Hey all! So.. As some of you may or may not know, a few weeks ago I posted a thread about a "neglected" pony I was trying to "rescue." I use the quotations around "neglected" because, as someone had pointed out, they were expecting to see an emaciated, starving animal, which he was not. However, I personally believe that there are many types of neglect, including, but not limited to, not receiving the right kind or amount of attention, which he surely was not.
For those of you who did not see my previous thread about him, he's a little background.
Siri is a 2 year old POA stallion. I first came across him when my mother and I were dropping something off to my brother. My father had previously told me about a "miniature horse" that was given to my brother's girlfriend and her little girl (13 y/o with NO experience with horses)
When I first went up to him, I noticed how bad his feet were and that his attitude toward me was.. Less than desirable. After he started becoming pushy with me and bit me a couple times, I got out of his pasture and went and talked to my mother a bit about him, mostly about his care and attention. She told me that they had had him for almost two years, and hadn't been messed with in almost that long (they had him for a month or two before the 13 y/o lost interest) The fact that he is NOT a miniature horse like they believed led me to consider trying to buy him, along with his feet and is studdy attitude. They've also got 3 younger children (5, 6, and 8) and I truly and honestly feared that they were going to be hurt. After weeks of trying to talk to the girlfriend, and the daughter throwing fits, my brother decided he had had enough, that he wanted "that thing gone!"
Needless to say, I was ecstatic! And nervous.. I mean.. Here's a 2 y/o stallion with a worsening attitude. Hadn't been touched for over a year, only to be led to a place in a barn to stand tied all winter, or to a paddock with no shelter, fresh water or quality hay or grazing. I didn't know how close I was going to be able to get to him, if he would lead, how he would load, tie (though I assumed that'd be fine) or just stop! I was very pleasantly surprised when he loaded onto the trailer with no problems (other than tripping because the floor came to his knees.. xD ) and tied just fine. When I asked about his coggins, the reply was "what's a coggins?" (this is coming from someone who claims to have a ton of experience with horses.. Yeah..Right..)
I later found out that he "was registered" and when I asked who to talk to to get the papers, the reply was "well.. I supposed he'd have to be paid for in order to get them. I never had the $$$ and she never bugged me about it" I agree.. She had NO business having him if she didn't have the $400 to buy him.. I found the breeder and went to talk to her. I found out that he is NOT registered, but is able to be if I wanted. She also assured me that I was "not stuck in the middle of an owner's quarrel" as she put it, so that was a relief. He had just started nickering to me when I came into the barn!
Anyway.. Got him home and into a stall where he stayed for a couple days, very quietly I might add. I got him a bag of treats (he apparently likes peppermint!) and would take him out of the stall for a few hours to brush him. After a week, my father and I put up a small paddock for him, just in case I wasn't able to make it to my mother's one day, so he would be able to stretch his legs and let out any built up energy. I can now lead him into and out of the stall without worrying that he's going to grab my sides (was one of his favorite spots to sink his teeth into.. Ouch!) or that he's going to freak out over the chains rattling on the gates. He's getting gelded and having his feet trimmed next week. He has not been desensitized (uggghhhhh) and gets freaked out over EVERYTHING. I tried giving him a bath the other day, and he would have nothing to do with water running over him. He was fine with a wet cloth, but that's it. He lets me touch him wherever and has never offered to kick (except for when I first tried picking his feet) I've been working more around his legs and feet over the last few days, and I can now leave my hand on his fetlocks and pasterns without him getting unhappy and moving away from me. Today he had a real bath and though it took some time, I was able to get him to let me use the hose to rinse him (Yay!)
We did have a major issue the other day, and it has continued since then.. My mother was leading him from the stall to the paddock and he got pushy when she was trying to slow him. He reared and struck her in the face. Luckily, nothing was broken, but her nose is still red and swollen and a bit bloody at times, and she has a bruise on her leg. She let him go and came inside to show me what happened and to check everything out. I went out to get him (standing where she left him) and put him in the paddock. When I was leading him back to the barn, he decided he was going to try the rearing thing with me, which was NOT going to fly. After three more attempts, he gave up and walked quietly to his stall. He tried it with my mother once more today and, unlike last time, she didn't let her guard down. She was ready. He wasn't. He was on the ground. She wasn't. xD
Today was a good day. He got a bath AND let me use my fly spray on him without much fuss. I'm going to continue to bath him every couple of weeks, and rinse him with the hose at least once a week (while it's still warm, of course) and spray every day. He still needs a lot of work, that's for sure. But I think it'll all be worth it in the end. I think some of the things will change once he's gelded, but some things he will certainly need work on.
Desensitizing, for sure.
