Question: Gaining trust of a weanling??? New Update 12/29/11 on page 2

[Deb O.]

As several on here know, I've only been in minis for the last couple years. This is my first attempt at training a weanling. So I'm still very green lol.

We got "heart" the little girl in the picture from friends of ours. She's my project filly. Heart is about 6 months old and was not handled much at our friends farm. So she wasn't trusting at all when she came to us. Wouldn't lead and extremely hard to catch. I've been working with her for about a month. Once I have her haltered and on lead she now does most everything I ask her with little or no coaxing

. But in the field without a treat she's still very wary when approached. I've been working trying to gain her trust off halter the last couple weeks. While making what I think is great strides, I'm wondering what else can be done? If I have a treat in my hand or am near the "feed shed" she'll approach my hand when called and let me handle her picking up her feet and such. And sometimes away from the shed if I just walk up calmly or squat and hold my hand out she'll approach. Each time any of this happens she gets big praise and rewards. Recently I've even gotten her to lead off halter with just a gentle hand at the base of her neck. But most of the time in the open field she will walk slowly in front of me and if I try to touch her she speeds up just out of reach. It's these times that I am wondering what I can do to get her to let me touch her???? Is there anything else that will help gain trust in the open field??

 

[LAminiatures]

My filly was that way. I open the barn doors and all the stalls in the evening when I go down the feed and clean stalls. She was very curious at first going in and out of the stalls. She would run out the door when she felt uncomfortable. But then come right back. I would continue my work and basically ignore her as she came and went. She got used to all the noises and things that happen in the barn and slowly realized it's nothing to worry about. Over the course of maybe a month I would pet her when she walked by and then went about my business. She also saw that the other horses were OK with being hugged, pet and scratched. Now she is right there helping me all the time. This may sound funny but I also will bring her out into the work area of my barn and dance as I groom her which has given me exercise and taught her to not flinch at every movement made. She looks forward to this time every night. I also groom her in her stall and sit with her and let her come to me and ask for nothing from her. When I get home from work now she comes running to the gate and I have no problems catching her. Her personality is feisty for sure but she has learned to trust me.

Good luck she will come around.

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

What I did was get a lawn chair and just sit in the field with them. Non threatening, just sit and watch. Right nex to their pile of hay. Once they were weaned I became an interesting object, and once they learned I can scratch the hard to reach places, I was their best friend. It's not an overnight project, it took about two months before they figured it out. Now when they see me I get a hello whinny and they all come over for scritches and follow me back to the barn. One filly did not want touched AT ALL as a suckling and now she is the first to come over.

We still have one colt we just got in the beginning of Oct who is still shy but MUCH better than he was.

 

[wcr]

So many people get caught up in wanting to "train" young horses not realizing that so much training can come from just playing with them. Field of Dreams has the right approach by just visiting with them. It has long been my theory that God made them itchy to help tame them. Once they realize that scratches feel good they will crowd you to get their share.

I visit with the babies, not trying to put halters on and mess with them but just visiting and scratching and walking away before they have had enough. While scratching and touching I will run my hand down legs, under belly and eventually touch them in every rude place without them feeling scared. This years baby is just totally cool and at 7 weeks had her first trim and the farrier did her feet without halter or restraint of any kind. She just stood there and let him pick up her feet and trim her.

 

[Deb O.]

Thanks for the responses. I tried the chair approach as I do like that. She is pastured with another weanling and an adult gelding who is very attached to me and won't let her near me usually when he's loose in the pasture and our little "rescue" mare. So although she wants to come over to me, she wouldn't when they were loose because the gelding will chase her away. Doesn't hurt her but just letting her know I am his person. He doesn't like to share. So feel the chair is a good teaching tool for the both of them. I sat out there for 15 minutes with him loose although she watched would not approach. Then for feeding the adults in the pasture are haltered next to their buckets so i went ahead and haltered him while Linda got the food ready. I sat back down and both she and the other baby came over for scratches and she allowed me to love all over her. So, I am thinking now the real issue is working with "Jet" the gelding to allow her to come over while he's loose and not be jealous of my attention being divided between the two of them. Jet and I have a strong bond since the day I first met him. And this is the first horse that I've shared another strong bond with so I am thinking from his actions that he feels that. As he will allow our other horses to come up for treats or scratches when he is loose just not her.

 

[midnight star stables]

I just had the same issue with my boy. He was just fine being off in the corner. All it takes is time.

After a month he came around, and now he's like one of the gang. Patients stinks, but it is often key. Good luck, she's beautiful!

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Yep just sitting out there and just scratch and love all over her will do the trick I do

you for going out there and start working with her and at least get accustomed to being led. She is just now missing the social aspect with people that she missed the first few days of her life. It may take some time but it sounds like your on the right track.

