is my new mare sensitive to touch?...

3299 Views 10 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Vidaloco, Dec 27, 2009

horseluver50

Discussion Starter · Dec 24, 2009

I just got my mare this last weekend. She is 12 yrs old, competed in reining/western pleasure... really well broke.

I'm not sure if its just because she doesnt trust me yet or something.. but when we go to pet her side or her neck, or if we brush her body, she either backs up, or turns her body away from us.
Is that just being nervous, or is she really sensitive?

She only does it sometimes though.. sometimes she stands still and lets us brush her, hug her all over.

Also, she is very very well trained, and is sensitive to aids/cues.. maybe by brushing, she thinks we are putting pressure and asking her to move?

to get her to back up, all we do is lightly push her chest, and she backs up really fast.

If its sensitivity, what should I do to get her to stand still?
Thanks

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mom2pride

· #6 · Dec 25, 2009

Depending on the barn she was at, she may not have received a lot of the 'hands' on pampering... she may need to get used to you spending time with her just to pamper her.

At the same time, if she is just 'over sensitive' to your body language, you may just have to ignore the moving away, and just lead her back forward, and start again. She may just think that you want her to move everytime...you just have to desensitize her to not having to move unless you actually ask her.

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mom2pride

· #10 · Dec 27, 2009

Vidaloco said:
I keep a can of Static-guard and spray my brushes with it in the winter.
.

Hey this is a really good idea...my mare hates all the static that happens when I pet her!

I've also found that spritzing her with conditioner (Mane and tail diluted) helps ALOT as far as the static goes.

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