Expert: Rick Gore Horsemanship - 1/9/2008

Question
I have owned horses for about 20 yrs. and never had any trouble vaccinating them myself.  I recently purchased a 13yr. old QH mare that has never had any shots of any kind.   While trying to give her the first series, she attempted to  kick  us.  We could tell she was nervous as soon as I applied  alcohol so we took her out of the barn (to have more room) and I held my hand over her eye to block her view. We tried to soothe her afterwards and picked up all her feet.  I have to give boosters in about 2 weeks and I fear she will react this way again.  Can you offer any advice to prevent this behavior?

Answer
Rick Gore:  Kicking is usually caused by fear, pain or lack of respect.

Hi Angie, When you said recently purchased, not sure it that means a few days or a few weeks.  Horses are very insecure in new homes or unfamiliar surroundings.  Her fear could be high for that reason.  She also may not respect you yet and thinks that she is in a new herd and may be testing to see if she can back you guys up.  Then again it could just hurt.

Horses know what is going to happen before it happens.  The are very aware, so if you guys got all sneaky or really nice, trying to compensate for the scary shot, she may have picked that up.  I give my guys shots and my Mustang still acts like I am going to try and kill him when I get by his butt with something other than a brush in my hand.  He is very protective of his rear.  It took me almost a year to get him to let walk behind him.  He was very abused.  He lets me do what I want, but he is not relaxed and will not take an eye off me.  

I would do some desensitizing before the next shot and try and associate it with treats.  The horse can think like "What's in it for me"?  Since you can't explain to her that shots will protect her, try and convince her that she gets a carrot or treat after she lets you tap, scratch, or poke her butt.  

If you do lots of things to her butt between her next shot she may not react so bad.  She will be more secure in her new place and will have build trust with you.

If you are really concerned, you may want to try and get a vet to give it in the neck or show you where another good muscle is for her booster.

Keep the needle and syringe.  Remove the needle and use the syringe to desensitize.  Brush her with it in your hand, let her see, don't sneak around with it, poke her with it (no needle) just to get her use to the feel of a poke, that way the booster needle will not be such a surprise.

Be sure to stand by her rid cage when giving the shot.  She has to accept you doing anything without trying to kick.  Work on some ground work to gain her trust and respect.  She may have been whipped or abuse by her rear end and now is just very protective.  Kicking is unacceptable.  If she was really bad and you have to give her a shot, you could put her in the trailer where she is secured and you can have some protection.  I would not do this unless it was a last resort, you would not want to make her trailer shy, but if she needed a shot fast and it was too dangerous, that would be an option.

Work on the butt, back legs, and rear area and totally desensitize it.  Rub it with ropes, brooms, sticks, hay sting, brushes, comb the tail, etc.  Stand just like you will when he give her the shot and poke her with syringe and then rub her.  Get her use to you being back there.

There is an old cowboy sayings that says if you can't walk behind a horse and lift there tail with no resistance, don't buy the horse.  I don't think is sound, but I do like all my horses or horses I work with to allow me to pick up their tail and move it up or around with no tail resistance.  They may not like it, but they will allow me to do it.  That tells me their is trust and respect, which tells me where their mind is at.

I have some internet videos on my website that I discuss warnings from horses and point out horse behavior.  Check them out, you may find some other minor signals that this mare may be sending that you may be missing.

Hope this helps,

Rick