Thanks for the saddle cleaning advice. It cleaned up nicely, the tooling, like you said may need it a few times. I used an old toothbrush to try and brush out most of the dirt. I'm very pleased. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
With the feet issue, just be persistent and don't get upset about it. If you can only hold it a few seconds then do that, and don't do it over and over. Once or twice is fine each day. Try again the next day and keep it up, over time the horse will get accustomed to it and it won't be an issue.
When we bought one of our quarter horses, he was unused to his feet being handled. I could pick up the fronts for a few seconds but not the backs at all. Over about a month of daily touching his legs and handling his feet, he got over it. Now I can walk up to him in a pature and pick up any of his feet whenever I want, he doesn't mind.
There are various ways but I like this one. Start by petting the horse. Then start at the shoulder/rump and slowly run your hand down the leg. It some times helps to do this once or twice before you try to pick up the foot. It helps to gently pinch the tendon right above the hoof as this tends to make them pick up and curl the leg.
I was headed in the right direction. I have been when I brush him each morning just picking up his feet and then just letting him put them back down but when I went to clean them he just wanted to put them back down. The very first one he wasn't having it, so I went to the back and when I lifted them and quickly cupped my hand around the hooves, he stayed. I thought " OK! Got it" [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] So both back went well, then back to the other frount foot. Up, down, up, down, even when I was trying to cup the hoof. [img]/forums/images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] So I got a little out but not much, I abandoned ship. SO.... I might have done it myself my not by not cleaning them right off or he just is not as fond of having the frount done. [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img] We'll get there, baby steps.
Yep, small steps and persistence will get you there. Just don't make it a negative experience for the horse so he doesn't think something bad will happen when you work with his feet. I know you aren't doing that, just a reminder for others
I have seen folks smacking the horse when they get fussy about their feet being handled, even saw a horse trainer give one a couple hard wacks when the horse wasn't cooperating, you would think the trainer would know better.
Folks get frustrated when the horse won't cooperate, especially when the vet or farrier is there. The time to solve the foot handling issue is long before the vet or farrier arrives, unless of course it is a brand new horse for you and you can't wait, then hopefully the farrier or vet has some patience and techniques for dealing with it. I have seen twitches do well, and also a string around the horses head under the top lip, nothing extreme, but enough to distract them with a tug on it when the horse acts up a bit.
We got all 4 feet done at the same time yesterday. He is more comfortable when my oldest daughter held his lead and talked to him, antsy when I tie him to the post. They seem to already have a real nice bond between the two of them. [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]
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