Bad for the farrier

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rowdreyer

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I have ex racehorse I've had about 4 months. He's had 3 sets of new shoes now and my farrier has said he'll give him one more chance then I'll have to find another farrier. My horse is great in so many ways but does get a bit het up on the yard, especially if there is stuff going on (most of the time as dealers/jumpers /livery yard!) I have no problems picking up his feet etc and handling him however he is awful for the poor farrier. He will stand well enough most of the time but then pulls away for no reason, if he hangs on to his foot, my horse kicks out at him and has caught him a couple of times. This obviously p***es off the farrier and he does get angry with my horse (understandable!) but I'm not sure it helps the situation. A bucket of food does help a bit, I've made sure he's got a steady horse with him as company, he's not interested in a haynet.
We are going to give hime sedalin next time but I was wondering if anyone had any ideas, this is making me so stressed and really upsets me (doesn't help I know!) Do I find another farrier (sadly this one does a great job on his feet and is great otherwise, but obviously hates my horse) or are their otherthings plus sedation that work?

Sorry it's a bit of a ramble
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Have you tried doing some work with him as you would with a young horse that was about to be shod for the first time?

Practice holding his feet up for long periods of time, tapping them with a hammer. Dropping said hammer on ground (or waving it around) while still holding the foot up. Maybe he is scared of men, or someone carrying something etc etc.... Try to find out what triggers the 'snatching' and then work to correct it by gently building his tollerance.

Maybe try working him before he is shod next time to take some of the excess energy out of him.
 
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Maybe try working him before he is shod next time to take some of the excess energy out of him.

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this is what i have done in the past, i would lunge him or ride him before he is shod to take some energy out of him and maybe give him a sedaline as well.
 
He tends to snatch because he's lost balance because he's looking at something happening on the yard or he wants to move, not because he's frightened or phased by the hammer/smoke. I think thats why the farrier gets so annoyed by it!

Working him first is a great idea, I'll definately try that, thank you!
 
working on him
can you find a quite time on the yard or quiet space?
work the horse before the shoe it can do wonders
and sedalin will take the edge off so he realises that its not frightening and not hurting him
your farrier ideally needs to have some patince so perhaps just let him know what you ahve been doing and ask if he wouldnt mind working with you and being as quiet as he can around the horse... none of this will work if he is gettign annoyed as the horse will feel it and also if he shouts or anthing
 
Mine was like that to start with but my farrier was very patient with him. Although mine never kicked out he just jumped about all the time. We gave him sedalin at every shoeing session until he chilled out and then gradually reduced the amount of sedalin and now he is an absolute angel to shoe.
 
My ex racer was exactly the same when I got her.
We did fronts one week and hinds the next week for a while which helped as she didnt have to stand still for so long. Also make sure hes balanced properly on all 4 feet before the farrier picks up one (my current farrier does this automatically and if shes not square he moves her first).
Second if he starts panicking and the farrier is holding on to his leg and refusing to let go this will make it worse and no wonder hes kicking out, hes probably scared hes going to fall over. Its fine being firm with a naughty pony who knows better but not with a genuinely frightened TB.
Its best if the farrier lets the leg go when he starts to get upset or pull back, then just walk him in a circle or back him up a few paces get him standing square and then try again, if hes still being a mare after several goes, do a different foot and come back to that one later. Thats what my farrier does and it completely diffuses the situation.

Also sedaline and riding first does help a lot. I also bang her feet with a hammer every time i pick her feet out she is so used to the noise now I can wack her so so hard and she doesnt flinch.

My horse still isnt perfect after 4 years but shes is a million times better. Over the past year shes only been a pain twice, all the other times shes been fine. My farrier also talks to her in a sing song voice which she likes!
 
I agree with the others, I'm in the same boat and my OH is my farrier. Pony has now been barefoot for two years, I slowly lost all of my shoes. (increasing health problems in hocks. Which have been treated and all pain is gone. So now its a learnt behaviour which has to be addressed) He also hops away, is distracted by anything, snaches his legs back, but does not kick or be nasty.

I've started ridding properly again and need front shoes as its unfair on ponio, So am back to working with his feet again, hammering the edges, picking them up, holding them up for longer periods of time, putting them through my knees and hammering the edges, lifting them forward resting them on my knee ie pretending to rasp. I also pinch his teeshirt or a jumper to get the smell. (Also getting other people to help do this pref men) Don't hammer hard as it can cause bruises, i got told off lol.

And though ponio stands for me to do all this like a lamb, i still think he'll be a s*** for OH but i've been told i'm not allowed to be there when he does him as he thinks that part of the problem too.
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crazy.gif
As I now worry like crazy which increase everyone stress levels.

(really i think he wants to take a big hammer to him, whilst i'm not there, I don't think I'll ever have a arab again, big well mannered cob next please)
 
Mine is fine having his fronts done but iffy behind.

Anyway, he snatches and then bum-barges the farrier. Luckily my farrier is a saint and extremely patient but he was getting a bit miffed with this. Anyway now he has his fronts done in one session and his hinds in another.

The routine with his hinds is always as follows:
- I am always present (as opposed to someone from the yard holding him)
- Lunge/ride before shoeing
- Give shot of instant Magic if I think he's going to be difficult (only used in once though)
- Wait until Farrier has shod all other horses and yard is nice and quiet with nothing to upset him
- Give him his dinner whilst Farrier is shoeing him and make sure have carrot etc in pocket in case he finishes dinner early though I normally add more chaff to it to see him through.

Farrier also makes a bit of a fuss of him before he starts and generally gives him a treat and a pat when he's finished (which I'm happy with - I normally supply the treats!)

We have done this for the last six months and touch wood, it seems to be working really well and my boy has gotten better with every shoeing.

It really helps to work with your Farrier too in these situations - we got our heads together after one particularly bad shoeing and jointly worked out a plan of action. I was desperate not to lose my farrier as he really is excellent and he understandably wants a well behaved horse to shoe, by working together we have started to achieve this.

Good luck!
 
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