4 year old horse - problems lifting one leg for farrier. Ideas?

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lozza_cook

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My four year old that I have had for 2 months now is having problems putting his near hind leg on the farrier stand (sorry don't know official name) for rasping. He can put off hind on no problem but starts getting v. arsey when you try and put near on.

When you pick out that leg he is also very heavy - leans his weight into you. Farrier said he thought something wrong with his back but physio has checked him and can't find anything. My vet who vetted him believes it just he's not used to being shod. Dealer said didn't have a problem when he had him shod.

Any ideas? Can youngsters be balanced and supple on one side with regard to picking and holding up feet but not the other?
 
Absolutely - just keep practising and rewarding him for lifting that leg. I oiught a 4 year old, was told he was good to shoe. When he arrived he had a shoe missing. So I got my farrier out. The 4 year old went ballistic. We worked out that he had probably only ever had one set of shoes on, he probably was manhandled to get those on - probably cold shod and it was probably a horrific experience so we had to start from scratch - or even worse than that as we had to undo all the bad experiences before we could build on it.

Just repeat and repeat and repeat and start with near hind some times and swap around. it may well be that by the time you got to that foot he was tired and bored, so alternate and give him chance to relax in between each foot. You have no idea what his previous farrier was like, so treat him as young and ignorant and go from there.
 
upward fixation of the patella?? L currently has this but it is where he is growing
smile.gif
 
Less scary possibility (although you should check for the serious stuff first obviously): share horse was funny about picking up a leg that had been treated for mud fever. Lots repetition (without painful scab picking) sorted that. He had a tiny patch of MF on another leg this year and got funny with that one for a couple of days even after it was gone. Remembered discomfort can make as big a difference as real discomfort with him it seems.

Has yours had anythign wrong with that leg in the past?
 
^^^^^Echo this - my Sec D had bad Mud Fever that hadn't been treated when I got him and he can be funny with his back legs.

Maybe your 4 year old is also a bit weaker on that side so he may find it strenuous to hold that leg up more than the other one
 
Yes - he has two white socks on back so mud fever is a constant battle on them. He is very defensive about having this treated although it is as bad on both legs.

Will see how it goes and if doesn't get anybetter will investigate further.

Thanks
 
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