# Horses and Gun fire



## smaj100 (Oct 17, 2012)

Hey yall, I'm relatively new to the forum. We own horses and while we have had them long before I considered myself or my family as preppers. I realize the value they now hold in these troubled times, as both transportation and equipment. They are all qrt'r horses, of various pedigree's and we mostly ride for pleasure. They have all but the newest baby been ridden in shows, trails, large groups, individually, on roads near traffic. While I wouldn't call any horse bomb proof I know many who claim there are horses that are.

We do most of the training and have a good friend and trainer near us that helps or finishes the rest. My question is does anyone have experience training horses to be shot from both mounted and dismounted position? We own plenty of property WAY out in the country to accomplish the task without anyone getting excited. I roll my own ammo so producing both blanks and reduced charges aren't an issue.

Any suggestions and ideas are welcome. I would like to get things in motion to start/finish the training this spring/summer.

:beercheer:


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## Cabowabo (Nov 6, 2012)

I don't have any experiences with Horses. But I watched a K9 Handler train his working dog using blanks. He held the leash tightly and fired the gun a foot or two away from the dog, muzzle at the furthest distance from the dog. Wonder if the same thing would work on a horse...


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## smaj100 (Oct 17, 2012)

Cabo, I've talked to several cowboy shooters and thats about what they said, with a slight difference. You put the horse in the round pen, and stand outside, fire until the horse realizes you aren't trying to shoot it, and then slowly get closer. I'm sure there are other/better/safer techniques when it's time to mount the horse and continue this game. I'm not sure I would want to hold 1200lbs of horse the first time I fired a gun near them. They seem to care less when they are in the pasture and we are blasting away at our targets several hundred yards away, so maybe thats a good sign already.


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## Nor777 (Nov 8, 2011)

Ive gun broke the horses on either site of me. I'll state shooting on my range ange the next thing I know I have about a dozen horses on either side with there heads over the fence watching me. 
I would say start small and fifty yards from the pen and work up to the larger guns and closer.
Then when your on the horse start out with blanks for sure.


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## cnsper (Sep 20, 2012)

> My question is does anyone have experience training horses to be shot from both mounted and dismounted position?


It has been my experience that shooting your horse is not a good thing.... LOL But they do get the message but the sad thing it is a one time deal. I prefer to shoot them dismounted that way I do not have to jump.

(LOL just thought you worded your question in a funny way)


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## mosquitomountainman (Jan 25, 2010)

Condition them slowly as has been stated already. Don't try to hold or sit on the horse while training it! 

Be considerate of the horse too. If you've ever stood in front of or even with the muzzle of a firearm (especially a handgun or a rifle with a muzzle brake) you'll know how earsplittingly loud they are. Even if the horse will stand for it you are permanently damaging it's hearing.

I'm not saying that the horse shouldn't be trained to accpet it but I am saying to remember the horse too and keep it to a minimum.

Steve


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## smaj100 (Oct 17, 2012)

CNS, thats funny. Yeah I guess my choice of wording was a little on the poor side. 

Nor, That is about what most of the other folks have mentioned as well. And since this is a standard approach to most of the training we do, I don't see why it wouldn't work the same. You don't just throw a saddle on a green horse on hope for the best.

Mosquitto, I absolutely agree with keeping the horses in mind. We try to do this at all times anyhow. I know they have better hearing than we do, and it rings my bell depending on the weapon when its fired without hearing protection. (I wonder if I can get my horses to keep some ear muffs on?) :shtf:

I know several groups of people in this region who simple see them as pieces of farm equipment and nothing more. Ours are companions more than anything else.


