Cant touch fily from the knee down

[winchester]

I have recently purchased a new filly who has been un touched for a year. She is only a 2yo and very sweet but wont let me touch her from the knee down, be it a hand, hosepipe, brush etc. she snaps her leg up quick or throws herself on the floor!

I spoke to the farrier and he said leave it to him and he will sort it out after an hour of trying he also admitted defeat.

I guess i can get her sedated next time to have her feet done but anyone ever had this problem before and know of a good way to deal with it?

 

[Pinkvboots]

It common with young horses that are not handled much as foals, if you think about the legs are there means of escape so very precious, she is just using her survival instinct, you just have to keep touching them everyday, the idea is not to take the pressure off when she snatches away as she then learns that it stops when she moves, its not easy I know with a baby horse flinging its self about, it just takes time.

 

[_GG_]

Agree with Pinkvboots.

Just start with baby steps. Start at the knee, use something in your hand like a old crop so that you can hole her and move with her, keeping the crop in place. As soon as she stops moving, you reward by taking the crop away. When she accepts it on or just at the bottom of the knee, move it down maybe half an inch at a time, repeating the process until she is just fine with it all.

It will come, she just needs to get used to it and realise that being still is the best place to be.

 

[Justturnedfifty]

Hi there, having experienced a completely untouched 6/7 year old moors pony, which we took on as a rescue case, and believe you me, took a long time to accept the human hand anywhere near him. However we did succeed in the end. Find a broom handle and fasten a glove onto the end of the handle. Exactly as someone else has described, move the handle and glove down one leg at a time, only removing the glove and handle once she accepts it - this is her reward. Keep this up every day, until she easily accepts it. Do not overly stress her out, initially if you only get acceptance once on the first day, accept that, then try later and see if you can get two acceptances of the glove from her. Increasing it at her pace, don't rush her, don't panic her. You do not really need to tie her up to do this, let her sniff and understand the handle/glove first, then start at the shoulder and move it in a stroking motion, gradually moving down her leg. Put a hay net up, don't chase her round the stable, she will accept it. Be positive but sensitive, oh and don't creep around her, move confidently! Good luck.

Agree with Pinkvboots.

Just start with baby steps. Start at the knee, use something in your hand like a old crop so that you can hole her and move with her, keeping the crop in place. As soon as she stops moving, you reward by taking the crop away. When she accepts it on or just at the bottom of the knee, move it down maybe half an inch at a time, repeating the process until she is just fine with it all.

It will come, she just needs to get used to it and realise that being still is the best place to be.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Been there with the feral cart horse Ted.

I put him in a box with a good bed. I got a walking stick and on the curved end I put a gardening glove padded with cotton wool and taped in onto the walking stick with electrical tape.

Bearing in mind I could not touch Ted anywhere other than his shoulder and even that was a breath holding issue for him.

I used the padded hand all over him, trying to keep it on him whilst he panicked. As soon as he stood I removed the hand as a reward. I did this for weeks and weeks, gradually moving onto his legs. He could not bear to have his legs touched below the knee and hock. He kicked like a mule possessed, but he did accept that I would not hurt him eventually. He climbed the walls, knelt down, hid his head in the corner (he forgot the rest of his Shire body was attached to his head !)

OP, as much as the situation is distressing you have to just put time aside and keep doing the work in small and incremental stages. I wore a hat and gloves for a good six months. As you progress, I would ask your friends (horsemen) to handle the horse as well as yourself. The horse needs to accept men handling him. Every stray male visitor that came into my yard was despatched to handle Ted and that helped with the farrier visits.

I did sedate Ted for his first 2 farrier sessions (Ted was only 11 months old), because his feet had never been touched and his pastern/hoof balance was shocking and needed drastic correction asap. Once the work had been done, every time the farrier was on the yard doing the others, he would also handle Ted, varying from a simple cuddle and scratch to a full mock trim all round.

Just keep at it and you will succeed.

