Tips and any useful advice needed for tackling my youngsters feet!

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militarysweetheart

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Hi- i have a 14 month old Dutch Warmblood and he has a very good attitude about him and is quite a brave boy, until it comes to his feet being handled! I've managed to get him to trust me picking out his front feet but the back legs are a different story!
He's such a lovely horse but then when it comes to me going near his back legs, he swings his bum at me and kicks out.
I can groom them and put effol on etc but he knows when I'm about to try and lift his feet.
I'm currently working with his legs for a few minutes a day but I just any tips as to how I can get him to trust me with his back legs so we can progress with his training.
Thank you! :) x
 
Loop a rope around the leg and stand at his shoulder holding both ends, use rope to lift his leg forward and up, give a reward for this, gradually extend length of time leg is held for, if he tries to kick out, just hold it up until he stops throwing a hissy fit, praise and release... He should soon come round and you can then go lift his legs up with your hands, remember to keep brushing and touching his legs in the mean time though
 
Thanks so much for that! I will give it a go. I'm nervous about holding him there until he stops his 'hissy fit' though because I don't want to scare him. When I do his feet, he snatches his food and his eyes are on stalks and he takes huge gulps of air and then his rests his nose on my bum and sighs! He does try.
I would love a way to do them that means he can trust me. The chestnut trick worked for the front two but doesn't work for the rear.
I will definitely try the rope. xxx
 
I had a hand on a stick that i uaed on my youngsters bavc.legs, when he got used to me saying up with the front i would use the stick on his legs and say 'up' he got more used to it and waa able to.progress to my hand on his leg. took a while but we got there
 
I used a helper with polos ( which seem to work for everything!) started with feeding them just for touching legs and progressed to picking them up. First time with farrier went through a packet per leg second time stood like a lamb and just rewarded when all feet done, so the work in between visits has definitely paid off. Polos are wonderful things! Much prefer youngsters to associate with a positive experience rather than fight with them.
 
I use a stick, you don't really need a hand on the end. Just keep the stick on the foot until he stops messing about then as soon as he stops remove the stick.

The reward is the release of the stick from his foot.

When he accepts the stick, use your hand.
 
echo palerider. desensitise him with a stick (so you are safe so that you are exuding Confident Energy).

At the moment you are probably exuding Nervous Energy when you go near his hind end because you *know* he's going to play up and you're worried about being injured too.

So put everything in your favour. Give him a haynet. Tell him good boy, polos, keep him calm. Do front feet very matter of factly, confidently, positively. Rewards. Then get the stick to rub all over him, start with his mane, scratch his withers, then down his rear end and you stand at front end saying good boy and polos (or whatever your treat is, scritch on the nose, doesn't ahve to be food). Then stick is replaced by hand as you go nearer the back end. Then hindfoot is picked up. Initially pick it up and put it down, make much fuss of him.

Every day, twice a day, more if you can. Until it becomes the norm in his head that every day you do all his feet.

And wear a hard hat while doing this as that will build your confidence too.
 
Carrots and plenty of them, my once unhandled foal at 6 months, at 14 months stands and has a carrot before I pick up his feet and he stands as good as gold,but he has a carrot per foot and he can count, just needs patience and time,if he turns his bum towards you, sharp slap and a loud NO! works wonders. Honest.:):)
 
Queenbee said:
Loop a rope around the leg and stand at his shoulder holding both ends, use rope to lift his leg forward and up, give a reward for this, gradually extend length of time leg is held for, if he tries to kick out, just hold it up until he stops throwing a hissy fit, praise and release... He should soon come round and you can then go lift his legs up with your hands, remember to keep brushing and touching his legs in the mean time though
Click to expand...

Was just about to tell you exactly that. my farrier showed me a couple of years ago, when i had a yearling that was fine with front feet but disaster with back ones. one week and he let the farrier pare him. works!!!!
by the way, its a two person job.
 
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