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  Discussion on Fear of Right rear Leg being lifted
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New Member:
Flpotato

Posted on Thursday, Mar 3, 2005 - 3:43 pm:

I purchased two gelding brothers about 4 months ago. They are great to ride, very well behaved on trails and not too spooky. They are Percheron/Quarter Cross and about 16 1/2 hands each. Duke, the 5 year old, has developed a problem with his right hind leg all of the sudden. They had not had too much attention prior to us buying them, and I don't believe they had had their feet done before. The first two times the farrier came, he was a little nervous, but very well behaved considering. However, the farrier suggested putting shoes on him to correct some problems he has. We managed to put the front shoes on, and trim the left rear foot. But it's been two weeks, many trials, and two sedations later, and have still been unsuccessful in trimming the right rear. The horse is not mean or aggressive at all, just young and green, but he seems geniunely afraid to have this leg lifted. It has started kicking very strongly. Only with this leg and only when you try to pick it up. I can rub the leg, wash it, as long as I don't try to pick it up. There appear to be no lameness issues with the leg. I've began working and lunging him and have discovered that he does not and WILL NOT lunge to the right! If I use a surcingle and lightly turn his head to the right, he constantly walks in circles. He does not freak out, just doesn't seem to understand that he can still walk forward with his head slightly turned to the right. The more things I do with him, the more I believe that it may be a vision problem. He's so sweet and my five year old daughter just loves him and I believe this is a fixable problem. Should I have his vision checked? Also, I have not been a believer in this in the past, but someone suggested a horse chiropractor! I am willing to try anything to make him more trusting with this hind leg. Thanks for any advice.
Member:
Sunny66

Posted on Thursday, Mar 3, 2005 - 4:08 pm:

Hi Christine,

I'd try massage first and see what the therapist says. Lameness in the leg could mean he hurts in a number of different places...as I've recently found out.

Good luck!!
Member:
Christos

Posted on Thursday, Mar 3, 2005 - 6:55 pm:

Christine,
Many horses have a difficulty with the right hind leg. Actually I can hardly remember one that had a difficulty with the left leg.
I suppose it is because of their natural crookedness to the left.
To lift the right hind and keep it in the air, the horse must bend its body to the right. That's not self explanatory for some horses.
So that he understands, you ask him first to lift his leg forward, under him. At the same time, you gently turn his head slightly to the right and you tickle him a bit on his right side, around the girth area.
You repeat this a few times, until he understands that he can actually balance himself if he only bends a little bit to the right.
Once he's comfortable with this, you gradually pull the leg backwards, only as much as he's comfortable. One step at a time and he should be fine with the leg fully extended before you know it.

PS: Many very expensive competition horses have lost championships because of this natural crookedness. Do you think their trainers are ignorant enough to go in competition with a problem a chiropractor could fix in a few visits?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Mar 4, 2005 - 7:07 am:

There is one medical condition that should be considered and that is shivers. Though it would be unusual to have just this one sign, I have been told it can happen see, Equine Diseases » Lameness » Muscle & Tendon Diseases » Tying Up, Rhabdomyolysis, and Shivers (EPSM).

Assuming no medical condition for the picking up the leg I would begin a positive reinforcement program like that described in, Training Horses » Training Your Horse's Mind » Modifying a Horses Behavior: Conditioned Responses.
DrO
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