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Equus Wolf wrote:

> I have a TB mare that I've had for 6yrs.  She was so herd bound when I 
> started working with her that it required using the end of the lead 
> rope as a move along cue to get her from the pasture to the barn and a 
> chain over her nose to get her back out to the pasture without getting 
> dragged.
> How I've handled it - Slowly and surely I made her handle it.  With 
> just being in regular work, she slowly got better (didn't need the 
> lead rope cue or chain very long).  She realized she'd go back to her 
> friends.  This mare worried about everything and still does about a 
> few things occasionally.  But over the past 6 years, I added 
> controlled stresses. Riding in groups of horses, she doesn't like 
> being "left". She did not handle stall life.  I slowly started putting 
> her in a stall(she didn't do anything to hurt herself, just freaked 
> out mentally, but she respected her containment area)  I slowly added 
> time.  Now she handles stall life when necessary as long as it's not 
> totally closed in (she's out 24/7 unless it's icy).  She didn't handle 
> being in a paddock by herself, but I worked on that, a little bit of 
> time each time, so she wouldn't over stress. 
> In her case, carefully applying stress has made her tolerate it 
> better.  Funny thing is, the herd boundness was not in effect when we 
> went off the farm.  She always ended up being the babysitter, not the 
> needy one.
>  
> Shelby doesn't like leaving the "barn" or walking away from other 
> horses, and doesn't like me holding her back from the group when they 
> walk off (if we've been riding together for a bit already) but she 
> *does* listen even if it is with a little bit of sassy attitude!  To 
> prevent having the same issue as with my TB mare, when we're out 
> riding with others, I make a point to ride off from the group, 
> sometimes going back to the group, sometimes not.  I ride out into the 
> pastures by myself (of course, we end up doing a serpentine - Shelby 
> tries to turn around right, i correct her left - she thinks ohhhh you 
> want to turn around by going LEFT, then have to correct her right etc 
> *laugh*)  She listens and gets better each time.  When I first got 
> her, she was pretty barn/gate sour.  She hasn't tried to make a 
> bee-line for the barn or gate since the first month I had her.  A lot 
> of her getting better is being consistent and riding her regularly.  
> Another part is bonding with her.  She's beginning to like the praise 
> and attention more than arguing to be with her horsey friends or at 
> the barn. :)  That's a nice feeling!
>  
> Jen
>
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What a well thought out and PATIENT approach.
Keith

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