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## Jimthewagontraveler (Feb 8, 2012)

Every morning at dawn blow a horn (I prefer a cheap plastic
Transmission funnel)
When they come to see what all the noise is about throw out
a small plastic coffee can full of breaders cubes on clean short
Grass let them play Easter egg hunt as you go about your 
business.
After they become very reliable about coming to the horn
Blow the horn once then a 22 shot or 12 gauge primer only
then the horn again.
When they start coming on the first horn blow knowing that
the 22 is coming next alternate between horn and 22 for at 
least 3 shots.
Do this for 3 days or until they don't even slow down on hearing 
the shots.
Remember the candy is the treat but finding the scattered 
Candy is the social reward.( a toy, a game)
When it is safe to walk among them popping off the 22
Then it's time to call in your backup.
Each horse gets a bond mate to brush them and talk calmly to 
them while a person at a distance pops the 22.
The person with the 22 slowly approaches while firing at random.
The signal for the person with the 22 to retreat can be given
by any bondmate by raising one hand straight into the air while
continuing to calmly talk and brush his/her equine.
When the 22 can be fired among the herd while the lovefest 
continues its time for each bondmate to have a 22/Capgun (I prefer the modern plastic caps)
Blanks become very important at this time as you don't want
Multiple people horse brushing and shooting while trying to focus
on not shooting each other.
At all times each bond mate MUST TALK SWEET NOTHING TO
HIS/HER HORSE.
Or you get a first hand look at a mixed human/horse stampeed.
END OF PART 1
I will be back after I feed.


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## Jimthewagontraveler (Feb 8, 2012)

PART 2
I have a video of me brushing my horse while a man shoots a 12 gauge but I don't know how to share it. This really stinks because I would like to share an equine at his best.
So I guess you will have to take my word on this.
In the video the shot is fired 12' from the horse.
Average bird shot in a 12 gauge coach gun.
His head raises quick but the feet never move.
This was one year or more since he was trained with no refresher course!
Remember that the horse MUST become bored with loud noises!
Other wise they will run towards every deer hunter in hearing range.
The deer hunter will think he is being attacked.
The end is predictable.
So this training is done best just after the end of (most)
hunting seasons.
Now sitting in the saddle while riding into battle is a whole other can of worms.
A battle scene like we all see in the tv is very different from getting the horse accustomed to occasional gunfire.
A horse can not be trained to do this today because it does involve what we have come to think of as cruelty.
The horse must actually receive minor wounds inflicted by
the rider as part of his training.
I will NOT discuss this aspect of the training here in a public forum nor will I discuss it in a PM within this forum.
I will not discuss it in an email.
And I hope NEVER to discuss it in person.
If I ever catch a man training with these methods I will personally have a discussion with him.
The days of Dragoon Calvary charges have ended.
And modern weaponry will never see the reuse of this practice.
Should modern weapons fail then and only then will these barbaric and cruel practices be revived.
And any man who uses these methods of training who is not weeping like a child is no longer human!


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## smaj100 (Oct 17, 2012)

Jim,

As I am semi new to the forum I am unsure how to share other than linking something that has been uploaded to youtube or someother hosting site.

All of those methods sound, like safe and sound training methods. And I agree with the dragoon cavalry charge style shooting would be cruel, as it puts the muzzle just over the ears, and eyes of almost any horse. My question about allowing the rider to shoot mounted was more of a if some kinda critter were to charge after the wife or I while out riding, I would much rather be able to draw and fire if nothing else a scatter shot out of a revolver in the general direction of said critter and not have the horse run like hell without me still or her still attached. While I doubt anything ever stalking or waiting to pounce on a horse or rider will not do it head on shooting off to the side or rear qtr of a horse seems to me to be about as safe for the rider and horse as can be done. Short of my previous comment about putting some ear muffs on the horse. 

Lee


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## kejmack (May 17, 2011)

I trained my horses by slowly desensitizing them. We'd target practice until it became no big deal to them. Then, we'd feed them while someone shot a little closer. The important thing to remember is that horses have VERY sensitive hearing. They actually make earplugs for horses. I recommend those if you plan to do cowboy shooting or anything like that. I would not ever shoot on horseback if I could help it. It is an accident waiting to happen. Even elk hunters dismount before shooting.


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