Youngster advice please?

JoBo

JoBo

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I have had Bodey just over a week now. He was quite nervy when we first got him home but is already 100 times better with being groomed etc (however you still have to be quite with him).
The one issue we are having is with picking his feet up. He will now let me groom his feathers, we have just been working our way down the leg a little more each day. However when you try and actually pick his feet up he isn’t very happy about it and has actually kicked out with the back legs. We have managed to pick up the front feet while he has been distracted with food.

So do you think we are doing the right thing with just letting him get use to us grooming his feathers and leaving the picking up of the feet for a bit? Or what advice to do have on the best way to handle this?

Bodey has only had about 5 weeks of human contact and is only 3.5 years old. The good news is that he has had a rug on properly for the first time today (we have been introducing it slowly over the last week), yeah cleaner horsey!

Bodey is only my second youngster and everything was so easy with Blackie, we just didn’t have these youngster learning opportunities.
 
It's been a while since I've had contact with youngsters, so bear with me!

Sounds like you are doing everything right, taking it slowly and calmly.

Before you move on, stop and think about what you have already achieved! This horse has only had 5 weeks of human contact and yet he has let you pick up his front feet! Well done you and well done Bodey!

I would suggest just keep touching the legs as often as you can. GHet it into a routine that whenever you stick a headcollar on him you go round and touch his legs. Whenever you feed him, whenever you muck out etc etc, just make it so it's nothing out of the ordinary. It will come with time.
 
I wouldn't rush it too much - you have all the time in the world! He sounds like he is doing really well. I had a wild (literally wild ) 7 year old that went from being untouched to hacking out and jumping in 7 weeks - but the very last thing that we acheived with her was her feet, if they are a little un sure it is the last thing that they will part with - because they are flight or fight - if they give up their feet they are knackered. I would say make it your goal for the next 4 weeks. Brush feathers for the next week. Pick up and put down for the next two ( see how happy he is with it) and aim to be able to pick out all four by the fourth week. All horses are different and will be happy with different things at different rates - but just take it steady.
 
Thanks for your reply. That’s what I thought we will just keep taking it one step at a time. You know what it’s like, I just don’t want to do anything wrong with him being so young.
He does seem to be one of those horses that will jump to begin with but actually settles very quickly.
We will get there, I know we will.
laugh.gif
 
Well done on coming so far so quick, he obviously trusts you...with his feet, id take it really slow, brushing down the legs, then go to apply pressure to get them to lift the leg themselves, then withdraw, keep doing it like that for a few days then as they lift the foot, take it, put it straight down again, do this for a few days then start holding the leg up a little longer each time, nearside is usually easier...if it helps use an arm extention to lift the foot off the floor. as soon as its up praise loads put back down straight away. It wont hurt to take your time, but if you rush and spoil it, you could spend a lot longer undoing damage.. Once up and horse relaxed about it then do things like move the leg around etc, brush and tap hoof, but take your time...he'll come round, but maybe he wants to go a bit slower...good luck.
 
I would not 'distract with food' overall it will take 10 times as long to solve the expecting food problem.
 
Don't worry about it is the first thing I would say. Just take your time and don't rush him. It doesn't matter if it takes you a few months to get there with picking his feet out.

I personally wouldn't get into feeding him for something like this, or any other training exercise, except at feed time to be honest. You can start a whole spiral of problems with resorting to food. A good scratch and rub is usually enjoyed even more by them.

I think the very best thing you have done so far is to rug him!! I always blanket my horses that are about to be backed or are tetchy with having things done with them. Rugs seem to have this de-sensitising action because they are rubbing and moving on them constantly, so even if they don't need them, they are a very worthwhile investment with a youngster in my opinion.
 
Thanks Tia, great advice as always. If you look in the pictures gallery you will see Bodey in his rug. I was quite pleasantly surprised at how easy it has been to put a rug on him especially when he has been nervy at other things, like being groomed on the bottom or any sudden movements.
I’m just going to take it slow, he has already come so far in a week.
 
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