help needed very scared pony

[horsecrazy_tas]

This is the second attemp. I rescued a miniture pony that was going to be dogged due to her being scared. I will explaine what she does when I first got her she would run through a electric tape fence to get away if she was cornered, if it was a large paddock she would put heap of distance between herself and anyone. I have been working with her for the past month on and off (about every second day) anyway I can get in the same paddock now but it takes me about an hour to catch her in a large paddock and due to it being winter I cant keep her locked up in my stockyard too small and it got too muddy, in the stockyard it takes 1 min but to get her to the stockyard I have to chase and I don't think this helps. What I am asking for is any idea on making this pony less scared of human. She does respond to you and I know she is learning but there maybe way I do not know that others do to make it less stressful. So any idea let me know.

[horse_child]

Hmm that's a tough question...
Definatly don't chase her, that will scare her even more. Try sitting on the ground in the middle of the paddock and keep your eyes on the ground, therefore giving her no threat. If she approaches you, have a bucket of grain in your lap for her to eat out of. Just sit there and let her eat, when she wanders off, get up and go in. After a week or so of this, try to see if she'll let you pet her, and continue working forward using baby steps.

[horsecrazy_tas]

Thanks for the reply, will try it out but a friend of mine seems to think she is never going to give into me, and I should just work on my other horses as she just doesn't want to be caught, as she is very determine in the paddock with the other horses and even though she is small she wont back down from them. He seems to think I am wasting my time but I will keep trying see .

[horse_child]

Good luck and keep trying!

[chrissybabii]

Why don't you just stand in the paddock and see if she'll come to you.Call her name a couple of times.If she does come to you reward her with a treat.Pet her and see what happens.

[emmanqueenie]

I volunteer at a local at a local horse recue centre therefore we recieve quite a few horses like this. A pony called mitzy was found in appaling condition with her dead foal so she finds in hard to trust humans.We have found a local horse whisperer which costs as little a £15 an hour which has regain quite a bit of her comfidence and within a few sessions she now has people leaning over her back. It also helps to lower your self to their height such as knelling down and giving small titbits which makes you less intimidating this works with many of our rescue horses and maks them more comfortable. Hope she improves emma