introducing older pony to walker

Chestnutmare

Chestnutmare

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some of you know that I have a 23yro mare that i am trying to get back sound after muscle rupture from June and she is still lame....she has no muscle anywhere now from no work and being on box rest...have just started walking her in hand for 5-10mins twice a day, I took her to see the walker with horse on it and she had a flid....so i let her graze by it to watch it more....ok with that...so this am i put her on it with no motor going I pushed it round so she would get used to it being like this....but of course the motor would normally be on too....she was OK but i am now worried that if i was to just stick her on it with it all working that she will panic and hurt herself more, I told this to my sis in law - she used to own her and she said you would've just looked daft pushing it round just put her on there so cant do anything.....well actually she can only on Sunday did a mare end up going up and fell backwards catching her shoe on one of the grids so she was all twisted and hind leg in air....I also helped to get this mare out of it with help from few others at yard...luckily she as ok...but i don't want to harm her she has no shoes on but even still...

Was i right to introduce her to the walker in this way or did i really look daft? I am doing this for her sake only not mine....i want her to be OK at end of day...
I have been upset by sis in laws comments to this as I thought i was doing the right thing...
 
Personally I would just put her on with an experienced horse walker friend in front and get someone to send it forward as you leap off it and shut the gate on her. Set it to a fast walk so she has no time to turn around and if you would feel better walk around the outside with her. Good luck and don't worry as I am sure she will be fine. DO NOT be tempted to get in with her though as this could prove extremely dangerous. x
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oh god I would not dream of going in there with her no way...she did try to turn around in it and it's big enough for her to do so....she's tiny compared to the walker...I could ask that a nice quite horsey is put in there with her yes to help relax her...
 
stick her in with a few calm horses and let her just sort herself out - my bet is that she may have a bit of a panic for a few seconds but they soon get the hang of it!! My horse was 15 when he first saw a horsewalker and i just stuck him in and off he went!! But then again he's hard to phase with stuff like that! By the way is she called minstrel your mare?? Looks exactly like a pony i used to know in that area who'd prob be around that age too now?!
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umm which piccie are you looking at? if it's the one to the left of my posts then that is my boy that I lost a couple of months ago, no she's called Minnie, thanks also for the advice I shall speak to YO later to see if she can help put some nice quite ones in there with her...I just really hope she will be OK...so nervous about it....silly isnt it really??
 
lol thats random yes the piccie on the left looks like a little mare (sorry!lol!) called minstrel aka minnie, and you're from my area so thought maybe the same!! Just dont worry she will prob have a little paddy at first but should just chill out once she gets the hang of it!
 
Be careful that they don't turn round.
I have a horsewalker but it hasn't been used for a couple of years. Had a few scary accidents in it and have heard of horses breaking legs in it that I've been put off.
Its a good idea but needs careful managing.
Good luck.
 
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