training 2 year old stallion to lift feet for farrier

jeffers718 · 03-07-2006, 04:54 PM

I have a stallion that I bought a few months ago.
When I bought him the people had never worked with him. He is freindly as can be and we have come a loooooong ways. Anyways I have gotten him to lift his front feet and he does this just fine. I did it by taking a buggy whip and touching his front feet with it and rubbing them. I then starting using my hands instead of the buggy whip. I have done the same thing with his back feet and no matter how hard I try I can't get him to let me mess with his back feet. Any ideas or suggestions???

luvnhrses · 03-07-2006, 05:13 PM

I will get a cotton rope and use it to lift his hind legs. I will pick it up and then set it down over and over again until he doesn't mind it being picked up. If he wants to kick, I will loop it around his neck then run it down around his back fetlock and then back up through the rope around his neck, I don't tie it, I just run it through and then us it as leverage to pick his hoof up. If he kicks he is kicking against himself and most horse figure it out pretty quick that it is easier to pick it up then to kick.

jeffers718 · 03-07-2006, 05:23 PM

I will try that thanks for the info!!

EquineAlberta · 03-08-2006, 09:59 PM

How are you asking him to pick it up? Is it that he won't pick it up, or that he is kicking out when he does lift the leg?

When I pick up a reluctant horse's foot, I think of lifting the hock (up and back), rather than the hoof. Very carefully, with my hand on the fetlock, I press my elbow into the front of the hock joint, and kind of press the lower leg back and lift up at the same time.

Harder to explain in type then I thought!

Good Luck

Karen2

jeffers718 · 03-09-2006, 06:45 PM

well I went out and put a rope on his back foot and lifted it with the rope and then he just let me pick his hind feet up with my hand no problem!!
He is a smart one i tell you!!

DixieHorseChick18 · 03-09-2006, 07:02 PM

He does sound smart, good for you, great that you found a way to do it. My horse is bad with his back feet also, it takes forever to get it up, and once I do he trys to fight with me. Just peachy. I work with him very little on it though, I really should do it more, he lets me do alot more with him than he does the ferrier though, he hates that guy. My moms horse will go to sleep if you are working on him though so I do his feet alot. He loves the attention also so he is very excepting of me messing with him.

Just keep working with him with it, and just to add in a suggestion, every time you go to pick up any of his feet, take the handle on a whip or something and tap his leg everytime you pick up his foot, soon he should realize that when you tap him, he should just give it to you. It takes practice. But is very helpful.

debymcw · 03-11-2006, 08:07 PM

No matter which approach you take you should first exercise the horse. If he is not yet being ridden them work him in the round pen or on a longe line. They are bigger, they are stronger and you will tire first if you dont get them a little wore out to start with.
A tired horse will have much less resistance and things will move along quicker and easier for the both of you.

03-07-2006, 04:54 PM
jeffers718 Halter broke Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Springtown Texas Posts: 58	training 2 year old stallion to lift feet for farrier I have a stallion that I bought a few months ago. When I bought him the people had never worked with him. He is freindly as can be and we have come a loooooong ways. Anyways I have gotten him to lift his front feet and he does this just fine. I did it by taking a buggy whip and touching his front feet with it and rubbing them. I then starting using my hands instead of the buggy whip. I have done the same thing with his back feet and no matter how hard I try I can't get him to let me mess with his back feet. Any ideas or suggestions??? __________________ Heart pounding, Hooves beating,Head held high,Floating on air, Truly this is freedom, The splendor of the Arabian.

03-07-2006, 05:13 PM
luvnhrses Weanling Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Sanger, CA Posts: 362	I will get a cotton rope and use it to lift his hind legs. I will pick it up and then set it down over and over again until he doesn't mind it being picked up. If he wants to kick, I will loop it around his neck then run it down around his back fetlock and then back up through the rope around his neck, I don't tie it, I just run it through and then us it as leverage to pick his hoof up. If he kicks he is kicking against himself and most horse figure it out pretty quick that it is easier to pick it up then to kick. __________________ Horses don\'t make me money...but they sure make me happy!!!!!

03-07-2006, 05:23 PM
jeffers718 Halter broke Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Springtown Texas Posts: 58	cool I will try that thanks for the info!! __________________ Heart pounding, Hooves beating,Head held high,Floating on air, Truly this is freedom, The splendor of the Arabian.

03-08-2006, 09:59 PM
EquineAlberta Seasoned Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 4,691	How are you asking him to pick it up? Is it that he won't pick it up, or that he is kicking out when he does lift the leg? When I pick up a reluctant horse's foot, I think of lifting the hock (up and back), rather than the hoof. Very carefully, with my hand on the fetlock, I press my elbow into the front of the hock joint, and kind of press the lower leg back and lift up at the same time. Harder to explain in type then I thought! Good Luck Karen2 __________________ Hillside Stable, Ardrossan, AB CHT Horse Stories!

03-09-2006, 06:45 PM
jeffers718 Halter broke Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Springtown Texas Posts: 58	training well I went out and put a rope on his back foot and lifted it with the rope and then he just let me pick his hind feet up with my hand no problem!! He is a smart one i tell you!! __________________ Heart pounding, Hooves beating,Head held high,Floating on air, Truly this is freedom, The splendor of the Arabian.

03-09-2006, 07:02 PM
DixieHorseChick18 Long Yearling Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,206	He does sound smart, good for you, great that you found a way to do it. My horse is bad with his back feet also, it takes forever to get it up, and once I do he trys to fight with me. Just peachy. I work with him very little on it though, I really should do it more, he lets me do alot more with him than he does the ferrier though, he hates that guy. My moms horse will go to sleep if you are working on him though so I do his feet alot. He loves the attention also so he is very excepting of me messing with him. Just keep working with him with it, and just to add in a suggestion, every time you go to pick up any of his feet, take the handle on a whip or something and tap his leg everytime you pick up his foot, soon he should realize that when you tap him, he should just give it to you. It takes practice. But is very helpful. __________________ I love horses that are not broke under saddle, it gives me a reason to jump on BAREBACK!!!YeeHaaww Lifes to short to pretend like you know what smart people are talking about.

03-11-2006, 08:07 PM
debymcw Halter broke Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: mayville Posts: 63	No matter which approach you take you should first exercise the horse. If he is not yet being ridden them work him in the round pen or on a longe line. They are bigger, they are stronger and you will tire first if you dont get them a little wore out to start with. A tired horse will have much less resistance and things will move along quicker and easier for the both of you.