[skyla]

My new rescue horse that I have had for two months is scared - of everything. He is still very wary of me and other people, shakes and lean right back to get away, he snorts and carries on all the time. Petrified when I'm on him, petrified when I lunge him, petrified if I'm in the round yard with him.

And he never really seems to habituate to anything. He's fearful of plastic bags so i put him in the round yard with a couple tied on the rails and put some feed under them. In the two hours I left him there he didnt move away from the non plastic bag side to go over to the feed.

I've never got up him, used punishments or anything. I'm just basically retraining him as though he was never broken in but he just never relaxes.

Any tips?

[CaitlynH]

Desensitize him by using approach and retreat. I like to use a thin rope halter for all of my groundwork and a long leadrope. I would also start in a roundpen, just in case he does get away.

Anyway start moving the scary object, lets say a plastic bag around in the air. If your gelding (i'm assuming) moves away, bump his nose so he has to sidepass away from it and continue shaking the plastic bag. Once he stops moving his feets and shows a sign or relaxing; lowering head and neck, a big sigh, licking his lips, more blinking, or cocking a hind leg take the pressure away and rub on him. Do not take the pressure away while he is not relaxed, that only enforces him being scared. If he's really worried about it he may only stand still at first, if he stays still for more than 14 seconds take the pressure away and rub on him.

The important thing here is not to sneak around him, you want to act normal or even a bit more energetic. The more you try to scare him the faster he'll be rehabilitated. The more you sneak around, the more he'll think there's something to be frightened of.

For now I wouldn't even ride him to be honest. I would work on desensitizing him on the ground for a while an once he's comfortable with everything on the ground then you can move to under saddle work.

[amira_rox]

Spend as much time with him as possible doing pleasent things that he will remeber as being easy and enjoyable, even if its just sitting in his paddock reading a book and feeding him treats so he gets used to the idea of you being around and begins to stop thinking your going to hurt/scare him (I'm asuming as he is a fearful rescue horse he has had some form of physical abuse).
Just come up to him in his paddock and give him a treat and then gently start patting his face, muzzle, letting him sniff you. Gradually work your way along all of his body, rubbing his belly, legs, back, etc. Pat, praise reward him, let him associate you with good stuff. Make sure he is not scared of the halter or leadrope before you tie him up. Get him to let you rub it all over him, buckle it up slowly, and introduce him to very short periods of being tied up at a time, mabye tie him next to some hay very loosely so he doesn't feel trapped, or with a friend?

Don't expect him to come right near the plastic bags. These are REALLY scare for horses as they are flappy, pick up wind, rustly and unfamiliar. Just put him in the round yard and stand there in the middle rustling them. Don't expect him to do anything but run, just gently rustle them and let him run away. Keep rustling them and eventually he should calm down. If he does, even if its just stopping galloping madly or whatever he does, give him tones of praise, reward and a rest. Then slowly begin approching him with the bags. hold them out for him to sniff and let him come to it on his terms. Let him feel like he can escape if he needs to. If he does come and sniff them, remove them as a threat so you take the presure off him to reward him and give him praise/treats. Repeat this numerous time and then begin just gently rubbing his face with the bag, all up and over it. If he gets really scared, just stop, hold them out for him to sniff, praise him and give him a break then try again later. You are aiming to do this without getting him scared/taking him out of his comfort zone too much. Gently rub it all over his body when he lets you, always just in short periods of time, with praise and the reward of being let out when he is really good. Eventually you can start rustling them right near him, flapping them, if you do it really slowly, always revising, giving breaks, never taking him to a point where he feels in seroius danger, and plenty of treats.

[rageandglory]

you will get nowhere with him until he comes to you of his own volition first. invite him. stand in his paddock, not stall, and crinkle some noisy paper. let him get curious. leave a treat on the ground. don't touch him., speak quietly and leave him be. do this a few times, creating curiosity and replacing fear with interest. he can't comply with your present plan because he can't tell the diff yet between request, demand and oh ****.

he's come from a place where to protect himself is necessary and has been there long enough to sadly accept that all is bad. to tell him otherwise and more importantly to PROVE it, he has to be interested and looking TO you, not horrified and looking for the escape hatch. stop the fear before imposing the desired.

[belsenj]

Sounds like I horse I know.
From your description, it sounds like the horse does not trust you at all. No more plastic bags, papers or object desensitizing for him until he can accept you. Once you are starting to have his trust where he's not shaking in fear, then you can gradually introduce scary objects to him. But it sounds like it will take a while for that to happen. Patience, patience and more patience.

[angie j]

I've had horse go 'months' just waiting for them to approach me (not in a roundpen.. just in the main population). I have a fenced area around my house and I will place them in the front yard with a quiet horse, so they get 'tons' of exposure to people and movement, rather than waiting for me to enter the main pens.

Patience is the ticket. And no scary stuff yet.

[farmchickisr]

I bought an elderly ex army dressage trained horse. He apparently was burned out from working as a schooling horse and competing and was high strung, was difficult in every area, grooming, hooves, saddling and for riding, very challenging, with bolts in pen, outside would happily back you down the drop side of a hill. Not much fun. I hadn't done much with him at all. Occasionally I would brush,saddle, ride inside, and stabled him with a mare he likes. After 2 1/2 yrs. I've just started cantering him and he is mellowed out. But a highstrung, or very exciteable animal will take a long time to mellow, it goes on their time schedule not ours. I like the suggestion let him just come to you, treats, treats treats, and so far little demands. Good luck.

[rageandglory]

while i am a guilty treat dispenser myself, i caution the offering of too many early on. you want the horse to come to/focus on YOU, not the treat : ). some horses can take the treat thing over the edge and get nippy and demanding. bribery only goes so far.