Help with semi-feral Exmoor yearling

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Yearling Girl

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Dec 28, 2025
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Hi
I had 2 Exmoor filly yearlings delivered on 23rd Dec. Neither had been handled apart from having a headcollar put on (I think forcibly) before they arrived. They are in secure stables in stalls opposite each other. The Sarah Weston technique is working beautifully with one of them so she is already happy to be hugged around her neck and cheeks scratched. I was able to move onto her other side today after going back to the hand on the stick and it didn’t take long for her to relax. Her half sister is completely different and very nervy. I was doing quite well today with the hand on the stick and pressure and release and she was allowing me to scratch on her chest and under her chin with the hand. I think I then moved too quickly to the next stage and she freaked out spinning round the stall a few times. Any suggestions on getting her confidence back or should I just keep going with the pressure and release training? X
 
take it slowly and don't be discouraged when they regress as they know nothing and are easily spooked. Don't push them, if you get a bit of a response and progress that's fine. I bought a so called ride and drive donkey who clearly knows no commands and is easily scared and goes for flight not fight. She is getting much better can lift her feet without her kicking. I used equerry mint treats as a reward for when they do something nicely and use pressure release and reward.
 
diplomaticandtactful said:
take it slowly and don't be discouraged when they regress as they know nothing and are easily spooked. Don't push them, if you get a bit of a response and progress that's fine. I bought a so called ride and drive donkey who clearly knows no commands and is easily scared and goes for flight not fight. She is getting much better can lift her feet without her kicking. I used equerry mint treats as a reward for when they do something nicely and use pressure release and reward.
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Thanks for the reassurance. I needed to hear that! I was definitely pushing her too hard and wanting her to catch up with her sister’s progress. I’ll start from the beginning again tomorrow with the hand on a stick and the pressure and release. She definitely responds to food so I’ll keep some carrots handy
 
With that sort you just have to go very slowly and also be very aware of your mood and body language - if you're short of time or getting frustrated then walk away. I wouldn't move on with her until she's completely happy, almost bored, with the current step and you can repeat it every time every day with no anxiety or concern from her - getting it right isn't enough, you need to not be able to get it wrong. It will make early steps mind numbingly boring for you and her half sister will seemm to be miles ahead, but eventually it will click for her and then she'll probably catch up faster than you'd expect. Those foundations have to be completely secure in her mind though, she has to know she can trust you because she's clearly a sensitive girl.

Good luck!
 
Just start again, it’s normal for youngsters to progress at very different rates and for most of them to do a few steps forward before taking a couple back, repeatedly!
 
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carthorse said:
With that sort you just have to go very slowly and also be very aware of your mood and body language - if you're short of time or getting frustrated then walk away. I wouldn't move on with her until she's completely happy, almost bored, with the current step and you can repeat it every time every day with no anxiety or concern from her - getting it right isn't enough, you need to not be able to get it wrong. It will make early steps mind numbingly boring for you and her half sister will seemm to be miles ahead, but eventually it will click for her and then she'll probably catch up faster than you'd expect. Those foundations have to be completely secure in her mind though, she has to know she can trust you because she's clearly a sensitive girl.

Good luck!
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Thankyou carthorse. Really helpful and wise words. It hasn’t been the best time to start their handling given Christmas and guests hanging around. I think it’s added to my stress which she may have picked up
 
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With Suze my feral meat trade rescue, she was so scared she couldn't even look out over the stable door. And when she panicked she would double barrel you. I had a monty roberts person come out and Suze couldn't even look at her all she could advise was not to workwith her in a confined space, she was a brood mare never been taught anything, it was 18 months before I even asked the farrier to say hello to her. She is now a dope on a rope, I backed her myself when she was 16 I got her when she was 7, She is a lovely girl now, perfectly chilled. She was flight, her foal who she had 2 weeks after she arrived was fight. You had to train them at opposite ends of the scale Suze really really quiet and slow and Fleur very strong body language to get her attention - if you had done that with Suze she would have been swimming across the channel asking the to send her to the abbatoir. They were chalk and cheese but are now very similar, very quiet and reliable,
 
Back in with the nervy one today. She’s definitely gone several steps backwards and I could only touch her with the tips of my hand on a stick. She’s clearly got herself worked up since yesterday and has lots of pent up energy doing some spins of her stall when I left. I think I’ll leave her for now today and let her calm herself down and start again tomorrow unless advice would be to reinforce what I did this morning later this afternoon?
 
