horses and wheelchairs

[clanter]

@Sarah616

When I was in a wheelchair, for approximately a year, I was always at the barn in it. The first time I got to go to the barn was in a motorized chair. I first made sure not to try and go past any horses in the cross ties, and when I visited my horse, it was with someone holding him in his stall, and with a whole bunch of carrots. He interestingly didn’t seem to care, and this was a horse that spooks at his mane hair being on the ground when having his mane pulled.

Once I graduated to a normal chair, I was still careful going around the barn; if I needed to pass a horse, I made sure someone was standing with it, or that it was standing quietly to the other side. Honestly, none of them really seemed to care much, and the more I was around the barn in my chair, the less concerning it became. It got to where I was comfortable leading some of the ponies if I wanted to ride, and could groom and clip them even from my chair.

I would second or third the opinion to have someone hold them first, and let them figure out it’s just you.

Your horse looks at ease but knowing my kids they would have harnessed the miniatures to the wheelchair to remake the Ben Hur racing scene.

Everything was fair game for them youngest daughter was five when she harnessed the German Shepherd Dog to her wagon making him pull her around the pasture, which he did with tail wagging (he was a trained protection dog that enjoyed his task, but to see him pulling the wagon was funny)

[Sarah616]

@clanter

Everything was fair game for them youngest daughter was five when she harnessed the German Shepherd Dog to her wagon making him pull her around the pasture, which he did with tail wagging (he was a trained protection dog that enjoyed his task, but to see him pulling the wagon was funny)

I was holding my big dog on a leash in the barn one day and kind of letting him pull me, and then he pulled a little too hard and ran a little too fast, and it was almost a bad situation :lol:

[clanter]

@Sarah616

I was holding my big dog on a leash in the barn one day and kind of letting him pull me, and then he pulled a little too hard and ran a little too fast, and it was almost a bad situation :lol:

yeah a runaway can happen quickly … let’s get that squirrel :lol:

Regarding horses and wheelchairs, our horses where around kids all the time so a person setting lower than normal was not something that alarmed them but then once again youngest daughter at six could put a bitting rig on a full size horse by standing in its feed bucket making the horse turn around so she could hook the straps… of course we did not have a bitting rig so she made one from a surcingle … daughter saw a picture of a horse in a bitting rig and decided Foxie need to outfitted in one.

[right_horse_at_the_right_time]

Legitimate concern. My horse is very kind and sweet. I also have a friend in a wheelchair. He was TERRIFIED to the point where she would find out which rings and times we were showing in and would avoid us. He could spot her from far away and plant like a statue. We tried and tried…and finally she said he’s just too scared. I felt terrible.

One day, he just decided it was ok. Just like that. No clue what was going on. I found that when he’s up close to the chair; he’s fine. When she’s far away and wheeling, he is concerned. He does the same with people who use walkers. I have no idea what finally went though his mind that allowed him to be ok with it.

FWIW, he’s also frightened by carts and minis. Minis with carts, well, that’s just unfathomable.

[darkmoonlady]

I’ve always just wheeled up to stalls and talked quietly to horses. Takes a second for some,few minutes for others. Usually I just wait til they drop their head for a sniff and give them scratches, head scratches, chest scratches. I never took carrots or treats (unless owner offered and then I felt it was okay but mostly just didn’t have them with me). I’ve had people shocked their aloof horse came over to see me. The wheelchair, once we have become friends hasn’t been an issue, its like once they figure out you are a friend they assume it’s a part of you.

[Mealticket]

I had a wonderful Appendix that we would ride through an adult rehab/brain injury complex to get to the trail. This good boy would go up to anyone in a wheelchair regardless of hand flapping or shouting. He was looking for treats and had no qualms about taking whatever was on a tray or in their laps. He took pizza, watermelon, sandwiches. the staff said that horse made the patients’ day. I wish I had five more of him.

[Foxtrot_s]

There is something about being lower than a horse that gives them confidence, too. I’ve never had one,but I suppose there are horses that are too wired, or nervous, reactive etc. that they may take some time…

[Countrygirl18]

Thanks for all the responses to this thread! Went out to the barn again today and it went much better. I just parked the wheelchair at the gate to the pasture and let the horses come to me (enticed by some sweet feed) rather then me going to them. They were a lot calmer!

[clanter]

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well suddenly Photobucket has once again allowed me access to my stored photos at no charge if I allow them to watermark the photo…so here my daughter’s little Morgan mare with the young lady in the wheelchair…surrounded by other classmates

strange the watermark does not appear?