any ideas?

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nicknacknelly

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i have recently bought two unhandled horses, a filly and a gelding. (when i say unhandled i mean wild!) i have had them for just over twn weeks, the mare is comming on fab. the gelding is another story, he is 5, only ever handled to get gelded, he is very sweet, watches for me when he hears my voice but go to touch him or get a foot away he is climbing the walls. ( i have them in a barn) i can touch him with a glove on a stick and sometimes even sneak my hand on him. he is so nervous, no i mean terrified. he gets rescue remedy every day, cherry plum, top spec calmer and i have some valerian, just to try to help him overcome his fear. ibought theese ponys to give them a chance in life, im experinced with nervous and unhandled horses, but im wracking my brains. willing to try anything!!
 
time and patience i think is the best thing with this gelding. two weeks is hardly anytime for him to start trusting you - especially if the last time he was handled properly was to be gelded.
just sitting in the barn with him might help - take a book, im sure hell come to realise you are interesting and he should investigate, then realy you arent going to hurt him
 
just an idea...not sure if it would work but could you put (quite a lot) of acp in a feed, then maybe you would be able to touch them, and as they gradually woke up more u were still there?
 
if the last person to handle me took my nutts off id be a bit weary! (if I had nutts!
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I agree time and patience! and lots of pictures for us to see how nice they are!
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yeh i know its going to take time, just sometimes i wonder if there is a better way of me going about it, yesterday he sniffed my hand, then today he is like murderer!! and as for photos it took me an hour just to post this!! hopefully im better with horses than computers!! im not convinced i want to dope him, i think he would just try n fight it, i just want to be his friend!! not usualy this needy ha ha!!
 
Hi,
The Monty Roberts suggestion sounds great, he advocates [amongst many other approaches], Advance and retreat. Do you think investing in getting one of the Intelligent Horsemanships Recommended Associates out would be worthwhile? they are fantastic, and would start with 'join Up'. Also, Kelly Marks has several books out, one entitled; Handling the untouched horse - very informative. Hope this helps.
 
yeh have thought of that, but unfortunatley i dont have a round pen!! and no access to one. i have done a bit of join up with him, as much as you can doin a barn. today i stroked him and stood right next to him for a few mins without him freaking. he is very frustrating as every day its like you didnt achevieve what you did the day before.. think something realy horrid happened to him when he got gelded or after. its going to take a long time. i think iwill have to change his name, called him wallace (william) but it should have been jessie!!! the mare is fab, tying up, getting brushed, picking feet up, at least that shows im not completely blo dy useless. thanks for the ideas guys, keep them comming, open to any suggestions. (or potential buyers ha ha)
 
Hi nicnacknelly,
I don't have a round pen as such, but what we use is electric fencing [not connected obviously]. We just measured a 50' diameter circle and erected it - works very well, as long as you know your horse/s respect the electric fence! and that the 'round pen' is erected in a safe location ie. erected within an enclosed area should the horse jump through the pen. I am not recommending that you do 'join-up' without first having professional training and a complete knowledge of the language Equus as this concept is not a miracle cure, but is only the start of a journey of understanding and trust with your horse/s. For further help and assistance you could always try the Intelligent Horsemanship website, they have a discussion group forum and the members are very knowledgable and helpful just like they are on here. Hope this helps.
 
hi annt 2027,
thanks for that, dont think they know about eletric fencing yet.
im just taking my time with him, he will now eat out of my hand, hurrah! and today i was fiddiling with his mane, still wary if i go to touch him, so thought if pick bits of his mane up, im not touching him as such, this seems to beworking, or maybe pure dilusional on my part! have done join up before on another horse, and it was very sucessful. it seems wallace will do or try to do anything for a pear and only a pear will do it, bless. i cleared tescos out of pears last week, if this carrys on will have to plant a tree, ha ha..
 
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