I'm open to suggestions and constructive criticism. I will consider any ideas and thoughts. Also.. Names? Personally, I can't stand Siri. To me, it's a females name and does not suit him a bit. It'll be easy to change it for him because I am 100% positive he doesn't even know his name, much less respond to it.
For those of you who did not see my previous thread about him, he's a little background.
Siri is a 2 year old POA stallion. I first came across him when my mother and I were dropping something off to my brother. My father had previously told me about a "miniature horse" that was given to my brother's girlfriend and her little girl (13 y/o with NO experience with horses)
When I first went up to him, I noticed how bad his feet were and that his attitude toward me was.. Less than desirable. After he started becoming pushy with me and bit me a couple times, I got out of his pasture and went and talked to my mother a bit about him, mostly about his care and attention. She told me that they had had him for almost two years, and hadn't been messed with in almost that long (they had him for a month or two before the 13 y/o lost interest) The fact that he is NOT a miniature horse like they believed led me to consider trying to buy him, along with his feet and is studdy attitude. They've also got 3 younger children (5, 6, and 8) and I truly and honestly feared that they were going to be hurt. After weeks of trying to talk to the girlfriend, and the daughter throwing fits, my brother decided he had had enough, that he wanted "that thing gone!"
Needless to say, I was ecstatic! And nervous.. I mean.. Here's a 2 y/o stallion with a worsening attitude. Hadn't been touched for over a year, only to be led to a place in a barn to stand tied all winter, or to a paddock with no shelter, fresh water or quality hay or grazing. I didn't know how close I was going to be able to get to him, if he would lead, how he would load, tie (though I assumed that'd be fine) or just stop! I was very pleasantly surprised when he loaded onto the trailer with no problems (other than tripping because the floor came to his knees.. xD ) and tied just fine. When I asked about his coggins, the reply was "what's a coggins?" (this is coming from someone who claims to have a ton of experience with horses.. Yeah..Right..)
I later found out that he "was registered" and when I asked who to talk to to get the papers, the reply was "well.. I supposed he'd have to be paid for in order to get them. I never had the $$$ and she never bugged me about it" I agree.. She had NO business having him if she didn't have the $400 to buy him.. I found the breeder and went to talk to her. I found out that he is NOT registered, but is able to be if I wanted. She also assured me that I was "not stuck in the middle of an owner's quarrel" as she put it, so that was a relief. He had just started nickering to me when I came into the barn!
Anyway.. Got him home and into a stall where he stayed for a couple days, very quietly I might add. I got him a bag of treats (he apparently likes peppermint!) and would take him out of the stall for a few hours to brush him. After a week, my father and I put up a small paddock for him, just in case I wasn't able to make it to my mother's one day, so he would be able to stretch his legs and let out any built up energy. I can now lead him into and out of the stall without worrying that he's going to grab my sides (was one of his favorite spots to sink his teeth into.. Ouch!) or that he's going to freak out over the chains rattling on the gates. He's getting gelded and having his feet trimmed next week. He has not been desensitized (uggghhhhh) and gets freaked out over EVERYTHING. I tried giving him a bath the other day, and he would have nothing to do with water running over him. He was fine with a wet cloth, but that's it. He lets me touch him wherever and has never offered to kick (except for when I first tried picking his feet) I've been working more around his legs and feet over the last few days, and I can now leave my hand on his fetlocks and pasterns without him getting unhappy and moving away from me. Today he had a real bath and though it took some time, I was able to get him to let me use the hose to rinse him (Yay!)
We did have a major issue the other day, and it has continued since then.. My mother was leading him from the stall to the paddock and he got pushy when she was trying to slow him. He reared and struck her in the face. Luckily, nothing was broken, but her nose is still red and swollen and a bit bloody at times, and she has a bruise on her leg. She let him go and came inside to show me what happened and to check everything out. I went out to get him (standing where she left him) and put him in the paddock. When I was leading him back to the barn, he decided he was going to try the rearing thing with me, which was NOT going to fly. After three more attempts, he gave up and walked quietly to his stall. He tried it with my mother once more today and, unlike last time, she didn't let her guard down. She was ready. He wasn't. He was on the ground. She wasn't. xD
Today was a good day. He got a bath AND let me use my fly spray on him without much fuss. I'm going to continue to bath him every couple of weeks, and rinse him with the hose at least once a week (while it's still warm, of course) and spray every day. He still needs a lot of work, that's for sure. But I think it'll all be worth it in the end. I think some of the things will change once he's gelded, but some things he will certainly need work on.
Desensitizing, for sure.
I'm open to suggestions and constructive criticism. I will consider any ideas and thoughts. Also.. Names? Personally, I can't stand Siri. To me, it's a females name and does not suit him a bit. It'll be easy to change it for him because I am 100% positive he doesn't even know his name, much less respond to it.