Haven't posted here in a long time lol about a month ago we got a new horse! (Well, pony lol) She's a grey welsh B mare and is 11.3 hands. She's currently in harness and will be backed and broken to saddle in the next few months. She's spooky so wears blinkers (a hood) when in the sulky. Very snorty and has that crazy white eye (more so on the side the judge will see AHAHAHA but quite good in harness (does have her moments). A nutter at the tie-ups though lol She has always been headshy which makes bridling a pain but has come a long way before we got her broken, couldn't even touch her neck. We have a show coming up this weekend (her first) and are taking her in the led classes but had only practiced in a halter. Was going so well until we had to bridle her without the hood on - she thought the reins were going to eat her *facepalm* and lost the plot again. So that's going to be fun at the show!
She's a guts and will take food from your hand and is fine for the first part, then remembers she's headshy when there's no food left lol but has major issues with syringes or anything that she thinks will go near her mouth. We think as a youngster at the stud they might have been a bit rough with the worming. Although she isn't getting better with stuff near her mouth we're working on it and she's improved heaps with other things (being touched all over, picking up her feet etc.) She's a sook and you can touch as low as where the noseband sits providing you come from the top of her head (over her poll and down the middle of her face).
Q: Does anyone know of any other things we could try and help with the 'mouth-phobia'?
I work with her every day, slowly patting/rubbing closer to her mouth (can pat her cheek bone but no further) and try to encourage that things that go in her mouth aren't always bad (using molasses etc.) but she just freaks thinking everything is poison She's going to take some time but it's been 2 months of consistent handling and work without much progress. Thanks in advance!
She's a guts and will take food from your hand and is fine for the first part, then remembers she's headshy when there's no food left lol but has major issues with syringes or anything that she thinks will go near her mouth. We think as a youngster at the stud they might have been a bit rough with the worming. Although she isn't getting better with stuff near her mouth we're working on it and she's improved heaps with other things (being touched all over, picking up her feet etc.) She's a sook and you can touch as low as where the noseband sits providing you come from the top of her head (over her poll and down the middle of her face).
Q: Does anyone know of any other things we could try and help with the 'mouth-phobia'?
I work with her every day, slowly patting/rubbing closer to her mouth (can pat her cheek bone but no further) and try to encourage that things that go in her mouth aren't always bad (using molasses etc.) but she just freaks thinking everything is poison She's going to take some time but it's been 2 months of consistent handling and work without much progress. Thanks in advance!