"Sarah, just a line to say thank you for your fabulous book. Brief history of my "problem"...
Two rescue Shetland fillies, probably aged 3 and 4, arrived in January.
Arrived terrified and badly handled, headcollars tight but not embedded (yet)
took an hour to get one of them off the lorry. Once in the paddock they
literally shook with fear and ran away when approached. One was slightly more
curious and after a few days managed to get her headcollar off. Took about two
weeks to get the other off. Big achievement or so I thought. Unfortunately
this made them impossible to catch. The more curious one of the two I did
finally manage to catch with the help of a friend and get the headcollar on.
Bess however had other ideas.
Over the winter months I did manage to touch her and she was allowing me
more and more contact. They lived out with my bigger mares and we ticked along
ok. However it then became evident that both fillies were pregnant and by now
desperate for their feet to be trimmed and in need of a tetanus prior to the
birth of the foals. This was achieved with the curious one but Bess was having
none of it.
I asked advice from a horsey Facebook page normally
a good source of info for the kinder methods-I was pleased that no one came up
with anything I hadn't already considered. Most suggested time was the best
thing, allow her to enjoy the grooming etc, keep her on concrete to wear the
feet down and don't bother with the tetanus. My vet suggested pinning her in
the corner with some fencing! He meant well.
Time was running out and because of following the Dartmoor Hill Ponies on
Facebook I had heard of your book and had only ever heard positive things about
the book and your work.
Well...I read the book. Because of already being able to touch Bess pretty
much everywhere (not the feet though!) I decided to go straight for the clicker.
Bess was so nervous at first that she jumped out of her skin when I clicked the
clicker! But she soon picked it up. She became more confident but if it got too
much she would scurry off (but slower than previously) I would sit on the
mounting block and wait. After not many minutes she would come back. It was
amazing, she had the choice not too. We progressed quickly then and left the
first session with the nose in the headcollar and the strap held up to the ear.
This was astonishing and a massive achievement.
The next day it took less than five minutes to repeat the experience of the
day before and get the headcollar over and attached! I was so confident with her
that I put it on and off a few times and left her with it off. (Having
previously thought " I know this isn't wasn't Sarah says to do but if I can get
the blooming thing on then I'm gonna keep it on!)
Something else happened that day too....and nothing I have words for. The
expression in her eyes changed, she became more curious and she even permitted
me to touch her mane (her other no go area) I suspect she has been held by
it.
Foal is due any day so I doubt that I'll get that tetanus in time but we
are well on the way. We have the beginnings of a new relationship and for that
I can't thank you enough."
