Nervous of rugging

SizzlerB

SizzlerB

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I rescued a young section a 4 months ago and she has come on in leaps and bounds the last few weeks.

However, she is a wimpy little thing and doesnt cope too well with heavy rain. I am trying to think ahead when winter hits and have purchased a Mark Todd lightweight and gained a couple of second hand MW's. She will happily accept a rug on, but try to do it up - whether it be the belly or front straps and it's a different story. She is TERRIFIED! Almost as if, she feels restricted ?! And of course, once practising putting it on - we have the drama of getting it off!

I have tried putting a thin, soft sheet on in the stable but the terror returns. I am anxious not to set her back in anyway but was looking to see if anyone had any similar experiences or suggestions ?

I appreciate as a welshie she probably could be expected to cope rugless however her body tells me otherwise and I am a firm believer in treating each as an individual.

Background to her (if that may help) is she was from the Criccieth stud in Wales, was put through the Bulith sales last year in a very poor state with an infected eye and in her previous home she was beaten - possibly around the head given that I couldnt touch/brush her forelock, forehead or ears or put a headcollar on. My instructor believed from her posture she may have even had a trauma to the head :-(

I am happy to say she is now a friendly, dear little thing, enjoys her kisses, ears being scratched and forelock combed!

So back to the point, any thoughts ?

Thanks :)
 
I used to have a TBx that was like this - I would just say, rug, rug, rug and more rug in the stable, then take her out for walks in rug, lunge in rug (not for long!!) until chilled.

She will get used to it, actually horses will get used to anything so long as they are introduced to it enough!

Best of luck.
 
Maybe try putting the rug on slightly higher up the neck and then doing the buckles up so that the fronts not quite touching her. Then maybe you can inch it back bit by bit. Obviously I don't mean leave her over night like that but just practice putting it on and taking off and going through the motion of doing it up. Maybe with the surcingles can you loosen these off and then just do up, undo so she gets used to that?
 
Can you find a rug without surcingles for practicing? an old fashioned summer sheet or something then progress to a round the belly surcingle (which can be whisked away if you get resistance)

I'm with you on your feelings about rugging, I have recently taken on a section A with problems (thankfully not mistreated though) and will be rugging him over the winter but my other section A will be left unrugged - as you say it depends on the individual pony
 
I'd use an elastic surcingle to get pony used to pressure. It can be done up fairly loosely and will flex with the movement of the body so less restrictive than a rug. Once she realises she's not trapped you can start to do it up tighter and tighter so she gets used to the feeling of a firm constant pressure. Hopefully then she will stop freaking out about rugs, girths etc.
 
So it is the feeling of having something around her belly and chest she doesn't like?

What is she like with a roller?

Whether this would help your pony or not I don't know, but try putting a leg bandage around her belly and chest, kind of wrapping it in a figure 8. Leave it on if she panics, by taking it (or a blanket) off they are learning that they can get you to remove whatever they don't like. Use a long rope on the halter - so that you can 'play' her in the stable rather than just allow her to run around madly.

I generally just put a blanket on babies and let them get on with it, some run around, some just go "Oh, OK" and I have had one or two that stand stock still and won't move for a while.

Time and persistance will be your friend I think. She'll get there in the end. :)
 
Enfys said:
So it is the feeling of having something around her belly and chest she doesn't like?

What is she like with a roller?
Click to expand...

That's my "guess" - although I can touch her, squeeze her, groom her and pat all over - I make a point of doing it more so on the chest and belly anyway.

I havent tried a roller yet.

I have had 3 nervous welshies now and normally the rug issue is simply lack of experience but I have not had one like this before.

The soft old summer sheet I have doesnt havent belly straps so I think I shall persevere with that and try a tail bandage and elasticated surcingle - both good ideas :-)

I suppose I am worried she will hurt herself - she has gone through doors and fencing previously through fear - the flight reaction definately kicks in!

She takes everything else in her stride and is actually pretty brave considering!
 
how is she being groomed on her belly? If she is not good, work on that for a while, they tend to like it so accept it quite quickly. Once my babies are ok with that, I move onto something that has a slightly different texture, or just scratch their bellies with my fingers. A weight tape is quite good for getting them used to having something go around their middle too....be careful though with my 2 year old when i went to get it to bring the other side up under his belly he thought it was a fly and kicked upwards - move hands fast! - Once he realised it was me he was fine - he got plenty of yacking and soothing tones and pats for being so good...once they are happy with that a few times, introduce a small towel, show it to them then rub it over them then put it on their back (all at their pace)....then a bigger towel with a bit more weight.....then a towel with the weight tape. all very matter of fact and acting as though it is the most natural thing in the world.. don't look to them for a reaction..just tootle on.

Some babies are great to have a rug as they are more bold, but with others it takes time for them to realise they are not being buried alive.

When you do introduce the rug, roll it up first so you can put it across the withers, then unfold it back down gradually - if she spooks, go back to the nice comfy towel and then go forward again. I do all this in the stable and not tied up so they can run away and come back when they feel confident. Take the time now and it will be a doddle each time in the future..it will also be a lot easier when you want to introduce more work etc to her as she will trust you.
 
Thanks HBM1, that's why sites like this are great as you can throw ideas at each other!

She is fine with belly being groomed, as she's teeny and I'm 5ft 7 I do most nights put one arm over her withers/girth area and the other arm under and give her a cuddle (literally!) - all fine with that too and the putting the rug over her back is not an issue either.

I am so lucky that she is a trusting sort - so far at least.
 
We used a similar method to enfys on daughters, with bandages & surcingles. And an old beach towel, same size as a rug on an 11.1 but less rustly, combined with bandages. And making sure it went on slowly & folded. And just doing it daily. First winter she was ok, but still needed rugging slowly & carefully. Following winter my then 4yr old was throwing the rugs up on her, loose in the stable without me needing to help. Although daughter swore it was because pony had a pretty pink rug the second winter!
 
Well I had a weird one. As a weanling bought a rug for my now 6 YO. Accepted it no problem as did her 2 weanling buddies. 2 days later she was spooked by what we guessed as a tree falling. Took off, jumped 3 fences, out through open yard gate( farm worker did that), onto main road and finally stopped 2 miles later with us in pursuit. From that day forward she could wear a rug in the stable or a pen without panic. In a field or paddock she went into flight mode. Like scary. So she just didn't wear one. During the breaking process we lunged and drove her in it with no issues. Even lunged and drove her in all the fields with it on. No bother. But on her own, panic. The kind of panic in which she would kill herself. So no rug.

Fast forward to last fall. Now in work for clipping and competition. I figured maybe she had outgrown the fear. Not really. Better but not what I was happy with. For some reason I took off the fillet strap. The Rambos have those nifty tail slots on the tail covers. Tucked her tail in that and wala. Never. Another. Moments. Panic. She used to occasionally kick the wall too and all that stopped. Something so freaking simple and it took me 5 years to figure out. Driving lines never bothered her and she was fine confined. So now she has a custom wardrobe. I sewed in extra straps too. The rugs have never moved through rolling and the windiest of days.

Just thought I'd share that weird story. As for your little girl you just have to keep preservering and give her confidence. When she does get confident the first time you turn out, do so in a small pen type of place with safe fencing. I'm sure she will be fine.

Terri
 
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