Worming a pony you can't catch!

MrsElle

MrsElle

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We have had this little pony for 2 months. She is very timid and when you walk towards her she walks away. If you sit still she used to ignore you completely, but she will now come to us, but stay an arms length away. I have managed to stroke her nose a couple of times but don't want to push it and scare her away again.

The issue we have is that she came to us in foal and we are working towards gaining enough trust so she allows us near her and her foal when the time comes. We don't want to jeopardise the little trust she has built up in us by doing something to scare her.

She needs worming, and at some point will need the farrier to tidy her feet up, although that can wait as they are ok at the minute.

She is out with three others, all confident and friendly, including the 4 month old foal.

None of the four in this field, or any of our horses get hard feed as they are all natives (the four are Shetlands), and when we have given the odd treat to the ponies she isn't interested, won't come near us for any food at all.

So, suggestions on how to worm her without separating her from the herd (she gets very distressed when I have moved them between fields and she is left), and without undoing the work we have done with her already.

BTW, we have Panacur liquid to worm with.
 
Can you fence off a smallish area of the field, get them all in there (shoo them in gently or lead them in and let her follow) and then make lots of fuss of the others, it might encourage her to come and see what it's all about? If you keep trying every day she'll get used to being closer to you at least.

Also she may not be interested in food as she's never seen it before. If they all start having a handful of chaff in a bucket while they're in the pen, with a sprinkling of something nice on top for her, she might realise that this thing she's been ignoring is really nice!
 
Do you definitely need to worm her...? ie. could you do a worm egg count from her and check (I've assumed you havent already dont this?) if it comes back with a low enough result you can just concentrate on gaining her trust...
 
I would get her in with one of the others for a week or so, in a small area (stable etc) so you can handle her every day. That's what I do with unhandled youngsters and although they're scared at first they soon realise that you won't hurt them, just feed them and scratch them!

Would offer to come and help you but I'm getting a bit too big now! :D
 
Annagain, she is getting better, she comes closer when the others are being fussed now, and especially when the foal is being brushed etc as she is particularly close to the foal (although foaly isn't hers). I have had timid ponies before, and it is a waiting game, and know that just one little wrong move can put the process back months, which is what I don't want to happen.

Hedwards, I had never even thought of doing a worm count! Doh! Will do that with her instead. *bangs head on desk* I am a dimwit!

NicCscott, ha, she thinks treats are laced with poison and are to be avoided at all costs! Even if you throw a carrot or two her way while feeding the others by hand she won't touch them. Never seen a ****land who has the apathy towards food and treats that she has!
 
If they are a stable herd could you get them all in the routine of a tiny bucket feed in the field each day? Even if you have to take two out? Something that she can smell too. Then when its habit stick the wormer in disguised by mollasses, marmite or similar.
Or if its your own yard & safe to do so, would she follow another in loose? More likely to be interested in feed in a stable/barn than a field. When we got daughters she had never been touched. She was a tiny yearling, & the fact she had to be brought home, then kept in at first to treat wounds, rainscald, lice, thrush etc didn't help as she had to be literally pinned to treat. She was in nearly a week as I knew I wouldn't be able to get her at first. Cos she got adopted by my mare, we just let her follow loose with no pressure to be handled. Mare would come in to her stable in the barn, pony followed & mooched round the barn loose. Without the distractions of the field, as she started exploring the barn she eventually started showing interest in us. After 6 months she still had normal handling stuff to learn but had lost her fear of us & saw us as a good thing. Also, if possible could you try a small horsey kid feeding her through a fence? Although I always kept a barrier between them, cos my daughter was 3 when we got pony, her tiny size meant pony felt less threatened by her. Of course that's only if it can be done safely.
 
tbh I would want her in a stable to get her handled.
If you worm count don't forget the worms they don't pick up on and she may need doing for these.
Iv tamed plenty off wild ones over the years but need to get them in a stable, in a field I found is useless.
 
Oh forgot to add if she's in foal, you need her handled well in case anything happens. Ideally when she first came it would of been the best to have stabled her before she was attacted to the herd, but it needs doing
 
I would agree with the small amounts of feed for each pony - even if its a few hi-fibre nuts, or a small amount of lo-cal chaff, might just help to do the trick.
 
When I got my weanling last year, he didn't know what buckets or treats meant. I don't encourage giving a lot of treats but was quite funny to see him avoid the apple/carrot or whatever it was but he learnt by copying others
 
The thing I would worry about is fighting if u start feeding them. Some will be ok but it's not something I would do.
I use to find even stabling them in pairs, when I had loads off wild ones in didn't work as the more nervous one wouldn't come forward and use the other one to hide behind and just wouldn't progress. But came round quickly once stabled on their own. It don't take long and then basic things like putting a headcollar on and off, once u headcollar them ( if not already) don't take it off. Keep putting another one over the top to practice untill 100% happy. Don't turnout in a huge field, think small and build up. At the end you have a lovely pony. I use to love doing it.
 
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