Mare behaves badly worming/shots

Both of these things are a conditioned response enforced over time.  For the shot, start with a toothpick.  Stand beside her and see what it is that starts the nervous behavior.  Many times, when you approach that zone, horses will start giving you warning signs that are easily overlooked.  Stand by her neck and stroke the area where the shot will go, similar to how you would with the shot.  Use an alcohol rub, as the scent will also trigger them to the "shot reflex".  Stay right in this action and move with her until she lets her guard down.  Wait for her to drop her head, lick and chew, just let go with you stroking/patting her neck.  I'm usually not a huge one for treats, but if you want, once she reaches this zone, give her one and step away.  Then approach again and see how long it takes to achieve that relaxation again.  Once you can walk up and prep for a shot without any negative responses, give her a little poke with the tooth pick.  Try to stay with her until she starts to relax.  If she gets too defensive here to the point where you have to stop, I will still stick to my basic rules.  My horses are never allowed to rear up at me, its just not an option.  If that is what she did, then that is the behavior that would get a single repremand.  Then we would return to what we know is relaxing, the "shot prep".  Once she gets relaxed with a toothpick touching her neck, reward her.  Either with a treat or just a scratch in a good place.  This does take a little while, but it is effective.
 
I follow the same basic guidelines with worming.  When I approach a horse for worming and they are not all about the idea, my goal changes to a more step by step program.  My goal is not to get the horse wormed, it is now to get the horse to stand quietly with the wormer right next to its mouth.  I will usually hold the halter in the same hand as the wormer and keep my arm loose, letting the horse throw its head all it wants until it realizes that I am not trying to go any further in the process and the wormer isn't doing any harm.  My next goal is to get the tube in the mouth with the horse being quiet.  This might be a more of an "in and out" approach since this is harder with the horse with the head throwing reaction.  Eventually, they get used to the tube going in and out through their mouth.  For practicing, I would take an empty syringe and fill it with applesauce, making it a pleasant surprise once they do accept the syringe.  Just break it up in steps, never setting your goal so high that you are ignoring the signs of defense that the horse is breaking down for you.  As soon as you notice defensive behavior, that is what you will address.  I have worked with many horses with worming problems, now all of them can be approached and wormed in the pasture without even having to put a halter on them.  Good luck!

Our POA pony is terrified of the vet so sedating him/giving him West Nile is lots of fun, but we discovered if we distracted him with carrots, the vet is able to do his job.  The pony doesn't mind me giving him shots which is good.  He also does the head shaking thing, doesn't rear but we're just more persistent than he is.  The applesauce trick does help

Hi, I have always struggled with worming my horse and so I went to the trouble of developing a special bit that removes all of the stress. The product has now been successfully commercialised and is called 'Wormabit'. Please take a look at our web-site www.wormabit.com.au where there is a demonstration video.
 
Wormabit is the latest aid top make worming your horse easy and safe especially for difficult horses.
 
Wormabit makes administering all equine oral pastes a pleasure for you and your horse. It can also be used as a mouthing bit for young horses or works great as a focusing aid during activities such as shoeing where you want your horse to be calm and relaxed.
 
Its bit-like mouth piece is easy to administer. Once the bit is in place, the worming paste is administered by inserting the syringe into the open end of the mouth piece. With one smooth action the full dose is delivered to the horse without the usual mess and fuss. Horses stay calm because they are used to having a bit in their mouth and unlike other products on the market, the syringe itself never enters the horse#%92s mouth.
 
Our extensive product testing found that Wormabit is a great success with horses and their owners. Even the most difficult horses accept the bit and swallow the paste without fear, fuss or mess. Furthermore, successful repeat worming occasions have been achieved with the same horse over time. Wormabit has an endless list of competitive advantages over its direct competitors and substitutes.

• Makes worming easy and safe
• Keeps your horse calm and relaxed
• Delivers full dose every time
• Compatible with 32g plastic syringes
• Other Uses

I hope this helps.
 
Phil

Try a twitch.

One of Caveman's horses is horrible about shots and worming. I tried it once and never again. LOL! Now he just puts him in the horse trailer and gets it done slick as snot.

I find treats usually work with most  horses
  a carrot - paste - carrot. 

[color=#ff0000]HGPaint thats a good idea i will have to use that in the future if i come across a horse like that...Thankfully Fancy is Wonderful she stands for worming, and the shots Piece of cake i go right up clean her butt area pat her butt 2 times shot goes in she just stands there......No Tizzie is a diffrent story she is a handfull she doesnt like wormingi have to halter her tye her up and she gets wormed that way she fights me some  times but most of the tim i can just smack her on the nose and she stops.... and shots she stands there....[/color]
 
 
Good Luck

I'm using a haystring twitch next time we worm, I'm comfortable with that, have done it many times with a mare who was impossible to worm unless you used it.
 
For the shots, it's just me, I'm not messing with a regular twitch. I've only got two hands.
 
I will try the toothpick thing, that sounds reasonable.
 
She's also a pain about her ears. I use a rag to put fly repellent on her face and I like to swipe the insides of the ears and she flips her head over and over regardless of how patient I am or how I approach it. We're still doing it, though.
 
Thanks. It will be spring before her next set of shots (unless she gets cut and needs a tetanus or antibiotics). I can take the time to try the toothpick.

I just put the wormer on her pellet feed, makes life easier.
 
For shots, over the years we have discovered that if I stand at her head and block her view of the vet with my body, the vet can stand next to me and give her the shots.  I can't put my hand over her eye like you would with some horses.  She is too smart and knows I am up to something.  I can rub her eyes - but blocking her vision means something is up.  I pick the frost off her lashes all winter...she is good about that.
 
So I stand really close to her with my shoulder near her ear standing at somewhat of an angle.  Works for us.  We also give her a sedative every year before she gets the vaccines.  Every time she is better and better.
 
The other thing that I do is similar to the toothpick, but I never work with her beforehand.  We usually get to the vet early and I pick up some driveway rocks and poke her neck with them.  Sometimes we wait 15 - 20 minutes and I poke her neck all that time off and on.