Desensitizing horse for bodywork/stretches?
I'll start off with she doesn't have ulcers (anymore, had a couple runs with those over the years but have finally managed a feed/routine that, fingers crossed, works), she's just always been a bit funny about people touching her certain ways. No issues girthing, brushing, clipping, or anything until you start poking her belly to try to do "cat scratches" or the lumbar stretch where you run fingers down the rear. Be ready to catch some hooves. Incidentally, if you "poke" neck/shoulder, you'll also get teeth, but "respectful touching" (brush, clippers, scratching, pats, rubs and strokes) are all fine.
Possible that she's always been a bit tense in the SI, very hormonal dominant-in-field mare (not medicated, but I can pretty much tell which ovary is cycling about 10 mos out of the year), maybe it's sore (don't think it is anymore based on physique and evenness but 7 years on perhaps learned behavior). She kicks out, has kicked chiros, vets, etc. She's just a bit sensitive and can be combative. We worked around this with foam block shields for the vet/chiro, or applying the pressure from an elevated position behind the safety of a half wall. I have neither of these options currently and just want to keep her core/back limber this winter with some stretches/bodywork stuff pre/post ride.
Any tips on "build up steps" to re-visit these stretches? She's fine if i pet/brush/clip/rub these areas but if I poke to elicit a response, I generally get a hoof thrown my direction. Lost cause, case for clicker training, or maybe something a bit more clever warranted? I'm all ears!
Submitted November 18, 2019 at 06:00AM by carbonarbonoxide
via reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/Horses/comments/dy2vh1/desensitizing_horse_for_bodyworkstretches/?utm_source=ifttt
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