Picking feet up difficulties

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angellauren

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I've got a yearling at the moment, I've had him since February. He came to me completely unhandled and I've not rushed things at all but I do want to get his ground work established before he gets too big that it makes life more difficult.

He's fairly nervy/sharp still but as a Welsh x Warmblood, I think that's partly his nature but on the whole chilled out with me. I can put a headcollar on/off quite happily in the field or in the stable and he leads nice and quietly. He'll happily let me groom him and loves attention, he'll let me scratch his favourite spots etc. He's fine with me being in the stable with him when he's lying down so I don't get the impression he finds me intimidating or anything like that.

Anyway, he's extremely sensitive around his legs/under his belly and I'm struggling to know how to tackle picking his feet up. Occasionally he's let me groom his front legs but anywhere else and it's pretty much the only time I've seen him pull faces/threaten me and his back legs are EXTREMELY quick it's not even funny, ha! He's let me hold one front leg up previously but seems to gets quite arsey quite quickly if we try another leg or anything. I never work with him for long but am keen to progress. Haven't tackled rugs because I don't know how I'd get the belly straps done up without potentially losing my teeth. He's come straight off the mountain and I know his history so not sure what his issue could be. I know many horses are a little like this but he's going to have to get over this and I'm a bit stumped really as to be honest, I've been quite lucky with my other youngsters and never had a problem but his breeding is new to me and he's a totally different kettle of fish.

Advice would be appreciated if any one has suffered with the same issues!
 
When I first got my youngster she was a bit 'iffy' around her feet. I started of by getting her used to being groomed on her legs/ running my hands down them.

Once she was comfortable with that I used a soft lead rope around her pasterns to gently pull her legs up so that I could keep my distance, especially around the back legs. After repeating this a few times she soon got used to picking her feet up as normal.
 
Watch how Monty Roberts or Kelly Marks do it. Gradual desensitization, and they use a glove on a stick so you can stay safe. If he kicks, just keep the glove on his leg. When he's still, take it away. Repeat with each leg, getting further down, keeping it in place longer, etc etc. The best thing is to watch a video or demo if you don't know what I'm talking about. It works very well in my experience.
 
I have tried the soft lead rope method which initially I thought might crack it but became concerned if he was to move quickly it'd get caught around his legs and panic him more so I didn't feel entirely comfortable doing it that way.

I've heard about the other method suggested - I think that may be the best way to go. I just need to find a stick and a stuffed glove...
 
Clicker training doesn't encourage nippiness - quite the opposite. You only reward the behaviour you want, or a behaviour along the route to achieving what you want. It's the same principle as that used in training whales and dolphins to swim through hoops and do double somersaults - now I don't think anyone would use any form of training that encouraged nipping in a killer whale!
 
I'd second the suggestion of clicker training. My Welsh D was really bad at picking up his feet when I got him 11 months ago and was abysmal for the farrier. After a couple of months of clicker he now picks up all four happily and stands like a pony-shaped rock to have his feet trimmed. Since starting clicker he's also stopped mugging because he knows he doesn't get anything unless he can get me to click him. This does occasionally lead to him standing in front of me holding up random feet for inspection :D
 
Triskar said:
Clicker training doesn't encourage nippiness - quite the opposite. You only reward the behaviour you want, or a behaviour along the route to achieving what you want. It's the same principle as that used in training whales and dolphins to swim through hoops and do double somersaults - now I don't think anyone would use any form of training that encouraged nipping in a killer whale!
Click to expand...

Oh, that's all very well, but did they train the whale to lift his feet??:D:D:D
 
Stuf an old glove and tape it to the end of a bamboo stick so it is about 4' long and use that to rub in places your hand cannot safely reach.
Let him move around you or kick out but do not remove 'the hand' until he is stood quietly.
You can reach to the inside of the other back leg if he kicks out with the near one and you can be stood by his shoulder out of range.

It is a very simple and safe way to get them use to being touched where they do not want to be touched and usually only takes a couple of short sessions.
 
I use approach and retreat until I am able to rub them in a friendly way all over their body, from nose to hind hooves!! Then I teach them to follow a feel - using string around their neck to start with - releasing at the slightest try. Follow that with lowering the head, backing, moving forehand and hind quarters. Finally I teach them to pick up their hooves with a squeeze on the chestnut for the foreleg and a squeeze on the hock for a hind leg. Releasing the moment they move their weight and start to lift their hoof. When they understand that then I start to hold the hoof - for a short time at first, gradually getting longer and then add in tapping/picking/rasping!! It's all baby steps and establish step 1 before moving on to step 2. Always rewarding every try by stopping the cue and allowing horse to relax! Good luck.
 
i use a broken lunge line, and put it between the front leg let go to the knee and pull saying lift once they move the leg to take the pressure of for back with kickers i let it go to the fetlock do the same again always be ready to drop the line if need be
 
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