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Gaits of Gold Gaited Horse Community Messageboard > 'Tails' From the Trails > Off Topic Forum > cows and horses |
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Gaits of Gold Gaited Horse Community Messageboard > 'Tails' From the Trails > Off Topic Forum > cows and horses |
| Moderated by: sdlepal |
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| cows and horses | Rate Topic |
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| Posted: Tue Mar 13th, 2012 12:58 am |
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1st Post |
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sdlepal Ranch Hand 
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Probably one of my first post on here was about my horse being scared of cows. We can ride from the woods to a road by going past a herd of cows. They came running up to us. My horse worled and went round and round, lucky for me I somehow stayed on. Every time we get close to this location, he knows. He is a nevous wreck. I have only rode past the pasture one other time in 5 years because I am scared. There was just no control. I understand the thing to do is ride towards them, but that is not possible when you are on a narrow path and they are in the fence. Getting a cow is not possible for me either. So I just avoid the area and try to avoid any other cows.
____________________ Pam and Cowboy Casey |
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| Posted: Mon Mar 12th, 2012 04:39 pm |
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2nd Post |
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hatcherdm G.O.G Community Member
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Since when she goes, you are unable to control her, what if you tried a more severe bit or hack --just until you can get her over this fear as you both are at great risk from an uncontrolled bolt....other option would be to start driving around the area until you found a cattle farmer you could approach for desensitization purposes.
____________________ Diane |
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| Posted: Sat Mar 10th, 2012 01:30 pm |
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3rd Post |
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SPOTD RIDR G.O.G Community Member 
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We ride out of Iron Mtn camp in VA alot and one of the trails goes into a huge state owned property that has a big herd of cows, these cows are used to riders coming thru all the time so don't do much, but of course you will have the one that will stand stock still till you get up on it then spin and run usually scaring your horses. My 3 do fine with cows after the inital "What is it " we also have a herd of cows and our pasture is out by our front yard so the horses see them alot, but if the whole herd is mooing and running for the fence the horses do wonder what is going on and get a little nervous. One of our cows was out years ago when I first got Mira and I was riding so I thought I will just go run it in on horseback never thought of her flipping out, "ah to be nieve" any way we crossed the creek and headed up the hill and she spotted that cow and headed straight for it, she never boogered a bit we pushed it on up the fenceline till it found a way in. Before we got the other 2 horses Mira's first barn mate was a yearling black angus we had pinned up across the hall in the barn from her to fatten up to kill, she got used to the cow in the barn and was just happy not to be alone, then the day we loaded the cow up to take to slaughter Mira started screaming not wanting to be left behind, I told her honey you do not want to go were this cow is going. We also have my DH's dads last QH that lives in the herd of cows, he thinks he is one of them now.
____________________ JoAngela "Jo" |
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| Posted: Sat Mar 10th, 2012 06:01 am |
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4th Post |
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slipslider G.O.G Community Member 
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The comment about the cows running toward the fence, happens a lot. I remember a horse i rode that had never seen cows and a trail we had on our farm went past another that had a field of cows, they would come running and my horse would also do a 180 to head for home, took a good while for her to quite reacting. Then came the pigs, lol. They are scared to death of them too! No you cannot get them use to everything, but hopefully you can get them to the point that you can regain control quickly when they do react.
____________________ LaVonne Summertime Stables, LLC Life's journey is not to arrive safely in a grave in a well preserved body But rather to slide in sideways, Totally worn out, Yelling......What a Ride ! |
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| Posted: Fri Mar 9th, 2012 09:43 pm |
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5th Post |
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TN Trailrider G.O.G Community Member 
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One thing the fellow who was teaching the cow clinic told us when we were done. He said "just remember, your horse is no longer afraid of the cows in THIS pen. Does't mean he won't be scared of a cow in some other place." But the reaction probably won't be so bad. We rode out in the field to drive the cows back to the pen to work them (sorting them into different pens, etc.). Sam approached the herd with his ears forward, like "what are these things." Then one of them turned and started jogging towards him. He did a fast 180 and bolted. Did this twice. When we got the cows driven back (wasn't as scared of them when they were in front of him and he was chasing them) there ended up being 5 horses/riders and about 15 cows in a round pen. I asked the trainer if he would ride Sam for a little while for me. I could picture him freaking out and dumping me and me being run over by a herd of cows. Wasn't on myagenda for the day. After Sam calmed down about it, I took him back and we had an absolute blast. I mentioned to the instructor that he seemed to be really having fun, and he said "he probably is, horses need jobs to do and he knows he has a job to do."