I wouldn't try to rush her. In fact if it were me I probably wouldn't be trying to touch her at all at this stage. Just going in her stable to feed and water and generally ignore her until she feels safe enough to get a little bit curious about what you're doing. But then I've never had a real baby so may have very possibly got it totally wrong!
 
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Thanks everyone- I think I’ll leave any handling for a couple of days. I’ve been around the stables doing various chores this afternoon and been into her stall to fill hay net and water. She backed off a little then was interested in a carrot from me so seems to be calming down
 
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Yearling Girl said:
Thanks everyone- I think I’ll leave any handling for a couple of days. I’ve been around the stables doing various chores this afternoon and been into her stall to fill hay net and water. She backed off a little then was interested in a carrot from me so seems to be calming down
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Lily the donkey has been doing well, I do her feet in the morning, tried it last night she was unsettled and if i had pushed it with her, it would have been counter productive, she was great this morning.
 
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My nervy one has settled a bit in the last couple of days. She’s letting me touch her with the hand on stick again and I’m giving her a tiny bit of carrot after a long “good girl” each time I progress a little further with the hand. I got to her chest and under her chin today but still standing at a distance at the end of the stick. I’m making sessions very short and stopping as soon as she shows any sign of stress. I know I’m mixing my pressure and release with a kind of clicker training but she is definitely motivated by food and I feel I’m slowly gaining her trust. I have an outdoor sand school next to my barn where the stalls are and can create a secure way in for the two yearlings . I would really like to let them have a run around in the sand school and get rid of some of their pent up energy. It also means I can properly muck out their stalls. There is a bit of grass at the edges of the sand school but nothing else to eat in there. I’m making assumptions I can get them back into the barn and their stalls where hay nets and evening feed are as they’ll get hungry. My easier one is ready to be led and is very relaxed about having her cheeks scratched and headcollar played with. I am thinking I should be able to catch her and the nervy one will follow her back into the barn. Would I be being premature to try this in the next few days assuming I continue to make progress with nervy one?
 
Yearling Girl said:
My nervy one has settled a bit in the last couple of days. She’s letting me touch her with the hand on stick again and I’m giving her a tiny bit of carrot after a long “good girl” each time I progress a little further with the hand. I got to her chest and under her chin today but still standing at a distance at the end of the stick. I’m making sessions very short and stopping as soon as she shows any sign of stress. I know I’m mixing my pressure and release with a kind of clicker training but she is definitely motivated by food and I feel I’m slowly gaining her trust. I have an outdoor sand school next to my barn where the stalls are and can create a secure way in for the two yearlings . I would really like to let them have a run around in the sand school and get rid of some of their pent up energy. It also means I can properly muck out their stalls. There is a bit of grass at the edges of the sand school but nothing else to eat in there. I’m making assumptions I can get them back into the barn and their stalls where hay nets and evening feed are as they’ll get hungry. My easier one is ready to be led and is very relaxed about having her cheeks scratched and headcollar played with. I am thinking I should be able to catch her and the nervy one will follow her back into the barn. Would I be being premature to try this in the next few days assuming I continue to make progress with nervy one?
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sounds good you are making progress. in terms of the school unless you can be sure you can lead them safely i wouldn't risk it as if thy get loose and frightened it's a bit of a step back. I am lucky my stables have an enclosed yard so they can't go anywhere so it is ideal for training them and if they panic and go you can get them back easily. Are you abl to create something internally near the stables so they can't get away
 
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