How to get horse to pick up hind leg?

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kgj66

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Quick back story- horse had an accident 3 months ago, severe deep wound to cannon bone, very luckily nothing broken.

X rays at weekend revealed that bone fragments that were floating around have reattached and joints all look clear. She trots up sound on a straight line.

I find it very difficult to get her to pickup the injured leg-could this indicate there is something going on higher up that is sore and wasn't picked up on X-rays or just me being a wuss? Farrier managed to trim the foot ok.

Will be speaking to vet in a couple days about it but just wanted input.

Sorry if this is rambling-trying to be inconspicuous at work!
 
Could she be anticipating pain or picking up on you not feeling 100% about wanting to pick it up? How was she when the farrier picked it up?

Sorry I don't have much advice, but I'm glad her leg is getting better! :D
 
I have a feeling I'm maybe letting her away with it-the wound is where I would hold her leg up so I'm maybe being a bit delicate!

She was good with the farrier but he had it more forward to rasp rather than up and back?

I will persevere! I hope it's just me being overly paranoid !
 
I would think if there was something else going on you might struggle getting her other back foot up as she wont want to put weight on the poorly leg! so she might just be taking the pee, especially if the farrier done her feet okay!
 
kgj66 said:
I have a feeling I'm maybe letting her away with it-the wound is where I would hold her leg up so I'm maybe being a bit delicate!

She was good with the farrier but he had it more forward to rasp rather than up and back?

I will persevere! I hope it's just me being overly paranoid !
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She may find it a bit more difficult to pick up, but a bit of exercise would probably help to free it up again. Horses usually learn to pick up their feet in order to stop something annoying happening (people teach it by squeezing tendons or chestnuts, or pulling feathers if there are feathers). Just as with humans, when we do something to stop something annoying happening, we only put as much effort into it as we need to stop the annoyance - there's no motivation to try harder.

On the other hand, horses (and people) work much harder to earn a reward :) Try asking for the hoof and as she starts to lift hoof, mark the effort by saying "good girl" (if you have a clicker, you can use this to be even more precise), then offer a couple of e.g. high fibre cubes. Repeat 5 or 6 times a day, and you should find she starts to offer the hoof faster, and pick it up a bit higher each time.
 
Have a look at my horses wounds he was lacerated to the bone and is still reluctant to pick up the hind leg. I attached a stuffed glove to short whip and stroked his leg every day ,hes still snatchy but will pick up and does cow kick but I persevere an hes improving.
 
I would suggest that some physio therapy could be of tremendous benefit. If you had had an injury like that you would have had physio therapy to help your recovery and mobility of joints and it is the same for her. There are stretches and exercises that the physio would show you to do daily. Ask your vet or farrier to recommend someone if you don't know anyone yourself.
 
My mare had a very deep wound to the front of her hock and it took months before we could pick her leg up, we couldnt even get it trimmed without doping her, I think its just that they are nervous about it being touched after it being so painfull, give her some time and I am sure she will get better.
 
Thanks for replies everyone. She has had physio just after the accident but think I will definitely have her looked at again!

Hopefully it is both of us just being a little cautious!
 
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