Help!! i own a horse that doesnt like his feet picked up any ideas?

Question

I have 4 horses all together but my 8 year old 16.3 hand paint gelding does not like his feet picked up when you try to pick them up he kinda leans and tries to put his feet down he doesnt kick or anything but its very hard to pick his feet up..ive been picking them up but his feet is very very heavy and he tries to put his feet down fast h**l put them down forward.. after awhile heel just be even more stuborn!! can you give me ideas??The farrier also has to drug him and make himm very sleepy when we do his feet

Answer 1

Easy to solve.  Pick his feet up when he leans hang on to it a little but do not support any of his weight and let him fall.  It will only take a couple of times and he will stop leaning.  Instead of drugging him I would take him to a farrier that has a chute.  He will tie him and after a couple of these he will be much easier to shoe and let anyone shoe him.  I have not had that fail yet and have used it on several stubborn horses.

Answer 2

I had this problem with one of my mares... Luckily she got over it when I did this...

All you have to do is bend down like your going to pick his hoof. Don't forget to start running your hand down his leg at his shoulder. Once you get down to his hoof you will feel one of his bones. PINCH IT! That's just the start... Then if he starts to lean into you lean back into him. This will show him that you mean business! If he doesn't pick it up then take your hoof pick and start to gently tap him in the little "dip" on his leg near the hoof. If he still doesn't lift it tap harder. Continue to do this until he does lift.

Answer 3

I have the same problem.what i do is i bend down and right at the bottom i tap his leg and i go to pull it up and he knows that hes supposed to lift it up and he does.hope this helps

Answer 4

Take the pick of the hoof pick and wiggle it on the back of his hoof in the center. The feeling will make him pick up fast because he'll think it's a fly. This will work on all feet but the pressure is a big factor. Start with a wiggle, then a pressing wiggle then a small tap. This won't hurt him at all, it will just feel weird to him. Be ready for his hoof to pop up and hold it there. It worked on my horses when they were being trained.

If this doesn't work, lean into his leg and knock him off the balance, it will make him lean on the opposite side and it'll be easier to pick up. Rewards also work. The second he picks up alittle, pat him and praise him. Even give him a treat but not every time. Give him a treat the first three times he picks up a little. Then, only give him a treat when he picks up fully. Eventually he will learn, hey, picking up isn't to bad.

You might need to just hold his feet. Hike it up and don't let go till he's calm them put it down. Hope it helps.

Answer 5

all you need is a lunge rope or a long lead rope

do you have a round pen? or a place to ground work him?

somewhere where YOU have his FULL attention

put the rope behind one of your horses legs

let the rope fall down right behind the ergot, behind the pastern NOT on the ground he rope should grip right under the ergot

now pull the rope into you and  try to pul his foot/leg forwards towards you

do this to all 4 legs..it's okay if he moves or walks away just try to keep the rope steady, let him find his place if he shuffles his feet be patient and try again when he stops moving

once he lets you mess with all 4 legs without a problem you should e able to move each leg forward, try now to pick up each foot with the rope you should be able to pick up each foot and set it down  you should be able to hold it up for aslong as YOU need! but when practicing don't hold it up for too long

this is a jay o jay method i use to break my yearlings with

Answer 6

Well - there are a few things you can do wtih him.

First - you need to practice every day to help him to improve.  Work on all ground manners and picking up all 4 feet.

Second - if he's really bad (which it sounds like he might be if he has to be sedated) - you can put a special kind of hobble on him called a leg strap.

You bend the horses leg like you would for trimming and then run a strap from his hoof to the top of his leg.  They will try to walk a few steps - it's very rare that a horse will panic with this type of hobble.

It will make them a much better horse for trimming and shoeing.  It will teach them to put their leg up, keep it up, and not to lean.  Horses DO NOT get hurt with this as long as it's done by someone with knowledge and put on properly.

Your farrier can probably do this for you.  Otherwise, you can purchase a DVD from a guy called "HorseProblems Australia" on all of the different kinds of hobbling and their benefits.  

http://www.horseproblems.com.au/Saddlery...

This is a little bit of information on it with pictures of how to properly apply it.  You can use a stirrup leather for an english saddle fairly well.

Remember - to enlist help before trying this yourself if you're not experienced.  You also should have the horse contained in a round pen with soft dirt in it (although this is almost always a non-event).  

Otherwise, if you want to purchase his full dvd on leg restraints you can purchase this video which will enable you to hobble your horse safely and with knowledge.  http://www.horseproblems.com.au/DVD%20Sa...

For all of you people who are going to give me thumbs down for bringing up hobbling - please remember I stated that it needs to be done WITH KNOWLEDGE and also watch this video from horseproblems australia on some of the benefits of hobbling:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhLI3ml1E...

Part 2:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC1CESXPD...

And another one on hobbling for seperation anxiety:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvzbjJzr9...

Finally - you need to start out with just practicing touching them.  Take a cotton rope and gently let it touch each leg.  Then, you can put it around the fetlock and pull each leg up and hold it.  This usually helps a young horse tha'ts just unsure.  

Best wishes!

Answer 7

You have lots of good stuff to try already...one more to add to them...on these big guys, when all else fails: stand next to the leg facing the rear, give a good sideways bump to get the horse's weight shifted to the opposite leg, and at the same time use your elbow to push at the back of the knee to make it bend, and immediately grab the lower leg, slide your hand onto the hoof and get the toe pulled facing up.  It's harder for them to get the hoof away with the toe tilted up. Also, get your thigh in front of the horses foreleg so it is resting on your thigh while you work.  Keep the toe up with the outside (away from horse) hand, and pick the hoof with the inside hand (your arm will be in front of the horse's upper leg).

As ground work, go around and bump the horse over to shift his weight on each of all fours, and pick the hooves up as you do, and then set them back down.

Answer 8

get someone to feed him treats while you do it, when you want to pick them up, squeeze around the lower part of his leg, a specific part makes them lift uo their foot.....good luck=]