Bombproofing or desensitization is nothing more than giving your horse the opportunity to become comfortable with the objects, places and sensations involved in activities foreign to him.

Take a moment to picture this ideal experience with your horse: He responds to your leg cues energetically, yet calmly as you ride along on the trail. Just the two of you, out enjoying nature and each other's company.  He sighs gently as you move passed the big boulder and cross the creek below.  You see a rabbit just ahead in the distance and you are delighted to watch it hop out of hiding.  Wildlife is no longer an issue for you and your horse.   You have gone thru a process of sensory training to desensitive your horse to these all these trail obstacles.  Horses have a memory like a steel trap - once learned that obstacles will not harm them - they never forget. Your hard work has really paid off.                                                              

It is important to remember that horses are, by nature, prey animals and their primary defense against predators is to quickly detect any sign of danger and flee from it. Consequently, your horse quite naturally perceives anything new and different as a possible threat. Through a few simple steps, you can gently expose him to unfamiliar objects and experiences in a way that will allow him to overcome his fears and eventually feel more curious than afraid when presented something new. This will make every new experience a positive one for you both.

Positively Riding! is pleased to announce that we are now a distributor of an excellent product to help you despook your horse.  Mary Hamilton, Mounted Police Instructor has applied her knowledge of training horses for mounted police work to create two wonderful interactive products that you can use in the comfort of your own home to give you step-by-step instruction.

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BOMBPROOFING EXERCISES:

Start with your horse in a situation or area that makes you feel safe. By that I mean if you do not feel safe while riding your horse or standing next to your horse on a lead, train your horse while he is in the stall and you are on the outside of the stall.  

• Begin introducing objects to him, starting with the very familier (ie.: brushes, hoofpicks) and working progressively to more and more challenging objects.  In the end, you will be using such monsters as helium balloons, umbrellas and shopping bags filled with empty cans.
• As your horse accepts these items on the ground, set up an obstacle course in an enclosed area and begin by riding at a walk, past obstacles, beginning with familiar and working up to  tbst (the big scarry thing).  TBST examples:  playing boombox, flags, crossing tarps, large cardboard boxes, blow up toys - the possibilites are endless.
• Allow your horse the freedom to retreat if he chooses to do so. To develop true trust in you, your horse needs to have the choice to either stay and investigate that which you offer or to leave of his own free choice. The ideal would be that you expose him to new things so gradually and patiently that he has the time and space to show you acceptance without the need to retreat.
• Listen to yourself and your horse. Only through careful observation will you know when the two of you are ready to move on to the next level of challenge. 

Please remember that the learning process is one of repetition and creativity, and even with the study of famous trainers, you may need to reach deep inside yourself for the perserverance necessary to help your horse overcome his natural fears. But, ahhhh, what a feeling of accomplishment awaits you.