Please consider this -
What you describe doesn't necessarily mean she was abused or even "bullied" or "pushed around&"; It may very well mean that she was n
ot handled enough or only at the times that a farrier or vet were needed. While that may not affect some horses, some will be more stressed if they have a "hotter" or more sensitive personality.
When you quit doing things as she tenses up - the next time she is liable to be more tense. Why? Because you have actually "taught" her to be tense by stopping what you are doing when she got upset rather than stopping after she realizes that you aren't going to hurt her and then you stop what you are doing. IF you quietly ignore her tension and persist with handling, she will relax. That is when you "remove the pressure" or whatever you are doing. Yes, you do have to find a starting point and if she won't allow you to handle her ears - you may have to start with down by her withers... But then you go from there. There will be days that she will seem to "back up" or revert, too, but you just keep working with her.
I guess every vet appointment or farrier appointment is always going to be "bad" for all of your horses.... There's no need for it to be. Some of ours do not really "like" either the vet or the farrier - some will come trotting up to the fence (even the one who was castrated the week previous!!!) to check out the new "toys" and pester them about who is going to get done next. Others do their best to act like they are being "tortured" and god forbid that an animal control officer stop by then! The vet would need to provide records that that particular animal has been treated in teh past and that it isn't abused, LOL!
I don't understand what's "bad" about an Amish farrier or vet? The several that I've met in the last two years are usually much more attuned to the horses, quieter but more efficient than are the "regular" vets I've dealt with for the last 10 years. Of course, I guess some are "bad... but certainly not all and no worse than the "regular" ones. But then again, I live not far from a vet school - and my regular vets ALWAYS have interns with them - many of whom have never or very rarely handled horses or ponies, they are nervous with the animal and more so because the owner is there. It's been interesting, to say the least....
My personal worst farrier appointments have been with the current "new wave" of "barefoot trimmers"... several of whom, in our area, haven't been to a "regular" farrier school, don't seem to really know how to handle a horse at all, and themselves say constantly that "other" farriers know nothing & charge $50 - 100 per mini plus a farm charge or fuel charge... Right now, if I get told about or get handed a card for a "natural, barefoot" trimmer or more correct term - farrier - I run the other direction. That said - I do ask questions of "natural" farriers who DO, and specialize, in the barefoot trims (UGH! all hooves are trimmed when the horse is barefoot - and most minis or small ponies are never shod. YES, it is a personal pet peeve that drives me crazy when someone calls themselves a "barefoot trimmer" The ones that I've stayed in contact with are interested in continuing education - including extensive work with "regular" farrier schools, working with a vet and IF working on a mini or small horse that has been correctively trimmed in the past, don't take them off of that type of trim right away.
Edited - YES, I'm on a soapbox... I'm sorry if this is offensive to you, I really didn't intend for it to be overly harsh & I've gone back and really tried to change some of my wording, but I find it offensive that almost everyone lately seems to be on a kick that if the horse is upset, then it's been abused. Horses are usually quite bothered by anything new and unusual and from the sounds of it, this little mare hasn't been handled - so everything may well be upsetting to her. Some minis are VERY laid back and even though unhandled, nothing bothers them AND they are very accepting of anything...
CASE IN POINT - I have a just turned 3 yr old gelding. He's been handled extensively since birth, but he has some quirks which I DO address when I handle him, but I've not made a point of dealing with them several days in a row of solid training. My farrier is on "the same sheet of music" with me (likes how I handle most of my ponies/horses and handles them the same or similarly - sometimes she says I need to ease up with some or get more aggressive/forceful with others). She likes to "play" with him when she comes out - especially on the days that she does his hooves (but others she will pull him out of the paddock if there is time). Now, another girlfreind wanted to borrow one of my ponies and work with them on some things. I specifically chose him - as I knew that he'd never been off our property and hadn't had "concentrated" work/training. He'd also never been separated from his "group" of boys (as a weanling and yearling he did run with the girls, too) - but in the last two years he's only come out of his pasture for the vet and farrier visits. Well... I didn't really have any probs with loading him but he'd never been trailered anywhere. HE WAS UPSET! V was angry when he leaped out of the trailer (almost on top of her), I was actually laughing (I had expected him to do that - knowing how he does things. She should have - she's been one of his regular handlers since he was born). He was in a new place, for the first time none of his "pony buddies" were with him (essentially I'd just weaned him, LOL) and he "lost his brains" right down the hole that her dogs had dug next to the trailer. I've never seen him with his head so high, his nostrils so extended and red and his eyes rolling white.
