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 Georgia Peach
Posts: 8338
    
Location: Georgia |
My now 2-year old filly genuinely hates being brushed/ touched / etc. She is not a hateful filly and really does enjoy being around us. She's always the first one to greet me in the pasture. Her head, neck, chest, and legs dont seem to bother her but the second you go to scratch her anywhere behind the whithers she throws a huge attitude. We've had her since birth and we have always had our hands on her so it doesnt make any sense to me. I'm starting to wonder if there might be something wrong with her. I have a hard time believing her main intention is to be dispespectful because she is generally well behaved. Have any of you ever dealt with a young horse that was like this? Its hard to explain her reaction. She does the that flinching like shes trying to get rid of a fly. It just agitates her.
Also wanted to add that she acts like im killing her when I try to give her a bath, especially when the water runs over her back.
Edited by Runninbay 2016-04-02 5:11 PM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 489
| That almost sounds like she is sore. Has she recently had something happen where she might have injured or torqued herself? Maybe get a chiropractor or vet to see is she is out somewhere? Has she always been this way? I've been reading about magnesium deficiency and it's side effects. One of them is hyper sensitivity. I have no idea if it is a real problem or not, but I can tell what I think after my 7 day trial is over. I'm trying products from performance equine nutrition, since I'm looking for answers for my own "sensitive" child. Good luck |
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| If you pussyfoot around and act sneaky they develop some weird don't bother
me attitudes.
Time to work her butt off to get her attention in both directions and then unwind
her with tossing your lead rope all over her body from both sides until she has
no flinch reaction ... do the whole routine again .... if you don't defuse a horse after riding or working them .. all they remember is what they didn't like ... SO ... act crazier
than she is ...
Water hose is one of the best defusing or gentling one down ... so get your longe'
line, long water hose and a pen ... and run a slow stream on her and then use thumb
pressure and chase her around the pen and make her stop if she gets ahead of you ..
Avoid the head .. until you get the body calmed down and then use a fine spray as if it
is raining and let her drink out of the water hose ... reach up and wipe her face with your hand as a sweat stick and spray her body and head again ... I seem to get
wetter than the horse when I do this ... keep after her until she likes it ...
The spray is invisible to young horses and they have to figure out it feels good rather
than it's gonna get me attitude ...
Do everything she doesn't expect .. if she takes off ... work her in circles .. stop her and spray the hose and wipe her face ... and take some swipes with the sweat stick to
erase any fear she had at that part of her body ....
Just aggravate her until she is calm and relaxed when getting sprayed ...
Just don't be sneaky ... act like you expect her to stand still and get her belly sprayed, between her back legs, feet legs, ribs ... and then use your sweat stick as a reward all over her body and she will purr like a kitten ... lol ...
GOOD LUCK ..
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Veteran
Posts: 231
Location: Nashvegas | I believe I have read that horses that are deficient in magnesium tend to act that way. Research it, to make sure but certain deficiencies cause certain behaviors. There are also vets that will run hair analysis for such things. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Runninbay - 2016-04-02 5:09 PM
My now 2-year old filly genuinely hates being brushed/ touched / etc. She is not a hateful filly and really does enjoy being around us. She's always the first one to greet me in the pasture. Her head, neck, chest, and legs dont seem to bother her but the second you go to scratch her anywhere behind the whithers she throws a huge attitude. We've had her since birth and we have always had our hands on her so it doesnt make any sense to me. I'm starting to wonder if there might be something wrong with her. I have a hard time believing her main intention is to be dispespectful because she is generally well behaved. Have any of you ever dealt with a young horse that was like this? Its hard to explain her reaction. She does the that flinching like shes trying to get rid of a fly. It just agitates her.
Also wanted to add that she acts like im killing her when I try to give her a bath, especially when the water runs over her back.
How long ago did she start acting like this? Maybe shes just more sensitive then normal. My older gelding is very sensitive when brusing him I cant use to much pressure or he will start the skin flinching, hes not grumpy just sensitive skin. |
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Georgia Peach
Posts: 8338
Location: Georgia | KindaClassey - 2016-04-02 7:10 PM That almost sounds like she is sore. Has she recently had something happen where she might have injured or torqued herself? Maybe get a chiropractor or vet to see is she is out somewhere? Has she always been this way? I've been reading about magnesium deficiency and it's side effects. One of them is hyper sensitivity. I have no idea if it is a real problem or not, but I can tell what I think after my 7 day trial is over. I'm trying products from performance equine nutrition, since I'm looking for answers for my own "sensitive" child. Good luck
The end of last year she got into a habbit of pulling back when tied. She did it maybe 5 times. We have since broken that *knock on wood* but it could be possible she tweaked something in one of those moments. But honestly I feel like she has always been like this. I just notice it more now that I am preparing to put her first ride on her....hence why she has to stand and be brushed. I will definitely look into magnesium deficiency. Might be worth it to get her tested. And maybe call a chiro while im at it. Thank you! |
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Georgia Peach
Posts: 8338
Location: Georgia | Southtxponygirl - 2016-04-03 11:44 AM Runninbay - 2016-04-02 5:09 PM
My now 2-year old filly genuinely hates being brushed/ touched / etc. She is not a hateful filly and really does enjoy being around us. She's always the first one to greet me in the pasture. Her head, neck, chest, and legs dont seem to bother her but the second you go to scratch her anywhere behind the whithers she throws a huge attitude. We've had her since birth and we have always had our hands on her so it doesnt make any sense to me. I'm starting to wonder if there might be something wrong with her. I have a hard time believing her main intention is to be dispespectful because she is generally well behaved. Have any of you ever dealt with a young horse that was like this? Its hard to explain her reaction. She does the that flinching like shes trying to get rid of a fly. It just agitates her.
