Desensitising nervous pony - any suggestions?

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Conkerock

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I have recently bought a 5 year old Arab x project pony. I don't know too much about his history but he is very nervous/spooky and I am guessing that he has hardly seen anything before (he was even scared of buckets when he arrived). I have therefore set about opening his eyes to the wider world and to be fair once he has sussed something is OK he is very good but he is still prone to nervous 'meltdowns' on ocassion. He is particularly sensitive to sounds.

I have recently started to put spooky items out in his field (eg flapping carrier bags tied to the fence, bits of carpet on the ground that he has to walk over and a colourful windmill that I've stuck on the top of a fence post) which I move around every day and this definitely seems to have made him braver. I make a point of banging around him with different items and again he is much improved but there is still room for improvement. I am starting to run out of ideas and was just wondering whether anyone on here has had a similar experience or has any suggestions about other things that I can expose him to?
 
Not sure if it helpful but I have started to clicker train my boy, he is 4 and not brave at all but very food orientated. Last night I couldn't get near him with the trimmers but after clicking and treating I have now trimmed all legs with no problem.

He is afraid of most things and had never seen electric tape etc but I just try to carry on as normal and he is getting much better.

Will definitely try some of your ideas though :-)
 
My abused and batter mare learnt trust by 1just standing and rubbing her(think horse massage)all over and 2 join up as in monty roberts. half blind battered mare following with no head colar over plastic sheeting. i knew we had made it :)
 
The best "teacher" for a nervous or inexperienced horse is an older, been-there-done-that horse: far more encouraging than a human.
 
Just keep increasing exposure regularly, using a nanny horse where possible. However it may not be that your horse has not been exposed- that may simply be his nature. I had a spooky nervous horse for years before I threw in the towel. Hope you fare much better!
 
Thanks everyone,
My yard sadly lacks a suitable schoolmaster otherwise I would be going down that route. If only I still had my previous pony as he had stacks of self-confidence and would be perfect to bring this chap out of his shell.
I have a local friend that I could take him to sometimes to work with her horse but not every day. He does look to me for reassurance although he must be starting to question my sanity as I dance around him shaking carrier bags and banging on barrels.
Re. massage he loves being scratched hard on his shoulder/neck so I did this with one hand whilst, for example, introducing him to rustling bags with the other and this worked well... I am just keen to introduce him to many new, potentially scary things as possible in a safe environment in the hope that it helps him to deal with new situations more confidently
 
For sound sensitive horses, Radio 1 in the stable.

If the poor animal can put up with that, it will tolerate anything!

Start low and gradually turn up the volume over time.

Introduce a handful of hard feed if he is keen on that and apply something scary while he is eating. Don't overload, just introduce the scary stuff so he is a apprehensive but keeps eating and, again, gradually increase the pressure day by day.
 
I would second the clicker training as an extra to carrying on with what you are doing. It has been brilliant with my 2 babies, I've only just started using it in a more focussed, progressive way but in the past have used it to sort out fears in mins. Fly spray being one example, without the clicker they disappear across the field faster than you can blink, but with it they stand perfectly still and happy to be sprayed everywhere in just a few mins. Just helps to focus the use of food rewards to get them thinking about what they did to earn it, and trying to do it again.
 
It will all come down to trust, rather the the varied things you expose him to, just spend quality time with him so a good bond is built, the rest will fall into place in its own good time.
 
Kenzo said:
It will all come down to trust, rather the the varied things you expose him to, just spend quality time with him so a good bond is built, the rest will fall into place in its own good time.
Click to expand...
Essentially this.....alongside all you are already doing.
Mine literally pooed himself when a door banged 3 years ago ......terrified of everything he was. He's now a confidence brave hacker....nothing phases him at all. In fact he's better alone than in company.
His Arab part will look to you as a constant point of reference ....so just be there for him. Once an Arab/pba trusts you it's happy days. ;)
 
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