Problem with picking out feet...

[nelle48]

Hi, my new horse Bella, is a 15.2hh ID x Cob (see signature for some pics) *so very stocky and strong (and has massive heavy feet)* doesn't like having her feet picked up, well she leans on you and puts all her weight on the hoof you try to pick up. The vet said*when she was vetted before we bought her on wednesday* that its nothing medical, she just needs to learn and get out of the habit, but how do i combat the problem? She dropped her hoof on my foot today (it wasn't her fault, my sister didn't realise i'd managed to pick it up, so turned her, and she dropped it on my foot, which is now squished and very painful )
She's fine in every other way, and lets you put hoof oil on them and brush mud off them and everything, its just the picking them up which is the problem, i don't want it to get worse, so would like to try and sort it out asap, but i know it'll take time. Any suggestions welcome. Thankyou

 

[wizzybit]

Ask someone else to hold her and as you go to lift the foot, ask her to back up a step - very slight pressure to ask this. As she lifts her foot to move pick it up. If she starts to lean, ask her to back slightly so the weight comes off. She will eventually learn that leaning is the 'wrong response'. As soon as she stops leaning, stop asking for back - make sure you make it very clear what you want by removing all pressure when she does what you want. Don't forget, you don't actually want her to move, just for her to think about going backwards and then she will stop leaning.
If you are consistent, calm and patient she will understand that leaning is the wrong response.

 

[Ashleigh_]

Don't worry my 5 year old cob's can be a little tricky with his back feet but they do get over it with time

I've found that something as simple as just talking to him can really just calm him down, sometimes i will sing a nursery rhyme whilst i do it to keep him concentrating on my voice and less on the fact i'm picking it up. I think if you go into it with 'oh no he's going to cause a fuss about this' they can sense that and play up so i tend to take on the 'come on Ronnie lets get it done now you dimbat' attitude

Also try getting your mare used to a command when you do it, so 'UP' in a stern authorotive tone so she associates your command with her action, a reward after like a small section of a carrot might be a good idea too, but only after she has done it successfully as not to confuse.

Failing that a pinch of the chestnut can sometimes help!

 

[lozz_jess_bhabbi]

i had the same problem a few weeks ago with my 4yo i found two things worked with mine 1.getting someone to put a rope round his knee and gently pulling to ease it up
2.squeezing his chestnut dunno why but seemed to work for him
hope this helps

 

[nelle48]

Thanks I'll try some of the techniques you've all suggested and see what works with her. Thanks guys

 

[Toffee44]

Winston never picked his feet up when I got him. I started making him move if he didnt pick his feet up. I walked him backwards and try again. If he didnt I walked him back again until he did as soon as he did I praised him and made a point of taking him straight back to where he started from. He soon learnt that he had to keep his feet moving if he didnt do what I needed/wanted him to do. Never have a problem now.

 

[teddyt]

Make sure the horse is stood so it can balance on 3 legs and practice! Dont expect it to stand on 3 legs for ages, just a few seconds at first and get longer. Always let the foot go when you want to- but dont wait until the horse is starting to pull away before you let go. if you have to drop the foot pick it up again and let it go before the fidgets start. Your terms (reasonable ones!) not the horses.

 

[cindydog]

my horse is heavyweight cob and she at times will try to put her weight on me when doing her feet I was told when she does this just let go of her feet it gave her a bit of a fright and it worked for us, never had problems in pick up just trying to hold them up is hard as they are so heavy..