desensitize or terrify???

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pony&cow

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Would like your thoughts and opinions on my idea.

My 4yr old mare is terrified of hedges during anything more than a slight breeze and a bit spooky around them on nice still days.

her turnout, my riding/lunging field and most of my hacking is surrounded by hedgerow.

My thought was... tie plastic shopping bags along the hedges around her turnout so they flap in the wind.

Desensitizing or just upsetting her in her chill out time during turnout???
 
I'd start desinsitising with the bags in hand first, so you can get to the point of having them in your hand while you are grooming, leading without horse getting taking much notice.

Least then you can stop horse hurting itself or jumping out!
 
thanks for your thoughts. The fear is more of the hedgerow more than the bags. a silage sheet once flapped across the yard whilst she was tied up and she wasnt bothered by that. Im just trying to think of things that will make her hedges flap and make noises so that 'normal' hedges seem a 'breeze' to hack/ school past???
 
I'm sure any form of desensitising is a good thing.

The essential thing is never to push it so hard that they are terrified yet gently push the barries (or threshold) all the time. Apprehensive but not nervous, I think is the difference.

I put feed bowls out every morning for the foals. The first day, just moving a plastic carrier bag about ten yards away, sent them into a panic...but they did come back to feed after a few minutes. Gradually, by gently pushing the boundaries, I was able to wave the bag around within a few feet on the end of a stick and they carried on feeding.

More of the same tomorrow! How about using a bushy branch with leaves still on it if yours is nervous of hedges? Yes, I put plastic streamers up all over the place, especially near where they like to walk!:D
 
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