I would like to know how to train a horse so it does not spook at traffic, cars driving by, etc. I know how to do basic desensitization, but beyond that I am at a loss. There are many amish families in my area and they drive their horse and buggies down the highway; semi trucks do not even startle the horses, how is this possible? Please explain.

You need to distract him, or to keep his mind on you more than the
traffic. I was riding someone else's horse once outside for the first
time. When rush hour kicked in on our way back to the barn, I could feel
we were in deep shit. I got off and began drilling him on "get up" and
"whoa." Every time he stopped for me, he got a bit of carrot and some
stroking. He soon got so engrossed with this profitable little game that
he tuned out the traffic. An added benefit was that he stopped on a dime
the next day when I said "whoa." John Lyons recommends that you get your
horse to reliably give to the bit–ie, bend his neck to one side when you
pick up on one rein. This gets his mind on you, not on other things. It
also disengages him from the position he needs to get into before he
rears, bucks, or runs off. Giving to the bit also lowers his head, which
for some reason puts him in a mellower frame of mind. He says that trail
riding is like a giant vacuum cleaner that sucks all the training out of
your horse–if pursued as just moseying along the trail and not giving him
constant direction. Riding with precision–picking specific spots for him
to step on, and insisting that he do it precisely–is one way to keep his
mind on you instead of everything else. Riding with precision is more
important out on trail than in the arena, because you must have your
horse's attention at all times when you are in more dangerous
circumstances. If you do not seem to have a game plan–he can wander
wherever he wants and it's ok–then he thinks you are asleep at the wheel,
and it will be his responsibility to look out for your mutual welfare. If
he gets the feeling that you have definite plans and that you are alert,
and he gets this feeling from being steered with precision–he will be
able to relax more, amd not be so afraid of other things out there,
because he feels he has a real leader up on his back whom he can trust.

It seems that a horse can only keep his mind on one thing at a time. If
his mind is on you, it is not on the boogeyman behind every tree, rock,
mailbox and car. But you have to keep steering with precision, or asking
for specific gaits or movments, to keep his mind occupied. Dressage out
on trail will save your skin.

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