 

[StacyRz]

It has long been my theory that God made them itchy to help tame them. Once they realize that scratches feel good they will crowd you to get their share.

LOVE this! And I totally agree. Horses, dogs, cats, even birds! I like to let them get nice and curious about me, then reward them with a good scratch and sometimes treats as well.

Good luck Deb. That sure is a pretty filly.

Stacy

 

[Deb O.]

Thanks all for the nice compliments on Heart. She really does have a big heart. And just is so easy going and not one aggressive bone in her body. Part of why she stays away when Jet is near me. Going to try going out this weekend in the afternoon when feeding time is over and see if Jet wanders away long enough for her to come up to the chair then. Hoping he allows her to do so.

 

[Deb O.]

UPDATE

Went out this morning to feed. Linda was distracting Jet with the wormer package and Heart took the opportunity and walked right up to me for scratches. Then when Jet was no longer distracted and started to come over to chase her away, she tried to move away but stayed with just a little pressure from my hand. She let me tell Jet and the older mare, Ruby, to leave her alone. And with stern suggestion they did and she stayed right with me for scratches. Then walked with me to within approximately 10 to 15 feet of Jet before she stopped and wouldn't get any closer to him with me beside her. Thanks all if this continues I feel I have gained her trust because that was a HUGE step for my little girl this morning. Still a long way to go with her but she really wants to please and trys so hard to do what I ask of her.

 

[StacyRz]

Yay!!! That is awesome!!!

 

[Deb O.]

Update on Heart and Jet:

Heart and Jet have remained pastured together on and off since this post began. He now lets her graze next to him and eat at a hay pile within 10 feet of him without chasing her off. When I come into the pasture he still won't let her be right there as I come in but I then remind him that it's inappropriate behavior and he backs off. I've been able to pay her attention in the pasture now without him interfering and if he trys with a reminder from me he leaves her alone. She now comes right up to us and in fact when we're getting down out of the feed shed now, we have to move her away lol. And I've taught her that when I do halter her its for work and there is a space to be respected. She's coming along great and just wanted to share the progress with her and Jet.

 

[Mareish Mom]

I just wanted to say that your progress has been amazing. I've had my little mare for 6 months now and we are still working on trust issues. The big difference is that she is 15 years old and has been exposed to every way that a human can "catch" her. She is beyond wary. She wouldn't even let her companion touch her until just recently I noticed obvious kiss marks on her shoulder and saw my big mare let her grab a mouthful of food from her bucket. I almost cried to see her finally have a real friend after all this time. I wish it was me too, but I can't be out there 24 hours a day! So I figure if it took her 6 months to let another HORSE touch her, it might take me years! A note: I have managed to give her all her shots, get her feet done etc. If she's in a small space she'll let me come right up to her, she's not scared of me and knows I've got the apple slices. But she is not catchable out in the field, and I hate having to "trick" her into the run-in in order to get my hands on her. I feel like she's not really giving me "permission" to touch her when she knows she can't get away. Looking forward to the day (possibly VERY distant day) that she will approach me or let me approach her in the pasture for scratches. Just wanted to say good work. Oh, and she's lovely.

 

[Deb O.]

Thanks the advice given on here was very good advice. Especially taking a chair out there and just sitting in the pasture with treats in hand to offer when she does come up. Probably will take a long time with one that was exposed to what in my mind amounts to abuse for so long. I personally can't wait to "unwrap" Heart this spring and see whats under all that hair.

 

[Sandee]

For those "still working on trust", I just want to add that last year we bought a 5 yr old that hadn't been handled much. My trainer took him and broke him to drive. When I got him in the winter he had to be "chased" in his stall to get his halter on. This year he now comes right to me at the gate and willingly slips the halter on. It took nearly 2 years and Jason, my trainer, says it's not something that they specifically worked on. The boy is just more confident with himself and it really shows how well he's been treated by the trainer.

 

[Deb O.]

I just had to share an additional update on "Heart". She has become so very trusting of us. She will do anything I ask of her. Recently, I decided to see if she would trust me enough to let me pick up both of her front feet at the same time. And she did on the first try.

This morning Linda took a pic of it and just before I let her back down she laid her head on her knees just above my hands

 

[StacyRz]

I almost got happy-tears seeing that picture lol... You have been so incredibly patient with Heart and she is beautiful!

Way to go! I can't wait to see pictures of her clipped in the spring, I'll bet she's just gorgeous!

 

[REO]

That's wonderful Deb!

How does she like her halter heart and treats?

 

[Deb O.]

Robin she loved the cookies. The heart is on her halter but she hasn't had it on yet. It looks really cute on the halter though. Thanks again for your thoughtfulness