I'm having two issues, one for each of our horses. I've had my Appy for 2 years, her previous owners weren't mean to her, but she has been abused at some point in her life. We've come a long way and I can touch her ears, face, and forehead. The problem though is actually DOING anything to her. She's had rain rot on her forehead for over a year, her ear hair needs trimmed, and I cannot get her face and main on her upper neck scrubbed. Worming is a chore, and the vet earns his pay when he has to do a Coggins. Does desensitizing take this long? She has A LOT more trust in me than she did even a year ago, but I hate not being able to get her as clean as she needs to be and that she's still scared of being hurt. Any suggestions?
Also we added a horse, Rosie, for my husband last spring. We got her from friends and on their farm she was the lowest in the pecking order. She's maintained that position here, and that works out with my dominant mare, but Rosie absolutely freaks out if I take my horse out of the pasture and more than 10 feet away, even if she can see her. If I try to take my horse out of sight to do some work Rosie hollers, runs wildly all around the pasture, bucks. If we turn the tables and I take HER out to do work my horse my give her a winnie to see where she is, but Rosie starts hollering, pacing, tenses up, and as much as I try to move her feet or do anything to focus her she fights me. She gets a little dangerous because she starts turning circles and not paying attention. I've researched this and the info I found said to take the calmer horse away, then bring her back. I feel this is rewarding the bad behavior of the other horse though. Doesn't this reinforce what we don't want?