:


> I'd also let him check it out before it started running. Like getting mine used to a bicycle then gradually get them used to my kid riding it from a distance.


 funny thing is, i think my horse is used to my son's 4 wheeler and him riding it around the yard and stuff. Today when i get home, i will take the 4 wheeler into the pasture and cut it off, let him come up to it and stuff, sniff and smell it. May get my son to ride it around in the pasture


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## dejavuchicka (Feb 27, 2012)

definitely do not have your horse go up to the motorcycle and have him start it all at once. That is known as flooding and it can be very traumatic, your best bet is most likely systematic desensitization. So as one poster noted, have the horse about 50 feet away, but I would not force the horse to stay. If he wants to leave calmly walk him away from the situation and repeat the process gradually getting closer until he no longer freaks out and he is right next to the motorcycle. Also, bring some treats for when he is being calm so he knows he is doing something good, as well as calm him down AND to associate the noise with something good!  

I'm a psychology major so I'm glad I can use that money that goes into school for something practical!


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## nyg052003 (Oct 11, 2010)

dejavuchicka said:


> definitely do not have your horse go up to the motorcycle and have him start it all at once. That is known as flooding and it can be very traumatic, your best bet is most likely systematic desensitization. So as one poster noted, have the horse about 50 feet away, but I would not force the horse to stay. If he wants to leave calmly walk him away from the situation and repeat the process gradually getting closer until he no longer freaks out and he is right next to the motorcycle. Also, bring some treats for when he is being calm so he knows he is doing something good, as well as calm him down AND to associate the noise with something good!
> 
> I'm a psychology major so I'm glad I can use that money that goes into school for something practical!


sounds good. I'm not sure i will be able to get the motorcycle training but i did use my 4 wheeler today to expose it to him and took it in the pasture and let him take his time and sniff it out and stuff. But I will surely as time goes on, expose him to louder and louder stuff letting him get used to it


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Op, your idea of taking him over to the motorcycle & desensitizing him is a dandy one. All my horses don't mind heavy equipement like bulldozers or tractors or harleys, just by the being exposed to them constantly. In fact, my hubby's horse can distinguish the sound of his bike from all the traffic sounds on the highway.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

nyg052003 said:


> sounds good. I'm not sure i will be able to get the motorcycle training but i did use my 4 wheeler today to expose it to him and took it in the pasture and let him take his time and sniff it out and stuff. But I will surely as time goes on, expose him to louder and louder stuff letting him get used to it


The more, different things you expose him to, the better. One last thing to keep in mind as you do this desensitizing, though. We typically assume that the loud noise is the problem (and it usually is a big part of it), but don't _assume _that is the only concern to your horse. In my experience, I've seen horses get nervous by motorcycle riders with full helmets, the sun flashing off shiny chrome, seeing their reflection in car windows, etc. I've learned to never be surprised at what little thing that we don't give a second look to may bother a horse.


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## nyg052003 (Oct 11, 2010)

PaintHorseMares said:


> The more, different things you expose him to, the better. One last thing to keep in mind as you do this desensitizing, though. We typically assume that the loud noise is the problem (and it usually is a big part of it), but don't _assume _that is the only concern to your horse. In my experience, I've seen horses get nervous by motorcycle riders with full helmets, the sun flashing off shiny chrome, seeing their reflection in car windows, etc. I've learned to never be surprised at what little thing that we don't give a second look to may bother a horse.


 yeah you hit it head on. Since i have had my horse and while riding him, I have noticed sometimes the least little things that might make him flinch. He has been much better as of late of not getting nervous with the little things. Some of them I have been able to see and say yeah i guess that could have made him nervous and others I couldnt. So yeah I can understand that never get too comfortable on your horse and think they are just fine to the point where they arent afraid of anything. I guess even the poster's horses that are around the heavy equipment all the time, you would think that they wouldnt be afraid of any noise at all but they might flinch at something wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy quieter that might startle them lol


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

nyg052003 said:


> I guess even the poster's horses that are around the heavy equipment all the time, you would think that they wouldnt be afraid of any noise at all but they might flinch at something wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy quieter that might startle them lol


Exactly...doing a lot of road riding, I've actually found that groups of bicyclists bother horses more than motorcycles. Bicycles are very quiet horse monsters and sneak up on you from the rear ready for the attack.... ;-)


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## nyg052003 (Oct 11, 2010)

PaintHorseMares said:


> Exactly...doing a lot of road riding, I've actually found that groups of bicyclists bother horses more than motorcycles. Bicycles are very quiet horse monsters and sneak up on you from the rear ready for the attack.... ;-)


 another thing for me is me riding alone most of time. My dad is wanting a horse and will keep at my place but he has to get his financial situation up to par before I will be carrying the burden of 2 horses lol. That would help though as to i think mine or both of them together would be more comfortable riding along side the roads. I still want to get a trailer so that when we want to ride sometimes we can just go somewhere , park and go on a nice long ride away from road.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

nygo, put some grain/pellets in a pan on the atv when you go into the pasture. Leave it running. He'll quickly associate a noisy little vehicle with something pleasureable. I use mine for distributing hay. They greet it eagerly. I still think the motorcycle was an excuse for him to turn and go home.


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## nyg052003 (Oct 11, 2010)

Saddlebag said:


> nygo, put some grain/pellets in a pan on the atv when you go into the pasture. Leave it running. He'll quickly associate a noisy little vehicle with something pleasureable. I use mine for distributing hay. They greet it eagerly. I still think the motorcycle was an excuse for him to turn and go home.


 ok will try that


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