Help with my 4 month old rescue weanling

MirandaRights · 10-28-2009, 09:30 AM

Hello all,

I just got a 4 month old weanling filly who has never had human contact before. She seems willing to do anything you want her to do but she's nervous about doing it. She's doing ok with her leading with a butt rope. But how do I gain her trust and what can i do with her? She was rescued about 2 weeks ago and was thought to not make it through the night because she was in such bad shape.

What is ok to do with her?

She's been at our barn for two days and what I've been doing was sitting in her stall (so I was down at her level) and letting her make the moves to come up to me. I don't want to move in on her and scare her more. I think she is starting to gain her trust in me because it takes her less time to come up to me. Am i doing the right thing? She doesn't come up right away but she does come.

I took her out of the stall yesterday and walked her around and she got spooked by the other pony we just got who was not liking the fact I was working Miranda and not her.

Thank you,
Brittany

pippy · 10-28-2009, 12:10 PM

Where to begin? There are alot of things you can do which sets the foundation for the rest of this horse's life. I highly recommend buying this book: http://www.amazon.com/John-Lyons-Bri.../dp/1929164122
or a book like it by your favourite trainer.

Not sure how wild she is or what your experience is w/ horses overall is which will determine how much, how fast you can do these: touch her all over, brush her, pick up her feet, lead her - now that all said, you have to be careful so as to not get hurt. Those little ones can pack alot of power to cause injury to.

Horse Show Mom · 10-28-2009, 03:03 PM

I agree with Pippy, touch, touch, touch. I had the experience of working with a "forgotten" standard bred colt. He did not have much contact with people before he came to our place and I needed something to do while my daughter was riding and doing her things around the barn so I jumped in and started working with him. I did not have a plan but I decided that once I had his trust I would go from there. By the time his owner noticed that the boy was still there, living and breathing, I had him standing in cross ties, picking up his feet, being brushed, leading him around and generally being a well respected little gentleman. Unfortunaly all his owner worried about does he fit in the harness yet, he breeds for racing. Last I heard he is doing good where he is now. Just love them and it will all come together.

visionquest · 11-02-2009, 04:11 PM

HI: I purchased a weanling Paso Fino colt at 4 months old that had had no handling at all. When I went to pick him up he had been weaned 2 days and had been haltered 10 minutes before I arrived. Several people were on hand when I got there and we made a human shut from the barm doors to the trailer and gently coaxed him into the trailer. I then backed the trailer into my barn and got him into a stall. I left an 8 foot lead rope on him so i could get my hands on him for a few moments several times a day. he stayed in the stall for about 1 week, getting used to being fed on a schedule. it didn't take long for him to associate me with food and that I had great fingernails for scratching!!!

I then made a small paddock that he was turned out in, with the drag rope still attached, for another 2 weeks. he had learned how to lead in the stall and so getting him into the barn for meals was not real hard. I spent maybe 5-10 minutes several times a day just calling him to me and scratching him when he made the effort to approach me with a tug from the drag rope.

He soon graduated to a larger paddock and now at 2 years old he comes running when he sees me!!!

irishmusic · 11-06-2009, 10:03 AM

Haha! Food goes a long way to tame the savage beast. Most critters think with their belly first - use that to your advantage! Never be without a treat (at least for now) and your little guy will become your fast friend.

Horselady44 · 11-07-2009, 07:26 PM

I think your on the right track. You have to gain her trust for her to come to you first, before you can get a halter on her(or does she have one that stays on?) Then, once you halter her, give her a treat and a good scratch. Start touching,petting,brushing,rubbing her all over...once your able to touch her all over her body...make sure you focus on the head. You want to desensatize her head and ears while shes young. Its so much easier when they are young than older(like my mare

She was SOO ear shy when I got her as a 2 year old) Lots of love as well. You can also start leading her just one step at a time. One step, stop, reward/praise. two steps, stop, reward/praise, ect. Then work on backing her as well. You can also start picking up her feet(after your able to touch her all down and up her legs though make sure you do that first

) Your on the right track...just need to step things up just a bit

Keep us updated...and can we get a pic of the baby?

sundancer maiden · 11-07-2009, 11:46 PM

My very first horse was an abuse case. She had a good sized stall open to a paddock. Any time someone came into the barn she either ran outside or stood in the far corner, just trembling. I would stand in the hallway, talking for hours. After getting in the stall I stood in the corner and talked to her. The breakthrough came when she came over to me and sniffed me all over. After she untied my shoelaces we were buds. She still ran from others for several months.
Once she knows she can trust you, you will have an amazing bond.

