My horse is scared of plastic.What should I do?
You really need to desensitize her to it. She's not an arab or saddlebred by any chance is she? I ask this because a LOT of arab saddlebred people tie plastic bags to the end of longe whips and chase them with it to get them to gait higher faster. In essence, they are training their horses to run from plastic, and I've never understood why they do this. You do need to start desensitizing her to plastic, though. Getting her to beomce exposed to plastic as much as possible is a good idea. I would personally work with her in hand, though --- crumpling plastic near her, only as close as she will allow without running away. Allow her to want to approach it, to be curious about it. It will take time, and it will take patience, but eventually build up her confidence and trust in it. Taking the plastic away when she takes a deep breath and seems to relax will help her learn to accept the fearful item easier. Eventually, she will come to it, touch it with her nose, and not run off. It will take work and time, but if it is a problem for you, then you need to work on it.
I had a horse the very same way! I hung plastic bags on the fence, feeder and the saddle! He got to where it was nothing to him but go somewhere and let him hear something that sounded like crinkling plastic and he was GONE!! I could never get him over that. I did all the desensitizing I could. I was sittin on him at a barrel race and had my leg flopped over the saddle horn drinkin a coke, I shook the cup to break up the ice and he almost left me in the dirt. I feel for you, I didn't have very good luck getting my horse unafraid of the sound. He would tremble! It was so sad. I hope someone has some good answers! Heck, I know I didn't help very much but sometimes you loose the battle and have to sit back and laugh at yourself. :P
Okay, i have helped other people with this problem... you need to spend a lot of time with your horse in a arena or round pen....you need to to get a lung line or a 12 foot to 16 foot lead rope. i would use the 12-16 foot lead rope for shorter control. now after you spend about 15 min lunging your horse. bring a empty water bottle and slowly set it on the dirt. take your horse near the water bottle but not too close and just stand there. then walk your horse around the water bottle. make sure the horse can see it. walk in different directions. occasionly getting closer to the water bottle. praise your horse for good behavior. if your horse starts to freek out turn your horse so his butt is facing the water bottle. calm your horse. after he has calmed repeat the process again. prasing your horse when he is doing a great job. After you can safley move your horse around the water bottle, pick up the water bottle and hold it in your hand that you are not leading your horse with. let your horse smell the water bottle. as soon as he smells it pull it away. do this a couple times then act as though the water bottle is your hand. pet your horse with the water bottle and praise him! now all horses are different...you may have to keep going over these steps...but eventually your horse will get over his phobia....with time and patients and presistance you will acomplish your goals with your great horse!
As others have suggested, hang plastic bags or something around the stall/pasture your horse is in so that it's exposed to them all the time. You could try getting your horse out of it's stall on a lead line and slowly approaching with a plastic bag, if it tries to get away follow it, if it stops and stands still take it away, so that it learns if it behaves and stays still the 'scary' plastic leaves it alone.
You need to start de-sensitizing the horse to plastic. A good way is hang plastic along your fence line where she grazes. Try the slow apporach methode of slowly introducing the plastic at a safe distance while she eats. Slowly over time decrease the space between her and the object with the goal being able to touch her with it. Eventually she won't mind the sound. This exercise requires you to do this very slowly, if you move to quick you'll have to start over. Something like this could take a week or a month depending on the time you spend with her.
