New Miniature Weanling Colt 3 months old

Question
QUESTION: He has never been handled. Took him to vet and she said he looked really good. He did have worms and I am treating him for that. Got him this past Saturday 6-11-11. He is eating grain and grass and some alfalfa. He is in a small pen with a run in shelter. He was full of sticker burrs and his hooves had never been trimmed. My friend shaved him and trimmed his hooves for me. I have him on ulcer guard, probiotic, and panacur. My question: He of course trust no one. He is scared to death right now. I know I am suppose to let him be and  not touch him, but I have to chase him and catch him daily so he can get his meds. Want more ideas on how to go about trust and bonding? I do therapy with minis and I have 3 other minis all males. I am afraid of stressing him out to much. I am currently reading the following books: The soul of a horse, Natural horsemanship, foal imprinting. Like to hear about other people that have been through this same situation.
Thanks
Cathy

ANSWER: Cathy,

You're dealing with many of the same issues that those of us who work with Mustangs have to deal with.  I suggest you take a chair out into his pen and just sit out there with him and encourage him to check you out.  I've sat in pens with Mustangs and caught up on some of my horse magazines.  I've read the articles aloud so they got used to my voice and presence.  He's young so even though he's scared curiosity will get the better of him after a while.  Some horse treats, I like the peppermint flavored ones for horses with ulcers because the peppermint helps the stomach but any will work.  When he starts coming close just offer him a treat at arm's length.  Once he figures out you are a source of goodies he'll come around.  Bribery will get you a lot of cooperation.  It's unfortunate that you have to catch him everyday for meds, he already has had a lot sort of thrown at him so he has to learn that you are a source of good things as well as not so good things.  He may take some time to come around, throw out your watch the first time or 2.  Rather than chasing him why not use round pen logic on him and let him figure out that you are not a bad thing?  He's going to take some time, probably for a week at least, to get him to where he won't take off every time he sees you.  But he will come around.  They all do with patience and love.  

You can also give him some assistance homeopathically.  Get some Bach's Rescue Remedy and put a couple of droppers of it in his water tub.  It's very could for alleviating stress among other things.  Also get some orange essential oil.  Put it on your hands and arms before you go in to just sit with him.  It's a very powerful mood brightener and calming agent.  He'll smell it on you and get the benefit of it.  You can also mix it with pure water, like any of the bottled spring waters, in a small spray bottle and spray it around his shelter.  Mix it at the rate of 20 drops of oil per ounce of water.  Shake well before using.  I've seen this work well on horses and people.  A friend of mine drives a school bus and sprays her bus every morning before she starts her run and between runs.  She has the has the best behaved bus of the fleet - 50+ buses.  I use it in the horse trailer before loading the horses up.  

Most of all just be patient with him and love him to death.  He'll pick up on that and he's just a baby really so will respond quickly.  He's actually really young to be weaned.  I don't like to wean them before 6 mos. at the earliest.  I think the babies need the maternal influence for a while.  I didn't wean my last foal until she was almost 10 mos. She and mom were out with the rest of the horses during the day then went into their own pen at night so she got well socialized and learned a lot from mommy.  It helped her a lot.  Anyhow, keep me posted on how he's doing, please!

Lyn

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for your quick reply. I got him at a sale. The lady had been breeding minis for years and then all of a sudden she decided she didn't' want to do it anymore she just left the country and left her horses and house and land behind. Her trainer actually started feeding and caring for them, but she could not keep it up so she had a big sale. This is how I came to own him.
So I didn't have any control over him being taken away from mom, or I would of taken mom home with me also. I know I need to be very patient with him. I am not familiar with the round pen method. Is there a place I can read about it? Also I have been putting one of my other minis in there with him for short periods of time. He seems to like this. Again Thank you so much I appreciate all the information!
Cathy

Answer
Cathy,

There are books and videos out on round pen work.  John Lyons, Curt Pate, Pat Parelli, Richard Shrake - any of the natural horsemanship trainers - all  use round pen logic with the horses.  The videos are very good because you can watch the horse respond when they are working with it.  There are tons of books out there too.  Check Amazon or Barnes & Noble or some of the horse product sites, they aren't hard to find.  There are some good websites too.  Do a web search on natural horsemanship and see what you get.  

Putting one of the other minis in with him is a good idea.  Lets him get socialized and gives him company of his own kind.  Horses are herd animals.  The longer you leave him company the better.  Then go in and let him see that the other horse doesn't think you are a bad person.  If he bonds with one of them, leave them together.  He needs a bud right how to show him the ropes about being a horse.  Minis are smart and he'll learn a lot from example.

I'm happy to help if I can.  

Lyn