Jannicke how lucky for this little mare that you have found her. The poor thing - to have spent 2.5 years in such a confined space with no companion is just horrific. Given the smallness of the space I wouldn't attempt join up at present. It is better to get her accustomed to you and the dually first anyway. I would start by just spending time with her and ask the owners if you could be the one to feed her for a few days. If you have a dually and if she allows you to put it on that is where I would start. If you don't have a dually then try to get one ASAP. I wouldn't even try to train her without one -just spend time with her and maybe familiarise her to ropes just placed loosely over her neck and body so that she will be OK for you to put the dually on. Maybe put on a different halter if you have one and she allows it but don 't attempt any training with it as you will not have the control the dually gives you. With the dually on correctly then keep her initial training very low key and you sessions short always finishing on a good response. Teach her how to respond to the dually -a long line will be essential if she is at all nervous - teach her to lead in the sweet spot, back up etc. and teach her the sick imperatives. As soon as you have her responsive to the dually and understanding what is required of her then I would start leading her out on short walks. The dually, gloves and a long lead rope will be essential but try to introduce her to as many different things as you can on these walks - hopefully there is another field or quiet road near by where you can lead her. Ultimately you may need to introduce her to a trailer and load her so that you can transport her to a more suitable area for more intensive training and of course join up. Good luck with it and keep us up dated. So pleased you have found her and are willing to give her the time and love she deserves.

Hi Jannicke , God bless you for taking on this really impossible situation. I can't imagine being penned up in such a small area for even a few months. First: Do exactly as Ms. Maggie has advised. I would also add this. That pen/corral or what ever it is? Its big enough to use the language of Equus. First and foremost. Be safe!!!! As you have mentioned the mare is pushy. It is important to understand. That is her space. The lack of human/herd contact has probably made her extremely protective of every square meter within her space. Why? Because she is alone. In horse language, to be alone is DEATH. She has no leader or protection in her mind. So approach her deliberately in a slow and constant walk being submissive. Don't let any halter or lead rope dangle in any manner. Don't try to catch her. Let her catch you. Do not look her in the eyes. Don't were glasses or jewelry. Let her see your eyes. Look at her shoulders (only if it is safe). If she turns to look at you. Ans she will. Probably with her head as her rear end will be facing you as a defensive poster. You turn away in a submissive manner, deliberately in a slow and constant arcing walk. If she turns her head back away from you. Then turn back towards her in the same deliberate movement. Continue this till you can safely get close enough to reach out with a closed hand and touch her nose or rub her head. Then turn away to reinforce that you are not a predator. Continue this till you can rub her withers. All of the is explained in the “CATCHING YOUR HORSE IN THE PASTURE” video lesson. In short, you will be doing a mini Join-Up. You will be speaking her language. You will be building a relationship on willingness that makes you two partners.

I can't add any more than Greg and Maggie have said, but wish you well on this journey to partnership, you'll get there with patience and communication.
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Thank you so much for all your advice, I sure have been keeping it in my mind and I really appretiate it all!
I've been there to see her and get a better idea of how she is behaving. I questioned the owner a bit more on her background too. It turnes out she has not been alone all these years fortunately. She is born on this farm, her mother was sold when she was around a year old since they couldnt feed three horses and their daughter had lost interest in riding. Her pedigree is good, her sire and dam has good temperament and approvel for breeding. Her sire is stunning!
She used to have a pony for company until last fall when he died suddenly of colic. She has since then been alone there.
She don't know much, thats for sure. And been treated like a princess. She is more spoiled than untouched really. The owner is afraid of her and afraid to do anything with her in fear of teaching her the wrong things. So he chose to do nothing. He has been given really bad advice on how to tame her, fortunately he has resisted these advices. He told me he had been told to halter her with an unbreakable halter, tie her to the tractor and drive. She would then be broken to lead... He didnt do this but has no knowlegde on other ways than brutal ones which he'd been asked to do. So he thought it would be better with no interference than using violence.

She comes right up to anyone coming to her gate and put her nose in your face straight away. And she then tries to bite. Not with an angry face, but tries to nibbel with a callenge then jumps away a few steps and looks at you with one eye with her nose raised and her hind end ready to fight. She is probably been fed treats from hand. She allowes scratching and touching some parts of her body.
I kept everything as low key as possible, asked her to move a little, stand still, follow me, respect my space, back up, keep her butt away from me.. Everything I could think of in this little space without touching her and without rushing anything, avoiding moving her faster than walk. And staying out of kicking zone. She stand on poor footing and everything there is slippery. She gave me everything I asked for quick and easy with some licking and cewing in the end. I got to start teaching her give a little to pressure of the halter. She is clever and a fast learner. I like this mare. She is sweet and nice and tries hard to do what she is asked to and seem to have a nice temperament. She is cautious but not afraid of much. She will buck, kick, rear if challenged over her abilities (which she did a couple of times). Selfpreservation kicks in real fast.

She does a movement with her head sometimes. She loweres her head to the level of her withers, strech the neck and then slings her head around in a circular movement. The movement is followed by a few steps of fast walk or a step or two of trot. It is all done in less than two seconds. A little shetlandmare i used to have did the same movement once in a while. In different occations, with me around, with me not around, feeding time, in pasture and seemingly without reason.. I wonder if anyone have an idea of what this might mean. Its different from the herding movement stallions do with their head held low. I have not seen high ranking horses do this and not geldings either, only mares (that doesnt meen it is like this, only what I can say I have observed).

hi Jannike
you're going to need a lot of patience.
with the lowering of the head and then throwing it around, what was happening before she does it?
Mel
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