New Filly troubles

[myminis]

I got a new filly about a week ago and before I got her she had been sick and they gave her some shots. She's 5 months old and she came straight from the pasture before that. She doesn't want to be touched and I can't say I don't blame her after being stuck with needles and temps on a daily basis. She kicks when you go to get near her and in general she does everything in her power to get away from you.

My question is do I "force" myself on her or just pet her from a distance in the stall and wait till she makes up her mind to like me back????

She leads good I've taught her that. I now have to keep her seperated cause she caught a cold and I had to seperate her from my other two and that's when the kicking me started. She humps up her back end and kicks at you when you go to get near her. I feel so sorry for her that she can't have any contact and she was super close to my one gelding and now she can't be near him.

Also should it just be one of us her getting used to or is it ok that my finac'e and I both work with her. I don't want to overwhelm her I guess is my question???

Poor thing I feel so so bad for her, I've never had to deal with this before and am completly baffeld at what to do so could really use some expert advice. I am laying down her pattern for life here and I want to do the right thing.

Thanks,

 

[drmatthewtaylor]

I feel sorry for her too.

Today there are usually better choices than daily shots including oral, multi-day medicines, and IV catheters.

If I have to resort to frequent IM injections, then I prepare owners that they need to work with the foal multiple times per day to show it that shots aren't the only reason we catch it and even if that is done frequently these foals become people haters for life.

I would encourage frequent happy events with the foal that are safe for all involved.

Dr. Taylor

 

[Riverrose28]

I don't want to sound all gloom and doom, but for future reference any new horse should be kept separate from all horses for at least three weeks. during that time, you can get them acclimated to their new home, and new owners. Work with them consistantlay a couple times per day and always wash your hand after and spry your shoes with a disinfectant spray. After three weeks then you can house them near your other horses, but not right in with them, just beside until everyone settles in.

Now that your other horses have been exposed, i can only hope you don't have any problems with virus, etc. I would recommend working with her everyday consistently and lots of reward and praise.

WE all learn from our mistakes, myself included, so pleas don't take this the wrong way, but use this info for future reference, about containing new horses from the rest of the herd.

 

[myminis]

Thank you Dr. Taylor I find that now by putting on her halter and lead rope and working with her she's much more coopertive then if I try to work with her without it. I discovered that this afternoon. She was soooo much better. I brushed her and she seemed to like that. She even liked when I rubbed her forehead so that was a plus. I think not confining her body is a good way to go and using the halter and lead rope maybe, she seemed much more responsive to me then when we hold her down and love on her.

It was my mistake for not seperating her at first i just didn't stop and think. I was so worried about her cause she's so tiny and so stressed out with traveling 8 hrs that I had my one horse go so he would make the ride easier for her and then she bonded with him. Kind of like a surrogate mom. I was so focused on her mental state I never thought about the stress of the traveling making her sick. She's just an itty bitty thing and then just in recovery of about 2 weeks of being sick it was just to much. But, you live and learn in these things. I do spray and wash my hands and keep her poo away from my other horses, and don't touch them if I've touched her. I'm hoping to dodge a bullet here, but if not it's my own fault.

Thank you both for you valuable in put.