Hoof help

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WeeBrown

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I don't know where this should be so apologies if it's not here.
I'm having real trouble with my new horse. She's my first and is young (5 years). When we viewed her we picked up her hooves with no bother, she had shoes on so obviously had the farrier and when I asked the owner also said she was no bother. Now she's ours she won't let you pick up her hooves, if you do she still tries to walk off and ends up nearly falling over (that's the front ones) . The back ones she tries to actually kick out sideways which is getting dangerous. The farrier came to do one shoe she'd kicked off during the first week we had her and apparently she was good as gold. This week when he came to do the others she kicked off big style and ended up rearing, breaking her leadrope in the process. In fact the farrier has intimated that unless she improves he might not shoe her in the future (he also called her evil
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). Today we tried brushing and washing her legs to get her used to that and after the first two she then started getting worked up again, eventually pulling back and breaking the twine she was attached to. I'll admit I'm at a loss as what to do now and would welcome any suggestions. She was only with her last owner for 5 months (bought to sell on) and I have no idea what she did before (she was apparently shipped over from Ireland).
 
Archie can kick out with his hindlegs when i go to pick them up. Im afraid that when he does it he gets a hard smack as i wont tolerate that sort of behaviour. He will also try and walk when holding his front legs, my farrier told me to lift them up really high so they are touching his tummy when you feel him try to move and it stops them - which it does.

As for washing legs id leave that for a while until youve sorted out picking up his feet.
 
shes testing you isnt she Nic.
if you dont feel safe enough to be close to pick her feet up then try picking her feet up with a rope round her pastern.
Maybe you could get your OH to hold her front end maybe with a bucket of feed whjilst you overcome the walking away, snatching feet. The more you do it, the less a problem it will be. The last thing you want to do is get upset with her and loose all confidence in what your doing. Dont think it helps that the farrier is saying he wont come - how much time has he spent with her gaining her trust etc.

Dont worry yourself. When Ebi was a baby (3) we didnt realise she had been cold shod so when I moved onto DIY livery she went ape with the farrier when he put a hot shoe on. Didnt help that she also had a healing splint and he didnt care about when he grabbed her so she kicked out but caught him. He beat the crap out of her and then told all the farriers in the area not to shoe her. I was so lucky I found a very nice farrier who spent time helping Ebi overcome her problem. If she fidgeted he moved away from her and gave her a stroke or a treat then when she was calm again he went back to shoeing. Shes 100% to shoe now and it only took him a couple of sets to sort her out and get her to stand still.

Practice practice and more practice.
If you want any help let me know. My offer still stands - you dont have to cope alone.

BTW - completely off subject but is there a lady called Vicky on your yard with a dark bay mare called Chimera?
 
Thanks for that - she probably is mostly testing us out. We've tried it with me doing hooves and OH at her head and the other way round, even OH has trouble holding her hoof up when she tries yanking it out but you're right we just need to practise lots and lots. I'd be interested to know who your farrier was - ours hasn't said yet that he won't do her but he did tell me he doesn't do badly behaved horses and she's the worst he has on his books atm
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Seem like he was letting me know he wouldn't stand for trouble.
We don't have a Vicky on the yard at all and no horse of that name (as far as I know but I'm useless with names). It's quite a small yard with about 20 horses and 11 owners (I think). As for coming up you're welcome to come and see the evil ginger one
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She's stunning to look at (just hides the horns in her bushy mane).
 
who is your farrier as when I got shut of the farrier who beat Ebi I went to a specific farrier and he sid pretty much the same thing as what your farrier said to you - be interesting if its the same farrier!
ill pm you my farriers details - im sure he goes up to a yard in Emley so he may squeeze you onto his books.

RE Vicky/Chimera - she may well have moved on by now if it was the same yard she went to - i looked after her horse for a while when she was in hospital but then she moved the horse nearer home as her OH said he would look after her. Just wondered how she was getting on.

Id love to come and see the ginger angel!
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