One Door Closes and Another One Opens

Shelby came to AAE in April 2017.  She had basically been abandoned, then given to a neighbor after they found her roaming the neighborhood with a rope around her neck and contacted her owner.  Her new owners contacted AAE after they realized they did not know enough about horses to provide proper care. Although they fed her, she was thin.  Her new owners were unable to catch her or even touch her, let alone remove the rope.  When we arrived to pick her up, she was on 80-acres of open land.  It took about two and one-half hours to earn her trust and place a halter on her, and finally remove the rope. She was fearful and reactive, and acted as if she’d been mishandled.

She also seemed terrified to come out of the thickets.

Of course, poison oak was everywhere.

While at AAE, Shelby learned to trust and appreciate human interaction. Underneath the fear was a very sweet, sensitive and social mare.  Eventually, she sought attention and enjoyed grooming. However, if she felt too much pressure, she was defensive/protective.  No previous handling/training history was available.

Shelby spent her last months with AAE with a foster.  Throughout her stay with AAE, she gained a lot of confidence with new situations.  She learned to look to her person for assurance, and she was willing to trust and follow her handler. Her moments of anxiety became fewer and further between. She was not a spooky horse, but had a busy mind, so the key was to get and keep her focus without her feeling too much pressure.

She was always thinking and tried hard to understand what was being asked. A slow, calm approach to new things worked well, and not letting her escalate. Once she got over any initial anxiety, she was good to go.

11 days until 2019, YOUR donation means more horses can be helped!  Donate Today!