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Dealing with a horse that won't lift its hind leg for shoeing
Last week, I had a gelding that refused to lift his hind leg for a trim. He kept shifting his weight and leaning away every time I tried. I used calm voice commands and even brought out some treats, but nothing worked. My buddy had to hold him steady while I gently tapped the leg to get it up. It took forever and left me pretty frustrated. How do you handle horses that just won't cooperate during shoeing? I'd appreciate any advice or stories from others.
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blakecampbell6mo ago
My old farrier used to say if a horse won't lift its leg, it's probably just bored. Is it really a trust thing or are they just being stubborn?
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val2816mo ago
Last spring, I worked with a mare named Bella who had the same issue. She would lean away and refuse to lift her hind leg no matter what. I found that spending extra time just rubbing her leg without trying to pick it up helped a lot. It's like they need to trust that you're not going to force them. After a few sessions, she started lifting it on her own when I touched the fetlock. Sometimes it's about building patience and not rushing the process.
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