Bad Day

[NHFarrier]

This actually happened on Friday, but I still feel bad about it! I was working on a QH gelding, who used to be a little skiddish. He is usually fidgity, but that day was really being a putz, trying to stand up on the hoof stand, pulling his feet, general pig-headedness! I went for the the first back foot and he kicked at me, so I gave him a smack in the belly. When I reached for the foot the second time he kicked again, but nearly missed me. My reaction was to stand up quickly, and use my hand to push on his hip.....well he freaked. He was on crossties that were made by putting two 4x4's into the ground, and then attaching the ties. Instead of the breakaway clips working, the poles broke and he proceeded to run around the pasture with the two poles attached to him. The woman went running after him and I yelled at her to stop. Then I calmly walked in his direction and he stopped and let me catch him and release the poles. I walked him around for a bit, and let him examine the poles, and even picked each pole up and dragged it back to the crosstie area. He was shaken, but had no injuries except a few cuts on the back legs. Funny thing was when I went to pick up his back feet he was really good and let me trim both with no problems....but I still feel bad. I should have remembered his jumpyness when I gave him the first smack on the belly...I was just thinking about correcting the behavior.

Luckily the owner wasn't mad at all, and even asked what they could do to get him to stand better. Just thought I'd share a bad day!

Amy

[Andrew Grimm]

What makes me feel bad is when I get upset at a horse for being bad to find out an hour later that the horse just had to pee really bad.


Andrew Grimm

[Phil Armitage]

Important thing is you did not get hurt and the iceing on the cake is the horse did not get injured. Sounds like this client is green, real green. 2X4's in the ground for ties is not a good idea. Better off to have someone you trust hold the horse. If they have to ask what to do to train the horse to stand and tie, then it sounds like they need a trainer.

[mbetteridge]

I had one last week who always stands really good. She kicked me in the knee and left one hell of of bruise from above the knee to below it. I corrected her pretty harsh. I commented to the owner that it was really unusal behavior for this mare and felt kinda bad about being so harsh when she usually stands so good. Two days later the owner calls me in a panic cause the horse won't eat, drink and is wanting to lay down. They said she wouldn't put any weight on one hind leg. I went over right away to find no problem with leg or foot (she was just resting it and being new horse owners they thought it looked funny). But, she was colicing major. I spent two hours with her and calling vets while the owner was crying (the owner just had a baby two weeks ago and in no shape emotianlly or physically to deal with this). Finally got a vet out and the mare was full of sand. I felt really bad then about being so harsh with her cause I know she was hurting, not just misbehaving.


Michele

[Andrew Grimm]

I can remember one time I was shoeing a young horse for it's first time and with the front feet he kep attempting to pull his leg forward. I nailed the shoe on and he held his foot like I quicked him. I thought oh ****. He limped off and I was **** founded so I tested each nail and no response. I pulled the shoe off and all the nails were fine (the horse had nice thick walls). I palpated his carpus to find he was very ochy and felt some swelling. She said the next day the swelling went down and he was not lame.
Another horse kep jerking me with his hind leg. I got a little angry and jerked him back. Well, when I did that I must have jerked him out of place cause he walked off lame. I felt really bad but learned not to do that again.
These are just a few of those weird cir***stances that you don't expect a horse to walk of lame from. It puts you back in your your place cause you think you screwed up.


Andrew Grimm

[Phil Armitage]

Hey Andrew, I did a horse that not many farriers like to do. She would slam her hind foot down real fast and hard. I hung on to her hind feet, had her leg cranked up and planted on my lap got her done. She walked off lame and I did feel bad. I now use a cradle on her hind feet and she give me no trouble at all. For some reason she has a ton of respect for me. :rolleyes:

I tried that on a little qaurter horse once that did not like to hold her hind leg up. She pulled so hard and fast it knocked me to the ground flat on my back and ended up under her hind feet. I now get her relaxed stretch her hind legs and she is fine. Mares. :cool:

[Gary Hill]

Phil, Amy said they were 4x4's not 2x4's. Still not strong enough to tie horses too! :D Gary

[Gary Pfeiffer]

Amy;
Don't feel too bad about this, it happens to many of us, some time in our career.
I was shoeing a horse at a hitching post. The poles of the hitching post were just regular fence posts. I don't remember what made this horse blow, but he pulled back broke off both posts and went running down the road. I was amazed, that when I caught him, he didn't have a mark on him.
He was so worn out from running from those posts that were chasing him that he stood great after that.

At that same hitching post once, While I was shoeing a horse and not paying too much attention to the client. This guy gets out a 22 rifle, stands five feet behind the horse and takes a shot at a skunk walking across the field.
He almost had to have surgery to have the rifle removed.
Funny how that horse didn't bat an eye at the rifle, and the next horse has a fit about the deer in the field 1/4 mile away.


Gary

[THamilton]

Amy,

The most importatnt lesson that you learned is???......


To always evaluate the situation for SAFETY. If you feel that what the owner is doing is not safe, mentio something like " Can we do it over here? ther is more shade, flatter ground, whatever." You never criticize then but yo make suggestions for the next time you return.
After 2 or 3 times and no suggestions have been heeded, then you need to reevaluate this client and whether or not they are going to fit into you program.

Stay safe,
Tony

[NHFarrier]

Yeah, lol, when I left I said, "sure would be nice to have a barn wouldn't it!" No hinting there. I did tell them if they wanted to make a nice area for shoeing/grooming/vet, to get some telephone poles, about 8' tall, sink them at least 3 feet with concrete.....and while they had the concrete out, make a nice 8' x 8' platform! :) Guess we'll see in a few weeks!

Amy

[Gary Pfeiffer]

Amy;
I have one that has a million dollar house.
Barn is a three sided shed 12 X 16. Where they keep the hay and grain is beyond me.
If it is raining and I need to shoe one I may as well cancel.
There is not enough room for the four horses and the back of the truck without making it a dangerous situation.
I make them bring the horses to the west side of the garage where there is a hitch post and shade until about 11am. Making it more difficult for them, may coax them to build a barn.

Ha, wishfull thinking.

Gary