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Hi Laurie, 

I totally agree. Some horses are more sensitive and
need extra time and patience. I always had a feeling
she just needed to be given a chance because she's
great with me, but getting the message across to
others is not always so easy. But it seems that now
the vet got the point that he has to take his time
with her. Rushing her will get him nowhere and can be
dangerous.
I did make a mistake that day of *the incident* with
the vet last year to put the chain under her chin. I
have had to do a lot of work because of this - after
that incident she was scared of just hearing the chain
rattle through the halter rings. I always try to
address any fear she has of whatever object or thing.
Now she has improved 100% (horses can be so forgiving
of our idiot moments) and will let me rattle the chain
around through the halter rings and even place it
under her chin and she will stand quietly unconcerned.
Like anything its how you use it, and how gentle your
hands are. Obviously a man jerking full force on that
chain several times must have been excruciating. 
I want to take her to a couple of shows this summer
and they require that the chain pass under the chin
and be attached to the side of the halter. I have been
working on her ground manners all along (without a
chain) and she backs and steps to the side and stops
very well. I am focusing on her working off my body
language as well so that the lead stays very loose.
Outside of these small training sessions, I never use
a chain. I wouldn't even use it at a show if it wasn't
required. She doesn't need it.
I am sure my filly will require more vet visits before
the vet can approach her without going through a whole
process first. In a way, he has to work it out with
her. The barn manager told me that when he first
approached her yesterday, my filly freaked out,
rearing up and jumping back. But he stayed close by
and let her smell him before trying to touch her.
After a few minutes she calmed down a little and he
was able to touch her, although she was still tense
and ready to jump. After a few more minutes of him
petting her and her checking him out, he was able to
give her the shot and then float her teeth. She only
raised her head when the needle went in and that was
it. Big difference. 

Lysane and Mae West  



From: "Laurie Durgin" <ladurgin@xxxxxxx>
                     Subject: RE: [RC]   [RC] Horse
with fear of vet


                     My mare who is very sensitive
and the kind you have to win trust with 
                     had a 
                     similiar occusrance right before
I got her. The lady who raised her 
                     said the 
                     farrier she had come to trim
smacked her with a tool when he did her. 
                     After 
                     that no one could touch her
feet. (she remembers well). We had to do 
                     2-3 
                     months of desentisizing her in
little bitty steps , and it still took 
                     years 
                     before she is "good" for the
farrier. She is fine now, but she was real 
                     iffy 
                     for the first  year then you
still have to be slow and careful and she 
                     didn't like  one hind foot
picked up and held.
                       She is fine now but it has
taken years for her to be confortable. 
                     Same 
                     horse after my fall, was shaking
the next time I started to dismount, 
                     had to 
                     do some calming down 
repetetions for both of us.
                        Some horses you just can't
"yank and beat', they are more 
                     complicated.
                        FWIW, Lots of carrots (I call
it carrot/clicker training w/out the 
                     clicker) help smooth things over
quickly.
                        The vet /your friends could
do some approach and retreat with a 
                     "treat'. 
                     Then she won't associate
'strangers' with getting hurt. She is just 
                     afraid, 
                     and doesn't trust enough to feel
others are going to take care of her 
                     better 
                     than she can herself.
                        I would never use a chain on
this horse. It causes pain, pain 
                     reinforces 
                     her fear, and she knows she is
going to die, so she is trying to defend 
                     herself. I'd make her move her
hindquarters away, but not with a chain 
                     biting into her face.
                       Trust ,patience, firmness,
breaking things in ittty bitty steps, 
                     'practicing' , helped my mare,
she may never be a plug, but she has 
                     begun to 
                     think first and listen to me.
Laurie










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