“What can I do to gain her trust and build a bond with her? I know she is a lot of work but she is worth every penny to give her a life that she so deserves. “…
Recently, I purchased a horse that seemed to be very abused by the people who sold her. She was very thin and sick. I couldn’t leave her to these people knowing that she would probably die in their cruel hands. She seems to have no trust in people. I talk to her and try to touch her but she won’t allow it at all. A few days after I brought her home she showed signs of strangles and it was verified by my vet. Having to give her shots and medication has strained the relationship that I am trying to build. The fear in her eyes breaks my heart. I want to love her so badly but she won’t allow me to get next to her. I usually have to corner her to catch her for meds and I HATE doing this. What can I do to gain her trust and build a bond with her. I know she is al ot of work but she is worth every penny to give her a life that she so deserves. I need any advice you can give. Thanks
Dr. Kimberly Gryl’s Answer:
Dawn,
Your quest of rescuing this mare is a noble one and one that should never be downplayed. That said, the most important thing to keep in mind at all times is that no matter how much you love this horse and want to help her, you MUST be safe. Safety comes first in all things around horses, and if you are accidentally hurt while trying to catch or treat the mare, then there may be nobody to care for her. Also keep in mind that no matter how careful you are, and even though you think you may be getting to know this mare, horses are unpredictable, and in a second something may go horribly wrong. You should always have a back-up person close by, or at least one who can check in on you, to make sure that the treatments go successfully, and everyone walks out when done. I know this may sound excessive, but your description sounds like that of a virtually wild horse, or at least an extremely distrusting one. These horses generally do not end up hurting people intentionally, but out of a fear response. Horses are a flight animal, and may try to get away without warning.
Considering the safety precautions, never try to corner the mare. This will make her more frightened and may cause her to turn unexpectedly and kick, run you over, or push you down. Instead, try to get her to come to you. Tasty feed, treats, or a mash will usually be the way to win her over to you. When you medicate her, add some flavoring to the treatments, so that it’s something she will want to eat or be paste-fed. Crushing pills and mixing them with syrup or other yummy-to-horses flavoring can be tempting to them. I’m afraid I have no advice for shots. They’ll either tolerate them or they won’t. If you are giving shots, you definitely need to have a second person helping you – holding her head, or perhaps a leg up to decrease your chances of getting kicked. A third person may be helpful, but some horses see this as a threat (too many people). And again, this may lead to cornering her, and increase the risk of someone getting injured. Without treatment, she may die from Strangles, so one way or another you’ll have to treat her.
Also, you should spend time with the mare when you are not intending to medicate or treat her in any way. This may be the best way to build your bond. Just going in and out without doing anything (even catching her) will get her used to you being in her space; although she may never like it, just tolerate it. Once she’ll tolerate you, you can start grooming her, picking her feet, and otherwise doting on her. You can plan on spending a lot of time on this – months, maybe years. Also realize that even though she may come around to you, she may never do so for anyone else – kids, your friends, the veterinarian or farrier, etc. She may be very much YOUR horse, and only your horse.
“Was kicked in head …… resulted in broken bones & destruction of some growth plates. ……he has had to see the vet/dentist many times over the years and each visit is painful. “…
My horse, 9 years old, was seriously injured at the age of 3 weeks. Was kicked in head by mother which resulted in broken bones & destruction of some growth plates. As a result he has had to see the vet/dentist many times over the years and each visit is painful. He does not have full range of motion of mouth and when being floated, the mouth must be “forced” full open – under sedation. Over the past 2 years, he has become increasingly bad when confronted by a Vet/dentist. He can smell them when they drive up and just 2 days ago I tried to have his annual shots done. He reared several times and almost came down on top of me. In short, he became very dangerous instead of just real hard to handle. When no vet/medicine around, he has nice ground manners, can be brushed, washed, groomed, etc. Behavior only occurs when vet and/or medicine is brought around him. Any advice on how to handle this situation. We never did even get a needle in him this last time. Thank You.
Dr. Kimberly Gryl’s Answer:
Glenda:
You have a difficult situation to deal with, and an even harder one to correct. That behavior of your horse’s is a learned behavior, and he has become conditioned to know that whenever he picks up certain smells (ie., rubbing alcohol, or the “medicinal” smell of a veterinarian), that some objectionable thing is going to happen. Needle sticks, painful procedures, vibrations on his teeth, or other uncommonly-performed restraints are not the every day norm, and can all cause him mental anxiety beyond our comprehension. When he experiences this anxiety, he automatically reacts as the typical “fight or flight” animal, by trying to get away. Thus, you see the rearing, striking, or running away. This will probably take years to overcome. Instead of trying yourself to reform your horse, I recommend you seek the help of a professional trainer. Someone like John Lyons or Clinton Anderson can help steer you in the right direction. Certainly there are others out there, but these are the 2 who come to mind. Also, there is a veterinarian in OK named Andy Anderson; you might try him as well. He has had success getting very difficult trailer-loaders to load; perhaps he may have some ideas or be able to help you with this. In the meantime, keep in mind that your horse is not vaccinated, and do not unnecessarily expose him to other horses and the potential for disease.
