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Horse Behavior and Training

My Boy doesn't let me touch his leg!!

By:

dominika

Date:

2011-May-27 at 08:12PM

Hey!
Maybe u can help me with my lil problem.
3 months ago I got my 4 year old Gypsy cob Gelding. He is a dream! But there is this little problem: he doesn't let me touch his leg! He had Mudfever few months ago. So his previous owner cut all his feather off. He still has a bad crust I need to treat with special spray. But there is no chance me touching this leg! He doesn't feel any pain. I guess it is just a bad memory. He does it also with the farrier. Took ages to do his trim!
We did a pretty good join up. But still no change.
Any ideas?
Thank u xx

Miriam (Holland&Germany) 2011-May-28 at 11:56AM

Hi dominika,
There is a lot you can do to help your horse overcome this bad memory.
Be in a safe environment, have your horse on a longline, so you have control of him, preferably on a Duallyhalter.
Start with a stick with plastic shoppingbags tagged to one side, use the side without bags first to rub just behind the whithers, where horses groom eachother. Keep rubbing and see if he relaxes, if he does, take the stick away. Come in again and move the stick towards the hindquarters in circular movements. Always allowing the horse to react and you remove the stick when he relaxes. This way he teaches the stick to go away when he relaxes.
Now you can make your movements bigger,up the manes, towards the legs, down the legs, keeping with him as long as he reacts, taking the stick away when he relaxes. Should he kick, stay with him, let him kick the stick, you're safe. Work on both sides of the horse.
Now that he accepts the stick on his leg, you can do the same procedure with the other side of the stick with the bags kept together with some rubber bands. Always start at the whithers, this is a homezone for horses. After having him accept the plastic folded, open it up, so you have the sound and the flapping around of the plastic as extra stimuli.
The next step could be an "artificial arm", this procedure is also described in "From my hands to yours" by Monty.
Let us know how you're doing and stay safe!
Miriam

Gen (Queensland, Australia) 2011-May-29 at 11:01PM

Hi Dominika
.
I love the concept that Miriam describes above from Monty's book leading up to using the "artificial arm". My husband and I used this technique on our rescue horse Renacer and it worked so well - and none of us got hurt or even came close to getting hurt :-)
.
Everything about Monty's techniques are just wonderful.
.
Kind regards,
.
Gen

dominika 2011-Jun-01 at 10:37PM

Hey Miriam and Gen!
Thank u so much for your answers! I will start the training from tomorrow. Will keep u informed about the progress!
Fingers crossed!
Xx