Horses and Disabilities

[Keket]

Okay, with me being an able-bodied person, it's hard for me imagine what it's like to have a disability, even a mild one. So I need some advice.

There's people in my class that would like to learn some basic horse handling skills (leading, picking up feet, basic restraint, etc), and I'd like to teach them. RI's told me she certainly doesn't mind me using Coquette as a model. Coquette's a good, steady, well-mannered horse. Almost bombproof. I know that most of the people in my class will have no problem at all handling her. She'll suck up the attention. ;)

But there's one woman in my class, with a minor disability. She's got a bad knee and walks with a cane. If she doesn't use the cane, she risks her knee giving out and falling. So either a) she does all her handling with only one hand, or b) she does it at the risk of falling. And I'd imagine picking up feet would be out of the question, as then she'd have to hve both hands free and balance without a cane while holding up a horse leg.

So I have two questions. Is there a way for this woman to do these things if she wants to? And how do I politely tell her that there are somethings I don't think she should do?

[8-legged-pony]

Is the lady able to bend down with one knee, so Coquette could rest her foot on her knee? That could be one way of getting round it, as she could pick her feet out with one hand whilst Coquette rests her foot on her knee (if Coquette will behave!). Or could you somehow help to support her giving her 2 hands free to pick up the foot? It might be an idea to say to her that picking out feet etc could be tricky because of her bad knee, but maybe ask her if she has any idea as to how she could overcome this, or suggest that you can help by holding coquette's foot up so that she can do the actual hoof picking? That's what I've done with some of my disabled students before, I hold the hoof and they pick it out. I can't off my head think of any other specific things she might have difficulty with. Safety wise if she's leading Coquette, it might be worth walking the other side, because if Coquette did happen to spook (even the most bombproof horses have their moments) you can then take control of the situation, to avoid the lady having problems with her knee. I think it's important though to just explain to her that you're only doing these things to help her if there was an issue of safety, it's not that you don't think she can handle Coquette.

[Stencilbum]

I think that the lady is accutely aware of her limitations with her disability.

I had a bad bike accident when I was 17 and spent 6 months on crutches due to a badly broken knee. It still forces choices on me, but I don't walk with a limp (yet)

She will tell you if she is struggling or is unwilling to take a risk.

I'd not embarass her with it TBH !

[Keket]

Stencilbum:
I think that the lady is accutely aware of her limitations with her disability.
She fell down the stairs a few days ago because she went without her cane. And she's not a horse person and while she may be aware of her disability, she may not be aware of how it relates to a horse. She's in my vet assistant class. We learn horse restraint out of book, and I know they'd like to try it out in real life. And while this woman likes horses, she knows jack-all about them (she saw a picture of Coquette and I and commented on how brave I was to stand next to a "wild horse"; Coquette was wearing a blanket in this picture, so hardly wild looking). Fine, we all start somewhere, but she doesn't know how her disability is going to affect her. Which is why I feel I should warn her about potential problems she may have.

8-legged-pony:
I think it's important though to just explain to her that you're only doing these things to help her if there was an issue of safety, it's not that you don't think she can handle Coquette.
Yes, that's exactly it. If her knee gave out and she fell, I wouldn't want anything to happen (although I've gone flat on my back on the ice before while leading Coquette and the dear just stood there) to happen to her. Hm, maybe teach her to pick the foot up, but not bother with picking? That way she knows the basic technique, but doesn't have to be bent over. And at least she should be able to pick up the front feet, Coquette's quite good with those; she just tends to make you work for the hind legs (big muscly bum, she can only lift them so high).

[Dreamchaser]

So, I'm mostly thinking out loud here.

When I put corks in Dolly's shoes for shows, it honestly takes me forever. I'm terrible at it. I end up sitting on a bucket, and Dolly will stand forever with her leg rested on top of my leg. Honestly, it can take me sometimes 45 minutes and she just stands there.

So, in that situation, I would see if the woman would mind sitting on a small stool or bucket and let Dolly rest her leg on top of hers. Does that sound at all plausible? Or could she sit on a small stool beside the horse to pick out the hoof? Would Coquette be okay for this?

