My horse is afraid of fly spray. How can I help him get over it?

Question

His name is Sparky and he is a chestnut QH. Whenever its time to fly spray watchs fretfully as you bring the spray bottle to him. When you spray it near him he just looks at it reluctantly, but hwen you spray him he freaks out. Have any suggesttions to overcome his fear. Any good websites?

Answer 1

Keep trying, do it everyday until he gets used to it. Start down low on his legs, and when he doesn't freak out as much, stop spraying, and reward him and say hes a good boy and give him a pat. Do it again, work up until he relaxes when you spray his body, etc etc. It took me a long time to get my horse used to spray, and I still can't always do his face, but thats from lack of practice.

Oh yeah, use water at first int he spray bottle to save your fly spray :)

Good luck!

Answer 2

spray it on a rag then wipe it on him.

to help him overcome it,mabey just carry it around with you but do somthing to him that make him happy,like a scratch on the withers.

or just have it sitting around when you are working with him

Answer 3

I know everyone else said this but rubbing on, it really works! First, spray it on a cloth rag where he can't see what you are doing, and then rub it on him. Do this until he is used. If he is already used to it, you can just move up to spraying it on the rag while he's watching. Work you way up to spraying it into your hand, then rubbing it on to him. Then, before you know it you will be able to spray it directly onto him.

Answer 4

I had the same problem with my gelding.  He would try and run away every time we got close with the bottle.

What worked for me was that we just started out by rubbing the bottle on him starting with him smelling it.  Once he was used to used to the bottle being rubbed on him we started spraying lightly.  He did freak out a lot and it takes a lot of time.  It took me a little over two months before I was able to spray him daily and even then he would always jump and be nervous a little bit but he would stand for it.

Answer 5

What I did to help train a horse was....

Bring the spray bottle near him, if he stands still give him a treat, after he is standing still for a while, take the bottle away.  Then bring it back if he stands still right away, give him a treat, if not repeat above.  Once he stands still when the bottle is near him, put it next to his body like you are going to spray him, when he stands still give him a treat, when he stands for a little while take the bottle away.  Then bring it back, if he stands still right away, give him a treat, if he doesn't stand still repeat above until he does.  Then spray him in one spot, just once.  If he moves around, wait until he stands still, then give him a treat.  and repeat until he is standing very nicely and doesn't even need the treats.  It might take a couple days or weeks, but remember, horses respond to consistensy!

Answer 6

start at his legs and make your way up to his neck but avoid his head, then go to his back and then under his stomach and then to his back legs then to his rump

just spray some of it in your hand and rub on his face and around his ears so it does not get in his eyes  

Answer 7

at the barn i ride at. they would spray it like a couple feet in front of the horse. and if the horse didnt adjust to the sound and smell. then they would spray it on a soft bush and "brush" it on

Answer 8

i used a rag when i sprayed my mare.  then started carrying the bottle around while wiping.  then started spraying around him with water.  when used to that.  i started with the fly spray.  i never got anything but the rag near her face.  it also covered better than spraying.  always ran rag over the spray area.

Answer 9

Go into a round pen or enclosed area. Give him a little slack in the rope. Spray him with water. If he moves, follow him, and don't change the rhythm of your spraying. Do this until he stops moving, even for an instant, then instantly stop spraying. [If he doesn't stop moving, stop spraying after 20 seconds].

Give him 30 seconds to  think about the fact that his not moving = the spraying stops.

Do it again. Matter-of-factly spray until he shows any sign of stopping or relaxation [or 20 seconds], then quit.

This takes patience and consistency. Really notice when he gives any sign of relaxing or stopping (head dropping, l*****g lips) and instantly quit spraying. Soon he will figure out that if he just stops moving and relaxes, the nasty spraying will stop.

Works every time.

Answer 10

try rubbing it on ur hand and then rubbing it on HIM.

or, rub the bottle all across his body as u slowly squuirt litttle things of it...

its kinda confusing. sorry.

Answer 11

1)  Always speak to him in a calm reassuring voice. Yelling at him when he freaks out over the spray makes him fear it more. Start off by spraying near him, start outside the stall. Than gradually go closer and closer to him. While you're doing this always talk to him and tell him that it's ok. Eventually you will be able to spray it on him without a fuss.

  2)  With a couple of the more violent horses I spook proofed, I had their halter on and I held a lead rope, I don't suggest this to anyone, because it is dangerous if you don't know what you are doing, because they will jump around, you have to have a strong upper body and know how to properly control them without making things worse.

