I need to know how to train a horse to like to be petted on the face/nose

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Buffalo

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This city gal just relocated to Arizona and knows nothing about horses. The two horses on my landlandy's land tend to get cactus spines on body. When they get it on the lip, they can't eat and I don't like that. I need to know how to get the horse to like to be petted on the face/nose so I can remove those cactus spines. They don't mind being petted on the neck and down but would move their head away if I attempt to pet on the face/nose. I figure if they like to be petted on the face, they would let me remove those cactus spines. I have removed it from the body and they didn't budge. The face is another story. I hope you have an answer for me soon.
 
Training to take a sugar cube from the palm of your hand will usually convince a horse you are a great friend and allowing you to touch the face.
 
Have you done a click training with horses? I love marker training and it makes my life much easier with my dog. You can watch the video on youtube.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G55aoahrhXE]YouTube - Clicker Training a horse that has never been touched Part 1[/ame]
 
Buffalo said:
This city gal just relocated to Arizona and knows nothing about horses. The two horses on my landlandy's land tend to get cactus spines on body. When they get it on the lip, they can't eat and I don't like that. I need to know how to get the horse to like to be petted on the face/nose so I can remove those cactus spines. They don't mind being petted on the neck and down but would move their head away if I attempt to pet on the face/nose. I figure if they like to be petted on the face, they would let me remove those cactus spines. I have removed it from the body and they didn't budge. The face is another story. I hope you have an answer for me soon.
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Ouch that must be really painful. I would gain trust with the horse by working your way up from the neck, to forehead, towards to nose since the horse may be headshy with it's nose is so sore and wouldn't want anyone near its nose. No sudden movements, don't wave arms close to the horse, no eye contact. Show lots of love. They love carrots, sugar lumps, polo mints.

Any possiblity of removing cactus or fence around it? Sooner or later the horse would get infection from the wounds.

Horses are great creatures but needs alot of reassure to trust. Good luck
 
overthepond said:
Ouch that must be really painful. I would gain trust with the horse by working your way up from the neck, to forehead, towards to nose since the horse may be headshy with it's nose is so sore and wouldn't want anyone near its nose. No sudden movements, don't wave arms close to the horse, no eye contact. Show lots of love. They love carrots, sugar lumps, polo mints.

Any possiblity of removing cactus or fence around it? Sooner or later the horse would get infection from the wounds.

Horses are great creatures but needs alot of reassure to trust. Good luck
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I am hoping that the landlady would remove cacti around the fence real soon. I would help her out. The horses doesn't mind if I pet on the neck or the body, it is just the face they don't want to be touched there. I would have to ask her if it is okay if I give the horses sugar, carrots, etc.
 
Ouch! Owner is responsible. Because you may get serious injuring if a horse becomes to freak out and hurt you! Hope that she removes the spines as soon! If owner refused to do anything with her horse and not calling Vet then calling animal control.

My 9 years old horse trust and allow me touch everywhere on her body, face and ears. One day, my friend took care of my horse and accident. My horse got 10 stitches on her forehead while I was at vacation then return home.. I was manageable remove 5 stitches and other won't allow me, so I called Vet again and have her shot and vet did remove all!

Good luck!

Don't attempt with someone else's horse!;)
 
Phillips said:
Ouch! Owner is responsible. Because you may get serious injuring if a horse becomes to freak out and hurt you! Hope that she removes the spines as soon! If owner refused to do anything with her horse and not calling Vet then calling animal control.

My 9 years old horse trust and allow me touch everywhere on her body, face and ears. One day, my friend took care of my horse and accident. My horse got 10 stitches on her forehead while I was at vacation then return home.. I was manageable remove 5 stitches and other won't allow me, so I called Vet again and have her shot and vet did remove all!

Good luck!

Don't attempt with someone else's horse!;)
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She did remove the spine after 30 minutes struggling with the horse. It is just they get it more often this year. I would help her out removing some of the cacti. She has the DVD on how to train the horse, but it is not closed-captioned. I guess I would have to figure it out after watching the DVD.
 
Buffalo said:
She did remove the spine after 30 minutes struggling with the horse. It is just they get it more often this year. I would help her out removing some of the cacti. She has the DVD on how to train the horse, but it is not closed-captioned. I guess I would have to figure it out after watching the DVD.
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I have experience with horses for over 20 years..

