Skittish Mini? Suggestions?

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JediMom

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OK. We just adopted our second mini, and she is a complete 180 from our first one. She is skittish, and hasn't been properly socialized. The couple we got her from had had her 10 months, and they think she might have been treated poorly at her first home. She just turned three years old. She's a little palomino, VERY pretty. She has papers, but I have no clue about registration. Any suggestions for a newbie horse owner would be appreciated. She seems to do fine once she's caught, and she loves treats.
 
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Mostly give her lots of time to settle in, if you just got her, she is still getting used to her new surroundings and schedule.

I have a mare that I got a year ago, while she isn't really skiddish, she is very stand-offish and hard to catch, but once caught she is a dream to work with. Its only been the last few months that she has finally settled in and gotten used to our routine and schedule. [i'm not saying yours will take this long, just don't discouraged if it does take time for her to settle in.]
 
i agree, lots of time and LOTS of patience. maybe she's just a bit nervous being put into a new situation with new humans and a new buddy. i bet it won't take her long to settle down once she learns your routine.

with any new horse, i have always found that if i put a lawn chair out in the lot/pasture and just sit, curiosity soon gets the best of them and they will wander over just to see what the silly human is doing. a little handful of grain or whatever treat you like to use (in moderation, of course...i use marshmallows
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), and you'll soon have her in your lap. maybe even literally!

look in the photo/video forum for posts by "sixstardanes" and you'll see what i mean. LOL
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good luck and when are we gonna see pics of your new girl??
 
Yep, I have one like this. Still working on it. Takes time. Catch her to feed. Go out and pet her and give her a treat. They are a sucker for treats! Take her for walks, etc. Anything you can do to bond with her and work on the trust issue, do! She'll come around. And if your other minis is great with you, it should rub off on her.
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Good luck!
 
Sounds like my mare. You couldn't walk into the pasture with a halter around your shoulder and she would take off running. You were allowed a nose tab with your hand and zoom she was gone. I started clicker training her as soon as I got her. She was perfect on a halter and lead and loved cookies. So I just started from there. I first tought her to come to me. From there I tought her to put her own head in her halter. Once we mastered that she started to do a complete 180. While she is still very stubborn in certain ways. She trusts me and thats the biggest thing. I know she will fight me a bit, but in the end she relaxes and just lets me get it over with. lol She's still not an in your face horse. She prefers to stand behind everyone and you have to approch her in certain ways.
 
Don't expect things to change overnight........It could take weeks. But as people said, groom her, touch her ALOT. And always move slowly and talk gently.

We have several youngsters that come from a certain bloodline that are skittish by nature, but with slow gentle handling, they come around. I make it a habit when walking in their pasture or paddock and they happen to pass by me, I always touch them. I don't ask anything from them, just a touch. This eventually graduates to scritches, and then kisses. But it does take time.
 

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