I suggest trying the first one for a couple days and he will gradually be spook proofed and you will be able to spray anything on him from Linament to Cooling Spray.

Answer 12

same problem with my gelding! he would try to rear and flare his nostrils! try filling a spray bottle with water and spray it lightly around him until he gets used to it (use water so you dont waste fly spray)  spray it closer and closer until he  gets used to it. desensitize him as well. rub the bottle on his neck and let him sniff it. it takes a while but now my horse just stands there and does care lol. meanwhile, i would rub on the fly spray with a rag. you may want to try an aerosole fly spray. i've HEARD some horses prefer that than the regular spray bottle.

good luck!

Answer 13

When horses are afraid of the spray bottle, it's usually a combination of the smell, the sound and the little tickle of the spray on their skin.

I usually start out without the spray bottle in my hand and go forward with my regular grooming routine. When the horse is nice and relaxed, I continue to brush or do something pleasurable for him, and then I make the "tssst tssst tsssst" sound with my mouth, mimicking the sound of the spray bottle the best that I can. I do this very quietly, as if it's totally normal for this sound to be happening. When he notices the sound, I just look at him and smile, tell him, "Yep! That's the new sound! No worries!" I start with this exercise only while I'm brushing the shoulder or the neck, to give him the best chance to adjust to the new sound and realize that the sound is still associated with something that is relaxing and feels good. Over the course of a few days, I end up just making the sound randomly as I brush him, feeling very relaxed myself - when we are relaxed with what we're doing, the horses can relax, too (key to relaxing - remember to breathe rhythmically). I take as much time, as many days, as necessary to give him the chance to choose to believe that the sound won't hurt him.

When he's relaxed with the sound, then I brush him with the bottle in my hand, AND I make the sound. I don't try to hide the bottle, I hold it as if it's a natural part of my own hand, just as natural as holding the brush. It's a progression, again to give him the opportunity to notice that his body is still comfortable even with the hissy noise and the bottle in hand. Again, take as many days as necessary for him to realize that the bottle and the hissy sound are a normal part of brushing.

I don't go through a whole routine like, "Okay, now...I'm going to do this bottle thing and there is nothing to be afraid of...you're going to be okay...", because more times than not, your horse will interpret that as you telling him, "Oh my gosh...there's something new coming...you'd better be ready because I'm not sure how this is gonna turn out!" The best way to invite your horse to relax and trust you is for you to be relaxed and trustworthy, believe in your own plan, and go forward feeling good about it. Rubs and pets, yes, yes, yes...just not with that preparatory anxiety.

When the sound and the bottle are yesterday's news, I step it up again. I move forward into this stage as fluidly as possible - trying to to think too much about it. Now, with no more ceremony than regular brushing, I'll have the bottle and a brush in my right hand and my left hand empty. I make sure he knows I have the bottle in my hand, and I make sure I've worked with the bottle so that he's okay with it pointing at him.

I begin with a long stroke of the brush, and follow it with a soothing open hand on his skin, making the "tssst tsssst tsssst" noise with my mouth. I gently make the noise, and with my left hand still on his body, I tuck the brush under my left arm in a relaxed way and spray the back of my hand as it strokes his body. I talk to him, being totally honest, "Wow! That was different, eh? This time the bottle sprayed! But it sprayed on my hand mostly, and a little bit on your body! That's all we're doing for today, Love. We'll just finish brushing you now." ...and again, do this just a little bit every day, beginning on the shoulders and withers (because horses feel naturally less threatened in those areas), until you develop a trust with him - he needs to trust that you are hearing him say, "I just don't like that whole spritzing process! I don't like the smell, I don't like the sound of it, and that light tickle just doesn't make sense to me..."

Your biggest role in this whole process is to stay relaxed, with no expectations of how he should or should not respond. He's uncomfortable with the spray - honor that, but put together a gentle plan to help him realize that it is no threat, to desensitize him to the tickley feeling, and to find trust that doing the "fly spray thing" is a safe part of your interactions together.

In the meantime, use a soft rag and wipe it on...especially on his legs!

Answer 14

When my horse freaked when being sprayed with aerosole cans, I just used a cloth/rag and sprayed it on that and wiped it on him. That way they can hear the sound and get used to that first. Then gradually start spraying him, little amounts each day. Over time he should get used to it (hopefully). Hope this helps you :)