I really didn't expect that much reaction - but wasn't quite surprised, either. I also wasn't surprised when he tried to "glue" himself to his handlers' side. With me - i just pointed at him or waved my elbow and he "remembered" that he wasn't supposed to be in my space. She turned her back on him and when he jumped towards her, his shoulder caught her just right and down she went. We've had a lot of rain, it's muddy tho not slick where this happened but ... she came up and OMG - P.O'd doesn't begin to describe how angry she was. She didn't take it out on him directly and quickly realized the loudness was upsetting him and toned it down but ...it was scathing towards my handling, training, bloodlines and well... everything else... On top of that, she did nothing to enforce that she was the "boss" and to stay out of her space - so every new thing that he saw (& some he "made up", trust me) - he jumped into her space - clinging. In the next hour, she went down at least one more time but also got her feet trod on more than once (his dam's sister had been the same way - took a long time and constant work to get her "off of me" and out of my space). In the end, after an hour, he'd calmed down and was more willing to lead properly. He even, eventually, went thru her water obstacle (see pics - link below). Two days later, she did all kinds of "stuff" with him and was "amazed" at how well, he's doing... Well, yes, he's had most of that type of work - over time. He's just never been put into a "stressfull" situation (new training environment) where he was expected to behave and he acted like a typical horse BABY. Should he be that way, no. Do I want him that way, no. For a while, every time he is introduced to something new, I expect he will be rather clingy or want to "be on top of you" - until the handler enforces that he can be out of their space...
Here are pictures of him (my personal album on him) -
Cupid The first ones on the 25th of Feb were the day that I hauled him to Vicki's. They go back to his birth on 16 Feb 2010.
here are pictures of him that Vicki's granddaughter took of him - click to the right and follow along (this album are her pictures taken of my ponies) -
Cupid at Pampered Pets Pharm
OFF my soapbox now!!
I'm very happy that you have her and that she will be handled and schooled/trained now. I'm looking forward to the progess you make with her. I take it her 1/2 brother is gelded?
I've enjoyed your posts about your other little pregnant girl! Edited...
OK, try this again - please HTML don't come back in my regular post...
I purchased a little almost 3 year old 27.5 inch tall mini this weekend. I bought her half brother whom is also almost 3 and they have not ever been seperated, she is pretty much connected to his side. The lady gave her to me free so they did not have to be seperated. Here is the problem...she has SERIOUS trust issues. She is not mean, but scared to death!! When she gets scared she wants to rear, she is very easy to handle, and is not rearing vertical, just "hopping up with both front feet" She is SUPER scared of the halter, the past owner said she associates the halter with the vet or farrier. That tells me she has had a very bad experience with the vet/or farrier. Who was Amish let me add. You can barely touch her feet without her panicing. It is so sad, she LOVES attention. She told me she is due in April for a trim, I have no idea how that is ever going to happen. She will freak out. She seems to chew funny, and spits things out, but again I can't see her teeth to see whats going on. She will chew on things and spit things out. I can feel her hip bones under her fur. But we can work on that. I simply have been working on brushing her, working with the halter, and petting her legs telling her its ok, and stopping when she starts to tense up, before the jumping up starts. We went for a walk tonight, she did wonderful, she leads like a charm. Advice??
