Question:
In a message dated 8/1/02
> now you know that i have picked a horse that has had a run in with
> some bad people. I Want to say this horse stands and shakes
when
> humans are near. She heads to the most distant corner when
we go thru
> the gap gate to the barn. When the other horses run to greet
and be
> petted she comes running as close to us and then goes right
back to
> her spot far away and stands and observes she stands quietly
and
> just watches every move she is very smart. She has to
be approached
> and lead to her stall to eat ,food is no incentive for her
,she will snort
> and shake an squat on her hind feet or freeze in her tracts
like she is
> to scared to eat. She like our other horses has a stall to
eat in with no
> one stealing or fighting at feed time. She would rather snort
than eat an
> watch every move we make. I do not know much about her background
> i have had her a month and have made some progress with her.
She
> seems to be settling down some.I work with her in the round
pen.
> She seems to want to flee away. She does not want to come to
> me but will allow me to approach her now. She would not at
first.
> Your the professional what can i do. i like her i want to keep
her and am
> willing to spend time working with her. She has been rode and
gaits
> smooth and one man had her 3 months he said she was too hard
to
> catch that is why he got rid of her. The man i bought her from
had
> his boy riding her .The boy had a time with her he liked her
and did
> not want his dad to sell her he said it was a very smooth riding
horse.
> I was told she has a tender mouth. She was so jumpy i
was not
> gonna get on her myself yet. I want her to settle down and
get use to me.
> i was told she was used as a brood mare , by the vets guess
is 8.
> My farrier put shoes on her an she acted up a little but he
did not have
> alot of trouble with her. Cocoa has no other bad habits. I
think she had
> been mistreated somewhere along the line. My husband has watched
> the two of us and hopes that we can get it together. Any suggestions
> will be applied i am going to ride her soon in the round pen
to start with and
> then in her pasture every chance i get to find out if this
is going to be a match
> of wits or me ending up letting her go. She is 3/4 paso fino
she is pretty and
> gaits till her little heart is content, she will go an go an
go all day an still be
> ready to go more. she likes to be the fastest and the lead
is where her legs
> carried her all day. She acts like she wants to make up with
you and still
> acts like she cant trust a human being. thanks for your ear
to listen
> an eyes to see this horse get a good home an someone to treat
her
> like a horse should be treated
> judy
>
Answer
This behavior is consistent with that of a horse that has had some
bad, and/or abusive "training" practices! However, there could be other
reasons for some of the actions you described. Therefore, not knowing first
hand the background of this horse I would not make a conclusive statement
concerning the causes. It takes time to build a deep trust, but workable
trust to generate a desire in the horse to approach you can be taught
relatively easy in a round pen. When I get a hard to catch horse I keep
them in the round pen, I give them plenty of hay, but the only grain they
get comes when they stand to be caught. Usually only takes 2-3 days. I
then only handle them in a controlled environment until they are comfortable
with being handled. Once this happens your progress will be rapid. It sounds
like you are doing a whole lot right!
Bob