have i permanantly ruined the most amazing pony :-(

McNally

McNally

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I had a shetland pony- long story but had him for about 8 months. Think the most incredible temperament with people EVER! I used to finish work and go sit in his field where he would wander over and lie down resting his head on my lap (honestly!) We could do anything at all to him- including trust him 100% never to kick/bite etc.
Anyway his only problem was he was a stallion and beat the living daylights out of my other horses so i decided as he was only 5 to geld him with the hope that 1- he can live with my other horses as the original plan had been and 2- maybe as he was so fantastic at some point a little child or children could make the most of him.

He was of course 100% for the vet and the gelding but i had to inject him for 5 days following (anti biotics in case of infection).
I only managed one jab- I'm reasonably experienced in injecting but never ever had one react like this and he is now terrified of me and everyone else- mainly me i think.
I can still sometimes catch him- a far cry from the days he cantered to the gate the second i pulled up! but even with a head collar on he looses the plot if i try and touch his body.
Apart from the fact i'm gutted at having lost the trust of my little friend i'm concerned about things like vet treatment/farrier etc.
He was gelded about 3 weeks ago- has this happened to anyone else and what was the out come? Idea's please!
 
Can you go back to just spending time with him. Not touching him or asking anything of him, just being near him, poo picking, walking, checking fences, chilling out (with a big coat on!) and let him get used to you again. If he touches you don't try to touch him at first, let him establish the trust relationship first. Treat him like an unhandled baby.

I don't think you have destroyed the relationship, but you do need to rebuild it. Remember as well as the apparent injection fear he has hormones running riot after the castration. Be patient and be positive and upbeat around him, if he senses you are depressed and worried then he will act the same way. Horses are our mirrors!

Good luck, and keep updating, I would love to know how he gets on.
 
Ladyinred said:
Can you go back to just spending time with him. Not touching him or asking anything of him, just being near him, poo picking, walking, checking fences, chilling out (with a big coat on!) and let him get used to you again. If he touches you don't try to touch him at first, let him establish the trust relationship first. Treat him like an unhandled baby.

I don't think you have destroyed the relationship, but you do need to rebuild it. Remember as well as the apparent injection fear he has hormones running riot after the castration. Be patient and be positive and upbeat around him, if he senses you are depressed and worried then he will act the same way. Horses are our mirrors!

Good luck, and keep updating, I would love to know how he gets on.
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Agree with this completely. It will take a while for you to establish the trust again but it does come. Youngster at our stud really freaked out for the vet trying to change his bandages when he had a puncture wound (3 people holding including the vet, yearling and not very big at all. Reared and got the vet at the side of her eye) yet only days later when I went in to check the bandage (he would eat it and pull it apart) he was absolutely fine and let me pull it slightly and put my hand down the top of it. I would never have done that if I thought he would of freaked out as at the time I had a serious back injury! In a way you have to pretend the behaviour isn't going to be there but be ready incase it does show.

Used that as an example as I was going to ask if it's possible to have someone else (equally as experienced or more so in injecting) to do that part for you? That way you can focus on gaining the trust again and he won't keep associating you with injections? Horses don't remember what happens but they remember smells/voices etc and if they're associated with good or bad results.
 
He'll probably be ok in a few weeks. Keep trying.

My OH had a similar experience with our Doris, who's a big girl. I'm useless at injecting so when she had mastitis from a fly bite last year I got hubby to inject her.

Honestly, I've never seen a horse make so much fuss. She was on a 5 day course of jabs. She was good for the first 3 days, day 4 and 5 she turned into the bitch from hell - charging, bucking, kicking. I was hanging onto her while hubby was trying to inject her (quite sizeable) posterior! She hated him for it. She didn't speak to him for a few weeks afterwards. (As in not giving him cuddles etc - she just blanked him).

But she's ok with him now. She's back to her cuddly, attention seeking ways. She doesn't quite trust him near her rear end though.
 
Don't think I would trust anyone who kept sticking needles in my bum, can't blame them really, but the alternative is risk losing them to disease, tough love.
 
McNally said:
I had a shetland pony- long story but had him for about 8 months. Think the most incredible temperament with people EVER! I used to finish work and go sit in his field where he would wander over and lie down resting his head on my lap (honestly!) We could do anything at all to him- including trust him 100% never to kick/bite etc.
Anyway his only problem was he was a stallion and beat the living daylights out of my other horses so i decided as he was only 5 to geld him with the hope that 1- he can live with my other horses as the original plan had been and 2- maybe as he was so fantastic at some point a little child or children could make the most of him.

He was of course 100% for the vet and the gelding but i had to inject him for 5 days following (anti biotics in case of infection).
I only managed one jab- I'm reasonably experienced in injecting but never ever had one react like this and he is now terrified of me and everyone else-mainly me i think.
I can still sometimes catch him- a far cry from the days he cantered to the gate the second i pulled up! but even with a head collar on he looses the plot if i try and touch his body.
Apart from the fact i'm gutted at having lost the trust of my little friend i'm concerned about things like vet treatment/farrier etc.
He was gelded about 3 weeks ago- has this happened to anyone else and what was the out come? Idea's please!
Click to expand...

Nah, you haven't ruined your relationship with him!:) He just associates with you discomfort at the moment.:eek: As stated, when you are with him make it a nice experience, lots of fuss and no pressure. He'll come round.:)
 
Similar thing happened with my friend's shetland after he was gelded and he is a gem again now, took a few weeks for him to settle back down if I remember, he's none the worse for it. Patience is the key :) Once he is back to normal would probably be worth trying to desentitise him to needles though if he has such a violent reaction.
 
I once had to inject my mare with antibiotics for 7 days running. She became terrified of me if I had anything in my hand and I had to twitch her to inject her after the third time. However, her fear only lasted a few weeks and she is back to her old self and not scared of vets either. I think it was just the fact that I had to inject her every day that did it. I hope your pony learns to forgive you. I am sure that he will in time. If I were you, I would try some clicker training with him to regain his trust.
 
Was it juat a stroppy reaction to you sticking needle into him, or a reaction to the antibiotic(When penicillin hits blood vessel sends them nuts),.
If its the former he will get over it he is probably more pissed off that you chopped his crown jewels off!:D:D, I would leave him alone for a few days just feed him, no pressure let him come to you.
But if its reaction to antibiotic........long time a very long time.
 
Of course he will ' come back ' to you it just will take time :)
Think about it logically, there he was minding his own business, when some one came along and gave him a sharp needle, then when all the numbness had gone, and he was probably a little uncomfortable, you then gave him a little bit of discomfort with a sting needle!!!!

We all know it had to be done, but he didn't :)

Don't worry as others have said, just go back to spending time with him and asking nothing other than his company and all will be ok!! Trust me, the same happened to me.

Good luck and dont beat yourself up x
 
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