training a foal to pick feet up

[lucky lodge]

hi i have a little colt thats about 9 wks old and ive been training him to pick his feet up

he is fine with his back feet but when i pick his front leg up he backs up on 3 legs..

what iam i doing wrong

any advice would be great

thanks jenny

 

[Minimor]

Put him in a corner (rear end in the corner) so that he cannot back away. Do this until he learns to pick up his front feet & then you can progress to the open area.

 

[lucky lodge]

so why is he doing this..any ideas

 

[chandab]

Might just be a balance issue.

Is it possible that you are lifting higher than his comfort zone? Or does he start to back up the instant you pick his hoof off the ground? If he doesn't start backing right away, start with just lifting his hoof off the ground but not raising too high, and see at what point he starts backing. If he backs the instant you lift his hoof, then I'd be inclined to put his rear in a corner til he understands he can stand on 3 legs, then move him away from the corner.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Make sure you do this in a confined space to help him not run off. Also I agree make sure you don't lift too high. Just start by rubbing his leg so he doesn't fear from you touching it and ask for him to lift it up and if he starts acting up just go with it and try not to drop his foot down, once he settles down and stands still with you holding his leg up reward him by dropping it and rub his leg.

 

[Lil Timber Buck]

Another idea for you if you are sure that he isn't naturally unbalanced or hurting in any way I would try Clinton Anderson's method which is super simple! It worked for my weanling and two big horses. Basically, he says that horses learn from the release of pressure. Here's how:

Start at the knee using your thumb and index finger and slide them down between the tendon and the bone. Gently squeeze with increasing pressure until they shift their weight to the other side. Release the pressure and praise them with petting and high pitched good boys!

(several repititions)

Next, do the same thing but continue applying pressure until they lift the hoof off the ground (Even a half inch). IMMEDIATELY release the pressure to let them know that they did good. Lots and lots of praise.

(several repititions)

Finally, do these steps again and once the hoof is completely off the ground slide your hand around under the hoof and pastern to support it. Do this for increasing periods of time each time. When they begin to get bored holding the leg up, they sometimes will back or rear up as you are describing. If you let go at this point that is saying that they did good because you released the "pressure" of holding it. You need to stay with them if at all possible and follow them backwards, sideways, up or down-wherever they go to get away from you. The SECOND they stand still for you and let that leg just lay in your hand release the pressure and give them LOTS of praise. This reassures them they did good, that running away from the pressure is not the answer and that you are not trying to hurt them. Also, pay attention to how you hold them. For my weanling, he preferred me to just cup the hoof at first instead of holding onto it with my hand closed around it. He felt less closterphobic I think.

Over time, the horse will become better and better at this until they will stand forever on three legs for you. The balance will come. They learn to move out the opposite hind leg for support on their own. To me, it sounds like your little one is just testing you to get you to let go. Let me know how it goes or if you have questions.

 

[Minimor]

Why is he doing it? Just because he doesn't understand what you are doing or why you expect him to stand on 3 legs, he may have some balance issues, he may just not like standing on 3 legs and so he backs up to get away from having to stand that way. It's very typical behavior for foals when you are just starting to pick up their feet.

 

[lucky lodge]

thanks everyone,,he lets me touch all of his legs but as soon as his foot is only just of the ground

hes off back wards...but thanks heaps for the advice will try him in the corner..

now why didnt i think of that

LOL

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Part of it could be a dominance thing. They feel more vulnerable with the front feet off the ground and do not want to give up that dominance. Could this be an issue with your boy?

 

[AnnaC]

Horses (even foals) are 'heavier' in their front ends compared to their back ends and therefore it is easier for them to balance if a back foot is raised, so it is very possible that he simply feels unbalanced (and therefore unsafe) when you pick up a front foot.

Yes popping him with his rear end in a corner will help, as will picking his foot only a short way from he floor and for a moment or two to start with. Can you get someone to help you with this? When doing the foals here we have two people - the 'trimmer' starts with a back foot while the other person is at the front end giving scratches. We then change places. This also means that the 'support' person can not only prevent the foal from moving forwards or backwards, but can help support the little fella/girl should they feel a bit off balance.

But the main things to help are time and patience.

Good luck!

 

[txminipinto]

We start picking up feet and handling ears at birth. Every day twice a day we rub the foals down, cradle them, and start holding feet up and ears. Our week+ colt is an old pro now and just lets me do it because he knows I won't stop and until he's quiet. Our just a week old colt still hasn't learned that if he's quiet its over faster. You just have to be consistant and do not let go when they act up! Let him rear, but don't let go. Eventually he'll learn that temper tantrums do not get what them what they want and life is easier to just go with it.

 

[Jill]

We don't have a real structure to it, but H and I both touch every part of our new foals frequently. I mean, even inside their ears! We run our hands down their legs often and lift their feet. Mostly, they do well, but years ago, we had a colt who decided to lay on his back while his feet were trimmed!

He was perfectly fine and still for it to happen but it's an unfamiliar perspective for the trimmer

 

[Zoey3]

One of my fillies used to do the same thing. She would back up as soon as a try to pick a front leg up, and if I attemted to keep the leg up and not let her get away with it she would rear up and I would then end up leting go. Puting her in a corner helped, but until I realized why she did it, she did not get better. She would do it first two attemts then give up. Did this several times, but did not like it, she needs to not struggle at all. I realized she is just scared and unsure, so my farrier recommemed to start over and just pick the leg up for only a few seconds and "give it back." Have done this just a few times, increasing the time I hold the leg up and she has not done it again. Just the other day with no help from any one, just had the lead rope in one hand as I picked up all legs and cleaned the hooves out.

 

[lucky lodge]

will give it a go ...thanks

 

[Tab]

I trim mine here so I find training them to tie first prevents that sort of issue. If they learn they can get away they will. They do tend to fight you a little at first but keep up with it and they soon learn that it isn't worth struggling when no harm comes to them.