Farrier problems

[lizstuguinness]

Hope im posting in right section.

For the past year ive been having issues my 2yr old filly, or to be exact im not having issue the farrier is.

For me she will lift feet lovely. For him she literaly tries to go for him. For the past two months ive been training her to lift for legs with a rope in the hope that might help him, she will lift her feet when you say "up" with or without rope. Today he walked up to her stood side on, in non threatning maner, she squealed reared boxed then tried to bite him before trying to run off. he didnt even try to touch her.We've tried tieing her up, leaving her loose, inside stable, outside stable, in feild, in school, gurrrrrrr

Ive been racking my brains to figure out why she does this - the only thing i can come up with is that he smokes!. It would be easy to try to get another farrier but Donavann is such a good farrier and very respected. In the end we always resort to sedation which i dont want to afford long term, i want to solve the issue not stick a plaster on it, as im thinking it will get worse when shoes come into the equation.

anyone come across something like before? could it be the smell of smoke?
as last resorts would a vet teach me to sedate her? or does anyone know a good farrier in leicester?

 

[Miss L Toe]

She can't really come to much harm if she is in her stable with bedding, what does farrier want to do, I don't agree with sedation, but Sedalin only costs about a tenner.
Why don't you trim her yourself with him lending you the tools?

 

[amandap]

I suspect she will have her reasons. Perhaps he has hurt her with the trim in some manner? Will she hold her hoof up for you for minutes at a time? If not you need to work on slowly increasing the time she will hold her hoof up. You need to make sure she is balanced and stable so she can lift her hoof. That doesn't mean standing square. Ask her to step back or forwards until she can easily lift the hoof you want. At only two it's a shame she is developing this behaviour and it may be worth considering a change of farrier. I would find someone who is willing to work with her and you to solve this as getting her happy with hoof care will set her up for life. Well worth the time and investment imo.
Also where does he trim her? Is she happy in that place? Have a good look at what is happening from her point of view.

Here's one persons experience. http://www.healthyhoof.com/articles/Gavilanandthefarrier.htm

 

[forestfantasy]

Does she have contact with men on a regular basis?
My pony was rescued and had a severe fear of men (we suspect he was mistreated by a man) and it took a lot of time for him to accept our farrier & vet.

 

[lizstuguinness]

She can't really come to much harm if she is in her stable with bedding, what does farrier want to do, I don't agree with sedation, but Sedalin only costs about a tenner.
Why don't you trim her yourself with him lending you the tools?

He has suggested this!. Ive tried various calmers (nupafeed and mark todd) - not sedalin tho, might that that onea go. Can a vet teach me to sedate via IV? its more their call out cost than the drug itself! The vet gave her half the usual farrier dose and it had her falling over - far too strong. all i wanted was the edge off so she could leran from the experiance.

I suspect she will have her reasons. Perhaps he has hurt her with the trim in some manner? Will she hold her hoof up for you for minutes at a time? If not you need to work on slowly increasing the time she will hold her hoof up. You need to make sure she is balanced and stable so she can lift her hoof. That doesn't mean standing square. Ask her to step back or forwards until she can easily lift the hoof you want. At only two it's a shame she is developing this behaviour and it may be worth considering a change of farrier. I would find someone who is willing to work with her and you to solve this as getting her happy with hoof care will set her up for life. Well worth the time and investment imo.
Also where does he trim her? Is she happy in that place? Have a good look at what is happening from her point of view.

Here's one persons experience. http://www.healthyhoof.com/articles/Gavilanandthefarrier.htm

We've tried all manner of various places. She's better for me when loose grazing and a small area outide of the barns and feilds, she not confident about being tied up and lifting her feet in enclosed places yet. Donavan is very good with her but i cant ask him to risk his neck! The reason i want to keep him is that hes in high demand from racing to competing yards to lecture at colleges, conferences etc. Overall im not convinced i will get a better farrier in leicester.