____________________ Lynne |
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| Posted: Fri Mar 9th, 2012 09:20 pm |
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6th Post |
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Lakota Ranch Hand 
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Crs, that sounds just like how Clinton would do things, but I wonder if she would've had time to dismount. We have a herd of half grown black & white Holstien calves that will come running up to the fence when we're riding down the road. My horses DO NOT like this and I usually end up having to lead the crazy lunatics past them on foot. UGH!!
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| Posted: Fri Mar 9th, 2012 07:07 pm |
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7th Post |
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crs trail rider Ranch Hand 
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quick Google found this farm in Lousia- http://www.annavalleyfarm.com/ They will help introduce your horses to cows. Last spring I was at the Amelia Springs Trail ride (I go twice a year) and I was with a friend who had never been there before and we were coming up on the trail that goes along a cow pasture- so I said- "hey around this turn there are some cows" and she said ok- not too worried so we rounded the corner of the trail and this big black blob was up ahead- got a bit closer and yep- it was a cow- not a baby but not an adult- standing in the middle of the trail- he freaked but thankfully our horses didnt and we just kept going down the trail and the cow kept going in front of us trying to find a way back into the fence. The cow finally went into the woods so we could get past it. OH! one thought- next time get off of your horse and then start waving your arms up and making noise (not enough to freak the horse out but enough to make the cow move) and drive the cow away from you and keep pushing the cow leading your horse so that the horse "chases" the cow away. Only do this if you feel safe- but it should help give your horse some confidence- usually once they see they are "chasing" the object that scared them they get braver. I use this with bikes too- I have my son ride his bike in front of us while we follow
____________________ Its rarely the horses fault- Its usually a failure of the rider to communicate their requests in a manner that the horse can understand. Lisa |
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| Posted: Fri Mar 9th, 2012 06:55 pm |
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8th Post |
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crs trail rider Ranch Hand
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rvrytr- hey there- I had a horse that was terrified and team penning worked WONDERS- and she loved it. There are team pennings near you- Orange County I believe. I know the guy I bought my daughters Rocky from had started going to them and he lived in Orange Co- but the NVa end of Orange- We went to his house via rt 3 to 20 (I believe- but I know rt 3) through Fredricksburg. You can also try and find some roping competitions- again they are around- I could probably quickly find out for you if you like. Usually once they see that the cows move away from them they come around pretty quick. ALTHOUGH our neighbors cows- come in mass to check out us when we are just walking never mind when we are on the horses and the big black mass of cows RUNNING towards them never fails to freak them out. But we have an unusual herd of cows on our road.
____________________ Its rarely the horses fault- Its usually a failure of the rider to communicate their requests in a manner that the horse can understand. Lisa |
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| Posted: Fri Mar 9th, 2012 05:13 pm |
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9th Post |
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rvrytr G.O.G Community Member
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Thanks to all responders. Its pretty much what I thought. Now, if I could round up that loose calf and get her in my pasture....that might just do the trick really cheap! The owner obviously could care less aboout three cows since he has left them running around almost a month with several calls from people in our neighborhood. I will say she is not afraid of deer, we see them all the time, they jump out ahead on the trail ...as many as 10 at a time. She also has no fear of turkeys, as there is a flock of 20-30 all the time feeding on the grain in their manure. We have dogs, so except for big loud ones she can't see she doesn't react to them. I actually have an original Imus bit, tried it in early stages(5 years ago) when I was not as good a rider, and may pull it out again to work with her. Thanks for the help!
