# How to handel a 1 year old (filly) shetland pony



## flower (Dec 8, 2008)

Flower, our mini shetland pony arrived today at our house,
Be bought her from a local spanish farmer, a pet for the familie.

She was calm when she arrived, then when we made a fus she was running up and down bocking, her ears seemed to be ok.
later she came up to us and sniffed around and blew warm breath in our necks. To me this seems to be a good start.
Several times she let our daughter come up to her but when my daughter start brushing her she slowely walks off.

She already layed down several times and had a sleep, when we were inside the house.

in time i like to use the clicking methode to train her, when do i start with this.?
Do i need to walk up to her hold her and start brushing, do i give her time to get used to us? please advice us

flower and her family from spain


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## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

I don't really know what you meant by her "her ears seemed to be ok". 
I think that she was just bucking and having fun because she was in a new place. Mine does it all the time when I turn him out into a new field. Is she halter trained? 
I would give her the day to calm down and get used to her surroundings. Then go out and halter her and tie her somewhere or have someone hold her while your daughter brushes her. She is probably just walking away because she is bored/distracted. 

Some articles on Clicker Training:
Clicker Training - An Introduction to Clicker Training

Clicker Training For Your Horse: First Clicker Lessons | Karen Pryor Clickertraining

I hope this helps!

Also, it's going to take time for her to get used to you but because she is so young handle her often. I don't know how old your daughter is but it may be best for the parent to go over her and see how she reacts to things since she is new. Touch her all over, pick up her feet, lead her around and graze her. Even though she is a mini, she needs to get handled and exposed to things just like the big horses. I see too many onry pushy mean ponies because no one takes the time to handle them. 

Good Luck!


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## flower (Dec 8, 2008)

Thank you for the reply,

with the ears i mean that they were not in her neck but upwards.

my threats might be a bit diificult to read as i'm dutch living in spain, i joined this forum so my husband can read it as well.
my daughter is 4 so to young to handel flower, i would have to do all the handelinguntill shes completly settled.

flower


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## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

I agree. I would not let your daughter be doing any real handling with her at this age. How has she been now that she has settled in a bit? 
I understand what you were saying about her ears now though. Like I said I think she was just kicking up her heels and enjoying her new surroundings not being mean. 

Even when you get more handling done with your horse I would say to still be careful with your daughter around her. Babies are completely unpredictable. 

Do you plan on teaching her to ride or drive?


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## shermanismybaby3006 (Oct 10, 2008)

First off Congratulations on your new baby/ family member!!!! 
Babies are so fun, and it is so rewarding to raise a baby and get to train them yourself. 

I agree with Spastic-Dove about touching her all over and just get her used to everything! Thats what I do with my almost two year old gelding and I do wierd stuff to him. Ill bring a plastic bag and fling it towards him and put stuff on his head and do it until he stops being scared of it. This will bereally good with flower since she is going to be around your daughter. 

When I first brought my 6 month old colt home I waited a week or two to let him settle in and get used to me and his surroundings and then I started groundwork with him. I would let flower just get used to everybody and her new home before you start any training with her.
Good luck with your new baby


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## DarkChylde (Nov 13, 2008)

I also groom and do feet on my horses while they are eating. THey are preoccupied, and do it enuff and they find an enjoyable connection to it.

I don't do clicker training, but I do roundpen, and I wuddn't suggest that until she is around 2. But you can do lots with her, teach her to lead and get her 'sacked out' to things, handle her feet, that kind of thing. Try to not use fear or pain for motivation, and you will do fine.


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

First off, welcome to the forum, Flower.

Most new horse (pony) owners try to do too much. They want immediate results and, like anything new, they want to give it too much attention. 

Your pony needs a few days to a week just to settle in. She is a baby that was just taken away from her mother and the only place she knew.

I hope that you took some of whatever feed they were giving her so that she has consistency - that is extremely important with any horse. You can slowly change her over to whatever you want but it takes a good week or so to do it properly.

Teaching her to lead is an excellent way to begin bonding and teaching her respect but I would not do much more for now. You can also start to handle her feet so that she gets used to it for your farrier.

However tempting it may be, do NOT had feed your pony. That will give her a very bad habit that becomes not only annoying but can be dangerous latter on.

Good luck with Flower and I hope you enjoy the forum.


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## flower (Dec 8, 2008)

So far it's going really well, we left her most of the day and this afternoon, we sad at the back with her.
She was sniffing us and she even had a nose inside the house (laundry room) probably looking for my daughter, who had just gone to bed.
My husband was laying down on a blanket and she came and rolled on her back and back up again on the blanket next to him. Hope this was a good sign and not colic or something, because i think she is not used to so much grass.
Anyway the vet is coming tomorrow to give her al the necesery treatments.
thank you all for the reply's

flower


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## flower (Dec 8, 2008)

Hi 
Thank you for the welcome.
we have taken the same feed from the farmer, only now she has a lawn, before she was in stables, the vet will come tomorrow to check her and see if she is ok.
You mentioned , Do Not Head Feed Your pony, sorry i don't understand this bit? 
There is a lot for met to learn, but i enjoy it.
Flower




iridehorses said:


> First off, welcome to the forum, Flower.
> 
> Most new horse (pony) owners try to do too much. They want immediate results and, like anything new, they want to give it too much attention.
> 
> ...


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

Your vet will have some good recommendations for you so that's good.

By hand feeding I mean allowing her to eat from your hands instead of from a bucket - especially treats (sugar, carrots, that sort of thing).

Too much grass when she has never had any is not good. Your horse can colic from that.


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