How to de-sensitise new mare to hose on legs? Advice please!

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FleabittenT

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My new(ish!) mare really hates the hose on her legs. Does anyone have any ideas or advice about how I can go about de-sensitising her please?

I tried to hose them yesterday for the first time, so I could clean off a couple of scratches. Took it slowly, lots of positive re-inforcement, made sure cold water wasn't splashing onto her belly. After dancing around & kicking out, she pulled back, snapped the tie & b*ggered off up the yard :rolleyes:

We're on heavy clay, so she must learn to stand for her legs to be quickly rinsed off, especially over winter.

All ideas & suggestions very welcome! Thanks :)
 
For starters, don't tie her up! Hold her with one hand - hose in the other - and have the hose at quite low pressure. Start on the front feet and play the water from one to the other until she stops 'dancing'. Ignore any silliness - just keep the hose on her feet.

When she settles, pat her and tell her she's a good girl and take the hose slightly further up the legs. Then move to the back feet and continue. Don't try and force her to stand still. Let her move around you a bit (avoiding her wrapping hose around legs!)

When a horse is tied up - or held tightly - it feels trapped so has to do something violent to try to escape. You need to let her feel she COULD run if it gets TOO scarey while of course keeping her 'contained'. Then she can learn it's NOT that scarey.
 
that is what did with mine, and testiment to the fact it works is that she stands beautifully now for legs, feet and bath!!
 
My mare used to be the same and I started off using a bucket and sponge until she was used to it and her legs already wet, then use hose and sponge and have the hose right next to the sponge so it feels like your just using the sponge, gradually over time swap to using just the hose.

It does work as I would struggle to even get near her with a damp cloth to start with, she will now have a full bath with a hose
 
Thank you JG, very helpful :) Makes total sense, I still have a lot to learn :o

We'll try this approach this evening, and see how we go. We'll get there!

Thanks again :)
 
Use pig oil and sulphur on her legs in the winter then the mud can't stick and will be gone in the morning, this is what we do with our cobs legs as it's not good for them to be wet all the time.
 
put the hose on a trickle.
run it on her hooves. when she stand still take the hose away and pat her
run it again on her hooves and her pasterns. when she stands still take the hose away and pat her

lots and lots of praise and talking to her when the hose is off her. talk to her all the time the hose is on, but in a really calm quiet tone so it settles her.

etc, etc, etc, ad infinitum until she's happy that standing still makes the hose go away quicker than if she fidgets and dances and panics.

take it slow and she'll be great in no time
 
JanetGeorge said:
For starters, don't tie her up! Hold her with one hand - hose in the other - and have the hose at quite low pressure. Start on the front feet and play the water from one to the other until she stops 'dancing'. Ignore any silliness - just keep the hose on her feet.

When she settles, pat her and tell her she's a good girl and take the hose slightly further up the legs. Then move to the back feet and continue. Don't try and force her to stand still. Let her move around you a bit (avoiding her wrapping hose around legs!)

When a horse is tied up - or held tightly - it feels trapped so has to do something violent to try to escape. You need to let her feel she COULD run if it gets TOO scarey while of course keeping her 'contained'. Then she can learn it's NOT that scarey.
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What she said:) I can be often seen in a little dance routine with long hose and a youngster prancing around me - works every time:D
 
Im in the process of trying to get my 12 year old to behave whilst i hose his legs. He really hates it....but the little swine has learnt that if you stand on the hosepipe it stops the water flowing!! i give up sometimes i really do!!! He is far to clever for his own good!!
 
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