Shocked at new mare's attitude!

Nudibranch

Nudibranch

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Recently bought a lovely CB mare for OH to ride, she is a really genuine horse who doesn't bat an eyelid at anything.

That is, until the vet arrived last night for vaccinations. I have never seen such a transformation! She obviously has a massive needle phobia. As soon as he approached her to make friends and say hello she turned into a complete monster, rearing, plunging, striking out and lunging to bite. I've never owned a needle phobic horse, had most of my lot from very young and they've been fine.

I might try the Richard Maxwell elastic band/treat thing because I cannot have a horse behaving like that with the vet. Any other methods of desensitising which work for others?
 
I have a needle phobic mare. She is just super sensitive and hates injections or needles with a passion. The only approach we have found that works is to definately NOT let her get any sight of the needle. The vet has to move in from behind the handler and adminster quickly and efficiently.

I have in the past had the senior vet partner saying let him get on with it as my mare literally towed him around the stable rearing and plummeting.

We have managed to get her sedated and bloods taken over the years, but she will not change she just hates them and her little heart starts thumpng when she sees one. One horrid vet described her as a 'witch' :( She can't help being sensitive.
 
Aw bless her. Must have a really bad memory of a vet once...

Nothing but patience and hard work I'm afraid. Is she scared of vet or needle? My friend has a vet shy horse so she gives injections herself.
 
You could try getting some small syringes without needles and practise with them?? Also was it really the needle or did she take offence at the vet?
 
I'd say it was both because he did the others first and she was fine watching him from the other side where she couldn't see the syringe. Once he moved down to her and went to say hello, syringe in hand, she went ape. She is fine to worm though, and that's a syringe - just not a needle! Though to be honest I'm not sure it would matter, I expect she will associate the smell of the vet with being injected anyway.

I'll have to try something because it's dangerous.
 
An old horse of mine was just the same - didn't help that he hated men but he turned into a complete lunatic whenever he was in a stable with the vet and trying to jab him was horrific.

The vet managed to lose a needle in horses's bed one day which we couldn't find and put the fear of god into me. Never ever found it!!

Nothing we did helped to make him any better with needles.

I assume it must have been the needle phobia that sent him potty and he knew the vet was a vet - when he was PTS, he was held by OH (a man) and shot by our kennel huntsman (also a man) and he stood like a lamb.
 
13 years later, and although better, mine still hates the vet. Get your hat on, bridle on her, and ask the vet to be quick. In and out, no fannying around trying to be friends, it makes it worse for her.

If she is fab in every other way, one minor blip with vet hating isn't the end of the world, so for one I wouldn't say 'can't have that' - you've got it! Whatever you do, don't get cross or frustrated.
 
One thing to work on is to do it in a different location - part of the response to the vet will be based on what vets do in stables. Held loosely on a lead rope outside often works better.

The Sue McDonnell article explains in detail how to rehab - but IME you do need a handy vet, or at least a volunteer that the horse doesn't know who's wearing overalls borrowed from a vet (smell is important ;)).

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...p4DICA&usg=AFQjCNH4Gx7txz-krUkY2XEN1uM56n9_ww
 
You can also try with a bridle on, long lead rope so she can't get away and stand outside her box so he can jab over the door; worked for one of ours. Alternatively, have you a narrow passage/stocks where she can't get away. Hope you can get her through it but be prepared to be very patient and use underhand tricks so she can't get away with it.

Sorry, I have to say it but it could just be because she's a Cleveland Bay; I've never known one (and I've known several on various yards) that wasn't an opinionated bargy soul (polite word so as not to offend more!) when they thought they could get away with it - and when they can't - they can tow a truck when they're in bargy mode and show no remorse either.
 
Our pony who fights like a demon against needles is fine if you blindfold him first so he doesn't realise what is happening. He doesn't react to the injections then. We never even let him see the vet come on the yard so I don't think he even realises he's been :D
 
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Please dont say its because she is a CB! Remember she is a star the rest of the time! Plenty of horses have phobias - Are you scared of anything!?

My old mare - (IDxTB) - used to be a vet phobia pro - and being 14 when we bought her, training and working to get over it didnt help much - the only stragetgy was....

Vet seen at Gate
vet has needle and jab ready to go on passenger seat- no faffing/chatting/'oh hello X how are you!'
Me into stable, twitch on
Vet in quick - Jab
Everyone out.
Mare comes looking for food/dinner/cudddles!!!

Hope you get plenty of pleasure from her otherwise - Thank goodness Jabs are only once a year! - Bring on the powdered Flu Vac!!!

Thank goodness my other horses (CB's) - all just stand like rocks and generally try to mug the vet for cuddles!!!
 
You can now purchase (via the vet) a very strong sedative (sorry cannot remember the name) which you administer under the tongue that has the same effect after 45 mins as an intravenous sedative. If she is that bad, I would suggest you speak to your vet and get hold of some and plan his arrival this way.

I have a needle phobic pony - welsh A!!! that you cannot get a vein needle into but will if you are quick take an annual jab in the neck.
 
Oh poor girly :( they do surprise you don't they. The ones you think wont be fine are and vice versa!

My boy is remedial and pretty much scared of life and anything and everything that moves could cause him to climb the wall. So when I first had a vet out to him 3 years ago, I thought...oh here we go....and guess....he loves vets! does not even flinch with a needle and is more interested in attempting to get a treat the vet might be hiding somewhere than worry about anything he/she is doing......odd horse....he NEVER follows the 'rule book' :rolleyes::rolleyes:
 
Happy Hunter said:
Please dont say its because she is a CB! Remember she is a star the rest of the time! Plenty of horses have phobias - Are you scared of anything!?

My old mare - (IDxTB) - used to be a vet phobia pro - and being 14 when we bought her, training and working to get over it didnt help much - the only stragetgy was....

Vet seen at Gate
vet has needle and jab ready to go on passenger seat- no faffing/chatting/'oh hello X how are you!'
Me into stable, twitch on
Vet in quick - Jab
Everyone out.
Mare comes looking for food/dinner/cudddles!!!

Hope you get plenty of pleasure from her otherwise - Thank goodness Jabs are only once a year! - Bring on the powdered Flu Vac!!!

Thank goodness my other horses (CB's) - all just stand like rocks and generally try to mug the vet for cuddles!!!
Click to expand...

No I won't say that!!!

Two of my CB's mare and stallion came from the same yard and both were tricky with jabs. The stallion a real nightmare to begin with, then a female vet came one day and actually injected him in the field. She put it into his chest muscle without him noticing.

I have noticed he does not like male vets but is mummy's little darling - all 17hh of him. I don't do IV but do all his IM jabs myself. He is now no trouble at all.

One trick is to use your hand like a blinker for neck injections. I also do some patting and slapping on the neck and pinch out a bit of neck flesh, just when grooming without an injection then they don't always associate this with action with a needle prick.
 
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