From: "Sean W. Torongeau"
My two year old mare will not let me comb out her forelock. She raises her head high in the air and shys away. Can you help me teach her how to lower her head for grooming and haltering purposes?
The best approach for you will be to take everything very slowly. Take all the time this mare needs! Many horses are head-shy for excellent reasons; since this one is only two, you need to teach her to trust you now so that this will never be a problem again, for you or for anyone else.
First, remember that horses see very well, but have TWO blind spots -- they cannot see something coming up directly behind them, which is why we speak to them and touch them when we walk up behind them. And they cannot see something that is coming toward them from directly in front -- right between the eyes. This is why horses do NOT like strange people who march up to them and try to pat them between the eyes or stroke their noses! Unless you know a horse very well, and it knows you very well, always approach from the side, quietly, and always stroke the horse on the NECK.
It isn't really important for you to comb out your filly's forelock this week, or next week, or even next month. But it's important for her to learn to relax around you, and for you to be able to put a halter on her.
Some people make horses head-shy by hurting their ears. This is easy to do -- you can hurt a horse's ears by getting lazy about haltering the horse, for instance! Some people don't want to go to the trouble of unfastening and fastening a halter properly, so they undo the throat snap and push the halter up over the horse's forehead and ears. This is often the case with head-shy and halter-shy horses. Take the trouble to put the halter on properly!
Any change you make in her behaviour will have to be gradual and incremental; don't expect too much at once. Instead of using a comb on her forelock, just rub the base of her ears for a week or two. Keep calm, stay quiet, let her put her head DOWN instead of you reaching up. If she gets nervous or worried, step back and stroke her neck instead, then move slowly back up to the base of the ears when she relaxes. Your aim is NOT to grab her ears, or her forelock -- your aim is to teach your filly that having her head handled by you is pleasant and comfortable. Use treats, use patience, and try to make every experience pleasant, not painful. Your filly will come around.
Jessica
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