Ideas Please-she likes her foot too much to share!

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Baptism

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Our two year old filly is such a love and a sweetie, that is until you want to trim her left front foot. She rears and wrestles,etc. She stands very nicely for all her other feet.

No swelling, no tenderness, no heat, just a behavior thing. We can brush the leg and foot, just not pick it up without the whole horse going up too.

So--any suggestions considered. I can only think of one or two things to do.

Thanks
 
My mules don't like to have their feet done. Well at least not by my current farrier
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With the babies, and it works on the older ones too, I pick up their foot and let it down. I tell them how good they are and then repeat the process. I keep doing this and holding the foot up longer and longer each time. Once they are comfortable with me holding their foot up, I'll turn it so the bottom of the hoof is up like a farrier would do and then rub around on it to get them used to that. I don't hold it long, just long enough for them to see it's OK. It may take some time but this has worked for mine.
 
This is her "naughty" foot- all horses have one
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I find out which it is then do it first-that way it is out of the way and done. I allow plenty of time for the naughty foot and do not get cross because I know it's going to happen. But then I do all mine myself, so I have this luxury. Just because someone else does the actual paring, does not mean you cannot do the work though. Get yourself a hoof knife and a file- they can be old blunt cast offs from your farrier, and go to work- every single day, on all four feet. I bet I know who will get tired first- and you may even be brave enough to start some paring!!

[SIZE=8pt]These opinions are my opinions- if you do not like it....SUE ME
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My Rose was like this. My Bunny was like this. Sure embarrasses us un front to the farrier eh? Casey was a wild man, (wasn't he Fred?).

I just kept on being patient and did end up getting the "foot" by doing it first. Bunny outgrew the terror, Rose did also. Now that I think on it we had a man farrier at the time and he was very impatient with the babies. I began starting with the difficult legs and it got better. I use tons of scritches and cookies and what ever works to make trimming a pleasant experience.

Maybe "Fred" will come on and give her opinion.
 
What's her favorite treat? Mine did not like his back left picked up..So I did a lillte pick up good boy put down good boy treat...then repeated now he does great even without his treat..he is a yearling and I've had him since Aug.

Maybe if you have some one feed her a treat while you pick up all four she may get over the Oh not that foot.....It worked for me maybe it'll work for you....

Good luck....

Jenn
 
I'm working with my new mare Gracie on this issue, by using clicker training.

Here's the game: I touch her shoulder - click - give her a treat. Then I move down her leg - touch - click - treat. Move down to hoof - touch - click - treat. She's learning that touching her body = click = treat! After a few days I was able to get her to lift her hoof - click - treat. I can now pick up all for hooves without a battle - it did take several weeks of daily training, but I am such a big fan of clicker training - it's fun for you and for the horse!

Best,

Liz R.
 
Well a horse like that -needs a distraction.. Am I the only one who gives "tasty hay" while I trim hooves? I put a bucket at the neck level, and tie them up next to it, and it makes the whole process go easier. They learn that as long as they tolerate my trimming they get the tasty stuff. This also helps them to have a good attitude when it comes to trimming time.
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It seems to me the biggest problem with picking up this foot is she rears up.

I have to trim mine myself and with a bad back, if i have one that wants to fight i use the cross ties(it does not hurt them) I tie them on both sides and give them a bucket of feed on the fence, I have a guard fence on one side and I stand on the other. With the head tied she cant cant rear up on you and will soon figure out she cant dance forward or backward and she cant move the gaurd wall(if you dont have a guard wall use a another person). I find somtimes if you hold their foot close to ground and not pick it up so high, they dont panic about it as much.
 
I have a similar situation to Wishful. I am frequently doing feet by myself and I cannot have that rearing. My daughter's pony would always rear up when doing his front feet. He is picture perfect other than this bad habit. A friend showed my a good trick...clip (or tie) a rope to the ring on one side of the halter. Bring the rope down the chest between the front legs, then up and over the withers, back down the other side between the front legs and tie to the other cheek ring on the halter. It doesn't have to be too tight. Just snug enough to hold the horses head at a nice comfortable position. Every time the horse tries to rear, or even toss his head up for that matter, he is pulling against his own withers and nose. The harder he pulls the more pressure he feels. The minute he quits, he gets instant release of pressure. It does not take long at all for them to learn they are in control of that particular pressure, and as long as he doesn't raise his head, he doesn't feel pressure. I still have my rope around for when our pony forgets his manners. I had to resort to this because I don't have a good place to cross tie. I also agree with not lifting the foot too high. Best wishes. Linda
 
Cross tieing allows some rearing latitude, whereas tieing it 6 inches from the ground they get no movement or momentum to rear. (head stays at normal position) . For some of us twitching works very well......
 
What I have always done to get my horses to stand quietly while trimming is to start on one foot and work all the way around them. Don't just concentrate on the bad one. I use a soft cotton rope that is about ten foot long. Tie one end of it in a bowline around the foot right above the hoof, not too tight, but tight enough it won't come off when you pull on it. Then on the front feet stand by the shoulder and ask them to pick the foot up by pulling on the rope and maybe pushing on their shoulder to take the pressure off the foot. Then hold the foot up, no matter what they do hold it up. Once they stand quietly then slowly lower the foot toward the ground. When the toe of the foot touches the ground slowly allow the rope around their ankle to relax. If they try to stand on the foot, or yank it away lift it back up and start over. Once you get them to stand with only the toe of the foot on the ground and no pressure on the rope only make them hold that stance for a few seconds, then reach down with your hand, pick the foot up slightly and place it on the ground with your hand. That way they know they're done. Slowly work up until they will stand that way longer and longer at a set, that way they learn not to lean (there's nothing to lean on) and that no matter what they do they just can't get that leg away since you have the rope on it. You may even have to have the rope on the leg for a few trimmings, but they'll learn. You do about the same thing on the back leg, stand behind the horse (far enough they can't kick you) and then gently tug until they pick the foot up. They'll probably fight, but just keep ahold and don't let them put it down. They'll settle down and slowly give the leg to you until it is in the correct postition to trim. Now slowly give it back, it should land on the ground in the position it would if they were resting it. Same as the front, don't let them stand on it, they need to rest the toe on the ground with no pressure on the rope. Once they relax then walk up, pick the foot up with your hand and place it on the ground. They will learn quickly what you want and it makes them so much more responsive to you. If that was too confusing, let me know and I'll try to simplify.
 
Thank you all for these wonderful ideas. With a variety like this I should be able to find something that will work best for this little filly. Isn't it interesting how a 175 pound mini can have 300 pounds of muscle to fight with?
 

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