28th March, 2012 Oh B!

This lovely Welsh Cob is unfortunately terrified of electric fences and anything that looks remotely like one. It's a strange thing about horses that when they start to fear something they almost invite it into their lives. O has gone through electric fencing when frightened by a trailing rope and it becomes some sort of self-fulfilling prophecy, reinforcing his fear each time. He is not helped by the fact that all of the horses at the yard are fenced in entirely with electric fencing wire which is powered by the mains and therefore gives out a massive whack if they touch it. It also clicks very loudly and he is afraid of that noise too. He has become sensitive to any type of touch with the hand too.

Obviously, I can't desensitise him to the electric fencing itself but I felt that he needed to know that not everything is electrified - particularly ropes. In the top picture we are using a hoop with advance and retreat enhanced by clickered treats. You'll see that his owner is using a clip-less rope looped through in this safe environment so that if he choose to leave, he won't take the rope with him as he has done before. The clicker work is really useful in these 'self-conscious' horses as engages their mind with things outside of their own body.  Ultimately, his owner may have to move him - normally I wouldn't advocate avoidance but to be surrounded by the thing you fear 24 hours a day is hard work for this pony and makes him watchful. However, we have made a start and will see what happens.