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  Discussion on Mule objects to hoof being held captive
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Member:
Heidim

Posted on Sunday, Aug 13, 2006 - 6:14 pm:

My mule will let me pick up her hooves for cleaning, but is an absolute pistol when the farrier tries to hold a front hoof captive between his legs. She reacts by first pulling the hoof away and then ups the ante by rearing up. If I twitch her, she reverts to striking. One farrier wanted to whack her for this behavior, but I held off in case I'm dealing with a fear rather than insubordination. I've had good luck with the desensitizing process mentioned on this site for other problems, but I'm not sure how to go about doing this for holding her foot captive, especially when she's already fine about picking it up. I just don't see how I can break this down into smaller steps nor how I can minimize the risk to me. A friend suggested using ropes, but I don't want to do so unless I know exactly what to do. The mule used to react the same way whenever I gave her shots until someone suggested blindfolding her. Now, she stands great for shots (we still twitch her for good measure). I've considered blindfolding her for the farrier, but it doesn't seem as fitting a treatment. The other complication is that I am not the farrier. Another thought is to take her to a farrier that uses stocks, just so she can see it's not a threatening process. Thoughts anyone? I could really use some help here.
Member:
Hwood

Posted on Sunday, Aug 13, 2006 - 6:28 pm:

Stocks are great, Heidi . . . training is better. I know it takes TIME . . . Do you have a rasp or nippers that you can use to practice on her? Keep her foot up until she relaxes, and only let it down when she has relaxed her leg . . . Do it for little amounts of time . . . gradually increasing. I have an old gelding who has been a real pain about allowing me to trim his hinds. I can clean them just fine, but when I get them in position for using nippers, he hops and jerks the foot away, and I'm just not strong enough to hold it. I just trimmed him yesterday, and I was ready to spend a couple of hours on his hind feet . . . just doing a little at a time, but he was really great for me . . . Maybe he is happy to be back home with me; maybe he finally decided he could trust me to do it . . . maybe my persistence paid off . . . who knows? I do know that I allowed him to keep his foot low, and I nipped each foot from a very weird angle, but he never jerked either foot away . . . a first after two years . . .
I used to work for a farrier, and he was usually really patient . . . but when it was hot, and he'd been hit in the eyes with the horse's tail a couple of times, and when the horse refused to stand for him, he'd get pretty mouthy and rough . . . and I remember John Lyons saying that we shouldn't expect a farrier or vet to train our animal when they come out . . . we should have the animal trained before then to avoid a ruckus . . . I had one old Criollo who would kick any farrier who tried to trim his back feet . . . even with tranquilizer he was a terror . . . so I just stopped asking the farriers to risk their lives and limbs . . .
If the trim is necessary because the hooves are at a critical stage, then I opt for stocks, but in the meantime, work with those feet as much as you can using rasp and nippers . . . for practice. Stay safe.
Member:
Christos

Posted on Sunday, Aug 13, 2006 - 6:55 pm:

Many horses find it awkward when the farrier pulls their legs sideways and holds them tight when they're not used to it.

You can easily train her out of this behaviour.

First, familiarise her with your leg rubbing hers on the inside. Stand by her withers on her left side looking backwards and stroke the inside of her left front with your left leg.
When she picks it up, praise her.

Then, with your leg on the inside of hers pick her hoof up and rest her pastern on the inside of your leg, right under your knee. Do not tighten it with your hands, trap it with your right knee or pull it outwards.

As she gets used to it, pull her hoof a bit outwards with your leg for a few seconds. As she gets used to that, start holding it tight, first with your hands and then with the opposite knee, again for a few seconds only to start with.

If she complaints too much, bend her pastern a bit tight for half a minute before you pull it outwards. It numbs the leg a little bit and they don't mind so much when you pull or hold it tight.

Whacking her does not work. Holding that leg folded even if she rears does work wonders.
Member:
Heidim

Posted on Sunday, Aug 13, 2006 - 10:17 pm:

I never thought of using my leg to lift hers, Christos. I'll give it a try.

It also helps to know that persistence may help her come around, Holly. I've begun to wonder if there's any hope. I will try playing farrier for a while. I know this sounds lame (no pun intended), but she hasn't needed trimming lately because my "training pen" is a nice wide well-graded gravel road, and the surface shapes her hooves nicely.
Member:
Ajudson1

Posted on Monday, Aug 14, 2006 - 7:22 am:

Heidi,

great advice from Holly and Christos.

I have had problems with 3 of my horses and trimming. Each was a little different, back feet, front feet, rearing up, kicking out, etc.

Patience, patience and repetition is the key.

3 years later, I still have a gelding that has to at least ONCE, pull back, rear up and be a pain while his front feet are done. After the one little acting up episode, he is fine for the rest of his trim time.

A slap don't work with him. He gets very worried then and is worse.

On the other hand, my other gelding is either really good, or really an idiot. In his case, a slap from the farrier one time seems to remind him that he is supposed to stand quietly and pay attention!

My 3rd horse, a mare, just don't like the farrier. Me and my daughter can clean her feet, hold them any which way. We must do a few things differently than the farrier.

IMO, twitching, blind folds and all, will just be a crutch which will make her worse as times goes on. Nothing wrong with useing them to be safe of course.

I have used soft ropes also and it seemed to help. Especially with back feet that were like greased lightening! But I think for front feet Christos advice is better than using ropes here.

Oh, and a good workout before hand really helps too!
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