Wild Pony Handling.wmv

Two wild ponies, who are conservation grazing for the Devon Wildlife Trust, are given a routine health check. people4ponies is a Devon-based pony welfare organisation that uses non-confrontational handling methods. Ponies who graze conservation and moorland sites need to be wild, but handleable, so that their future welfare can be assured. Note: We don't chase the ponies! Paul was just trying to be funny.... also, these are specialist techniques - please do not attempt to interact with wild ponies!

The video Wild Pony Handling was filmed in September 2009. It was really only intended as a record of the events of the day for our organisation, people4ponies. Since it is now showing to a wider audience here is some background information.

The two ponies, Misty and Star, had been (previously) seriously traumatised because they were ear notched as foals and turned away. When a painful procedure like this is an animals first experience of humans, combined with unsympathetic handling methods and no follow-on rehabilitation, they are not keen to come near people again. You can clearly see the half moon shapes cut out of Stars ears. The trauma showed as extreme fear in the presence of humans, especially men. Having worked with animals that have not suffered mutilating identification procedures we know that this is not normal behaviour. When, as mature mares, Misty and Star eventually came to us for handling it took many weeks of patient work to gain their trust. We educated them to the point where they could safely, and without undue stress to them, be headcollared, routinely checked over and have their feet attended to. First they have to be drifted into a pen or holding area. Our volunteers are all familiar with the techniques used to work around ponies in this way and it does not mean that the ponies will approach members of the public out on the reserve they are far too nervous for that.

The actual drift was accomplished with volunteers either strategically positioned or walking on the site, which is not big enough to warrant mounted drifters or vehicles. Because of the nervous nature of the ponies we could not position the cameraman where he might inadvertently turn them back, so he had to follow - but wasnt fast enough to get a shot of them moving! The ponies ended up, as required, at a gate leading to the reserve where we had previously set up an open holding pen which was then closed behind them. The high banks to the track formed the sides of the holding area. A versatile holding pen is essential, and might need to be arranged with separate enclosures if more animals were involved.

There are three basic techniques that we use. The first is familiarisation coupled with the second, which is non-confrontation. The third is pressure, and the release of the pressure as a reward for the pony yielding to it. The pressure may be remote, as in eye contact with the pony, or direct, via a hand or a headcollar and lead rope. The techniques work best when carried out in a relaxed atmosphere. They are specific, learnable methods, movements and postures that combine to confirm to the pony that we will not hurt him/her. With a pony that has trauma triggers associated with early identification procedures this rehabilitation can take weeks. For previously untouched weanlings it can often be accomplished in minutes.

If feral foals were handled appropriately to this stage and microchipped without any additional mutilating identification procedure, they would then, if necessary, be safe to handle by skilled personnel but would still retain the wildness required for a moorland pony.

Our belief is that all wild ponies should be handleable both for the safety of their carers and so that their own future welfare is assured.

If anyone would like a full explanation of what is happening in the video, or has any questions, or would like to learn more about our methods please email us at

people4ponies@yahoo.co.uk

www.people4ponies.co.uk

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• wild
• pony
• ponies
• people4ponies
• handling
• methods
• semi-feral
• moor
• drift
• drifting
• round
• up
• feral
• traumatised
• ear
• notched
• Devon
• Wildlife
• Trust
• conservation
• grazing
• nature
• outdoors
• horses
• Exmoor
• Marsland
• Valley
• people
• for
• gentling
• advance
• retreat
• pressure
• release
• non
• confrontational
• equine
• natural
• horsemanship

[Juniorsmummy]

Oh you are such good people the ponies seemed obviously on edge but not stressed and I'm in shock how you managed to handle wild ponies! What a great thing to do taking the time with them and it all seemed so calm n slow with no pressure on them :)

[Misspartygirl5]

they r so cute

[Horsesforever20]

Really nice video! xx