We have all heard this phrase before: "No foot, no horse." How true. Farrier care is one of the most important aspects of caring for your horse and unfortunately it is not always easy.
We've all known them - the horses that squirm and rip their feet off, the horses that kick, the horses that squirm, the horses that trample, the lazy horses that are the bane of the farrier. It's hard enough to find a good farrier, so you don't want him refusing to trim or shoe your horse because he's acting like an idiot.
Farriers are always busy and they don't have time to teach your horse to lift his feet and stand still. It's your job. So train your horse to do it early and do it well. Yes, this can also be taught to older horses. Just don't ask them too much too soon and everything will be fine.
You need to understand some of the reasons why a horse is not happy to pick up its feet. A horse's feet are used to race to safety. Holding his foot, he feels vulnerable. He may not even have been shown properly how to lift his feet. He may have been abused in the past when he had his feet picked up, or there may be a physical problem, such as a sore foot.
Here's how to teach a horse to lift its feet and stand still. You start with small bits at a time, 5-15 minutes twice a day should be enough. That said, each horse is an individual in its own right, so you need to adjust your pace accordingly.
Start in a safe place, such as a lunging ring. Do not work with the horse tethered for your safety and his. Start by stroking her neckline and slowly work your way down to her shoulder, then her leg. If he's happy, you're doing a good job.
If he becomes agitated, slowly remove your hand from where he started agitating, and repeat until he calms down. Keep doing this until you touch the feet. If you can't do it the first time, that's okay. Just end on a high note and try again another time. This same procedure can also be done with the back legs. Just remember to be slow, easy, and calm.
Once you get to the feet try to pick one up, hold it for a split second and release it before the horse picks it up and praise and reward it. Switch to another leg and so on. When you first work with them you don't want a long hold, you just want to be able to pick up the foot and put it down immediately.
This will teach the horse that you will not harm him. Increase the duration of the grip as you go along with your sessions with the horse. After a while, and who is in a hurry anyway, you will have a horse that will stand still not only for you but also for the farrier. Trust is a big issue here, all right, so please treat your horse with some respect and he will reply.