Shoeing disaster!

[GoneWithTheWind]

We've recently bought a horse (he's been here for 2 weeks) and he was going to get re-shoed today however he apparently went crazy for the farrier and kicked him (we were not there as I had a college exam)
Baring in mind he hasn't put a foot wrong in anything else
Any past stories, advice or tips would really but my mind at rest

 

[Michen]

Contact his previous owners to see whether this behaviour is normal for him? Check whether he is usually cold shod or hot shod. Maybe he has always been cold shod and your farrier hot shod so he reacted to the smoke?

 

[PorkChop]

Who was holding him and how did they describe it?

All I would do is pick up and bang his feet as many times a day as you can. Hold his legs for longer than usual and in different positions.

Next time make sure you are there to hold him - tbh having obviously moved to a new yard I wouldn't worry too much, and he will probably be much more settled with you holding him

 

[old hand]

Ask for details of his previous farrier and check the number you are given, I say this as I had a perfect horse that was impossible to shoe, no amount of desensitising worked, he went Grade A show jumping and evented without shoes so no matter, but it was declared to me. He also panicked and kicked the new farrier. As stated above hot shoeing can provoke a reaction but I would be concerned if he really kicked the farrier. My chap arrived with a brand new set of shoes On!!

 

[alliwantforchristmas]

yes, they offered to put shoes on for my new guy as well, but I didn't need them because we are straight onto miles of open mountain so can go barefoot. when farrier arrived to trim, horse was dreadful the first time, acted as though he had never seen a farrier - although he'd had shoes on when I tried him (they just removed them for me and trimmed him, instead of re-shoeing). Did a fair bit of foot handling before the next trim and paired it with scratches, and he was 100% improved. So don't panic yet, get a full a picture as you can of what happened, speak to previous owners to check his past behaviour, and put some time and effort into building him up with foot handling if needs be. sometimes change of home can cause a real melt down as well, and maybe with you not there it all got a bit much for him x

 

[GoneWithTheWind]

Thank to for all the advice and stories, the livery yard workers told us what happened and apparently he was held however after seeing the damage he's done the lead rope it's clear to me that he was tied up but cannot prove this, we contacted his old owner and she's said he's never been a problem with the farrier so has no idea why he's acted like this. he is very jumpy if given wrong so don't know if the farrier has been impatient with him and shouted as when we seen him he was sweating like mad! And he's not a sweater

 

[be positive]

You will probably never get the full story so need to work out how to move forward, it may be simply that he was tied up somewhere he felt uncomfortable, possibly out of sight of others, then for whatever reason upset the farrier who overreacted and things went from bad to worse ending with the horse kicking in a panic, if this is what happened and I can see it happening if the yard staff were busy and not paying attention then you can work to get things improved before the next visit, did he end up with his feet done??

I would spend time getting him really relaxed in the place where the farrier shoes normally, groom him in there, give him a haynet and do his feet until he feels it is a safe place to be only then can you try again, if the farrier will do him, I have had a few tricky ones including 1 that required sedation for the first 12 months until we could eventually do him but he was the exception most just come round by being secure in themselves, feeling safe where the farrier works and watching others get done in front of them, my tie up is within the yard so anything that is unsure can see others being shod, if they are taken out to a new place, especially when they are new to the yard it can make even the best horse a bit unsettled, being left tied up that first time, if he was, is very careless and shows a lack of respect for the horse, the owner and the farrier, I never leave a new horse just in case as it can all go wrong so easily.