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10-28-2009, 09:30 AM
MirandaRights Newborn Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: WI Posts: 6	Help with my 4 month old rescue weanling Hello all, I just got a 4 month old weanling filly who has never had human contact before. She seems willing to do anything you want her to do but she's nervous about doing it. She's doing ok with her leading with a butt rope. But how do I gain her trust and what can i do with her? She was rescued about 2 weeks ago and was thought to not make it through the night because she was in such bad shape. What is ok to do with her? She's been at our barn for two days and what I've been doing was sitting in her stall (so I was down at her level) and letting her make the moves to come up to me. I don't want to move in on her and scare her more. I think she is starting to gain her trust in me because it takes her less time to come up to me. Am i doing the right thing? She doesn't come up right away but she does come. I took her out of the stall yesterday and walked her around and she got spooked by the other pony we just got who was not liking the fact I was working Miranda and not her. Thank you, Brittany

10-28-2009, 12:10 PM
pippy Started Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: minnesota Posts: 2,298	Where to begin? There are alot of things you can do which sets the foundation for the rest of this horse's life. I highly recommend buying this book: http://www.amazon.com/John-Lyons-Bri.../dp/1929164122 or a book like it by your favourite trainer. Not sure how wild she is or what your experience is w/ horses overall is which will determine how much, how fast you can do these: touch her all over, brush her, pick up her feet, lead her - now that all said, you have to be careful so as to not get hurt. Those little ones can pack alot of power to cause injury to. __________________ "It's never to late to live happily ever after."

10-28-2009, 03:03 PM
Horse Show Mom Halter broke Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Central, NJ Posts: 188	I agree with Pippy, touch, touch, touch. I had the experience of working with a "forgotten" standard bred colt. He did not have much contact with people before he came to our place and I needed something to do while my daughter was riding and doing her things around the barn so I jumped in and started working with him. I did not have a plan but I decided that once I had his trust I would go from there. By the time his owner noticed that the boy was still there, living and breathing, I had him standing in cross ties, picking up his feet, being brushed, leading him around and generally being a well respected little gentleman. Unfortunaly all his owner worried about does he fit in the harness yet, he breeds for racing. Last I heard he is doing good where he is now. Just love them and it will all come together.

11-02-2009, 04:11 PM
visionquest Weanling Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Harrodsburg, KY Posts: 463	HI: I purchased a weanling Paso Fino colt at 4 months old that had had no handling at all. When I went to pick him up he had been weaned 2 days and had been haltered 10 minutes before I arrived. Several people were on hand when I got there and we made a human shut from the barm doors to the trailer and gently coaxed him into the trailer. I then backed the trailer into my barn and got him into a stall. I left an 8 foot lead rope on him so i could get my hands on him for a few moments several times a day. he stayed in the stall for about 1 week, getting used to being fed on a schedule. it didn't take long for him to associate me with food and that I had great fingernails for scratching!!! I then made a small paddock that he was turned out in, with the drag rope still attached, for another 2 weeks. he had learned how to lead in the stall and so getting him into the barn for meals was not real hard. I spent maybe 5-10 minutes several times a day just calling him to me and scratching him when he made the effort to approach me with a tug from the drag rope. He soon graduated to a larger paddock and now at 2 years old he comes running when he sees me!!!

11-06-2009, 10:03 AM
irishmusic Yearling Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Maryland Posts: 602	Haha! Food goes a long way to tame the savage beast. Most critters think with their belly first - use that to your advantage! Never be without a treat (at least for now) and your little guy will become your fast friend. __________________ It seems that some creatures have the capacity to fill spaces you never knew were empty. Captain Jean Luc Picard

11-07-2009, 07:26 PM
Horselady44 Started Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Montana Posts: 2,395	I think your on the right track. You have to gain her trust for her to come to you first, before you can get a halter on her(or does she have one that stays on?) Then, once you halter her, give her a treat and a good scratch. Start touching,petting,brushing,rubbing her all over...once your able to touch her all over her body...make sure you focus on the head. You want to desensatize her head and ears while shes young. Its so much easier when they are young than older(like my mare She was SOO ear shy when I got her as a 2 year old) Lots of love as well. You can also start leading her just one step at a time. One step, stop, reward/praise. two steps, stop, reward/praise, ect. Then work on backing her as well. You can also start picking up her feet(after your able to touch her all down and up her legs though make sure you do that first) Your on the right track...just need to step things up just a bit Keep us updated...and can we get a pic of the baby? __________________ A happy horse equals a happy rider!

11-07-2009, 11:46 PM
sundancer maiden Long Yearling Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Udall, KS Posts: 1,499	My very first horse was an abuse case. She had a good sized stall open to a paddock. Any time someone came into the barn she either ran outside or stood in the far corner, just trembling. I would stand in the hallway, talking for hours. After getting in the stall I stood in the corner and talked to her. The breakthrough came when she came over to me and sniffed me all over. After she untied my shoelaces we were buds. She still ran from others for several months. Once she knows she can trust you, you will have an amazing bond. __________________ You don't have to be crazy to be my friend, but it helps!!!