[Keket]

Someone else mentioned a small stool too. I know Coquette doesn't mind stools, because whenever her mane needs doing, I have to stand on a stool next to her (and the last time I tried it, it was over an hour...). She's fine with everything else around her legs, I don't see a stool being a problem, but I'll give it a trial run beforehand.

[stormandsummer]

I am interested in knowing how you get on with this situation.

I have a really bad back and strenght is not my strongest point, i have a heavy weight cob that I own and may be i am lucky or he is just a special lad, he knows my limitations and picking out his feet can be a problem for me as he has massive feet ( shire size ) I can't hold his feet and he soon learnt that the command " up up " when i tap his knee means lift his feet for me :D

My hands are often numb too and weak so he tries to hold his own feet up for me, does not always work and he has sat on me and i have had to let go, now normally another horse foot would slam to the floor but he knows now i mean no harm to him and gently puts his foot down or holds it lower for me.

i think horses know when someone is disabled or limited in what they can do, they seem to pick it up.

I get violent back spasums without warning and the few times i do manage to ride, he will gently stop and wait until the muscles in my back have gone back to normal and then move on for me :D

he will also assist me to open gates easier as i can't always bend down to reach gates. I am sure he knows when i am in alot of pain.

when i have good back days he can be a bugger and does little bucks of excitement but he has never done this when i am struggling :D

I would give your horse a chance to see how it copes and be there to offer advice :D

[Abserd]

Don't have my own horse but do pick out horses and ponies feet at my RS and where i help at RDA. I'm not very strong, also get numb hands and can't grip well. Some of the larger horses can be really good, but if they lean on me i just have to put their feet down. Ponies, being lighter are not so bad, but then you end up with backache from bending! I read somewhere that if you hold the hoof at the toe, then they have to balance on their other 3 legs rather than putting any weight on you. I've tried this and it does work, apart from one rather arthritic horse, but i never force him. Wonder if this lady could lean on her cane with one hand and use her free hand to pick up the foot? Without actually picking it out?

ETA: stormandsummer - your cob sounds like a love!

[Trixie]

I wouldn't be too keen on asking the horse to rest her foot on the lady's knee, nor for the lady to sit on a small stool for safety reasons. If a horse should get a fright and move suddenly while getting hooves picked out, the best position for anyone to be in is on two feet so they can get out of the way. If you have any weight on a knee on the ground, or bum on a stool, the extra time to get out of the way can be costly.

I've had trouble with interrmittent paralysis of one leg and had to walk heavily on a stick. I found that the easiest and safest way to pick up feet and pick out hooves is to have someone standing beside me, gently supporting an arm to aid balance. If necessary they can stop me falling over or help me get out of the way if the horse gets a fright.

I have no problem with this since I know just how dangerous even the most placid horse can be given a big enough fright. Picking out hooves one day, a teenager who knew where I was and what I was doing, came sprinting round the side of the barn and appeared about a foot from my horse's nose, screaming loudly. He freaked (mind you, so did I). He knocked me onto my back and went over the top of me. Luckily one front hoof landed on one side of my head and the other on the other side. This was on a good day when I had no problems walking etc.

You can have the quietest, most well-mannered horse in the world, but the same can't be said for some people who seem to forget how to behave on a yard as soon as they get there.

Try talking to this lady and explaining what the problems may be. You can then get her input on how she thinks she might be able to get round the difficulty. Maybe let her see the others doing it after a general safety reminder so she can work out the best way for her. If she thinks she can't do it safely she'll tell you.

[AengusOg]

There are lots of other, equally important tasks for this lady to perform. You could try delegating a task to each person, giving her one which you know to be safe for her. If she sees what's involved by observing the others, she may decide for herself that picking out feet is not her thing.

Most disabled people know their limitations and are very philosophical about it.

[salee]

hi
just an idea, would the mare allow her foot - hoof up- to rest on a bale? the lady could pick the hoof out without having to hold it, & if the lady needed to balance herself there should be enough room for her to use the same bale?
having used a bale myself to hold the ends of a crutch while i opened doors etc (after a minor foot break) i can say she could jam her stick into the bale ready for use after finishing.
all the disabled/less abled riders etc i have ever known have been so very inventive about getting round their problems, ask the lady if she has any suggestions herself? bye