(Editor's note: This was taken from a discussion on Equi-Sense message board and may or may not work with your particular problem. You may find it safer for both you and your horse to hire an equine professional to solve this type of behavior problem.)
Got a problem, could use some input ... Posted by KarenN on Friday, 22 May 1998, at 9:31 a.m. We are working with a mare that has been left totally alone for the last year and a half to two years. She is about 6 years old. Sis-in-law bought her as a three year old. We suspect that she has been abused sometime in past when it comes to her back feet. She has an irrational fear of having her back feet handled. We have tried EVERYTHING to get her over this. Last night we came the closest by using JL round pen reasoning, but still she goes into absolute terror if you approach picking up her rear feet. Any suggestions?
Posted by Eclectic Horseman on Friday, 22 May 1998, at 9:44 a.m., in response to Got a problem, could use some input (HR)..., posted by KarenN on Friday, 22 May 1998, at 9:31 a.m. I worked with an off-the-track TB mare like that and it's a real problem. She would kick like lightning and was very dangerous. She had to be tranquilized by the vet for shoeing. This is a problem that takes a long, long time to get over. Using food rewards, I tried to touch and handle her back legs and hoofs a little at a time, several times a day, stroking her and speaking in soothing tones. Eventually, I could pick up her back feet and bang on them with a hammer, etc. When I sold her she was still being aced for the farrier, but the dosage was less. If her new owner continued the program, I'm sure that she would be able to be shod without drugs eventually. Good Luck. It's a tough problem.
yep yep yep Posted by Slyder on Friday, 22 May 1998, at 10:38 a.m., in response to Re: Got a problem, could use some input (HR)..., posted by Eclectic Horseman on Friday, 22 May 1998, at 9:44 a.m. This is the way to go. Jackson the gelding had/has this problem. We always have someone he trusts at his head feding him goodies and giving him praise when we handle the back feet. If they are chewing, they are relaxed. Anyway, try to build up trust in this mare before you mess with those feet too much. Sometimes, just touching the hock is a big step. Take what you can get. Another month isn't going to hurt them...really, if they are already long...and if you can build the trust before you mess with them, it just is safer...keep your head down pilgrim...
KarenN, How far do you get... Posted by mec on Sunday, 24 May 1998, When working on picking them up? and what does she do? Can you touch her hindquarters? The flank? the hock? And what is her response? Does she kick, or just evade you? I have to admit, I've had the horses that are bad around the hindquarters come around faster than ones that are bad in front. I hate those strikers!! I have had a couple really bad ones with hind feet--one mare would lay down and the other was a filly who would either try to escape or kick your teeth in!! Both of them were desensitized by the use of a buggy whip. I'd stnd holding their head and use the buggy whip to touch all the areas they didn't want me to touch. The filly on occasion would try to run over me, but I used a stud chain just to keep her from doing this. After they got to where they didn't flinch anymore and would even tolerate gentle taps all up and down their legs, I would move back with my hand and just stroke with the hand first. There were a couple advantages to this..got them used to being touched, and by standing at the head, I also got them to learn to stand when I said whoa. Now the filly still was awkward about actually picking up the hind feet and would really snap them the foot up when I tried using my hand to get her to give me her foot (she was really frightened initially and also had a lot of fight in her). I got her over that by substituting a cotton rope for the buggy whip and running it up and down her leg, then eventually as it was down below the fetlock I'd pull on it to teach her to lift the leg forward and would just sort of hold it for a while. This took about three weeks with the filly and a couple months with the mare. The mare used to drop on the ground whenever you tried to do anything around her hindquarters and had this habit much more ingrained than the filly who was just terrified of people..good luck and keep us posted...mec
(THESE ARTICLES ARE INTENDED FOR EDUCATIONAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES. VARIOUS HEALTH AND TRAINING PROBLEMS WITH HORSES CAN NOT BE SOLVED BY ADVICE FROM THE INTERNET ALONE. ALWAYS TALK TO YOUR VETERINARIAN ABOUT CHANGING FEEDING PROGRAMS OR OTHER HEALTH RELATED ISSUES. IT IS ALSO RECOMMENDED AN EXPERIENCED HORSE PERSON HELP YOU WITH SOME OF THE TECHNIQUES DESCRIBED ABOVE)
Sorry, your account does not have access to post comments.