Our horses and the deadly spray bottle....need tips

[2468herdsrgr8]

My daughters horse who's mostly arab is very skittish around spray bottles for some reason this year. When she gets nerves she lifts her head very high and backs up when on a lead line...Can any one give me some idea's on how to break this habit..It usually takes two people one to reasure her nothing bad is happening and the other to spray....but once its done she's very content..thanks...

 

[freemotion]

I worked with Arabians for years and they are very sensitive! Often it is the tickle of the spray that is irritating, more than actual fear. The sound of the spray bottle can make it worse, too.

I had success with putting the horse on a leadrope rather than crossties, and getting the butt into a corner so she can't go back or sideways away from you. Spray quickly and then turn the horse into the other corner and spray the other side. Be firm as well as reassuring.

You can get a pressure bottle at any hardware store for around $10-12, the kind that you pump a handle to pressurize the bottle, then you can pull the trigger and hold it for a continuous spray without the hissing (as much) of a regular spray bottle. You can also set the stream to go further, MUCH further, and get the horse sprayed very quickly.

Some arabs will be ticklish their entire lives around this. Many learn that they can roll their eyes and dance around and the handler will give up and leave them alone......so you need to determine if she is really scared or has learned to fake it so you will give her treats and stop the unpleasant task.

At 21 years old, my mare was still ticklish about the fly spray. She also loved her baths, but was terrified (truly, this time) about the bubbles on the ground.....silly girl!

 

[Bronco Hollow]

It's the noise I think. When we get a horse that is afraid I start by making hissing sounds walking around the horse and touching, praising and reassuring for good behavior. I work on a halter and lead. If the horse is going to blow I want to be able to make the horse go around me - not up, down or over me. I graduate to a spray bottle with water in it, starting by spraying around the horse - not on the horse, still making the hissing sounds ourselves - gradually working toward actually spraying the horse. It doesn't take very long before they stand nice for the spraying....the worse case I had took about 3-4 days.
Once they figure out what the spray does, they line up for a spray and fly mask lol

Good luck - just take it slow however you decide to work with the horse and remember to praise with rubs for good behavior

 

[Scout]

I've had some like that, what I do is get a Wal-Mart sack or other crinkly stuff layin around and rub them all over with it, it works wonders. BE CAREFUL though, she'll spook the first couple times. And another thing, no matter what, NEVER let her get away with actin up, they'll learn to manipulate you and that can be very bad. Even if she's pass-out terrified of it, keep goin (gently though,) she'll get over it with a little patience. After ya get thru, give her an apple hunk or somethin she likes, she'll learn that you aint gonna hurt her and that she'll get somethin good afterwards.

 

[appytaz]

I agree with putting her in the corner and doing it. I also like to give a treat AFTER it is done. If she is afraid of seeing the bottle - but sure to carry it with you all the time and just don't use it on her. Our donkey was aweful when we first got him about being sprayed. I can spray him now whenever I wish and he is no longer dragging me across the yard when he sees the bottle.

 

[lupinfarm]

Have you considered that it could be the smell of the spray? Our pony was very apprehensive about a spray bottle until I rubbed her whole body with the stuff then waited for a few days and tried to spray her again. Start from the legs up and move towards the more sensitive areas like the neck, back, undercarriage.

 

[2468herdsrgr8]

Thanks for replying everyone...Yes she's such a skittish mare...constantly has to be reminded that nothings gonna kill her..She has always been on the very bottom of the herd....I am going to try your ideas....

 

[2468herdsrgr8]

It's the noise I think. When we get a horse that is afraid I start by making hissing sounds walking around the horse and touching, praising and reassuring for good behavior. I work on a halter and lead. If the horse is going to blow I want to be able to make the horse go around me - not up, down or over me. I graduate to a spray bottle with water in it, starting by spraying around the horse - not on the horse, still making the hissing sounds ourselves - gradually working toward actually spraying the horse. It doesn't take very long before they stand nice for the spraying....the worse case I had took about 3-4 days.
Once they figure out what the spray does, they line up for a spray and fly mask lol

Good luck - just take it slow however you decide to work with the horse and remember to praise with rubs for good behavior

Thats what we have been doing with her is putting her on a lead and halter and spraying her as she goes around us...but sometimes she'll stop and put her head very high..and pulls back .she's only 14.2 HH and I am a tall girl but boy can she put her head up high and i feel its like a who's stonger than who war...usually I just bring her hip around to start to circle again....

 

[2468herdsrgr8]

Have you considered that it could be the smell of the spray? Our pony was very apprehensive about a spray bottle until I rubbed her whole body with the stuff then waited for a few days and tried to spray her again. Start from the legs up and move towards the more sensitive areas like the neck, back, undercarriage.

Unfortunatlely ....We have tried many sprays...

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Our two year old was pretty nervous around the spray bottle at first. What we did was take an empty fly spray bottle and fill it with water. We would then hook her up to a lead and start to spray around her (Not on her at first) She would run around in her little circles and we would continue spraying until she stood and relaxed a bit. The whole idea here is pressure and release. The pressure is the spray bottle. The release (and reward) is standing still and calmly.

Once the horse was relatively used to the sound and spray of the bottle, we began spraying her with it. She did her little nervous thing, but after a few times realized what it was we wanted. She is still a bit skittish, but it will take a bit of time to get her used to it. It is definitely working though. She is so much better with the spray bottle than she was when we brought her home!

Good luck!