Agggggghhhhhh Farrier today (long sorry)

Firewell

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Well my horse (who can be a complete pain to shoe) had her new farrier today at the new yard.
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I was so nervous before hand as the farrier had made it quite clear that he wont deal with anything difficult (oops). Not only can she be a nightmare but she also has bad seedy toe so really is a pain.

Annnnnyway, I gave 5ml's of sedaline an hr before he came which to be honest other than making her eyes a bit glazed didnt seem to do much. I tied her up next to her friend and armed with 3 packets of polos and a big feed I was ready.
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I think the farrier was abit suspicious as he said 'I hope shes well behaved'
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Well Vay was very good for the first half, he took her shoes off fine and trimmed her feet fine, her seedy toe is getting better (yay!) and he didnt need to cut anymore holes in her hoof wall.
She flinched a bit when he was he put the hot shoes on her hinds but was ok.

Next came the dreaded banging on of the shoes.... she was fine with off hind, then he went to do the near hind and she started to be a bit of a cow bag snatching her leg away and tha farrier started to get cross.... She was then a cow bag for her nr fore, pulled back 3/4 times and farrier had to tell her off
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Vay then decided to be good and he finished putting the shoes on without incident, untill he had to finish off her hinds.. then she woulnt put feet on the tripod, stupid horse! he had to growl at her again and it took a bit longer but in the end all was finished
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The farrier has agreed to do her again, phew! but he made it clear that he'll give her the benefit of the doubt for the first couple of times

The thing is I just dont know why after 3 years of patiently being shod why she is still such a cow bag??? Shes not a deliberatly naughty horse by nature, 1 shes too lazy and 2. shes a gentle horse who likes to please. She is very sensitive though!!

I have no idea what could have caused her to be like this and she has been like this ever since i got her as a 5 yr old. She doesnt like the shoes being banged in so I bang on her feet every night and she is desensitised to the sound/vibrations now (as much as she can be). The only other thing I think she may have an issue with is balancing on her other feet and I wonder if that is what worrys her??
Has anyone else come across this before??

The farrier doesnt think its physical pain or anything because when she is good her foot and leg are relaxed in his hands and he said if you get a horse thats stiff you can feel it right up their leg all the time...

She is definitly worse when it comes to putting the shoes on and and finishing them off, shes not bad at all with the trimming part or taking the shoes off.

Any1 have any ideas of what could be the problem, ways to stop it?? After 3 years its starting to wear a little thin, I really would have thought she would have started to get better by now...... Do you think she could be trying it on a bit? My OH (who knows nothing about horses) said he thinks it could be a learned behaviour now???

Thank you
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Hey, I used to get her 2 done at a time with old farrier and she was a bit better but this one has not got the time for that
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Yes back is perfect, had it checked last week and back man said its the best its ever been, unless somrthing else is hurting? shes perfect to ride though so i doubt it, shes the sort of horse that will let me know if something hurts!!
Maybe i just have to be a bit firmer with her?? im going to practise holding her feet up for much longer periods of time b4 he next comes, see if that helps...
 
If the horse needs to be done two at a time and the farrier can't do that, why don't you just get two done on the next visit and the other two the following visit?
You will be wearing one pair of shoes out a lot till you get into synch, but after that it will just be the same as getting done every six weeks, except you only get two done at a time.

Or, if there are a few horses being done by this farrier, could he not at least do two shoes at the start of his visit and the remaining two at the end?

TBH it sounds to me as though your horse has some pain issue, somewhere.
Good luck in finding the key.
 
My boy is always played up for the farrier and the worst bit was always putting the nails in. I had to use sedaline and some times twitch him too. It really stressed me out, I always dreaded having the farrier!

My pony would rear up, leap about, pull his leg away and even once kicked the farrier. He eventually got better with having the shoes off and trim but hated the nails in and banging.

Eventually I tried a different farrier, he got loads better. This farrier said my pony has been nail bound.

Slowly my boy has got better, I have now another farrier (as moved yards) and this farrier has a reputation of being good with youngsters and difficult horses. Well he was a gem the whole time. Phew!

There is light end of the tunnel, keep up your hard work and pursue. Sounds like your new farrier did well so hopefully your horse will learn to trust him and get better
 
I had this problem and had pony sedated for the farrier a couple of times, then twice after that I gave him Sedalin (though at a higher dose than recommended on the pack - was OK'd by VET!) then last time only a little bit of Sedalin and finally none at all and he stood fine. Farrier reckons that they get used to it more easily as although they're sedated they do still know that somethings going on. Pony is perfect now and we've never looked back since.
 
Thanks for your comments. The farrier was good, couldnt fault him.
I did speak to my horses old owner and she mentioned nail bind and said that she had always been good to shoe for them?? Im not convinced thats true though as i can remember her being difficult to pick her feet up when i went to try her. Also my old farrier has a really good reputation and no other horses had an issue with him..

Will continue to use sedalin and will keep fingers crossed. It will be very interesting is she does get better...
 
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