Desensitisation advice

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SamanthaG

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Im looking for some exercises to help with a previously wild but now halter trained mare. She leads, can be groomed all over. Feet up etc. But she is still jumpy. Velcro/clicks make her jump and she still has to have rugs folded up and placed on her.
 
You don't say what breed, that could make a difference.

Most natives are food orientated. Try muted clicking while offering a treat. (Click it in your pocket or wrapped up in a bit of cloth to dull the sound). Make a point of banging feed bowls, doors, gates, etc. so she learns sounds do not mean problems. Install a radio in her stable! (If they'll put up with Radio One, they'll tolerate a lot!). Don't over face them and always try to couple something scary with a reward or something they like. The bigger the 'ask', the bigger the reward needs to be..
 
Just keep doing the velcro start far enough away that she doesn't freak, as she gets used to it then move closer. Same with any other noises you can think of like a spoon banging on something, Plastic rattling etc.

Plastic bags scrunched up and wiped all over her, gradually opening them up and doing putting it all over her. Show her umbrellas but keep your distance until she is ready. I do t is by walking past the stable as I don't like them to learn to rUn away, just make sure you let her be your guide as to how close you are.

Eventually work up to walking over tarpaulin and aim to eventually put it over her (months away)

Big beach balls or gym balls if you have one

Tie plastic bags on string like a bunting, walking her past it. Eventually she should be able to walk under it (again months and months away )
 
JanetGeorge, we've one here I've posted about before. Done all the desensitising but he will still spook at silly things. Putting on the roller the other day, he exploded. My helper said a fly landed on his side next to the roller! Have you managed them when as bad as this? It is usually quite unpredictable. I can rub plastic over him, also a coat on a stick. He's been long reined and was sat on, but when I asked him to take a step, he exploded again. The girl was not hurt but very shaken and would not get on again (I can't blame her!). I now have a new girl, so we'll see.... I'd say your horse has switched off, i.e. gone into "I can't do anything so will just shut down" mode. That's fine if you can work them through it. I really could do with some advice. He's off the hill and just seems to be expecting something to happen. I suspect he needs a really intensive and prolonged session and to be ridden through all spooks over a period which I can't really do up here in the sticks. I have to make do with what help I can get.

Sorry about the video, I am filming and desensitising at the same time!

[video=youtube_share;SgMAAboReEQ]https://youtu.be/SgMAAboReEQ[/video]

[video=youtube_share;YxJ1IezZY-c]https://youtu.be/YxJ1IezZY-c[/video]
 
And from the dates on You Tube, he's taken even longer than ours did. Lily's desensitisation was mid-October - by January she was trotting on the lunge - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QxfBig4Sg8 - and by mid-Feb she went on her first hack.

Your chap is a funny one. I would try the desensitisation again - with the slappy approach - but on a lunge line and with no feed. He's ignoring you when it suits him - so he's calculating rather than frightened!

This was an EVIL WB we had for 5 months to get him to the stage his owner could ride him - and she was a good little jockey. He cane as a colt - and after 6 weeks we persuaded her to geld him. He was dangerous. I even tried The Tap on him repeatedly and he just WOULDN'T go down. And even when he was rideable, it took a ruddy determined rider!! If you gave him an inch, he took a mile!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpLdBseNpsc

Your chap is a Welshie, isn't he. ALL the ones we had here tried their hardest to be prats! Though none as bad as this Dumb-blood!
 
Wow thanks all. Lots to read when i get home. Breed is Appy x welsh. She has a treat ball which is noisy and not a problem. Shes also out 24 7. Has anyone ever set items up in the field for desensitisation? And yes she loves food!
 
SamanthaG said:
Wow thanks all. Lots to read when i get home. Breed is Appy x welsh. She has a treat ball which is noisy and not a problem. Shes also out 24 7. Has anyone ever set items up in the field for desensitisation? And yes she loves food!
Click to expand...

lol, the worst of two worlds! I've only had two appaloosas here to back - one had been rejected by three trainers as 'unbreakable' - but he was relatively easy. The other was a nutter. And Welsh Cobs ...... AAAGGGHH!
 
Lost a large post due to this *** Mac!

Anyway, mine is a Highland and his attitude is feral when he spooks. The strange thing is he leads beautifully, loads, walks over plastic and plywood, has his feet lifted, never bites or kicks, can be groomed, etc...and tolerates the coat treatment. He was also from a herd of 70 off the hill and I do wonder if he was treated like cattle and alkathene used during handling, but from very experienced breeders so even that is in doubt.... We'll probably never know. Several novices have tried to buy him. Sometimes I wish I didn't have a conscience! :)
 
Oh, an after thought.

At each spook, we were reassuring our chap and giving a slice of carrot when he calmed down. Anyone remember the "Tough Love" thread? Anyway, we changed that to a sharp verbal reprimand instead when he acted up and it definitely seemed to help. So that is another angle. Reprimand for acting up but not if the acting up if from fear. Trust in the handler would also seem to be essential.

I love training. There are always problems like this to be solved.
 
Shes extremely respectful with her headcollar on. She jumps as if shot but doesn't pull away. Without her headcollar on forget it. If she jumps she runs off and wont come back for a few minutes.
 
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