| How to hold a horse for the farrier Posted: 20 Jun 2010 01:15 PM PDT My farrier would laugh if he saw that I was authoring an article with this title. Riley is handful during shoeing, and I really struggle to keep him under control. I guess the one thing that makes me "qualified" to write about it is that I've found some good articles on the subject, and I've gotten advice from experienced horse people. If I'm no John Lyons, at least I've improved. Here are the tidbits I've gleaned... Beforehand... - Get your horse some exercise prior to the appointment -- turnout, riding, anything to help expend energy.
- Schedule the visit at a time when the barn is quiet.
- Avoid appointments that coincide with the horse's turnout time or feeding.
- Clear the aisleway of objects, obstructions, children/dogs, etc.
- Practice farrier tasks with your horse -- pick up feet, tap feet with hoof pick, etc.
Holding your horse... - Relax! You'll communicate your mood to the horse, so focus on staying relaxed and calm.
- Relax the arm holding the lead rope.
- Give a moderate amount of lead rope. Keeping a chokehold on the lead will make the horse tense and resentful.
- You need to monitor your horse's behavior but don't stare at him. Prey animals are uncomfortable when someone is staring. Try to "take in the whole scene" rather than focusing too much on your charge.
- Pay attention. Farrier work with a difficult horse is dangerous, and you need to focus. Every 3-5 seconds scan the horse's behavior for signs he/she may be about to misbehave. No cell phones, no conversations, no distractions.
- Get the horse's attention. The horse should be focusing on you. How to make this happen?
- Jiggle the lead line when they seem distracted.
- Use a low, authoritative tone when you say whoa or stand up.
- Warn the farrier before making a strong correction.
- Do not permit the horse to nibble or nudge the farrier.
- Don't pet, tease, or play with the horse.
- No treats or toys. I've been guilty of trying to "make my horse happy" like a parent trying to placate a cranky child with toys. You aren't the entertainment. You're the handler. Besides, toys and treats will tend to agitate.
- Position yourself. Stand at the horse's shoulder. When working on the front feet, the farrier will usually want you to stand on the same side she/he is working on; stand on the opposite side for the back feet.
- Position the horse. Pay attention to what the farrier is doing and position the horse accordingly...
- Square the horse up before the farrier picks up a foot.
- Tilt the horses head toward the farrier. This will keep the horse from swinging into you, and will allow the horse a view of what is happening.
- Don't worry if the horse gravitates to a wall, as long as the farrier is not in danger of being pinned. Some horses will feel more secure standing close to a wall.
- Keep the horse's head somewhat raised -- a lowered head makes it easier for the horse to throw weight around.
- If the horse starts to lean on the farrier, position their head over the opposite leg.
- If the horse starts to lean on the foot stand, move his nose back toward his chest.
- Pay close attention when the farrier is nailing the shoe on -- this is a dangerous time for the horse and the farrier.
- Extra control. Most farriers prefer not to work with restraints or drugs. A cotton lead rope over the gums is a mild restraint that keeps the horse in a good frame of mind.
RESOURCES Farrier articles Horse holding 101 from Danvers Child web site (foxtailforge.com) Horse holder positions for the farrier from Tri-state horseshoeing Be nice to the farrier or the art of horse holding from bwfa.net Farrier friendly horses from myhorse.com Holding a horse for the farrier (illustrated) from Horse handling and grooming (book) Hold your horse safely for your farrier from Online Magazine of Pamlico County North Carolina Preparing a horse for the farrier from Andalusian Dressage Partners How to hold a horse for the farrier from helium.com Restraint/manners articles Restraining a horse from The Horse magazine Teaching a horse to stand from professorshouse.com How do deal with a difficult horse from Proceedings of the Annual AAEP Convention 1999 Restraining a horse ( excerpt from Understanding Basic Horse Care by Michael A. Ball, DVM. ) from The Horse magazine How to hold your horses Restraining Methods from Professional Care of the Racehorse |
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