Do you hold your horse when the farrier visits?

I have a horse a bit like yours RuthnMeg's. I bought him as a two year old who had learnt to pull back. I have taught him to stand by the tie-up ring with a 12' rope put through the ring. He knows his job is to stay there and does stay even with me out of sight UNLESS something startles him when he starts running back. He has now relaxed enough however to stop after a few steps before all the rope has slipped out of the ring. He has nothing to fight against and this seems to stop the panic reflex kicking in. The yard is as safe as it can be made in case of horses getting loose. Obviously I stay near by when the farrier/trimmer comes though I do not hold him.
Before using the 12' rope he was very slowly and thoroughly desensitised to ropes around all four legs at a standstill and in movement and to the feel of them all over his body.
 
When my horse has his feet trimmed, i either hold him or just throw the rope over his neck. He would stand perfectly if he was tied though, but as the horses at the livery have their feet trimmed in a barn (tied up around the outside), the horse being trimmed stands in middle in the best light.
 
Fairynuff said:
I expect all of mine to stand up and behave for the blacksmith. Like hell I'm going to 'hold' them for such a basic requirement. Bugger that, I have better things to do and my blacksmith/s are more than capable. I have never in all my life heard of so many 'nonce' equines, could it be the 'owners' fault or is it a genetic breakdown which is causing all of these 'terriblle' probs?
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Harsh words. Like it or not horses are not machines and everyones circumstances are different. All of my horses, with the exception of one; it had nothing to do with being tied up, are happy to be shod tied up. Yes, I hold her but she is brought up to the house for my farrier shoe outside my front door (on a courtyard shared with 5 other non-horsey home owners) as stables are in field which is accessed via a steep slop.

So, if your methods work for your horses then don't worry about what other think, easier said than done, and carry on.
 
Well I hold my horses for the farrier and our trimmer. None of my horses are "nonces" as Fairynuff so nicely puts it. It's just that I actually enjoy being with my horses so we all stand together nicely chilled and they have their feet done. What's the problem with that?
 
ISHmad said:
Well I hold my horses for the farrier and our trimmer. None of my horses are "nonces" as Fairynuff so nicely puts it. It's just that I actually enjoy being with my horses so we all stand together nicely chilled and they have their feet done. What's the problem with that?
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Absolutely no problem if you have the time to do so! I don't have the time due to running my arse off doing the other 9 horses, the donkey, pony, hens and husband but rest assured, the day I have nothing to do, I will certainly hold a horse or two for the blacksmith
 
christi said:
I tie my horse up for the farrier , and she just falls asleep while being shod, and i go into the house and make farrier his coffee and a sandwhich .
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just to add to this, once ive made my farriers coffee and sandwiches , and hes ate them , i just hang around blethering with my farrier while he shoes my horse , but i dont hold on to her.
 
im not there when my mare is shod......but thats because a) she is an angel to shoe, b) my YO sorts all the shoeing out for us c) the girl i loan her from works at my yard and so she is there to hold her if necessary.

However....previous horse...i had to go and hold....he was a sod to shoe and tie up so had to hold and watch him like a hawk!
 
Java was shod last week,

my mum (i was at school) normally just holds him loose by the field gate as he is near the farriers van,

although he fell asleep so she just had the rope lying across her arm!
 
I always hold mine. Sometimes go off to make a drink for the farrier, only for a few minutes though.

I do think the best behaved horse can have a moment. I don't think the farrier should ever be left on a yard on his own as accidents can happen and the farrier could be injured and on his own. I think tying up a horse on a yard with people about is not a problem.

Jane
 
CanadianGirl said:
Why does everyone have a good looking farrier? I've only seen one good looking one and he was an alcoholic and an a$$!:confused:
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:D

This is a stab in the dark, but..... I'm guessing a lot of female horse owners, who are normally the only ones handling their horse/s appreciate when someone else does something with their horse, something that they cannot do and go a bit gushy. If they met the same person, who was in banking for example. they wouldn't give him a second glance! Any psychologists about?

Op, mine are tied. Although I hang about, just in case any decide to play up.
 
As I work I have to leave the farrier to it as I couldn't take time off every 6 weeks to be there - plus farrier sometimes has to shift the day at short notice. Farrier seems more than happy with that arrangement (been shoeing mine for 7 years nearly). Of the 5 horses he does on the yard there's rarely one of the owners about during the day but sometimes someone will try and dash up at lunchtime when he's just finishing off to turn out. He collects them from their stables to tie up outside and then returns them to stable afterwards. I have had the courtesy though to ask him if my horse is well behaved and to let me know of any problems but he apparently is good as gold for farrier :)
 
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