Bathing pony that doesn't like to be bathed.

[Carrots&Mints]

Hi all haven't been on here in couple of weeks!

Anyhow....

My mischievous naughty 2 year old has his first show next weekend and I'd like to bath him the night before.

Anyhow last time I bathed him he was a total nightmare... Pinning me up against the wall etc very naughty!

Any tips on what to do.... I don't want to twitch him as he fights the twitch and throws himself on the floor (we found out when pulling his mane)

Many thanks

 

[Wheels]

Are you using warm or cold water? Buckets or hose?

I taught my youngster to accept being brushed with a damp brush, then a wet brush, then a wet sponge. He didnt like the water running down his skin but he's used to it now.

 

[noodle_]

without being awful - tuff - tell him to get a grip


mine kicked - double barreled, shoved etc..... slowly i got her used to the hose down her legs... then would literally let her have a dicky fit on a lead rope tied up

nowadays she does still dance but not a hint of a kick... i do bribe with carrots when i want an easy life....if not then i will just make her stand

my attitude is just "get on with it"!!

 

[Carrots&Mints]

Luke warm water with a bucket and sponge.

Ill try that he literally pins me up against the wall, it's his way of gettin out of it!

 

[Carrots&Mints]

Noodle.... I have explained to him it's just water! Hahah he gets an almighty crack on the backside every time he pins me up! It's just naughtiness! You should have seen him when we were pulling his mane! Just chucking himself on the floor!!! Total nightmare!!!

 

[noodle_]

Noodle.... I have explained to him it's just water! Hahah he gets an almighty crack on the backside every time he pins me up! It's just naughtiness! You should have seen him when we were pulling his mane! Just chucking himself on the floor!!! Total nightmare!!!

mine is a very opinionated filly... (shes rising 3 now), if she says no - she damn well means it lol! she has met her match with me as im stubborn too....

but if she annoys me now - and dosent stand still - twice...she gets a water stream on her chest - she hates that (not nastily) just makes her stand up and think....does work, she still dances - and still a brat but dosent kick *touch wood* anymore

shouting/yanking and being horrid dosent work - ive done all that

the bucket and sponge thing is a great idea - im just of the "get on with it " group....

 

[Toffee_monster]

Ditto noodle ?
Although my boy tried to kill me the first time I tried to wash him, he was geneuinely scared to death of the hose. I try every week and start with a bucket and sponge

Just bathed him for tomorrow's show and he only danced once, very pleased

 

[Tickles]

Mane: solo comb (seriously why would we expect a baby to stand around while we pulled it's hair out?!?)

Bath: as suggested damp cloth then bucket sponge etc... work up to the fireman's hose gradually!

 

[cptrayes]

2 years old? Being punished for being afraid of water and having it hurt when someone pulls out his hair??


Poor little devil.

 

[Gentle_Warrior]

avoid walls ?? any chance of doing it with him tied to a post in middle of yard, or in a field to save slippy concreate. He will soon get bored with walking round and round in circles !!!

Although at his young age, it will still be a slow process but ill at least stop you being pinned. Start with the legs, may take a few months and then move up slowly. Mine is 21 yrs old and I still cant was his head or ears with anything other than a damp sponge ! Bless him. Never gets told off though. Other than that he will stand for hours.

 

[Mrs B]

2 years old? Being punished for being afraid of water and having it hurt when someone pulls out his hair??


Poor little devil.

Agree with this. If that's his reaction, you may need to go back to basics and understand why. And alter your approach...

 

[muckypony]

Bath wise I would start with a bucket and sponge and build up to the hose. Don't tell him off, he will just associate being bathed with being told off so will just get worried. Don't put yourself in a position where he can squish you against the wall.

As for mane pulling - I think its cruel to pull any animals hair out, let alone telling a two year old off for objecting! why not just use a solo comb...

 

[GeorgeyGal]

Absolutely echo the others, back to basics. I got mine used to having a dry sponge rubbed all over. I even tied it to a stick to go down her backs with it. All this using the advance and retreat method, build up slowly, can you stroke all over her body? Only when she's standing still remove the sponge and step away, may mean you can just place the sponge on her momentarily before she reacts to start with. Build up to a damp sponge and luke warm water. Stay calm and patient, do short regular sessions with a helper who can hold her if possible as you are quite limited if tied and she starts dancing about but hopefully it won't get that far if you take it slow enough. Having a sensitive, spirited 2 yr old filly myself I would not use any physical punishment, you want to build up trust. Moving feet with ground work is a useful tool to get their attention back and regain leadership.

You could look into clicker training, I have never tried it but many people have great success using this method. Goodluck

 

[putasocinit]

Start from the feet up and do the belly and sheath, then tomorrow the same again and a bit higher, dont have water running very fast just a nice flow, agree tell him to get a grip but end on a positive note, dont get angry.

The same applies to those horses that dont like having fly spray put on them, get a grip, who is in charge, me.

 

[Kenzo]

Get them used to having the feet hosed, then eventually work your way up over time, you'll soon be able to spray them off while they stand still, just takes routine and patience.

 

[lastchancer]

Tie him up then stand back and spray the water at him till he's used to it and stops fidgeting. Then bath the pony.
As a 2yo he'll probably settle down within five minuets. If you don't tie him up and let him drag you all over the yard whilst yelling at him/smacking him, then he'll not improve at all.

 

[amandap]

It might be just water but bathing can be a very strange and scary thing for some horses. It isn't actually normal for them.

I agree start with sponge and bucket and progress slowly. Reward train or even clicker if you know how.

 

[Carrots&Mints]

Haha back to basics lol we haven't even got into advanced stages of bathing so it's just basic now haha!! Will hopefully have h bathed tomorrow and looking a little more cleaner, he will just have to get over it! If he doesn't learn now when will he??

