Horse suddenly decided he hates farrier.. next steps??

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dobbin27

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Hi All..I need some help please!!

I have had my cob for about two years now, when I first got him (pretty much straight over from Ireland) he hated having his feathers brushed, it seemed had had some pretty rough handling at some point, and as a result he had a whole nasty learned habit style box of tricks to stop you from doing it, was usually worse with fronts than hinds, but could happily kick you with the back ones before you'd so much as put your hand on his knee on a bad day. With a couple of months of patience, ignoring, and a lot of growling, we'd cracked it, no more issues, and this still remains today. If he is in a mood he might take the odd half hearted swipe at you, but no longer tries to remove your head!!

But all the way through this, he has ALWAYS been 100% to shoe, pick feet out etc.. (despite this meaning you have to touch the legs he would rather have cut off than brushed! he has always been happy to have his feet touched without issue) He is not at all nasty in any other way, and while I believe at some point this has caused him discomfort/fear, it is more of a habit now, he manages to be completely foul, throw himself at you to squish you against the stable wall without even bothering to tense his droopy bottom lip.. but like i said, I haven't seen this side of my horse for a very very long time..

Apart from my last two farriers visits (the only two with my nice new super reliable current farrier!), the most spectacular of which was this morning, when I asked the farrier to leave him as I was seriously concerned for his safety because when he is naughty he means it, and Farriers are not paid to get kicked.

He now has three neatly trimmed feet and one with shoe left on as there was no way he was going to let anybody take off. Last time he got all four shoes on, but just left me feeling awful because he'd been difficult for no obvious reason, and I suspect nice new farrier assumed he was always difficult and I had lied about it!

So.. other than a vet check to make sure he is not in any discomfort (and to collect a fat cobs worth of sedatives in the hope that the shoe can finally be removed at some point)

Does anybody have any suggestions as to what could have caused this sudden change in behaviour, and how best to stop it?
 
I would think it would be a pain related thing. Has he been pricked by a nail before? has he got cob knee and sore there? is he showing any minor signs of slight lameness that could make it uncomfortable to pick up his legs.

Most importantly is he just doing this with new farrier or is it with you as well? If just new farrier it could just be he doens't like him!
 
dobbin27 said:

Apart from my last two farriers visits (the only two with my nice new super reliable current farrier!), the most spectacular of which was this morning, when I asked the farrier to leave him as I was seriously concerned for his safety because when he is naughty he means it, and Farriers are not paid to get kicked.



Does anybody have any suggestions as to what could have caused this sudden change in behaviour, and how best to stop it?
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I think the answer to your question is in your post. Read what you have written above and think about changing your Farrier is my advice.
 
as far as I am aware, he hasn't been pricked etc.. in the last two years. He has always stood quietly and been shod without any drama at all..

His legs appear clean, no sign of anything nasty and he is still as normal with me, he is generally a little more moody about having he legs brushed if they are muddy (winter) but any reactions are very half hearted.. this morning was like nothing I have ever seen before, and I don't usually scare very easily!!

He (horse) seemed a bit unsettled as soon as he arrived (he did three trims before it was Wellie's turn) but I have been there the whole time he (farrier) has handled my horses and have nothing but good to say about him..
 
I would suggest if its come with a new farrier, you need to spend alot of time looking at what it is about the farriers behaviour he doesnt like. Does he give him a pat when he arrives, fuss him a bit? Does he pat when the horse picks his feet up? Does he talk to the horse throughout? Is he calm, or rushed?

I'm sure its that! xx
 
amandap said:
I think the answer to your question is in your post. Read what you have written above and think about changing your Farrier is my advice.
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Thats the only conclusion I could come to too.. I was hoping that you'd all say it was stupid to assume my horse had decided he just didn't like the new one..
 
Ditto Amandap and FH.

Farriers have different styles/techniques which we wouldnt necessarily pick up on by watching them. Example some farriers are tall, others are short, some arent as flexible!! et etc. But even a small change in the way he holds the horses' leg between his knees, or how he positions the stand for the foot to rest on, how he grasps the foot to pick it up, or indeed lower it down could be picked up by a sensitive or wary horse.
 
dobbin27 said:
Thats the only conclusion I could come to too.. I was hoping that you'd all say it was stupid to assume my horse had decided he just didn't like the new one..
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It may well not be anything to do with liking the Farrier. The Farrier may be hurting him somehow in the shoeing. Trimming too much off, nail placement etc. etc. :(

Mta. Have a read of this for the importance of nail placement. I wouldn't know if a Farrier was doing this correctly...
http://barefoothorseblog.blogspot.c...dated-max=2011-01-01T00:00:00Z&max-results=50
 
Winter-Pony-Land said:
Ditto Amandap and FH.

