The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Pets & Working Animals => Horses, ponies, donkeys & mules => Topic started by: HappyHippy on January 25, 2013, 12:53:51 pm
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I thought you might like to see this video https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?v=515724468467078&comment_id=5868529¬if_t=video_comment (https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?v=515724468467078&comment_id=5868529¬if_t=video_comment)
We let Polly out last week (then she wouldn't come back in, not even for apples ::)) without really having done much with her, gentle strokes while she was eating etc.
The new headcollar and lead rope arrived so I decided to step it up a bit ;)
A trug with a handful of alfalfa grass and some horse mix (just a little bit ;)) was enough of a lure to get her back in to the shed where, with the help of my wonderful OH (horse whisperer extraordinaire, it would seem ;)) we got the new head collar on and tied her to the rail. She was a little nervous when we were trying to get the headcollar on and danced about a little bit, but no indications that she'd kick (she very well could have, but didn't :thumbsup:) after that we let her settle for a minute before picking up her feet and cleaning them, giving her a quick brush and I managed to give her a spot of 'hands on' reiki (it's all been distance so far and I didn't feel it was really getting to her, so today was much better)
I'm feeling much more confident now, since she's got her head collar on and she seems much less jumpy when tied, so I'll start and tie her for 5-10 minutes every day and continue with the brushing, feet and reiki. Hopefully have another progress report soon :fc:
Thanks for all your support so far guys :thumbsup: You've been great :-*
Karen x
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I am so pleased to hear you are making progress with Polly :)
She's a lucky girl. :love: :horse:
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Sounds like she's doing really well. I cannot get the video on Facebook. It tells me I don't have access ???
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:thumbsup: So pleased that you and Polly are getting on and just by hearing what you are doing and the time that you all spend with her makes me think that you will be just going from strength to strength now ;D
.....and you said that you were much more confident now, and Polly will pick up on that too and that will calm her.
Polly is indead very lucky to have you all as her new family :sunshine:
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That is good news HH :thumbsup: . Sounds like you and Polly will be the best of friends.
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She is so sweet and looks a charactor too. My middle daughter may get a Shetland pony, she is having a horse soon and some one she knows has a Shetland for sale....I would put money on her getting one!!!!
They are small but often fiesty...the wee man syndrome! :innocent:
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So, major success today :thumbsup: I'm feeling just a wee bit proud so thought I'd share :innocent:
I managed to catch and headcollar Polly today, all by myself. Then, I managed to get her dried off and put a turnout rug on her (had to get a wee hand from Bruce to catch the straps and fasten them on the opposite side)
I was rewarded with a hairy, horsey kiss and a bit of a snuggle (she put her muzzle right into my face then leant her head and neck against me) it was lovely :hug: She's coming on great :thumbsup: Though I thnk she might fall out with me a bit today since I've let the calves out alongside her - and they're eating all her grass ::) ;)
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Great, she is trusting you more now....I suppose it take a lot of time to build that trust up with a new "boss" wonderful :thumbsup:
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That's lovely to hear, Karen :applause: Polly is telling you you are getting it right :thumbsup: :love: :horse: :hshoe:
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Well done HH :thumbsup: your hard work is starting to show and she loves you for it :love: :horse:
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How old is Polly HH? We got our girls just before you, but they're 10 and don't like the head collar even being hung up somewhere. Farrier says he will have a fight with them in March if he needs it on to trim their hooves ::)
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She's 12 Amanda, it's not that she doesn't like it, as such - she's just a really nervy wee pony and not inclined to come towards us, adults that is, she quite likes my 2 year old daughter (who, of course, is terrified of her ::))
I remember our pet Shetland (from when I was young) not liking the farrier much (she was a lovely wee pony, who lived out year round and had nothing done with her, except her feet).
Once my dad, papa, dad's friend and the farrier all had to hold her - ended up with my dad's friend (who's over 6ft tall) having two lovely hoof shaped bruises on his chest :o Shetlands might be little - but no-one's told them that ;)
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Great news HH :thumbsup: nothing better than a pony nuzzling session :love: :love:
I have a pony who is known as Mr Grumpy Pants - does not like being stroked, touched groomed etc until you catch him and tacked up he a a big baby. But if I put down a tub of Horslyx I can do anything with him without tying him up or putting on a head collar. It is great as a treat/bribe for catching too.
Just thought that it may be worth a try!
One thing you could do goosepimple is hold the headcollar near and let them see it while having a lick and possibly progress to them having to put their noses through the nose band to get at the lick. Hopefully after time you could get the sides of the head collar up and work towards actually getting it on. Would take a lot of time, but it may work?
Hopefully here is a link, oh and I think they have molasses in them so just for treats IMHO
http://www.horslyx.co.uk/ (http://www.horslyx.co.uk/)
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Thanks both, 12 years old - that's good HH, makes me think :thinking: maybe I should persevere - but as the farrier said, if we're not going to be leading them anywhere in particular, why bother? But then I expect feet trims 3 x a year, it would be helpful - we only have one field - a long strip split up in sections and they're easy to lure from one bit to another with a treat. Don't know if I should be bothering them by training them so to speak?
Why are you training yours HH? Just from a handle-ability point of view or are you planning on doing something in particular with her (showing etc)?
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Just for handle-ability GP :thumbsup: She's been badly treated in the past and I think the more we catch her up and do things (whether it's brush, give her a dose of reiki or just lead her from one place to another) the more she'll realise we're not going to hurt her and hopefully the coming round process will speed up :fc:
We most likely won't 'do' anything with her , but I'd like to be able to move her safely from field to field (some of them are much farther from the house) and tie her to let the kids brush her and learn about pony care - also when it comes to hoof trimming time, it'll be handy :thumbsup:
I use a food treat to help :innocent: some chopped alfalfa grass and a bit of horse mix, I kneel on the floor with the trug between my knees and the head collar in my hands (facing the right way so that she has to put her muzzle through it to eat ;)) as her head goes through the nose part I just slip the head strap up into place and fasten it - then lead her to the lead rope and tie her up (might have the rope attached to the collar next time, or at least within reach, just to make it easier.
HTH
Karen
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Um... if you didn't have your equines halter-trained, how would you manage when they need veterinary attention? I guess you could drive them into a pen and corral them with a gate - which would add to the stress of the situation, but maybe with ponies that aren't to be 'used', it's a judgement call whether that's less stress overall than halter-training them?
I'm maybe being a bit naive, but to me it seems that it shouldn't be stressful halter-training them, even if they are older and relatively unhandled. A few minutes a day a few times a week, softly softly with pressure and release - horses love human company, they love activity, they generally love to feel that they have a job to do.
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Thanks HH and Sally replies, like the approach HH, that sounds do-able in theory.
Think you're right Sally, it shouldn't be a stress.
I'm going to work on this one, one pony is a bit offish and the one in charge (she's a bit bigger overall - called Amanda actually ::) - not my choice) and the other one Cindy, is generally more accessible and calmer, may start with her. Both let me brush them and appreciate a good scratch on those places they can't reach.
I will report on progress too HH! Thanks for this thread, given me a mission :D