Gentle Horsemanship series 102 Preparing for the Lift©

1. Standing: Horse stands still while you work around them. (You can't do anything if they don't stand still!  Learn patience.
2. Brushing: Horse stands still when you stroke the legs (brushing) another form of desensitizing and preparing your horse.
3. Unweighting leg: Horse stands yields to pressure (unweights the leg) when you push forward on the fetlock, without moving off (becoming scared). This may take you several tries. Take your time.  Then you can do the actual lifting.  Remember to watch for the horses' stance. The horse has to stand on its own and not lean on you or anyone else.  Move the horse, reposition for correct balance if needed.
4. Pick up leg: Horse releases the leg (picks it up) when you rub/press on the tendon, or push/pull the fetlock forward (leg lifting cues).
5. Hold leg: Horse will allow you to hold the leg in the "relax position" briefly (relax position is where the horse lifts the leg, you don't try to move it just briefly support it in that position then release it.).
6. Pick out hoof: Horse lets you pick which leg while it's being held and relaxed.
7. Move the legs: Horse lets you move the leg to other positions away from the relaxed position (frontward, backward, side to side).
8. Hold the leg in the "farrier" position: Horse lets you place the leg in the farrier position, for brief periods (less than 30 seconds). This step has 2 components, one position where the farrier trims and nails on a shoe, the 2^nd, where the leg is pulled forward and the farrier rasps off flares or clenches and finishes the shoeing job. You have to balance your horse, practice both of these, if you want your horse and farrier comfortable and happy.
9. Trim the hoof: Horse lets you place the leg in the relax position and perform a farrier task (such as removing the shoe, trimming or cleaning the feet).
10. Nail on a shoe: Horse lets you nail on and clench a shoe without fussing or flinching.  Keep the horse calm, relaxed and remember to balance the horse.

The problem is that most people jump from step 1 (maybe) to step 6 to step 10 and never work on the intermediate steps and stay there until the horse is completely comfortable with what you are asking.

If the horse moves away while trying any of these steps, it's because the previous step wasn't really solid and the horse wasn't really accepting it. Go back a step and get it solid before moving forward again.

For more information on Horse topics Contact us.

Wild Horse Foundation-Horse Tips & Tricks

P. O. Box 692

13140 State Highway 7

 Franklin, Texas 77856

979-828-3927

email:  grfield@wildhousefoundation.org

last updated 12-3-07