Impossible for training a horse to calm while remove spines from lip? It's painful! Only way best is vetting to have sedation shot!

Best way is Remove all cacti.

Good luck! ;)
 
I admire horses!...But I'm scared to death of them...and they seem to sense my fear!...But on this subject...I feel the best thing to do is to call a Vet and have him sedate the horse to remove the cacti, ASAP!...I would not attempt to do it myself!

Some horses bite, some kick! and heat-butt!....We bought a 15 and 1/2 hands horse several years ago, that was not broke!...My ex broke the horse in the pasture....and try as I could, I was too scared to even get close to the animal!...I won't even ride them...but do go to rodeos and barrell-racing time to time!

I've forgotten what they do to horses that will make you aware that the horse will bite or kick....anyone know??...Seems a different color of ribbon tied to the horse or something like that....
 
rockin'robin said:
I've forgotten what they do to horses that will make you aware that the horse will bite or kick....anyone know??...Seems a different color of ribbon tied to the horse or something like that....
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I asked my landlady and she said she doesn't know anything like that except that you watch the ears. If the ears folded back, then you know the horse is about to bit you or kick you.
 
It doesn't matter if it's ears are folded back. just keep away from it's quarters (bottom) at all costs until you feel you can completely trust it.

I had a mare that i had for 9 years, she is not a kicker, biter or horrible in any way. She was lovely trusting mare, a 3 year old girl can walk about her without her batting her eyelids. Many years later one day she suddenly kicked me for no reason, this is when i thought... hang on, thats something not right and did investingation with the vet, we found out she was in pain, later she did not get better, So I had to have her put down. The kick I got almost broke my tibia... It was so painful, it took 8 weeks for the bruising to go down and long time for the damaged muscles to heal.

No one would NEVER know horses... unless they are in care of themselves for long time and knows the horse inside and outside.

It's better for the inexperinced to stay on the other side of fence for their safety sake.
 
my mother always warned me never to approach a horse by the ass. good advice i got cause I always approach a horse from the front and do it SLOW so horse gets to know me.
 
overthepond said:
It doesn't matter if it's ears are folded back. just keep away from it's quarters (bottom) at all costs until you feel you can completely trust it.

I had a mare that i had for 9 years, she is not a kicker, biter or horrible in any way. She was lovely trusting mare, a 3 year old girl can walk about her without her batting her eyelids. Many years later one day she suddenly kicked me for no reason, this is when i thought... hang on, thats something not right and did investingation with the vet, we found out she was in pain, later she did not get better, So I had to have her put down. The kick I got almost broke my tibia... It was so painful, it took 8 weeks for the bruising to go down and long time for the damaged muscles to heal.

No one would NEVER know horses... unless they are in care of themselves for long time and knows the horse inside and outside.

It's better for the inexperinced to stay on the other side of fence for their safety sake.
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:werd: with overthepond

My rescue Ex race horse gelding Robular. He was bitten with up straight ears!
:shock:
 
Buffalo said:
I asked my landlady and she said she doesn't know anything like that except that you watch the ears. If the ears folded back, then you know the horse is about to bit you or kick you.
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Did landlady contact to Vet for remove some spines of horse's lip yet? Tell her that, please contact because I cannot bear to watch a horse have hard time to eat and painful with spines with lip? I am sorry and hate to sound like an anus/B myself.. If landlady did nothing with her horse had spines, then I am praying that someone will be calling Animal control about your landlady! :ugh3:

Peace \ /
 
You can hold your hand out slowly and let the horse see your hand knowing that you aren't posing a danger. From there, you can slowly approach his nose.

Another approach would be from the neck. Work your way up so that the horse knows that you're not a threat.

Sometimes, they're in pain and fear that being touched would give them more pain. So, it's something hard to shake out of.
 
I did remove the spines the first time I learned of it. I was out there with her for hours (I stayed behind the fence). She started to fall asleep and that is when I grab the spines.
They got more spines later on. I notice that they don't move at all (and don't care) if I remove the spines from the body. It is just the lips and the head, they wouldn't let my hand go near their faces.

I hope the landlady will remove some of the cati soon. I hope that is the solution.
 
Thats fab!, The horse probably used to having the spines removed. Have reward in your pocket ready FOR afterwards so the horse will go away knowing "this is nice person took those damn spines out and gave me sweeties for being good!".
 
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