trouble putting boots on my mare?! help!

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Vicki1986

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since my mare has been clipped she has turned into a nightmare to put boots on. must be more sensitive now?

any ideas how i can help/overcome this ? (other than not putting boots on her!!)

she dances around like a total pratt - and throws her front legs forward and has kicked me unintentionally several times now. she was totally fine before i clipped her.
its really really annoying me now. what can i do?

im definately not putting them on too tight. i checked that. once they are on she stamps each front leg once, maybe twice, and then is fine.

its not practical to get someone to hold one of her back legs up all the time and its not solving the problem (especially as she then starts bunny hoppin around on 3 legs!)

ive tried patience and persevance (sp), ive tried doing it in the stable and tied up outside, tried doing it whilst she's eating her hay, given her lots of rewards when shes good and very stern NOOO's when shes bad. Argh nothings working!! any bright ideas?
im clipping her again at the w/e and am going to leave her legs on but when they get hairy they will have to be clipped again so cant just leave the hair on and hope the problem goes away

she does it with all types of boots (all of which are clean, as are her legs)

im out of ideas now!
 
Does she absolutely have to wear boots? Could you just leave them off for a couple of weeks until the hair grows back a bit and she is less sensitive?

If they are uncomfortable at the moment and she develops a dislike for them you may have problems in future.
 
Exactly!! Once they are on her she doesnt make a fuss. really odd. i am going to try her clarendons tonight, maybe it is a comfort thing, and lets face it theres nothing softer boots wise than sheepskin so if she's not happy with that then i will despair!!
 
She is fine with my touching her legs etc, i can touch them brush them wash them etc and she is totally fine...but i will have a good look at her skin in the daylight but i really dont think so.

Bandages...well i havent tried...yet. I am just bidding on some on Ebay so when i get them we will have a bash and see how we get on. Although not entirely sure how im going to get them on with her doing the can-can!!
 
Thanks for everyones advice. Tried bandages this weekend and she was much much better. she stood totally still (maybe this was more to do with the fact she was occupied with her lick) will use bandages from now on as much as physically possible as perhaps she prefers them!
 
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