And as for pulling his mane as a 2 year old.... I can't have him going showing looking like something dragged out of the field!

 

[Carrots&Mints]

And yes it's his reaction to pin you up against the wall if he doesn't like anything.... Sometimes he'll pin me up against the wall when I'm just stood stroking him! So he gets a telling off... A horse has to have manners and being taught now has to be better than trying to teach him when he's a fully grown strong horse??

 

[mandwhy]

I think just make it as pleasant as possible for them, manners are all very well but it helps to make it less objectionable I just use a bucket and sponge with warm water which I cart from my house, and a low rinse shampoo. I start off with short partial sponge downs rather than full washes, like do the shoulders and a bit of the back on a hot day, or just do a tail wash (my mare didn't like water on her back legs but she coped better if she hadn't had to endure a bath as well) Just keep it on him while he dances and when he stands still give him a break. Also a haynet or another person giving him a few pony nuts might help (I find them standing on other side of a wooden fence useful for this so it stays civil!). My girl stands loose for a sponge down now (it helps that it is warm weather!) and is no bother at all, although still not keen on water dripping around her back legs.

I usually do one bucket over to rinse though and have often run out of nice warm water, they don't normally anticipate it so I just pour and stand well back to let them glare at me!

 

[Sandstone1]

2 years old? Being punished for being afraid of water and having it hurt when someone pulls out his hair??


Poor little devil.

Quite, Some of the advice on here really makes me sad

 

[cambrica]

Noodle.... I have explained to him it's just water! Hahah he gets an almighty crack on the backside every time he pins me up! It's just naughtiness! You should have seen him when we were pulling his mane! Just chucking himself on the floor!!! Total nightmare!!!

Seriously ?

I'm sorry but I find your whole post upsetting - he is just a baby

Start him off slowly with sponges then a hose trickling down his legs. It may take weeks, just a bit at a time. Hold the hose in the same place without removing it or splashing it about and he will soon learn that theres nothing to be afraid of. Reward when he's good but don't punish him.

Bathing the night before a show is never a good idea in my opinion. 3-4 days before the show is better as you will get a flatter coat.
I show my Welsh D and he hasn't had a bath this year, plenty of elbow grease and micronised linseed in his feed has given him a coat like a mirror.

 

[cptrayes]

And as for pulling his mane as a 2 year old.... I can't have him going showing looking like something dragged out of the field!

You are hurting him. Why do you expect him to stand and let you do it?

You post makes me want to come and rip chunks of hair out of your head and then hit you if you move or complain.

No-one is holding a gun to your head to make you go to that show this weekend. You are rushing everything and I feel so sorry for your poor little mite. And I'm no fluffy bunny tree hugger myself

 

[Aarrghimpossiblepony]

Forget the hose would be a good starting point.

My pony doesn't like water overmuch but don't have much of a problem bathing her.

Bucket of water with baby shampoo, wet the brushes, use a small bottle to trickle water from the bucket onto pony starting with mane and as they get used to the feel of the water, move over the body, scrub in as you go.

Work up to whole buckets.
Be prepared to get wet yourself.

How would you bath yourself with cold water?
You would start in one area, let yourself get used to the cold water before moving onto bigger areas.

 

[DabDab]

And as for pulling his mane as a 2 year old.... I can't have him going showing looking like something dragged out of the field!

Wow - I'm no soft touch but reading your posts makes me cringe.

There is nothing necessarily wrong with pulling a 2yos mane, but reading between the lines of your posts it doesn't sound like you did it a little tiny bit at a time over the period of a couple of weeks.... and to be honest in this day and age you can do a perfectly good job with a solo comb - surely preferable to twitching him?

 

[Cortez]

If at all possible use warm water - even on a hot day - , start with the feet, as so many have advised you, and take your time. I'm not at all surprised your young horse is pinning you to the wall; any horse would that had never experienced something like this if you came at it like a bull at a gate. Pulling manes or tails HURTS; horses are not naturally inclined to take showers, and you're likely to end up with (pick any combination) an angry/frightened/resentful/untrusting horse if you don't change your approach.

 

[D66]

We started off in the end of the field. D was allowed to move around on the end of the halter rope. We used the hose at half the full flow and put the water stream on her shoulder. She was actually better when the water was on her rather than approaching. When she stood still the water was taken away. The first few times were not easy. That was aged two; we kept persevering washing generally only when we had to and she has improved every time.
Today after an early morning 50min drive I could lather her up with a sponge and bucket whilst tied outside the stable and then took her onto the adjacent verge to hose her off. Stood nicely, thumb over end of hose to do her hooves and half flow to do her head.

Be patient, keep trying and you'll get there eventually.

Use a solo comb for the mane or you won't be able to plait without a twitch either.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

2 years old? Being punished for being afraid of water and having it hurt when someone pulls out his hair??


Poor little devil.

Just what I was thinking!

Had this poor creature ever had a bath before you got him? If not you should have taken the whole thing very slowly and not started before any kind of deadline, such as a show. And why the heck you would want to pull a 2 yr old's mane I can't imagine!

Surely the 'very experienced friend' that you told us about when you were thinking of buying this animal told you all that?

 

[GeorgeyGal]

Sorry, I missed the bit about taking him to a show this weekend. Personally I wouldn't be setting any time limits and wouldn't even be thinking about a show yet. If he's not standing for a bath and pinning you up against the wall it doesn't sound like he is ready for a show and all that goes with it, and you don't want to be setting him up for a bad experience.

 

[Carrots&Mints]

Bathed him... Perfectly fine this time, just what I was hoping.