____________________ rvrytr |
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| Posted: Fri Mar 9th, 2012 04:46 pm |
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10th Post |
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Lakota Ranch Hand
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I would add to that great advice to get and use the Imus Comfort Gait bit. If you have the $, you could also send your horse off to Clinton Anderson. He gets 'em thinking and exposes them to everything. I shudder to think what he'd charge though. Last edited on Fri Mar 9th, 2012 09:11 pm by Lakota |
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| Posted: Fri Mar 9th, 2012 01:25 pm |
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11th Post |
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slipslider G.O.G Community Member
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My response is exactly as TN trailrider. The absolute easiest way is to pasture them with cattle. But of course that is not always an option. My other suggestion would be to buy a calf, you could keep it for a little while then sell. Unless you have away to expose your horse to a cow on a regular basis, then the only other option would be much more ground work to get your horse to use the thinking side of the brain instead of the reactive side, so you would have some control when you come across such animals in the future. Will note however by having a cow you may get your horse conditioned to this, but it may do nothing when it comes to running into bears or deer or such on a trail. So I would still do ground training to get the horse using it's brain.
____________________ LaVonne Summertime Stables, LLC Life's journey is not to arrive safely in a grave in a well preserved body But rather to slide in sideways, Totally worn out, Yelling......What a Ride ! |
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| Posted: Fri Mar 9th, 2012 04:36 am |
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12th Post |
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TN Trailrider G.O.G Community Member
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Last year I took my horse to a cow clinic to get him over his fear, but you said this was not an option as there was no cattle training around. The only other suggestion I would have would be to find someone with a herd of cattle that you can contain in a pen and work her in the pen with them. Or someone who would let you just put her in a smaller pasture with their cows for awhile. At the cow clinic, my horse was petrified of them at first, but after working among the cows, he began to actually have fun with it. He figured out that cows were more scared of him tha he was of them. I think most horses are somewhat frightened of other farm animals if they are exposed to them often.
____________________ Lynne |
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| Posted: Fri Mar 9th, 2012 04:15 am |
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13th Post |
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rvrytr G.O.G Community Member
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Hi! Haven't been here for awhile, feels like coming back home! Yesterday was out with hubby, he on 16 yr old paint quarter mare, me on my 12 yr old saddlebred mare. People several miles away have cows, and two and a baby have been loose for three weeks in our neighborhood. We have run into them trail riding several times...both horses are afraid, my girl will stand stock still, head totally up, snorting and stomping, then turn away, keep snorting, and try to run as fast as possible back to the barn. The paint also snorts but is more easily controlled. We hadn't seen the cows for awhile, in fact the owner was supposed to have picked them up, but suddenly ran into them down on the river (very squishy soil right now after flooding in VA). They did not charge, but my mare was almost uncontrollable! I ride her in a "mechanical beetle" hack, and I thought I would have to pull her nose off to keep her from a full throttle run home. The worst of it is, our other neighbor with horses has recently reconfigured is lower pasture and cut off the "equine trail" provided in our covenants with a rickety poultry wire stretch across the original entrance to a solid gate. I was hoping to let her out a bit near the gate and knew she knew she would be running into the gate and stop. Unfortunately this new "fence" scared me even more as she raced at a hard pull, not rearing or bucking, but really crazed with fear right into it before I knew it was there. I was so afraid she would tangle in it, but was able to calm her to the point of turning and going another way. By this time my husband and his only slightly crazy horse had caught up to us. I finally had to get off and walk her, jumping and trying to get into my lap for safety, all the way to our own property and back up the hill to our place. Long story. Question is, short of buying cattle, not gonna happen, and with no easy access to cattle training around, what do I do to get her relaxed? There is no such thing as turning her head, or moving her feet as they are already moving like mad, or anything normal. She has always been fearful of new things and I have worked hard and with good success to get her over alot of trail issues, but this cow thing has me stumped! Thanks for any insights. Linda
____________________ rvrytr |
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