 

[shah's mum]

I have just taken on a 2yo pony that has never been handled. After 8 days I can now pick up his feet for quite a few seconds!! I started touching him with a feather duster, girls at yard thought I was going to spring clean the stables!! But it has done wonders, I was able to stay at his head and talk to him while rubbing him all over with the duster!! I got the idea from video's on desensitising... I never fought with his feet either, a split second in my hand was enough, I let him put it down when he lost his balance... In the past week it has developed into a relaxed hoof in my hand.. I didnt try to pick them out or anything, he is desperate for the farrier/trimmer but I wanted to work with him before that happens...
If I can do it, anyone can... I have had nearly 15 years off from owning horses... Good luck

 

[Brightbay]

I have just taken on a 2yo pony that has never been handled. After 8 days I can now pick up his feet for quite a few seconds!! I started touching him with a feather duster, girls at yard thought I was going to spring clean the stables!! But it has done wonders, I was able to stay at his head and talk to him while rubbing him all over with the duster!! I got the idea from video's on desensitising... I never fought with his feet either, a split second in my hand was enough, I let him put it down when he lost his balance... In the past week it has developed into a relaxed hoof in my hand.. I didnt try to pick them out or anything, he is desperate for the farrier/trimmer but I wanted to work with him before that happens...
If I can do it, anyone can... I have had nearly 15 years off from owning horses... Good luck

Fantastic, and great approach Softly softly wins the day

Anybody who's like a step by step guide to a similar approach could do worse that get hold of a copy of Sarah Weston's "No Fear No Force" book - intended for feral ponies, but the techniques work just as well on horses with little or no handling or fear issues

 

[Birker2020]

I have recently purchased a new filly who has been un touched for a year. She is only a 2yo and very sweet but wont let me touch her from the knee down, be it a hand, hosepipe, brush etc. she snaps her leg up quick or throws herself on the floor!

I spoke to the farrier and he said leave it to him and he will sort it out after an hour of trying he also admitted defeat.

I guess i can get her sedated next time to have her feet done but anyone ever had this problem before and know of a good way to deal with it?

My friends horse used to be like this. The solution was just to to just hang on. Everytime she throws herself on the floor she has 'got away with it'. I know its easy to say, as I know from experience albeit limited.

Another friend had a horse who wouldn't let you touch his back leg. Now I've never been happy with this scenario where a horse dictates what you can or can't touch. As far as I'm concerned you should be able to touch your horse all over. Everytime she tried to pick out his back feet, for whatever reason, and I suspect in his case it was a dominance issue, he would lean back to the point that he would threaten to fall over. Of course when it got to the point that he was about to topple everyone would hastily let go of his leg, so the 'poor lamb' didn't fall onto his arse. Of course the horse (being that much cleverer that everyone else) knew that he wasn't really going to fall on his arse, he'd just threaten to and that would be enough for even the most hardened people to cope with. Everyone would shriek and let go, and that was how that particular horse got his thrills, by 'making' people dance to his tune.
That was until I came along....., I offered to have a go. I held his foot up as if to pick it out and he leant back, further and further to the inevitable point that everyone else would shriek and let go. But I held on for dear life. The horse toppled onto his arse. He didn't hurt himself but the look on his face was one I would never forget, it was like a kind of 'oh, but you let me fall'.

But from that day on the horse got better and better at having his feet picked out. To the point that he would be happy and wouldn't threaten anyone that he was going to fall over ever again.

I looked after the same horse when his owner went on holiday. "Make sure you tie him up when you put his dinner in with him as he is very vicious with food". Yeah right, within ten minutes the 'little lamb' was eating his tea with me grooming him at the same time loose in his stable.

The point I'm trying to make is that for whatever reason you have let your horse dictate to you what she will and won't let you do, and you have to use a bit of phycology so that you 'win' and she doesn't. She will soon get bored when she knows you have outwitted her.

I can't remember what its called but its a technique where you have to place your hand on her and keep it on no matter what happens. It will take time, but you have to hang onto the leg if she snaps it up and keep repeating the process. Sorry if I'm not making any sense, I know what to do, but its just describing it that I fall short.

Kelly Marks I am sure will help you. She is wonderful and helped me with my loading issues with my horse. She uses this forum a lot. Ask her.