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  Discussion on Difficulty picking up front foot/feet
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Member:
Cpacer

Posted on Thursday, Dec 8, 2005 - 9:11 am:

Hi DrO, I'm not sure where to ask this question but here it goes. Lately my horse has been falling on me when I pick up his front feet for cleaning. It happens with both front, but one more than the other, interchangeably. He's done this before but it was shrugged off by 2 different vets as "him being difficult"--well I don't know if I buy that now.

He went months without doing it, but since it's started again I thought I'd ask what you think it might be and what I should do. When he did it before and the vet checked him, he didn't show any pain in the hoof pressure tests, and nothing was too apparent in other lameness tests.

Do you think he's just being a booger, or should I look into it further?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Dec 8, 2005 - 10:55 am:

Hello CP,
If there is no lameness, stiffness, or signs of muscoskeletal pain or incoordination on a physical exam, it sounds like a training problem to me. We have occasionally addressed this discussions so I would run a search and one way to deal with this as a training problem is explained at Training Horses » Behavioral Problems » Behavior Modification, Conditioning, Desensitization, and Counterconditioning.
DrO
Member:
Cpacer

Posted on Thursday, Dec 8, 2005 - 2:50 pm:

I'm surprised that he would rather fall and land on his knee than let me hold his foot up? Maybe I'm doing it wrong? I'll check out your reference above.

I have another unrelated question (but maybe not worthy of a new post). I rode him in the arena last night for about 20-minutes or less. It was 35 degrees out and he worked up quite a sweat for such little work (couple walking laps to warm-up, 10 minutes of trotting, 1 lap at canter, then back to walk around). We were practicing stopping from the seat, and maneuvering from leg only, riding in just a training halter, so I'm wondering if maybe, okay don't laugh, do they sweat more when they're thinking more or being challenged mentally?
Member:
Ajudson1

Posted on Thursday, Dec 8, 2005 - 6:53 pm:

To address your first problem, try giving him a poke with the pointed end of the hoof pick and say "NO" in a firm voice when he starts leaning on you. Just a little jab straight up so that you hit about behind his front leg and on his belly side. Or a sharp jab with your elbow if that's easier. Just do something to wake him up, sounds like he's just being lazy. Maybe have someone else handle his feet and see what he does. Sometimes we get in a rut and do things a little bit "off" and a bad habit developes.

And is he standing square so that he can balance himself? Some times a horse has to adjust himself a little bit just to feel secure. Try lifting the foot up, and watch his reaction. Then put it down, and try again, holding it longer each time. Maybe you'll see something that you didn't notice before.

I have a 3 1/2 yr old that I've had 2 1/2 yrs and she fights the farrier everytime. WHY? Because he insists on holding onto her foot til she stops struggling. I, on the other hand, barely grasp her feet to hold them up, let her move if she wants to, and once she settles down, grasp her foot and clean it out. She simply has to get over her "panic" mode and she's fine.....and she will lean all over me too at first if I let her.

I did laugh at your second question! But only at first...(I don't sweat easily myself, and I don't know if I get challenged mentally much either,lol) But I think the answer is he may have been more nervous because he was being challenged mentally, and the nervousness did cause him to sweat more. That's the only way I can think of how a horse would sweat more under those circumstances!!! Of course you have to consider his winter coat, fitness level, and such.
Member:
Cpacer

Posted on Friday, Dec 9, 2005 - 10:19 am:

I'll give that a shot Angie--guess I'm a big softie sometimes.

He does have a bit of a winter coat but didn't seem nervous at all. It worried me a little but all else was normal so who knows.
Member:
Gingin

Posted on Friday, Dec 9, 2005 - 9:49 pm:

Hello CP,
when where his feet last trimmed/shod? Some of the older horses I regularly trim sometimes have a very hard time standing on one front leg when their hooves are very much out of balance. Miraculously, when balance is restored, they have no longer an issue holding up the leg for me and do so quite happily! Also check on the length of the toes on the HIND feet. If too long and the horse puts both hinds more under its body to balance, standing still becomes and issue and some, rather than pulling the leg away, start leaning and falling on you. May also explain why he seemed to have worked harder in training...
Christine
Member:
Cpacer

Posted on Saturday, Dec 10, 2005 - 4:51 pm:

Good thoughts Christine, thank you.
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