Does she have contact with men on a regular basis?
My pony was rescued and had a severe fear of men (we suspect he was mistreated by a man) and it took a lot of time for him to accept our farrier & vet.

She came from a stud and the head lad was a boy. I dont think they had this issue with her as she was very good when he picked her feet out when i saw her and they were nicely trimmed. vets also a bloke and doesnt semm to pose an issue.


I can only think its the smell of the cigaretts she objecting to. well its much healthier for the farrier if he gave up

 

[Forester]

If you want to try a " natural " calmer there is a product called Zylkene which I trialled on my mare who is difficult to shoe. I participated in a trial for a final year veterinary student who advertised for volunteers on HHO.
The trial involved the use of 2 products, one the Zylkene and one a placebo. Obviously I did not know which was whitch at the time. One product was so good at improving my mares behaviour that I asked the vet student to give me the name - Zylkene. I did some research and it is made from milk protein. It might be worth you trying. It certainly improved my mares behaviour with the farrier

 

[lizstuguinness]

If you want to try a " natural " calmer there is a product called Zylkene which I trialled on my mare who is difficult to shoe. I participated in a trial for a final year veterinary student who advertised for volunteers on HHO.
The trial involved the use of 2 products, one the Zylkene and one a placebo. Obviously I did not know which was whitch at the time. One product was so good at improving my mares behaviour that I asked the vet student to give me the name - Zylkene. I did some research and it is made from milk protein. It might be worth you trying. It certainly improved my mares behaviour with the farrier

thanks anythings worth a shot!

 

[MerrySherryRider]

What part of leicester are you ?
I have a mare that when she smelt a farrier she would go beserk so in order to prevent any more broken farriers, I'd get the vet out to sedate her. One night, she had a shoe twisted and I called a former farrier I knew.
I knew he was good, but this guy walked in the stable, removed the shoe and replaced it. The mare was standing untied and totally relaxed, -completely opposite to her usual white eyed explosions.

Couldn't believe it. Since then she's been a a lamb.

 

[lizstuguinness]

What part of leicester are you ?
I have a mare that when she smelt a farrier she would go beserk so in order to prevent any more broken farriers, I'd get the vet out to sedate her. One night, she had a shoe twisted and I called a former farrier I knew.
I knew he was good, but this guy walked in the stable, removed the shoe and replaced it. The mare was standing untied and totally relaxed, -completely opposite to her usual white eyed explosions.

Couldn't believe it. Since then she's been a a lamb.

Desford area. Please tell me you know someone!

 

[MerrySherryRider]

Have pm'd you.
BTW, sedalin didn't work for us in the early days, it made her more unpredictable so vet came out to sedate IV, then we tried Dormosedan, a new oral gel that disolves under the tongue. It was just as effective as IV for us.
We were then able to start reducing the dose, until the night when she lost the shoe and my former farrier came out.

 

[amandap]

My feeling is sedation should be a short term thing if it has to be used. These routine things really should be trained or jiggling the situation to get to a place where the horse is happy and comfortable. I don't think sedating long term for hoof care is good for the horse even if it's 'good' for us. The farrier shouldn't be expected to put himself in danger of course but a plan for sorting this might be the way to go.
I would look to another farrier, you might like and rate him but perhaps your filly doesn't...

I hope you get her happy to comply in the longer term. Good luck.

 

[abitodd]

My OH is a farrier and he has encountered a similar problem.
It turned out that it was his chaps/apron that was freaking the horse.
So over a period of a few months the errant horse was gently exposed(at a great distance to start with!) to the offending chaps.
Horse is now a dude with the farrier.
Do remember that farriers smell of burnt horse. Chaps/aprons cannot be washed. Perhaps it is no suprise that your filly is on edge!

 

[amandap]

As abitodd says, smell can be a big factor too. As well as the shoeing smells on chaps there is the smell of other (strange) horses.

Have you had a frank and open chat with the farrier about it and discussed ways forward? That might be worth doing so you can work together on your filly's issues.

 

[ferrador]

ask Donovan to put a brown paper bag over his head