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Discussion on Help! Will my horse ever love me again?
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Member:
Quatro
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 28, 2005 - 10:56 pm:
I really feel horrible. I just conditioned my horse to hate me, and be afraid of my hand. I had the horses inside their stalls today, when I was moving a metal panel. Somehow, I touched the fence charger, and the panel. I got zapped pretty good, and yelped. It scared the horses pretty good. I continued my work, let the boys out and then brought them back in for the night. I gave them their hay,and noticed that Levi did not want to go near his hay or water. He is my pig horse. So I remembered that is where I was, the fence charger is on the other side of his stall. I grabbed a handful of grain, coaxed him over towards the scarry corner, well, lo and behold, as he grabbed the grain, apparently he completed the circuit and we both got zapped again. Him right on the nose. Needless to say he is now terrified of me.
The horse that places his nose into the halter, was running away from me in his stall, flaring his nose and panicing. I finally caught him, took him out of the stall, hand fed him some treats after much calming, and coaxing. I put him back in the stall and he is still terrified of the corner. He would not come over for his favorite treats, he tried stretching his lips, but finally gave up and ate the hay i through in the far corner.
Will he get over this, or will my horse be hand shy now forever!! It makes me so sad \clipart
{uhoh} He trusted me so much I can walk up to him when he is lying down, etc. Please tell me my boy will come back????
suz
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Member:
Ajudson1
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Posted on Friday, Apr 29, 2005 - 8:30 am:
Poor Levi!!
Yes, he will trust you again. Just give him some time. I am currently treating my super sensitive Arab mare for a leg wound. Everyday after I torment her to clean and treat her wound I let her loose only to have her return to me and put her head in my hands. Before this wound she never even came up to me. This is the same horse who let me know that our tank heater was shorting out....when she wouldn't get with 10 feet of the water tank, I knew there was a problem. But she soon learned to drink out it again.
It may be best to just leave him be for a few days to mull things over. Just go about your business as usual. Don't force him to come it if he don't want to. He'll be wary but soon he'll realize it's no big deal to be by you or in that corner. I wouldn't try to halter him or touch him til he's ready to come to you. Sometimes just sitting on the ground and ignoring a horse will get them to you, they get curious because you are so small all of a sudden.
Good Luck, and maybe you can move the fencer?
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Member:
Canter
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Posted on Friday, Apr 29, 2005 - 8:33 am:
Susan,
I would bet that one bad incident isn't enough to make Levi permanently afraid of you. Knowing the consistent care and love you give your horses, I would think that Levi just needs a little time to get over his shock. In the meantime, can you put him in another stall where you are absolutely certain he can't get shocked again? I would do that and then spend as much time as possible with him in that stall and in the pasture, loving him up and giving him treats. Horses have an amazing capacity for forgiveness.
Let me tell you a little story (one that I'm not proud of). A couple of months ago, I was under a lot of stress. Went out to the barn to ride. Usually when I'm out there, all stress goes away and I'm completely focused on my horse but for some reason, that night, I couldn't let go of my frustration and had a miserable ride with my mare testing me every step of the way. I should have gotten off and put her away, but I pushed on and then, in frustration, I smacked her on the neck. I NEVER take out my frustrations on my animals, but I had a bit of a melt down and just reached down and smacked her once. Feeling very bad, I got off and started to walk her out. I took off her saddle and was using her cooler to dry her sweat off when she reached around really quickly and bit me in the butt. She has never done this before (or since) and I know that it is unacceptable behavior, but frankly, I deserved it as I had treated her unfairly (thank goodness for full seat breeches!!). After my initial shock, I had to laugh and continued on with cooling her out. My point is, although she got me back, she got over it. My consistent care and loving and respectful treatment of her allowed her to get over it. She is not shy with me, does not run away from me and still will lick my neck and nicker at me and she continues to work her heart out for me.
So, take heart...I'm certain that Levi will come around within a day or two, if not sooner.
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Member:
Terrilyn
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Posted on Friday, Apr 29, 2005 - 9:25 am:
Susan--
In the space of just a week or so, here is what I did to my daughter's new horse....
1. While working with him in the stall at feeding time, accidentally stuck the end of the lunge whip in a very personal space as I attempted to turn his rear away from me. (Posted this under training as a new training technique called the "rectal correction." Tongue (or whip) in cheek, of course...
2. While trying to make it up to him, two mornings later I stood at his feed bucket while he ate breakfast, stroking, scratching, petting, and talking to him. It was very relaxing until I hit the insulators on the fence post with my left shoulder while my right hand was on his neck...I screamed, he threw himself backwards--you get the picture.
3. Just when I got him to approach me at the fence again a few days later, I was handfeeding him a big juicy handful of grass. Did you know that juicy grass is a great conductor of electricity? I didn't. I do now.
I figure it will be another month before he'll begin to soften towards me again without thinking about what the consequences might be. (He's new, and still acclimating to his new home.) I'm following Angie's guidelines above and just going about my business without trying to push any more good intentions on him....I'm just very matter of fact, kind....and CAREFUL!! He's coming around.
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Member:
Hwood
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Posted on Friday, Apr 29, 2005 - 9:42 am:
LOL . . . "tongue (whip) in cheek" . . . LOL . . . girl, you are clever.
Suz, don't despair. Sure, it will take time, and with SOME horses, it will take more time than with others, but, thankfully, horses ARE very forgiving of all of our errors. If they weren't, we'd all have to throw in our "trainer/owner badges" and play with Breyer horses instead.
