Horse Training -
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If you have a youngster (or even a new horse) who is reluctant to pick up their feet for cleaning and inspection, perhaps because they have never done it before, we would like to show you how to deal with this using a highly effective, natural horsemanship technique described below.
Young horses find it very unnatural having their feet picked up as they have great difficulty re-distributing their weight to balance properly. Kicking out is their way of saying "I don't like this so put it down".
Horse Training - Thinking Like Your Horse
Asking a horse to pick up his feet therefore is something totally alien to him. After all - in the wild it just doesn't happen. It requires the horse to understand that we are first and foremost not going to hurt them so we must gain their trust.They are flight animals by nature so if something scares them they will try to get as far away as possible from the offending object. If you approach a young horse and just try to pick up his leg without any warning you will get an explosive reaction from the horse and probably a kick or two for your trouble.
We find it best to gradually accustom the horse to the idea so that he not only understands what we want but offers his feet willingly as a result. No-one wants to argue with something bigger than them and forcing a horse to do something they absolutely don't understand is dangerous and counter-productive.
Train Safely and Effectively
We use a really safe but slightly unorthodox horse training method that was demonstrated by a natural horsemanship expert and is both proven and highly effective.Find a walking stick with a curved handle and wrap a stable bandage around it several times until you can't feel the handle itself.
Put a headcollar on your horse and have a friend hold the leadrope so the horse can't run off. Stand on the opposite side of your horse's head from the person holding the horse and stroke the bandaged end of the stick smoothly down your horse's shoulder and down his front leg.
Do this until the horse becomes comfortable with the movement. Then gradually position the hooked end of the stick behind the horse's pastern and lift up the foot.
Even if he only lifts his leg slightly off the floor praise him like mad and let him know he's the most fantastic brainy horse on your yard! Leave it there for the first day and repeat the exercise daily until you can dispense with the stick and pick up your horse's front feet with your hands.
This method of horse training comes into its own for the back legs as this is most likely the time the horse will try to kick you.
Standing at your horse's shoulder facing his tail,stroke your horse's back and over his hindquarters with the bandaged end of the stick, gradually moving down his back legs.
Turn the hook of the handle so that it is under the pastern (lower joint of the horse's foot) and gently lift the stick so that horse feels the pressure.
Some horses offer quite a bit of resistance perhaps kicking out towards you but if you are on the end of the stick you are out of the "kick zone" and harms way. If the horse does kick, keep the hook of the stick around his pastern for a few seconds until he relaxes then gently lower his foot and remove the stick.
Again, offer plenty of praise and then let the horse absorb this training overnight. It won't take your horse long to "click" what you want to do and then you can progress to picking up the feet by hand.
Help Your Horse To Balance
It is vital not to lift your horse's legs too high as this will make him feel unstable and he will struggle to free himself. Lifting each foot only a few inches off the floor will help him maintain his balance and he will be more willing to co-operate.Keep repeating this horse training exercise every day and he will get much better and your farrier will thank you in spades!
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