Deworming your horses can be tougher than training for Olympic equestrian events—but that’s only if you didn’t train your horses for the process. You can try and re-train them to accept the entire tribulation, but on the other hand it is usually better to start at the beginning. Anyhow, whether you’re just introducing the deworming practice or you’re attempting to get your mare to love it even just a touch more than before, there’s a straightforward coaching scheme you can employ.
If you’ve been training your mare for equestrian sport or merely good old horse riding, then this may be simple. Even if you have just started your partnership with your equine partner, if you believe you’re ready to introduce the deworming routine, then the steps of this should be 2nd nature. T
The steps are similar to those you would when you want to get your mare used to you touching her sensitive parts for cleaning or whatever. First, teach your horse to place her head in the right position thru pressure cues. Working in an enclosure with the bridle secured, manoeuvre your horse’s head to the correct elevation and make her move her head in front of you by applying gentle but firm force on the other side of her head where you would like her head to go. This process is tedious—she would probably resist at times , and put her head back where she wants it. Let her do so , but always reward her correct responses and release the pressure cue as quickly as she does it. Then, just patiently put her head back in place thru the pressure cue and release so she eventually understands you really desire her head where you’re leading it. Practice this on either side of her head and let her rest between tries.
Done successfully, this would teach your pony to lower her head when you place downward pressure between her ears and move her face towards you when you apply pressure on the side of her head turned way from you. Now you can introduce the dewormer syringe.
Just like when coaching your pony to let you touch and thus check and clean her mouth and teeth, patiently introduce the syringe. You can start rubbing it on her face where she permits then move on to her mouth and then on the side of her lips where it will be placed. Don’t forget to have patience and be rewarding of positive responses. If she’s already used to you putting your hand into her mouth, place it in the right spot (between the molars and incisors, the opening with no teeth) and try and stick your hand into her mouth careful not to get bitten—or being pulled in by her tongue and then bitten. When she tries to push your hand out using her tongue, take it and gradually set it on the side. After she’s used to the motions, introduce the empty syringe until she is ok with it.
Different horses have different temperaments, but most have certain preferences when it comes to taste. While there are dewormers that have flavours and using them is a smart idea, when training your horse to accept the method first, leave the dewormers out of the picture. Use the syringe to administer measures of her favourite syrup or baby food. Repeat this till she’s keen for the process. When she is administer the dewormer without hesitation. Then go with her favorite syrup again and return her to the process if the dewormer made her regress. You can let up on administering “fake” dewormers when there’re no detectable adverse reactions to the particular dewormer anymore. If you do this the proper way, you will not only have taught your horse to place her head where wanted to administer the dose, but you have also rid her of the averseness to the dewormer.
Horses are Heather Toms’ passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100’s of articles with other horse lovers… like all things about stable rugs
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