New youngster - ramble!

[Foxford]

I've now had my rising 2yo for 2 weeks and I have to say overall I'm pleased with how he's doing. He was kept in a large herd (40ish) for the last year and has now down-sized to my little yard where he comes in at night. So, all very strange for him.

He is quite nervous and particularly struggles when being led around the yard/farm tracks. He thinks there is an invisible monster out to get him! I feel bad for him as it's so much to take in, and I'm asking him to put a huge amount of trust in me. But I'm trying to do as little as possible other than the essentials; grooming, tying up and going back and forth to the field.

Not sure what the point of this post is, but I'm kind of doing this on my own so it's probably helping me somehow to write down my thoughts! I was thinking of getting a trainer in to see if they can help me with his nervousness, but I think I just have to be patient and let him settle a bit more.

He is a totally different kettle of fish (personality wise) to anything I've owned before, and I guess that's what I'm finding hardest. Learning what buttons to press and which ones to leave well alone!

Here is the young lad for those of you that haven't met...
Chunk-fest!

 

[hadfos]

I am sure it is all down to lack of handling!As he gains trust in you things will start to get better,do as your doing,be consistent and he should soon start to settle down!

 

[Damnation]

Horses need routine and certainty. Once your little one has learnt the routine, is familiar in his surroundings and trusts you and bonds with you, I am sure he will be a little star!

 

[SpruceRI]

Don't get disheartened about his apparent nervousness. Just the routine of coming and going, will soon sort him out, and then you can add things like putting boots on, rugs, hosing legs off etc.

You have to ignore the scaredy-cat antics up to a point though being trampled on was something I found a bit too much - I'm getting there with my youngster now!

He looks really cute!

 

[Foxford]

Thanks everyone! I'm sure he will soon get to know life's actually quite cushy for him. We negotiated a tractor this morning, and as we were waiting for it to pass, he was like "come on mum, I want to get to the field, lets hurry up!" Not in the slightest bit bothered!

 

[GinaGem]

Ah he's lovely. I wouldn't worry, ours neds all came from being in large herds and unhandled and with a bit of time and patience they've turned into lovely, calm, confident horses. I actually think it's nice for them to spend their first few years just being a horse.

 

[Kenzo]

First of all I'd say don't worry, he's only young and everything is new, he's had the security of being in a heard, which is the most natural thing so your youngster is perfectly normal.

Lots of walking about, letting him sniff and smell things, don't force him to approach things, just stand about letting him graze and take things in in his own time. Never make an issue out of anything.

Then when he's a little more at ease, and trusting you like everybody has said, that's when the fun begins. He's at young impressionable age, bomb proofing him now will pay of later.

I do all sorts of strange and wonderful things with my youngster, getting him used to flapping bags, even going as far as tying them to his head coller (and no I don't frighten the living daylights out of him) only do this once they have accepted that its not going to panic them) bobbing a tractor inner tube over his head onto his neck..., walking him about while I'm holding an umbrella, baloons etc making him walk over different footing like stones, mud, ramps, puddles, plastic feed backs, sand.

The list is endless, obviously don't try any of the above until you and your horse have built a bond/trust and has calmed down a bit, I'm not encouraging you to frighten him or indeed make him any worse.

I'm sure you be fine once your horse has got over the initial nervous stage, you've only been together 2 weeks too.

Good luck with him, I love his color!