ideas needed to help with unhandled youngster

[clip_clop]

I have got a New Forest youngster who is 2, she hasnt been handled by her previous owner but she will come up to the bucket and come to call but shes very nervous if you go to touch her. I have sat in the field with her and she has come to investigate me but when i go to touch her she runs away.

She was out in the field but today i managed to get her into a stable as i lead one of her best friends up so she followed her into the stable. As soon as anyone goes in the stable she runs around and winds herself up. Has anyone got any ideas how to appraoch this situation, i think this little mare has been through enough already so i dont want to frighten her but any tips in how to handle her would be extremely helpful!

 

[GTs]

Use her friend to your advantage as much as possible and just take it slow - your goal for the next month is to just be able to scratch her at the shoulder.........

 

[Forget_Me_Not]

My new forest show pony was wild... i tamed two dartmoors and a resuced beated cob. Take her into her stable and give her time to settle maybe the night or so... Enter the stable and take no notice of her but sit quietly away from her and read your mag (or maybe take time to clean your tack!!) In the wild, ponies being preyed on, will take is slwoly to move torwards something unknown but after plenty of time watching take a step forward... then two back... and one forward... this is done to say get to the watering place and work out if the other animals are intrested in eating him!! So anyway sit thier reading away or what ever and when she does come dont move, dont notice her, dont touch her just carry on.. after a few days she'll become more and more confident with you but still dont make a move on her. You'll know when shes stuffing her nose upto yours shes happy to start touchy-feely sessions. I again would let her make the first move put your hand out and let her touch it. Make sure you dont enter her blind spots!! Step by step you'll get a bond and start to understand each other! but listen to her because she hasnt got a clue how to listen to you! Hope this helps at all i've found it all ways works and is natural horseship that is more then just joining up!

 

[MillionDollar]

I was given two wild ponies, both stallions, one 3 yo the other 7 yo. I had them gelded, and got on brilliantly with the 3yo and took him to his first show after just one month and he was fantastic, i have just broken him into harness.

The other was completely different, one day i was able to groom him, put a rug on him, lead him, the next day it was like he'd never seen me before. So i sold him to a lady who was going to spend all day with him everyday.

You just have to be very patient. Use lots of treats and gain her trust, believe me its worth it. Also get her familiarised with everyday equipment by leaving items around for her to sniff. And finally spend as much time as you can wih her. Good luck.

 

[vicijp]

Your best job is to stand in the stable, leaning away from her over the door (take a book).Dont make any move when she is brave enough to come and have a sniff. When she will approach you straight away take to crouching down in the corner. Again when she is approaching you straight away, start putting your hands out. When she doesnt jump when you do this then stand up. It will take a while but this is when I usually start to really try and handle them.
When I have a really tricky one I have been known to stable another one in the same box, less room to spin round. This way you can sort of pin them into a space with no danger of you getting kicked, and it doesnt freak them out. That way you can work stright to the head.