Posted by Phil Armitage on December 29, 2002 at 20:06:05:
In Reply to: Re: behaviorly challenged horses posted by Bill A. on December 28, 2002 at 04:00:06:
: : : Nate,
: : : I have articles by John Lyons, Clinton Anderson and Pat Parelli on teaching horses to pick up their feet that I distribute to customers. Clinton anderson is going to devote his 1 hour weekly program to this topic -preparing for the farrier- the week of Jan 9th. I plan to tape it. You may wish to do so as well. RFDTV carries it. Avaialable on your nearest minidish.
: : : George
: : : : : Does anyone have a list of training ideas to hand out to customers on training their horses to pick up their feet.
: : : : Hi Nate,
: : : : To answer your question, no, I have never seen a list of ideas on how to train a horse to do a particular thing.
: : : : Having said that, if these people have raised the horse from the time he was a newborn and wasn't picking up his feet before he was completely dry, then shame on them.... they just flunked Horsemanship 101
: : : : If they purchased the horse and actually paid money for something that won't at the very least pick up his feet, shame on them and a smack on the head....what's wrong with this picture?!?!?
: : : : Assuming they aquired this problem horse some other way, then I would refer them to a professional trainer in the area that you trust will be able to teach the horse to pick his feet up, along with all of the other ground manners he undoubtedly needs to learn before you crawl up under him
: : : : just some thoughts after a long week of shoeing
: : : : Derin
: : Nate
: : Here is what I tell my clients:
: : 1. With young horses start handling there feet right away there is no time better than right now!!
: : 2. If it is a scared horse young or old and is not use to being handled and doesnt like it then start by descensitizing the leg and feet with a 4' rod like a fiber glass rod or lunge whip, don't let kicking and rearing make you quit, keep at it until they get use to it and are standing quitly with a soft look while your touching them. The rod will keep you out of harms way. When it looks like the horse is use to the rod then try picking the foot up whith your hand.
: : 3. If it is an unruly horse with no manners, your better off to seek proffesional help. Especialy if they a combonation of pushy and scared, these type are dangerous.
: : 4. If you cannot tell the difference then seek proffesional help.
: : 5. If in doubt what so ever and it makes you nervous to work with your horse, seek professional help.
: : It is also the Farrier's responsibility to properly pick up the horses feet and master the shoeing posistions. Many times the horse is blamed for misbehaving and it is the Farrier's Fault. When I first started shoeing it seemd like all I had were problems horses, as I got better the number of problems reduced and I attribute this to part getting better horses and part I got better.
: : Phil
:
: I agree with Phil, about desensitizeing. What I've done is to hold up a front foot while rubbing the hind leg from the hip down. As the horse calms, let the front foot down and pick up the hind. This works well on the foals, too.
: I shod a horse the other day that made me use patience, and I hate to be patient. He was pulling his right hind away, not scared or mean, just dumb. I just kept putting it back where I wanted, without wacking him ,and he just gave up after an extra twenty minutes, that was billed to client.
: The ol' round pen has always worked too.
: Like Phil said, the horses get better with age, ours that is. I'd rather work with a mean horse than a scared horse.
: My $0.02 worth.
: Bill
Good point Bill I have experienced that same thing. The more and more you work around horses the more you learn to understand there language. One way you can tell that they give into you is that deep breath they take or licking there lips, soften there eyes. I would also like to mention that when a horse pins there ears back it does not alway mean there angry or warning you, look for other signs like stommping feet and swishing there tail and there eyes in cunjunction with the ears before you conclude that there not happy with you. Anyways keep studying, observing and learning. Happy New Year.
Phil