We have this mare...?

Question

She is an ex-pacer but in she had a heart problem so her racing career failed.

Anyway, she's been living on our farm for as long as i've been here (12 years) without anyone handling her. That was fine, because she has always had other horses with her, but recently her last companion, my beloved childhood pony passed away.

So now, for the first time in perhaps 15 years this beautiful horse is alone. Whenever someone tries to get near her she pins her ears back and charges at them...

I was wondering if i should try and gain her trust and get close to her, just to give her some company or if it wouldn't be worth if after all those years without human interference? I've been taking her a piece of bread whenever i go to fill up her water and the other day she nickered at me! But i just don't know if i should leave her be or not...

Answer 1

Yes I would try to gain her trust. A treat here and there wont hurt. Eventually you will have a companion that will meet you at the gate every day.

Good luck!

Answer 2

she nickered a you, thats a good sign. Dont rush her, go in the paddock, talk  to her softly, and just hang around, after a while she will take interest in you.

Try going in to her paddock, with you back to her, walk around, and then stop, look at her, and see if she is watching, if her bottom lip quivers she is interestedand is thinking about whether to come over. Curiosity will get to her and she will eventually walk up to you.

Answer 3

If you work with her slowly and quietly and watch for the signs that she is unhappy or afraid then you should be able to earn her trust. But she would still be lonely, if you could get another horse in with her that would most likely help, but having a goat in with her would also be good. My grandfather used to use goats to keep his show horses calm

Answer 4

Horses are a heard animal, and if they don't have another horse to bond with, they will bond with any thing else that will come in the pasture.

    If this mare nickered at you and will eat out of your hand, I would say go for it! She is obviously interested in you, and lonely. If you are patient, she may become a very friendly horse.

Answer 5

I've always believed that if my horse trusts me, I can trust him. This mare seems interested in you, so I'd try to gain her trust. If she's been out in a pasture so long, most likely she's taken up feral instincts and needs to re-associate humans with positive things.

Next time you go to see her, bring some grain, or like you said bread. If she won't eat it directly from your hand, place a few pieces on the ground where you stand. Eventually she will start to recognize you scent with food, and that alone should make her want to interact with you. On the charging subject, I'd say get a nice long stick and tape a plastic sack to it. If she tries to charge fling the sack around some, and see how she reacts. If he attacks the sack then its defiently dominace issues and you may need to start bringing someone with you, when you go to fool around with her so incase you get hurt someone can help.

Horses like this are sad cases, but if this mare truly wants attention she will reach out and seek it.

One question though, if she never interacted with humans for 15 years, how is she still alive?!? I'd imagine her hooves would be so horrible after the first few years she would have already died. Let alone the fact she probably hasn't recieved wormings, or dental care. Honestly whoever owns her is at fault for her feral actions, and whoever was taking care of her really needs to learn you can't leave a creature in a pasture for 15 years without handling her!

Answer 6

As kids I'm sure alot of us dreamed about befriening a fieral horse. Another black beauty. In reality it is very dangerous. I have to agree with Jeff, she should be left alone. But if you are bound and determined (after all a teenager will do what they wanna do,) take it very slow. Even if she starts coming up to you, do not feed her from your hand. Instead place it on the fence for her to get it. I do not feed my horse from my hand, can promote biting. Like someone else said, read close by. But do not read inside the fence!!! Not until you both fully trust each other. Remember this is a 1000 pound animal who can do serious damage to you, caution should ALWAYS be used. No matter what horse you are around. Try talking to her or singing, my horse will come nuzzle me when I start singing. There is something magical about the bond between a horse and a human, but it is very fragile. And with her being "wild", it is even more so.

Answer 7

no wonder she is nasty towards you she hasnt been mesed with before.  In my experience this is a form of disrespect and lack of trust. I would just sit out with her(where she cant hurt you) and try reading or sit out with a bucket of grain. Once you can catch her you need to imediatly so some groundwork for respect. Google Clinton Anderson.

Answer 8

You've made a good start with the bread...I would definitely sit around out there with her. Even if you are on the other side of a fence, she'll start coming around because she is lonely.

