Horse Problem - Tarp Desensitizing - Horse is afraid of plastic tarps (Contd)

CROSSING TARPS

 

Now that the horse is desensitized to tarps over him, he also needs to be desensitized to tarps under him. Horses "compartmentalize learn," so what you do on top of them doesn't translate to below them. Start off by taking a retreat walk, casually dragging the tarp behind.

 

 

 

Once the horse is fine with that, I would lay the tarp on the ground, folded small to begin if needed, then I would lead him over it or drive him from the rear over it to become accustomed to that (be careful if/when leading a horse over it at first, because if he's frightened there, he can and will leap over it and potentially onto you -- stay safely clear of that). I would slowly open up the tarp, driving him over it in stages until he can cross it fully opened up.

 

Ask the horse to cross over the tarp. At first he's scared,
but he gains confidence slowly, but tentatively.
Via this challenge he raises his fear bar.
Repeatedly have him cross over the tarp until it's no big deal at all.

 

 

Next, ask the horse to back over the tarp using the backup cue you put in place earlier. This gets the horse focusing on connecting brain to feet as he navigates backwards over the tarp. He is now officially desensitized to tarps in every shape and form and his newfound confidence has him mellowed, happy, more relaxed than he's ever been! Note: the tarp can be flat or bunched up, either way the horse learns to cross something that he initially feared.

 

 

 

Here are more horses getting desensitized to tarps:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More Desensitizing to Tarps: