Getting a young pony used to fly spray?

Selinaswift

Selinaswift

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Hello, I have a just turned 5 fell pony who seems to be terrified of fly spray! She is genuinely scared of it, and gets into a panic and all worked up about it. I have tried everything; while i'm brushing her making the 'ksst' sound (but the sound isnt really the problem-its the actual feeling), pretending it is raining, being cautious, beingconfident and pretending nothings happening etc, But I have now come to sponging it on her or brushing it on her and using this fly gel which works, but is a bit of a pain because it takes 5 times as long to do! (its like a runny suncream texture you rub in) I have decided that she needs to relate fly spray to positive things like food and praise, so today i had a helper and a bucket of pony nuts, and tried again, she was flinchy, but much better. However, I don't want to have to give her feed every time I fly spray, a) because it takes too long, b) I don't want her to think that if she acts scared she gets food and c) she is fat!! :( So any ideas would be greatly appreciated :)
Thanks :)
 
I fly spray while our 'hate the spray' one is eating, with his heat in a bucket he knows what I'm doing but prefers the food - he is very food orientated,. and actually I don't think he really minds the spray now he's used to it he's just a drama queen
 
Start by filling with plain water and squirt it away from her by miles. Just one quick squirt then go back to grooming. Repeat until you're both fed up with it. Then change it to apple juice (diluted a little if necessary). Squirt it onto your hand and let her sniff it, then lick it. Build up to spraying a little puddle of apple juice into the palm of your hand for her to slurp up. By now she should be actively turning to the sound. Change back to water and put the palm of your hand on pony's body. Spray a quick squirt onto the back of your hand, making sure a tiny bit lands on pony. Give her a polo. Repeat until you can spray pony, give polo. Gradually ditch the polo. Simples. Meep x
 
my youngster was petrified of fly spray but i persisted, i held him on his lead rope with his head slightly in towards me so if he ran he could only have gone in circles around me, i went with him and continued to spray him, she will soon learn that you are not going to hurt her and will get used to the feeling, it took him at least a month to learn so you just have to be paitence with her, she will get there in the end, untill she is used to it avoid sensitive areas aswell such as the head and legs as this will be off putting for her and may make her resist more, she will never overcome it if you don't repeat it everyday so make sure you do and dont go back to the sponge if she doesnt like it, just stick with it. good luck, you'll get there in the end
 
I have someone holding the lead rope loosely so the horse can move away if necessary, then start off by grooming to desensitise the body. Then holding the spray in one hand, place the other hand on the horses shoulder. Press the trigger and spray on the area immediately in front of your hand and as the mist lands on the skin, brush your hand across where it lands. Repeat the spray and wipe motion over the opposite shoulder. If the horse moves away, go with him but bring the spray further away while continuing to stroke the skin. Do as much or little as he can cope with then stop and praise.
Repeat the next day and build up his acceptance to more sensitive parts of his body over a few days.
 
welshies4lifey said:
my youngster was petrified of fly spray but i persisted, i held him on his lead rope with his head slightly in towards me so if he ran he could only have gone in circles around me, i went with him and continued to spray him, she will soon learn that you are not going to hurt her and will get used to the feeling, it took him at least a month to learn so you just have to be paitence with her, she will get there in the end, untill she is used to it avoid sensitive areas aswell such as the head and legs as this will be off putting for her and may make her resist more, she will never overcome it if you don't repeat it everyday so make sure you do and dont go back to the sponge if she doesnt like it, just stick with it. good luck, you'll get there in the end
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This. This is exactly what I've always done, in a matter-of-fact and confident way. I find that making a big deal out of it makes it more of a big deal for them.

My OTTB had never experienced fly spray and was pretty alarmed. I just did this in the round pen, letting her circle around me - she learned pretty quickly that it didn't hurt and wasn't a threat. She now actively asks for fly spray (she HATES flies).
 
Long lead rope rub bottle over body. Move with the horse when horse stops remove bottle and walk back to spot you started. Then when that's okay start spraying. Move with horse. When relaxed stop spraying go back to starting area. Lots of patience took me and samba two hours. Will prob need to do it again this year.
 
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