If you could bring in some limestone to create an area of harder surface it would help to wear her hooves down.

Answer 9

try reading a book or having a nap outside the fence (make sure she cant get close enough to bite you while you sleep!) and put some grain or bread near you but far enough away so she will come up to it. gradually put the food colser to you and talk to her. dont look at her directly in the eye as some 'wild' horses dont like this. get her to trust you over the fence before you start going in there with a stick! as she may find this threatening. and once you build up trust over the fence, try sitting on it (but dont swing around on it as it might scare her) and eventually go in there, but to beguin with just stay close to the fence (at the most meteres away) and if she charges at you then stand your ground! dont let her be the boss (if she does try and attack you then you havent done enough bonding over the fence) if you feel you need someone with you 'just in case' make sure they arent too close as theres only one of her and two of you which she may find very threating, i would also take your moblie phone (if you have one) for the times when you are bonding over the fence.

i wouldnt try putting anything 'human' on her eg headcollar, rug, fly spray, worming, feet trimming etc as she is clearly happy just being herself, and you may loose the bond you have by scaring her (having a bond with a horse is a very special and fragile thing so dont blow  as it is very hard to get back once it is lost). when she trusts you enough in the field she may foloow you around... this is when you become the leader of her without using human gagets to do so

good luck

let me know how you get on!

Answer 10

they should not be alone, you could try putting a goat or cow with her if you cant put another horse in there. as for gaining her trust, just take it slow because if you rush her then you could end up at square one. just get her used to her being by you for now, you could try carrots or apples instead of the bread. she is probably lonley and would like just having somone out there near her. try to get her to come to you for the food then maybe you could try to start brushing her and getign her used toyour touch agian. it will be easier then starting a horse with no training. jsut make her remember t hat you wont hurt her :) (i aggree with the others though, when you do give her her treet try placing it on the ground and make sure if you are in there you have a fast way to get out where she cant)

Answer 11

Horses are herd animals and need a social outlet.  if another horse is not available, a human is a good option.

if the mare is pinning her ears at you, it could be a dominance issue.  I would not go in the pen without some sort of whip or stick or rope that you could wave around to drive her away from you.

check out www.parelli.com.

they have a free dvd you can get that shows whayt their programs offer.  if you start working with her, and build a relationship with her, she will have something to look forward to every day instead of being couped up alone.  Horses learn to crave their time with you if you develop some kind of program with them.  I am sure spending time with you will be the highlight of her day!

Answer 12

Well its worth a try, its not like your going to loose anything if you do bond with her. And i would say she would like having you as company seeing as she is lonely. And if you do get another horse then you can still befriend with her so then if you have to get rid of the other horse then at least she wont be lonely again.So I Say Befriend Her, I Think She Will Like You For It! ! !

Hope i helped! ! !

Answer 13

If she is charging humans you had best stay away.  It takes a VERY experienced person to deal with such a horse even semi-safely and I have seen plenty of those people make mistakes that cost them dearly.

I strongly suggest you keep you distance.  Just stay away completely.  I have seen horses like this kick at people with little or no warning.  And I know plenty of people seriously injured or dead because of such a kick.

People should not be encouraging someone with little experience  (I am assuming you are  in your teens but we don't even know how old you are) to try to gentle such a horse. We had a horse like this when I was a kid, and like most kids I was a little cocky too.  I almost got my knees kicked out from under me by a horse like this.

Feed her and give her treats but keep out of the pen with her.  Also do not feed her from your hand.

Answer 14

Go you! hehe I'd offer to help but she doesn't know me so I won't dare...hehe anyway I could just tell you all this tomorow but I couldn't be bothered... she obviously is a bit sure you won't hurt her otherwise she wouldn't eat the bread until yu were a loooooooonnnnnnnggggggg long way away... just take it slowly. bring her bread whenever you can so she can get used to you being around. After a while she might decide to trust you but it won't come immediatley (why on earth am I telling you this? you know it as well, if not better, than I do!!! :D) If you want to keep her company, you know how to go about gaining her trust and just ask for help if you need it (wink wink) :P talk to you later, have fun and don't forget the polypipe!