I have a young mare that is not trusting of people, after some work gaining her trust, I prepared her for a visit from the farrier. She was becoming very tense and unmanageable so I slipped a stud shank on to get some control. She immediately became panic striken and lunged away from me. Thankfully she is in the paddock but because it is very large, I cannot approach her and unfortunately the chain is hanging there and causing pain every time she steps on it.
The vet(three of them) said they cannot help me. Does anybody have an idea that may work to approach and get the chain off the mare. She barely trusted me before, now I'm afraid I've lost any ground. She needs care for her cuts and relief from this pain. If someone has advice, I would appreciate it.
Andrew

If you have a Zoological Garden nearby go and ask for help there. They can shoot a sedativum with a gun from a bigger distance like they do with their wild animals in a case like this without injurie...
Or you have to try to get her trust back again, but this might be a long way and it seems that you have not enough time!???

Kind regards
Christian

Sorry, but dont think much of your vets! Couldnt they give you a sedative to put in some feed to calm her down. Although, possibly rather difficult as she has the chain on her muzzle. I know it will take longer but worth it if you can eventually get near her.

I have a mare that did not trust me when I first got her. Touching her was a nightmare as she would strike out with her front legs, try to rear, cow kick.......you name it she did it. Catching her was a nightmare! I used to go into the field and ignore her and stand or sit with tit bits in paper, which she could hear rustling. Eventually, she would come to me, but I would not catch her straight away, but give her some treat.

Not much help, but possibly worth a try especially if there is no way you can get her into a more enclosed area.

Hope someone else can help, or that you have managed to solve the problem yourself.

Dear Andrew

-first I would try with a sedativum (blowing like Christian said or in a buck with feed)

- if there is no chance, get another horse, a very trustfull one, and go into the paddock. If there is no horse around she already know than you have to stay with this horse, maybe for hours! Don't try to catch the mare, even she comes close. But continue to pet the leaded mare, she will recognize it and become more trustful. When she get used of her new company walk around and see if the mare follows. If yes than walk into the stable and see that your mare is following. If the way is not secure to the stable let it making secure with help - f.e. ropes, e-fence, trailers, cars, a.s.o. so a kind of lane is from the paddock to the stable. Do that before you try to go into the stable. When the mare is following put her feed into her box as usual. When she is in the box don't get to quickly there, let her feel secure first before you try to take this lance away.

- if there is no horse around, do this kind of lane to the stable and chase her smooth in this direction. But take care to do not too much pressure. The predsure must come from behind, as far away from the horse as posssible. Horses ar looking far away, so slow motion and pressure fom far away to guide her in direction of stable. Try that she is just walking - so you can be sure she is not in fraight and fight mood (instinct situation). The rest is the same.

-If there is no chance to do this lane, the horse isn't eating your sedativum food, no horse around than you have to be there personally as long as it takes - horses are herd animals and don't like to stay alone. Instinctively it's in nature huge chance to get killed. This instinct is still alive. But when she come close, don't try to catch her, let her come and go a coupe time, so she realize your are not an enemy. Take a bit of food with. In case you have the chance to put than a halter on, put this on and take just the rope from the chain and take the chain just out when you are secure in the stable.

Maybe you should give better instructions about surrounding and possibilities so we could help better.

Christina

PS: Unsecure horses like yours should be better trained before exposition to stress situations. If there is not time enough than give them as long they are quiet a sedativum before the stress is started.

How do these horses become so frightened. Please let us know how things go.

I think Christina's advice is sound - good luck with your mare.

"How do these horses become so frightened?" I feel that horses, like people, can be born timid. If too much is done too soon, you loose their trust and it takes a while to gain it again.

Little things can trigger a non-trust as well as big things - in the individual's mind. Understanding that mind is the key. Think of the horse first not what the practioner wants to do. Let the horse become "ok" ie accustomed with the situation - even in this sense that it means a visit from the farrier just so the farrier can talk to the individual (ie introduce themselves) and perhaps run their hands over the individual's body and legs if allowed for a really sensitive individual. Earn their trust slowly if necessarily. Unfortunately, it costs money to have a practioner (farrier, vet, handler, dentist etc) to come in a do this but if you can do it yourself it helps but it can take time.