Also wanted to add that she acts like im killing her when I try to give her a bath, especially when the water runs over her back.
How long ago did she start acting like this? Maybe shes just more sensitive then normal. My older gelding is very sensitive when brusing him I cant use to much pressure or he will start the skin flinching, hes not grumpy just sensitive skin.
I feel like she has always been like this on some level, but now that I'm working with her a lot more I'm finally becoming more aware of it. Maybe she is just overly sensitive.... |
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Georgia Peach
Posts: 8338
Location: Georgia | BARRELHORSE USA - 2016-04-02 7:22 PM If you pussyfoot around and act sneaky they develop some weird don't bother me attitudes. Time to work her butt off to get her attention in both directions and then unwind her with tossing your lead rope all over her body from both sides until she has no flinch reaction ... do the whole routine again .... if you don't defuse a horse after riding or working them .. all they remember is what they didn't like ... SO ... act crazier than she is ... Water hose is one of the best defusing or gentling one down ... so get your longe' line, long water hose and a pen ... and run a slow stream on her and then use thumb pressure and chase her around the pen and make her stop if she gets ahead of you .. Avoid the head .. until you get the body calmed down and then use a fine spray as if it is raining and let her drink out of the water hose ... reach up and wipe her face with your hand as a sweat stick and spray her body and head again ... I seem to get wetter than the horse when I do this ... keep after her until she likes it ... The spray is invisible to young horses and they have to figure out it feels good rather than it's gonna get me attitude ... Do everything she doesn't expect .. if she takes off ... work her in circles .. stop her and spray the hose and wipe her face ... and take some swipes with the sweat stick to erase any fear she had at that part of her body .... Just aggravate her until she is calm and relaxed when getting sprayed ... Just don't be sneaky ... act like you expect her to stand still and get her belly sprayed, between her back legs, feet legs, ribs ... and then use your sweat stick as a reward all over her body and she will purr like a kitten ... lol ... GOOD LUCK ..
Thank you! I agree she does need more work. Hopefully a few wet saddle pads in the near future will solve some issues. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 672
| I would sure have her chiro'd but also check out magnesium deficiency. I had a mare that started acting up, acting crinchy when she never used to be, and disliked being brushed. I started her on Performance Equine Nutrition Magpellets and it changed everything. She actually enjoys being brushed now. |
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  Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | Since shes always been a bit sensitive and has really not had alot of hands on grooming and washing .. I think just keep at it .. i think the minerals are a good thing to check as well.. some with rainrot will act that way to.. your just starting to really handle her grooming more .. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 415
| PSSM, sore, or an attitude. |
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Common Sense and then some
Location: So. California | PSSM.... |
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Veteran
Posts: 180
| Ditto. PSSM. Have her parents been 5 paneled tested? |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 300
| I have an 11 year old mare that has been "hyper sensitive" since birth. I raised her. I am not sure if a vet would actually diagnose her as this, but brushing, saddling, clipping, tying all of it she is sensitive to. She still sets back randomly to this day, last year she set back when I touched a scab on her neck. I have had her tested for PSSM1 and she's negative. I have not tried the magnesium but am willing to do so. But just be careful about forcing her to accept things. I worked with my mare ALOT since birth from leading, clipping, lounging, on up to riding, hauling, etc. She is not going to change. And she too is a very sweet mare with no ill intentions but I have learned to just accept some things about her. |
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Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | Id have her tested to but she isnt showing any other signs correct? of PSSM.. just sensitive to touch .. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 585
Location: Texas | I agree PSSM possibility. What are you feeding her? |
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 Champ
Posts: 19623
Location: Peg-Leg Julia Grimm | I've had a colt that had an issue with his stomach, act that way. |
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 Life Saver
Posts: 10477
Location: MT | My gelding that is thin skinned doesn't particularly like me messing around with touching him much (except when he is itchy from shedding or flies). He doesn't act out about it but you can tell he is very sensitive and thin skinned. Certain brushes/combs bother him worse than other ones. He also doesn't like mud flying up at his belly and the flies and mosquitoes drive him crazy. Right now we have ticks out and he is the one that seems to be the most bugged when they are on him. He's always been that way and I've never found anything that changed it for him. Hope that makes sense. I do think some are just more thin skinned and sensitive to touch than others. |
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Expert
Posts: 3514
| Herpes will cause a horse to be sensitive to touch. Start giving Lysine and see if that helps. |
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