Things Billy Ray doesn't like

[JourneysEnd]

We got past jingle bells. We got past huge crowds with noise makers.

Then last night at our 3rd parade of the season we encounted bagpipes.

In a shopping mall on a side street while leaving the parade route.

Took two of us to get him under control.

I had my 4 yr old grandniece in the cart.

We didn't have an accident as I had somebody at his head with a lead rope while I was driving.

Anybody with experience with the noise factor ? He's 14. Do I just accept the fact he's not going to be a safe parade horse or have any of you trained this out of one that old ?

He's so good at everything else, he doesn't HAVE to do parades.

BTW, link to the parade pictures from last night http://www.vltrnjd.com/marketparade08.html

Thanks,

Vickie

 

[wendyluvsminis]

What beautiful costumes and wonderful little horses! He may not have liked it, but he was lookin' goooood!!!!!

I have not driven mini-horses in a parade, but we have driven mini-donkeys. Can I say the "D" word here? "Cauctus Pete" is a very experienced show donkey, both halter and driving. Each parade he finds something new that he dislikes! First, it was cobblestones. Next parade, no problem with the cobblestones. Then, a little puddle on the cement, and we couldn't get him into the line up and every-one was moving forward! And cement trucks have been bothersome. And marching bands. And those funny little cars those charitiable fellows zip around in (can't think of what they are called...shriners?) and honk silly horns. And convertibles, where the beauty queen or major throws candy! Now, I can't imagine mini-horses to be quite so silly, but we might just stick to live Nativities and Palm Sunday. There are so many differant distractions in parades-- a new one, every parade!!! Good luck! Wendy

 

[Dorrie & Frank]

He looked so good too! The bag pipers - to his credit - were very young and piping for all they had! I thought he did well when the police car escort was only 10 to 15 feet behind with its lights on and popping some weird sounds! Not a horse person.

 

[Teresa]

I must say the bag pipes took me by surprise and I saw them....just wasn't expecting them to be sooooo loud. Billy Ray is one good looking horse.........and maybe if there had been time for his "running off his steam" and you had had a better person holding the lead rope.....things would have been perfect.

Journeys End is the perfect Grinch.....well she dressed up just like him. The kids were thrilled when they saw the Grinch.......and it made the preceeding carts in our little family a perfect ending.

 

[Miniv]

Cool pics! You folks did a great job decorating!

PS: My husband wants to tell you that he approves of your fellow's taste in music. LOL!

 

[jleonard]

If it just seems to be the noise factor, why don't you try stuffing some cotton in his ears to muffle the sound? We had a horse in a Breyerfest demo last year who hated the music (it was unnecessarily loud) that they were playing in the indoor arena. The first day he was AWFUL, the second day we stuffed his ears and it was much, much better. If he doesn't have a problem with anything else, this might be worth trying. Good luck, you looked great!

 

[JourneysEnd]

If it just seems to be the noise factor, why don't you try stuffing some cotton in his ears to muffle the sound? We had a horse in a Breyerfest demo last year who hated the music (it was unnecessarily loud) that they were playing in the indoor arena. The first day he was AWFUL, the second day we stuffed his ears and it was much, much better. If he doesn't have a problem with anything else, this might be worth trying. Good luck, you looked great!

Everything that's bothered him is sound based and I wondered about trying that.

Thanks, I'll give it a shot. Problem is, very little bothers him at home.

Several horses were nervous last night. My other horse did just find but he's a 14 yr old kids gelding.

Billy Ray is a stallion who hasn't been out a lot until this last year.

What concerns me is: with a young horse you can work them out of things, sometimes with an older one pushing them through it just makes it worse and I don't want to lose this guy.

Thanks again,

vickie

 

[Sue_C.]

with a young horse you can work them out of things, sometimes with an older one pushing them through it just makes it worse and I don't want to lose this guy.

My former stallion just about flipped the first and only time we were in a parade near the pipes. He is such a calm individual, it really took me by surprise, as it did you with yours.

I say go with trying the cotton in his ears, as I truely think it isn't "getting through it...or over it"...as it is something about the sound hurting him. I cannot tolerate a lot of shrill noises myself, fiddle music and the pipes being among the worst...for that same reason.

 

[HGFarm]

The more he is exposed to, the more he will get used to things. If they were up close I can't blame him for getting kind of wigged out.

We took two Arab mares to a show one time, and it was a breezy cool October day. On the show grounds was a big competition for the Mounted Shooters at the next arena over!!!! OMG, I didnt think any of us would live through the day. Luckily we got there with about 2 hours before our class, and by the time the class was coming up, the mares didnt care any more. After all that time of shooting nearby, and all the noise, they got tired of spooking at it all, figured out it was ok, and could have cared less after that! We had just left them tied to the trailer to see/hear all the commotion, and they settled down after a bit.

If mine freak out about something, I dont make a big deal about it. I try to give them some time to just check it out and I continue grooming or whatever and try to act like everything is normal.... I just pet them and talk to them quietly and they usually come around pretty quickly.

That was smart to keep your guy on a lead, just in case..... hang in there- he will get used to stuff. We had the big FIRE TRUCKS behind us in our last parade in October here. Some of the more inexperienced Minis about jumped out of their skin when the horns and the big 'whoop siren' went off periodically, but by the end, they were fine. My old stud? He has pretty much seen it all, so could have cared less- he thinks all the people along the parade route are there to just see HIM anyway, so he pays no attention to others. Have another holiday parade the end of this week. Can't wait to see what will be behind us for that one!!

Stick with it, ya done good. You will find the more he gets out, the better he becomes about things. In controlled situations, try to expose him to as much stuff as you can! Bagpipes are just not something you will run into every day!

**** And by the way, AWESOME job of decorating and loved the pics. He didnt seem to bad in the picture! Loved the Grinch, etc... FABULOUS JOB!! How FUN!!***

 

[Bunnylady]

Here's a joke for Billy Ray:

Why do bagpipers always march around when they're playing?

Because a moving target is harder to hit.

alternate answer: Because they are trying to get away from the noise, too!

No really, I like the music of bagpipes (at least once in a while) but not up close. They are surprisingly loud. I imagine that, to a horse, a piper probably looks pretty weird too, with those drones sticking up like that.

If it's just the noise, I suppose you could get a copy of the Riverdance soundtrack and play it in the barn. Our local Public Radio station runs a program called "The Thistle and Shamrock" that features Celtic music. Maybe Billy Ray should tune in!

Loved the Grinch pics, looked like fun!

 

[Tatonkas Dream]

You can also try cat toy balls - they come in foam or a fluffier version but thats what I've used in the past in the dressage and jumper world for years - not sure if you'd have to cut them with the size difference but they hold up better than cotton balls and seem to block out more of the noise.

good luck!

 

[JourneysEnd]

Here's a joke for Billy Ray:
Why do bagpipers always march around when they're playing?

Because a moving target is harder to hit.

alternate answer: Because they are trying to get away from the noise, too!

No really, I like the music of bagpipes (at least once in a while) but not up close. They are surprisingly loud. I imagine that, to a horse, a piper probably looks pretty weird too, with those drones sticking up like that.

If it's just the noise, I suppose you could get a copy of the Riverdance soundtrack and play it in the barn. Our local Public Radio station runs a program called "The Thistle and Shamrock" that features Celtic music. Maybe Billy Ray should tune in!

Loved the Grinch pics, looked like fun!

LOVE IT !