Scared!

[Django Pony]

Hi All,
Jasper is not a "silly" horse by any means, he calmly walks past most things out hacking, (plastic bags etc he will have a look at but he's not spooky). He is good to clip, bath, load etc and I can even dry his legs with a hair-dryer and he doesn't bat an eyelid (in fact, he quite likes the hair-dryer! lol). This afternoon, however, I tried to measure him with a measuring stick and he freaked out! He was properly scared of it. My poor boy!
Needless to say, I stopped trying to measure him and spent some time just getting him to relax in it's presence, once he sniffed it and relaxed a little I took it away, but it's really surprised me. Can't help wondering if he's been hurt with a stick in the past?
Does anyone else's horse react like that to a measuring stick???

 

[Horseback Rider]

I have know loads of horses with this specific problem in the past even horses that are fine with clippers/xray machine etc !!

It is really strange like they have all been told some myth about it at some time !lol

 

[Django Pony]

Thanks Scotia, glad it's not just him! x

 

[charlimouse]

I have a couple of horses who are terriffied of the measuring stick, so it isn't just yours!!!

 

[amanda1788]

Don't worry it's not just yours mine is too. Have no idea what he thinks its going to do to him! lol

 

[Sol]

I think all the horses we've had have looked at the measuring stick like it's a horse eating monster Or like we might find out their actual height (who knows? That's a bad thing right?)
I usually just spend some time with them and the wonderful horse eating stick until they get used to it, which doesn't usually take too long... except by the next time I come round with it, they all seem to have remembered their fear!? Peculiar.

 

[Gorgeous George]

Not quite the same but as I don't have a measuring stick I tried to measure George with a metal tape measure (hopeless!) and he freaked out at the sight of it - most strange!

 

[Pearlsasinger]

There are stories of ponies being measured with sticks with pins in to make them drop away from the stick so that they measure under height. Maybe yours have heard of this, lol.

 

[Django Pony]

LOL Pearlsasinger! Makes you wonder what goes on in their horsey-heads doesn't it!?

 

[HollyWoozle]

Maybe they're afraid to be inadequate? Like men shying away from a ruler?

 

[dwi]

We had to stick a sugary lick under Belle's nose to get her to stand still for the measuring stick. Def worth a try if you really need to measure Jasper.