Tanis Continues to Soften

by | Aug 9, 2023 | Tanis

The year is moving right along, and so is Tanis, as she continues to build confidence in herself and trust in people. This time last year, only a couple people could catch this mare; fast forward to this moment, and she loves face pets, has found more comfort and curiosity around people and recently realized that she kind of loves a good nose kiss! Tanis’s confidence is showing more and more; from her thoughtful movements, to her relaxed head/neck as she is led around the property, she is truly feeling safe and comfortable in her own skin!

While we continue to work on fine-tuning things like hindquarters, turning loose and changing eyes, we’ve also started to focus on some necessary basics, such as taking medicine (wormer) from a syringe and accepting a needle/vaccine. Overall, we wanted to work on helping Tanis find more comfort with her face/mouth being touched, and all of the many ways that she will need to be handled so she can be given the best care.

 

Tanis has held a lot of tension and some braces when it comes to having her mouth touched. So, we have been spending lots of time helping her learn that having her face/mouth touched isn’t as scary as she first thought. Gentle touch and release of pressure has really helped Tanis start to moving through her anxiety and to release some of that tension she has held. There has been lots of releasing and yawning from this mare as she learns she can just let go and everything will be ok!

 

Vaccines are still scary for Tanis, as she is unsure about the touch she feels when the vet needs to find a vein, and the stress of knowing the needle is next. We have been spending some time getting Tanis more comfortable with her neck being touched in multiple places with varying pressure. As well as playing with the tip of a finger and a pen to simulate what a needle might feel like. This has been helping Tanis understand that she is going to be just fine, which has increased her confidence while lessening her startle reaction. We still have more work to do on these, but so far Tanis is on the right track to gently accepting the care that she needs.

 

Life isn’t all work around here! Tanis is loving these longer summer days, spending her time snoozing in the paddock and grazing with her herd on the grass. She has been enjoying her grooming sessions, and the addition of summer braids to keep her neck a little cooler. It’s so exciting to watch the continued transformation of Tanis, she is going to make one lucky family very happy one of these days; she’s got a big heart and a lot of love that she’s just waiting to share with the right person!

March 2022 at Tanis’s intake to SAFE, to this summer…a now healthy and happy mare!

Tanis leaning in for her first official face kiss!

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