I find in my situation with only mum and myself handling the horses from birth that when a man comes in (vet, farrier, dentist) for the first time its too much for them if the man doesn't introduce themselves in an acceptable manner. A man, a big man is awesome to an unsuspecting individual particularly when the man, for example the farrier, walks straight in with tools, swishing apron and walks up to their shoulder and reaches for their foreleg. As an comparison... what would you do if a stranger came up to you, didn't introduce themselves and tried to do something with you?

does this help to explain? horses aren't robots - we know whats happening, they might not.

Hi Andrew, first of all you should never of put a chain shank on this horse. You can not overcome a horses fear with pain or trying to enforce control. Oviously this horse was not ready for the farrier. This is deffinately a pet peave of mine, you cannot expect the farrier to train your horse to accept having it's feet done. This is something that needs to be taught ahead of time.

If you have not caught this mare yet, than this is what I suggest you do. Get a pail or bucket and put some grain in it, walk into the paddock, try to relax, walk towards and as close to her as possible, if you are too close she will begin to move or run away. Put your hand in the pail and stir the grain picking it up in your hand and allowing it to fall back into the pail. If she shows an interest in the pail of grain wait and see if she will approach you to have some. If she looks comfortable enough edge yourself closer to her pausing and strirring the grain to entice her. You can lower your body to a sitting or nealing position to encourage her to approach as being smaller is less threatening. If you can get her to appraoch , offer her the grain first out of your hand and than from the pail if she will. While she is distracted eating the grain, get hold of the lead. after that it's up to you to hold onto her. Put another lead on her before removing the chain lead.

Once you get this situation looked after you need to work with this horse if you don't have the knowledge to work with and train her than hire someone who does. When you make a mistake on a horse like this she takes more than 2 steps backwards.

Good luck

Patti

Did you get the chain off her yet?

There is a great thing called Rescue remedy made by Bach Flower remedies, homeopathic, you should find it at most chemists these days if you can give her some of that on some feed it helps to calm the panic-not a sedative, just lessens the panic. As everyone has said, lots of patience is needed ,so good luck. Alia

I have a rather odd suggestion but if you like you to send me your e mail I`ll forward it to you. best wishes, Alia

Dear guest

RULE NUMBER ONE: NEVER,EVER PUT A CHAIN OVER AN ARABIAN NOSE, ESPECIALLY THE ASILS/straight egyptians.

When a horse is frightened, as you discribe, take time, patience, talk to her, and DO NOT FORCE YOURSELF on her.

It might work, if you take another horse into the paddock, trying to get next to the mare, and then grab the shank.Take time, be patient.

I pray it will work.
Hansi

Dear Guest

That is a mistery to me too. Obviously the mare obtained horrible experiences. their memory is incredible. To get the trust back it takes time and patience.

Hansi

Hello All and Thank you for your good advice. By the Grace of God, it is over.
I will have quite the journey back regaining her trust. When she was sold to me I was told she accepted the farrier and the vet. The chain was under her chin, I would never put it over not even on a stallion. I knew I could count on all of you for help....Thank you...
Andrew

There is a process called "walking down." In short, a horse that is hard to catch just keep following them quietly. May take hours, but keep at it. Stop when they stop, continue when they do. Just follow them. Eventually they will stop and give. Now you can walk up to them and quietly catch them. And from then on, once they see you won't stop following, they will become easy to catch.

Glad that it is over, Andrew! Would you mind telling us how you solved the problem?

Dear Andrew

NO CHAINS- PERIOD!!!!! NOT OVER THE NOSE, NOT UNDER THE CHIN no where. THOSE WHO USE THEM, WILL TELL YOU RIGHT THERE AND THEN
HOW LITTLE THEY KNOW IN TRAINING AND HANDLING AN ARABIAN HORSE.

Hansi

Thank God, very glad it ended safely. Take it slowly and good luck with her. I know that reactions of fear can suddenly erupt in animals like a physical thing even when mentally they seem well over a past trauma. You have to help them to change the imbedded `blueprint`, ...patience and that wonderful blessing -love-can do wonders! Alia PS Another herbal hint, Rock Rose extract ,a few drops a day in water apparently helps to get over such physically embedded reactions to past trauma. You can get it in most pharmacies.

Well, even running the risk to show how little I know , I have good experience with a chain wound around the halter the Tellington- Jones way, with a russion gelding and an SE stallion. It helped me a great deal to control them and gain their attention and respect.

Apparently I do not know how to train either as I also use a chain on my stallions.

I am not a rough handler but it does gain me some respect from the boys and I would much rather use a chain and have a well mannered stallion rather than be drug around with a lead rope.

Hansi, who handled your stallions?