Farriers have different styles/techniques which we wouldnt necessarily pick up on by watching them. Example some farriers are tall, others are short, some arent as flexible!! et etc. But even a small change in the way he holds the horses' leg between his knees, or how he positions the stand for the foot to rest on, how he grasps the foot to pick it up, or indeed lower it down could be picked up by a sensitive or wary horse.
Click to expand...

I guess I hadn't thought about it like that.. Has anybody had issues like this before, should I expect to have to work through this even if I beg my old farrier to come back (who ironically was happy to give mine up to the new one, because he doesn't want to come and do my neighbours (who had taken to stalking him a little bit!) two naughty ponies.. but was willing to come and do mine complete with his broken ribs because they were no bother!!)
 
From waht you've said and not being there I'd listen to your horse in this instance. I tried to 'work through' with a Farrier once and it wasn't worth it, things just got worse. :(
The message from your horse seems clear cut, precise and emphatic to me. :)
 
I was thinking along the same lines as other posts. There is obviously something about your new farrier that your horse doesn't like. Try getting the old farrier back and see how you get on?
 
My horse had only ever had one half set of shoes on when I bought him, he was just 4. He was fine for a couple of further shoeings but then became a bit bargy, fidgety etc. New farrier wasnt keen on shoeing him behind and was probably if Im honest a bit too firm with him, dont get me wrong, he didnt beat him or anything, just no patience at all. I moved yards and started to use the farrier they had. Stayed with him for the full shoeing expecting the barginess, warned farrier he can be a bit 'funny' and he never put a foot wrong. Stood there tied up perfect. Never been a problem since.
I dont think my horse liked the previous farrier :)
 
I'm keeping everything crossed that I can bribe my old farrier back with chocolate and promises to keep my stalker neighbour away!! And if I manage that, I'm hoping that he reverts back to his previous angelic self.

Farrier bullying is not to become a fun exciting new hobby.

If anything I think the new farrier is maybe a little too nice for him.. he comes across as quite passive? maybe it makes my not as confident as he seems horse a little nervous and therefore more likely to react?
 
It sometimes can be that the new person reminds your horse of someone in his past, a smell a hat, a stick - seen it with my own eyes on a couple of occasions when a very placid animal has launched at someone in a flat cap, smelling of smoke and carrying a stick - any one of these on there own was fine - all 3 together - horse fllipped
 
dobbin27 said:
Hi All..I need some help please!!

I have had my cob for about two years now, when I first got him (pretty much straight over from Ireland) he hated having his feathers brushed, it seemed had had some pretty rough handling at some point, and as a result he had a whole nasty learned habit style box of tricks to stop you from doing it, was usually worse with fronts than hinds, but could happily kick you with the back ones before you'd so much as put your hand on his knee on a bad day. With a couple of months of patience, ignoring, and a lot of growling, we'd cracked it, no more issues, and this still remains today. If he is in a mood he might take the odd half hearted swipe at you, but no longer tries to remove your head!!

But all the way through this, he has ALWAYS been 100% to shoe, pick feet out etc.. (despite this meaning you have to touch the legs he would rather have cut off than brushed! he has always been happy to have his feet touched without issue) He is not at all nasty in any other way, and while I believe at some point this has caused him discomfort/fear, it is more of a habit now, he manages to be completely foul, throw himself at you to squish you against the stable wall without even bothering to tense his droopy bottom lip.. but like i said, I haven't seen this side of my horse for a very very long time..

Apart from my last two farriers visits (the only two with my nice new super reliable current farrier!), the most spectacular of which was this morning, when I asked the farrier to leave him as I was seriously concerned for his safety because when he is naughty he means it, and Farriers are not paid to get kicked.

He now has three neatly trimmed feet and one with shoe left on as there was no way he was going to let anybody take off. Last time he got all four shoes on, but just left me feeling awful because he'd been difficult for no obvious reason, and I suspect nice new farrier assumed he was always difficult and I had lied about it!

So.. other than a vet check to make sure he is not in any discomfort (and to collect a fat cobs worth of sedatives in the hope that the shoe can finally be removed at some point)

Does anybody have any suggestions as to what could have caused this sudden change in behaviour, and how best to stop it?
Click to expand...

Has anything changed his routene as horses are senstive and could have a bad reaction.practice running your hand down his leg and picking it up and holding it up for a bit then put it down and give him a good boy and a pat however if he tryes to rissist you put his foot down and say no and pick it up strate away.Is he just bargy when the farriers out? If possible it would be best to have a laid back calm horse or pony who gets shod in frount of your pony and get the farrier to keep rewarding him so your pony sees that it isnt a negitive experience but a positive one.
 
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