[l8dy_bug]

Okay this guy had 3 mares and gave them to me. He didn't take care of them at all so one will let you pet her, the other will get about 2 feet and that is all but the 5 year old paint will high tail and run and will jump over any fence in her way. Someone please help and give me the best advice about taking them in and helping them. I belive every horse has a chance but at 5 years old??? I have 1 horse currently and her and I just now bonded and I am working with her.

Do you think this may mess up our work so far?? Just not sure what to do from this point. The guy has MS and as I found out this am trying to round them up really doesn't think straight at all. Any advice would be great. We only have 1 in the trailer as of now.

[firegurl979]

whats the problem with 5 years old?

[Alliekk]

I think the best thing for you to do is work with the most shy ones first. Get them to trust you. You can start by feeding them and just hanging around the hay while they eat. They will soon become accustomed to your presence, in which case they will allow you to possibly groom them. Each horse is different trust wise, so don't push them too far. You want to mak sure you are moving at their pace, not yours.

Also, what really helped with my shy WB filly was walking in AS the herd leader. I tried walking up to her and she moved away, so I made it MY idea by keeping her moving. Whatever the horse starts, make it your idea. If you have a round pen, I'd just keep them in there provided it's sheltered. When you want to work with them you can just walk up, if they flinch away ask them to make a couple trotting circles around the round pen. Stop them, walk up, if they flinch again make them run again. The whole thought process is no matter WHAT their reaction to you is, it must END with something that you asked them to do. If they move their feet, you ask them to move faster and you ask them to stop their feet. That makes the whole "moving away" your idea, not theirs.

Hope this helps. Any pictures?

[Pally]

Just spending a lot of time out there (take a book) is helpful.

If you have a (high) round pen, and can get her in there (even if she does have to live there until you can safely lead her out), do so...round pen her there.

Not sure if you are trying to keep them a bit quarantined or something, but sometimes a really quiet horse can help the shy ones get braver....so maybe pair up your trained friendly horses with these newbies.

[Bruce Wiley]

Hello, its about control and establishing yourself with them.

I have had to worked a group of 5-6 horses, all at the same time.
It teaches them about the human's pecking order in which instills into their minds you're over the other rankings within the herd.
No horse should feel slighted during this process of training them to work togather.

When there is a call, which is a direct request from the human handler.
The group of horses must move on & in at the desired fashion, preferably at the walk.
Much later on, try to get them to trot and this should be done either to the left or right direction, only allowing them to stop within a designated stopping place, which should be the middle of the arena.
There, you should perform your inspection of each horse, and then sent them off again to repeat the same maneuvers.

As time goes by and with each working sesion, you will notice them working in a unionism fashion togather where you will need to set those hind ends to be lined up as they walk as you drive them forward.
Don't worry so much about the canter because this is high action & drama and they will be trying to out do each other, so the canter and this level of excitement will effect how they are in thie part of your exercise.

The main thing is to keep them moving in the same direction and don't allow anyone to stop or hangup in corners.

Have some fun and keep me posted and I hope this insight helps.

[Alliekk]

I didn't quite understand your post, Bruce. Can you break it down? I can see where you're coming from, just not where you started.

[l8dy_bug]

Okay from my understanding she has never been handled, groomed, vet, or feet trimmed! My mare is calm and never ra from me but we just started her. I don't have a round pen at this time. But I may have an owner for her. He broke horses while in prison so he understands the risks of a wild horse.

[Rhythm 'n Blues]

^^ 5y/o & knows nothing isn't a HUGE deal, but there's a difference between knowing NOTHING & being curious, or knowing BAD stuff &/or being nasty.

I broke a 5y/o "knows nothing but is curious" gelding coming up on 2years now, and he was totally AMAZING & fun to work with! Only thing this horse knew was, how to lead, but aside from that he was afraid of ANY other handling & if you went to pet him, he would shy away -- nope didn't know how to pick up his feet either & hadn't seen a farrier or a rasp or anything in his life.

Currently I'm working with a 10y/o mare in the exact same boat as the horse I mentioned above, except she does have some "knows bad stuff & is dangerous" to a point, as she's been allowed to do what ever she wants & if kicking at people got them to leave her alone, she did it........This mare is REALLY giving me a run for my money, and I only have a few more tricks up my sleeve, so we'll see. She hasn't been one of my "lovely-er or funner" ones to work with! Don't know if it's because she's so much older, or she's a mare, or her previous nasty behaviour & being allowed to get away with it or a combo of everything or something else, but I'm sure this horse can be broke, it's just a matter of I want to be the person to do it, and if I (or someone else) may break or get hurt 1st

Just wanted to offer some words of encouragement

[l8dy_bug]

Thanks Rythm I will keep that in mind. The owner use to chase them down to get the back in the fence on a 4 wheeler. So as far as I know of she hasn't been touched or ever had a halter on her. She isn't curious about ppl yet. She see's use and goes and over anything in her way!!!

I have high hopes for her daughter though. She has the longest legs I have seen and jumped over a 5 foot fence with ease!! She is so beautiful but as of now I dont have any pic's but will get them up soon.

[l8dy_bug]

Okay guys just and update. We are doctoring on the black mare she has a cute on her leg that got infected but I can handle her in almost any way. I have picked up her front feet as well has brush her from head to toe. We are working on putting on weight her so we can starting breaking. The mustang as started to trust me and I can now brush her from head to toe and rub her face. I picked up her front feet but it kind of scared her. The 5 year old paint is in a stall and now I can go in the stall and brush her half way down and put new shavings in her stall with her still in it.

Our daughters named the black mare Sparkles
mustang mare Luna
paint mare solara

My 1st horse Roxi doesn't like the fact that she has new pasture mates. She is always kicking them or at them. The poor mustang has gotten kicked so many times I lost count. I am not sure how to brake Roxi from kicking them.