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Member:
Sunny66
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Posted on Friday, Apr 29, 2005 - 10:33 am:
I am more than positive that Levi still loves you...just a bit wary is all.
When I first got my horse, I had electric fence up to deter chewing. I was with him in the paddock, so I unhooked the gate of the electric fence and tied him to my steel gate to pick his feet. Ignorance set in and I didn't realize that what I unhooked was still hot. It touched the steel gate as my hoof pick touched his shoe. Bent gate and panicky pony. However, six years later he still loves me.
I just turned off the hot while I was working with them...is that an option for you?
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Member:
Dyduroc
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Posted on Friday, Apr 29, 2005 - 10:38 am:
Susan, I'm sorry you had this little mishap with Levi. Please don't be too hard on yourself because accidents happen!
Several years ago, my mare was on death's doorstep at the hands of abusive and negligent humans. The fact that she can trust again, despite her past treatment, speaks to the 'forgiving' nature of horses.
You'll get your sweet boy back. Just give him time.
Terri--I still chuckle every time I pick up the lunge whip!
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Member:
Quatro
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Posted on Friday, Apr 29, 2005 - 11:15 am:
Thanks everybody, for your support. I am so glad you all are here for me somedays. My husband tried to be supportive, but he just kinda chuckled at the irony of it all. I had unplugged the water bucket, threw it over his stall panel. The wire coiled cord was hitting the fence charger live wire, conducting it up onto the metal rail I had put on top of the wood to keep Levi from chewing. So when i leaned over the top rail, his little nose completed the circuit! Yikes that hurts!
I am happy to say that this morning, my little pig of a horse, was dancing in his stall for his morning grain, he took his treats, did some tricks and followed me back out of the barn in his usual annoying, in your face, way. Love is restored, although he did not want me to touch the top of his head yet. But I can see there is hope. I am not sure if it is levi's love of his mom, or his love of yummy food, but whatever, we will take it. Thanks to all!
suz
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Member:
Lilo
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Posted on Friday, Apr 29, 2005 - 11:59 am:
Hi Susan,
Sounds like it is being resolved. Had some similar stories of my own. Once my husband wanted to let out my mare into the pasture. There is a hot wire above the gate (to keep her from chewing on the metal gate). He forgot to take it off, and the mare hit it. It was several weeks before she trusted that gate again!!! She would approach it carefully, then run through it once she thought it was safe.
Sometimes my horses get zapped during the summer just from the build-up of static electricity. When I wear rubber boots - then touch them they may get zapped. My mare takes it in stride, but the young gelding takes some time to get over it!!
Lilo
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Member:
Trouble
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Posted on Friday, Apr 29, 2005 - 12:21 pm:
I had just finished a light workout with my gelding when I rode up to the gate at the barn and DrOpped my reins and stirrups to relax.
I never imagined that as he stretched his neck out toward the electric fence (which has been there for 3 years and is always on) that he would actually touch it. WRONG!!! a few X-rays later (for me, that is) I have now been conditioned to stay away from the fence!!
I felt horrible that I didn't prevent him from doing this and thought he would be fearful, but the next day he was up at the same gate waiting for me (unfortunately he had to wait a while as I made my 300' trek from house to barn at a snail's pace. OUCH!!!)
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Member:
Quatro
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Posted on Friday, Apr 29, 2005 - 2:08 pm:
it is so nice to know I am in good company All of your stories are helping me relieve my guilt.
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Member:
Ajudson1
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Posted on Saturday, Apr 30, 2005 - 12:54 pm:
Glad Levi is coming around. The while we are sharing guilt stories here, let me tell you my worst one.
Again, it involves my Arab mare. (this poor horse) When I first got her as a 2 yr old, money was very tight, and we weren't set up for horses. $400.00 was like $4000.00 when I bought her.
One day she was eating oats outa a pan on the ground and dumped them. Being stressed from being so broke, I jabbed her with the new pitchfork. I managed to give her 2 puncture wounds and then had to add the cost of penicillin and tetanous to our money woes. I never realized fork tines were so sharp!!! My whole life I've poked horses to move them when putting hay out.
So we can add forks to that list of dangerous things like fences and whips!! (too funny about the whip)
My mare was never even sore acting though after the incident with the fork. Her current wound though is from my attempts to polish up her skills using "DownUnder Horsemanship". If I would of quit sooner, she would not of hit the fence (yup, electric but not on) and took the t-post out. Now instead of being able to advertise her for sale, I am doctoring her.
We all do dumb things, or push too much, lose patience, have freak accidents. But I don't think I know of any cases where the horse is so ruined it becomes a basket case. I think our guilt is worse than anything the horse is going thru!!!
And boy, did I cry after the fork incident. Cried my eyes out and begged for forgiveness, and begged for more patience. That freaked her out more than the fork jabbing her!!!
Oh, one more thing, I also left this same horse for "just a minute" with the lunge line on her as she was grazing. Still poor, no pasture the next summer I owned her. She of course got caught up in the line, and got a nasty burn under her fetlock.
O wait, another thing happened when she foaled. She wouldn't let the foal nurse. So I had to practically tie her in knots to try and get her to accept the foal, plus give her shots in an attempt to get her to produce milk. So then she hated me and shots for a long time.
But none of the above has anything to do with my wanting to sell her, she is still very sound and still likes people!!!
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Member:
Ajudson1
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Posted on Saturday, Apr 30, 2005 - 12:56 pm:
Actually, she will probably be happy to move to another home where there are less incidents.
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